The Beast in Shakespeare’s “Othello” "What is left when honor is lost?" This question‚ asked by Publilius Syrus‚ a known writer of the Ancient Rome during the times of Caesar‚ serves as a basis for the struggle between Othello and Iago. Both men are engaged in a battle over Othello’s honor. Iago is intent on destroying Othello’s sense of honor and reducing him to a bestial state. Iago views Othello as a beast masquerading in warrior’s dress. He wants to return Othello to what he believes to be his
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racism provides the background for Othello’s first appearance. For Iago Othello is "an old black ram" (I.i.88)‚ "the devil" (I.i.91)‚ and a "Barbary horse" (I.i.lll); the consum-mation of his marriage is a making of "the beast with two backs" (I.i.115-16). Roderigo‚ who shares Iago’s disgust‚ speaks of Desde-mona’s "gross
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During Iago and Roderigo’s discourse‚ Iago says‚ “ O‚ sir‚ content you; I follow him to serve my turn upon him…I am not what I am”. Iago declares himself to be fallacious. He reveals his future betrayal to his “friend”‚ Othello. Iago is very wise with his plot‚ he is not who Othello thinks he is. Iago’s ability to be a clever two faced will help him gain Othello’s reliance which he will later deceive. His statement refers to a well-known quote‚ “keep your friends close and your enemies even closer
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the belief known as Machiavellianism‚ once said “Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand‚ for everyone can see and few can feel. Everyone sees what you appear to be‚ few really know who you are.” To put this quote in context‚ Machiavelli was instructing a prince to appear to be a trustworthy and merciful guy and then to be prepared to act in a manner contrary to the appearance. Iago from the play Othello‚ employs this exact strategy--appearing to be an honest man only to use this good
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Honors October 5‚ 2012 Analysis on Othello Othello by William Shakespeare is a play that involves the story of Othello and his new wife Desdemona while they are in Cyprus attended to business of their leader. Othello accuses his new wife of betraying his love because of the outlandish lies of friend Iago. Othello is a manipulated‚ unsuspecting leader‚ who in the end will fall due to these qualities and kill not only himself‚ but his wife Desdemona. Othello is manipulated throughout the entire
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Shakespeare’s Othello and Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan are two plays which males dominate and control. Gender discrimination was strongly evident throughout both the Jacobean and Victorian era in which both were written. Women were generally considered the ‘inferior’ gender with little purpose other than their domesticated role. Males were seen as more powerful with a harsh attitude towards females. Marilyn French examines that it’s a females “cultures dictum to be obedient to males‚” however
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The Green-Eyed Monster In William Shakespeare’s Othello‚ the power of jealousy dominates the play; at first‚ it’s Iago who is stricken with jealousy‚ when Othello appoints Cassio as his new lieutenant. Iago states‚ “And I‚ of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes‚ at Cyprus‚ and on other grounds…must be beleed and calmed by debitor and creditor‚”(I.i.29-32) after finding out he will be an ancient instead of a lieutenant. These words he has spoken show jealousy on his part because he wanted
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Manipulation In Othello we see what jealousy and pride can do to a man and to what extent they will go to satisfy their inner demons. Many a man has fallen prey to the lies of a quick tongue‚ as well as the humiliation that comes with their confidence and pride. It is hard to say exactly what drives any one man to his dire actions‚ but one can assume that his temper‚ pride or honor was the starting spark that led to a fire. Tell me‚ what drives a man to use others to achieve his goals? In Othello many things
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Justice is a powerful force‚ one that continuously motivates the actions of an individual. Each individual has a different understanding of what justice is‚ and many will go to extreme measures to receive justice. In Othello‚ William Shakespeare develops the idea that an individual will go to extreme measures in order to obtain his own sense of justice. However‚ the individual will go to such extremes in an attempt to receive justice that the repercussions of his actions will overpower the feeling
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Othello: The Other Race and religion seem to be very prevalent in Shakespeare’s Othello. From the beginning of the play the reader gets the impression that the protagonist‚ Othello the Moor‚ is considered an “other” in the Venetian society. Othello’s high military ranking gives him the respect of the characters in the play‚ but his race and religion are brought up a lot throughout the play in the speech of the characters in the play. Despite the characters in the text constant dehumanization of
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