The words ‘to be’ and ‘once’ suggests Othello is a man of action. He will not reflect about any consequences with his actions. All he does is if there is trouble, he will try to prove it and take action with sufficient evidence.
This quote states that Desdemona has disobeyed her father Brabantio and she may cheat on Othello: ‘She did deceive her father, by marrying you.’ The word ‘deceive’ reveals Iago’s next step in his sadistic plot to make Othello suspicious of Desdemona having affair with Cassio.
The following quote depicts Othello’s stupidity: ‘I am bound to thee for ever.’ The word ‘bound’ suggests Othello believes Iago is his friend, but in reality Iago is using him to play mind games, as part of his plan to lead to Othello’s downfall.
The following quotation reveals Othello’s opinion that Desdemona would be truthful to him: ‘I do not think but Desdemona’s honest.’ The words ‘not’ and ‘honest’ enforces the fact that Desdemona could have cheated on him.
The quote depicts Othello sending Iago to order his wife, Emilia, to watch Desdemona: ‘Set on thy wife to observe.’ There is a crucial link to ‘set’ and ‘observe’. This reinforces the fact that Othello is beginning to distrust Desdemona. He desperately needs evidence to confirm if she is having a relationship with Cassio.
The quote demonstrates the reasons why Desdemona will cheat on him, according to his opinion: ‘Haply, for I am black and have not these soft parts of conversation…I am declined.’ There is a hidden message in ‘conversation’ and ‘I am declined’, which mean that he is a rough man and older than Desdemona. These words uncover the fact Othello believes he has been cuckolded by asking rhetorical questions of himself. One of the reasons, he mentioned is that he is ‘black’, which has an explicit meaning that biracial marriages were not approved during the Renaissance era. The other reason is that he is not self confident, as ‘conversation’ depicts this.
The quote below exposes Iago’s next phase of his plan leading to Othello’s downfall: ‘A good wench; give it to me.’ There is a connection between ‘good wench’ and ‘give it to me’. It suggests that Iago wanted Emilia to steal the handkerchief from Desdemona, which is a gift from Othello. Then he will pass it to Cassio and incite Othello up by disclosing that Cassio has Desdemona’s handkerchief, as evidence that she is cuckolding Othello.
This quote demonstrates that Othello is beginning to loathe Desdemona: ‘False to me…than but to know’t a little…Cassio’s kisses on her lips.’ The words ‘false to me’ suggest that Desdemona does not love Othello, according to his thoughts. This is also a contradiction of his love to her earlier in the play, Othello mentioned ‘know’t a little’. This suggests that he wishes he had an overview of the whole situation. He also spoke of ‘Cassio’s kisses on the lips’. This enforces the fact that Othello is imagining Desdemona’s sexual relationship with Cassio. In Othello’s opinion, she is a strumpet. Othello is an arrogant man who does not bother to talk to his wife.
The following quotation enforces the fact that Othello assumes he has been cuckolded: ‘Farewell, Othello’s occupations gone…villain, be sure, thou prove my love a whore.’ The words ‘occupations gone’ suggests Othello gives up on life. He also mentioned ‘prove’ and ’whore’. This demonstrates the fact that he desperately needs evidence, from Iago, to confirm that Desdemona is having a sexual relationship with Cassio, leaving him into an easier position. Othello does not realise he is playing psychological games with Iago.
The quote expresses Iago’s detail of the supposed dream of sex between Cassio and Desdemona: ‘One of this kind is Cassio…laid his leg over my thigh, and sighed and kissed.’ The word ‘kind’ suggests Desdemona is in bed with Cassio, according to Iago, in the third person. He also stated, in the first person as Cassio, ‘leg over my thigh’ and ‘kissed’. It suggests that Desdemona will enjoy sexual pleasure from Cassio, as well as Othello. Othello will become increasingly jealous, leading to his anger with Desdemona.
This quote depicts Othello’s desperation for action: ‘I’ll tear her all to pieces.’ The words ‘tear’ and ‘pieces’ enforces the fact that Othello wants to be violent towards Desdemona to stop the supposed affair. Othello does not realise that Iago is succeeding in his diabolical plan.
The quote exposes Othello’s discussion of revenge: ‘Arise black vengeance, from the hollow hell…O, blood, blood, blood!’ There is an unimaginable relationship between ‘black vengeance’ and ‘hollow hell’. It states that Othello’s worst nightmare has become true. He also mentioned ‘blood, blood, blood’, which is a repetition of revenge. This suggests that Othello is preparing to punish Desdemona for her supposed relationship with Cassio, without reflecting on the consequences of his actions. This leaves us to make up our opinions as to what might happen. It hints of Othello’s desire to end the whole situation by violence.
The quotation suggests that Othello believes he has arrived at hell: ‘Damn her, lewd minx! O damn her, damn her!’ Othello mentions ‘damn her, damn her’, which is repetition of torture. He is becoming obsessive about Desdemona’s supposed adultery. Othello has become Iago’s slave.
The quote suggests Othello’s suspicion of Desdemona’s activities: ‘Give me your hand. This hand is moist.’ The word ‘moist’ reveals Othello’s imagination of Desdemona’s sexual desire with Cassio.
This quote illustrates that Othello’s madly in love with Desdemona: ‘To lose, or give’t away were such perdition.’ This portrays that Desdemona means so much to him that if he loses her, he will be damned while he is still alive. This also means that Othello is very jealous and Desdemona does not realise it.
The quotation portrays Othello’s nightmare: ‘Lie with her? Lie on her?’ The words ‘lie’, ‘with’ and ‘her’ are a diabolical repetition. Othello is being mentally tortured by experiencing visions of Desdemona’s adultery.
The quotation illustrates that Othello is beginning to use Iago’s language: ‘A horned man’s a monster and a beast.’ The words ‘horned man’ suggests Othello does not like being cuckolded. This makes us think that he is proud of not being cuckolded anymore. Othello is now thinking of himself more than Desdemona, which is a sign of not loving her anymore.
This quote depicts Othello’s anger with Desdemona: ‘Let her rot and perish, and be damned.’ There is a satanic relationship between ‘rot’ and ‘perish’. These words suggest that Othello wants Desdemona dead for her supposed actions. He also mentioned ‘damned’, which is a diabolic metaphor. This enforces the fact that this is a contrast of Othello’s description of Desdemona as ‘soul’s joy’ earlier in the play. Othello is very violent towards her, but he is psychologically disturbed and tortured by his earlier memories of her. The prediction Othello made earlier has now become true.
The quote below exposes Iago’s intention to use Othello to murder Desdemona: ‘Get me some poison…strangle her in her bed.’ The word ‘poison’ is a contamination metaphor, as mentioned by Iago earlier, become reality. It suggests that Iago is still one step ahead in his psychological game against Othello. Iago also stated ‘strangled’. This illustrates that Iago wanted Othello to take away Desdemona’s life because Iago is more likely to come out of the situation innocent of assisting the murder. This will be too late for Othello to discover that Desdemona is innocent and the situation is all fictitious. Othello does not realise this because he is very angry.
This quote depicts Othello’s suffering: ‘A fixed figure for the time of scorn…the fountain…as a cistern for foul toads.’ The word ‘scorn’ refers to Othello’s distrust. He feels that way because he felt betrayed by Desdemona. There is a contrast between ‘fountain’ and ‘cistern’. It suggests that, in Othello’s view, which Desdemona used to be faithful. Now she has been contaminated by sleeping with other men, in reality it never happened and Othello has no knowledge of this. Othello believes he has the evidence to justify his intended actions.
The quote demonstrates that Othello’s confirmed actions: ’Put out the light.’ The words ‘put out’ are a homicidal metaphor. It suggests that Desdemona cannot be allowed to cuckold other men and Othello believes he must put an end to this. Othello does not realise the whole situation and he has played and lost a psychological game with Iago, until after he has taken her life away.
In my opinion, Othello only murdered Desdemona because he felt that she committed a sin and she must be punished. He obviously regrets that he ended her life, but he never claimed responsibility because he is jealous. Iago got into this position by using psychology to find and exploit other people’s weaknesses to his own advantage. He is also a sly, clever and cautious man. All he did was to use other people and played them off against each other. Othello had a weakness, which is jealousy. All Iago had to do was provoke Othello in order to achieve his goal, which is to break up Othello’s relationship with Desdemona.
