In these two extracts, jealousy is presented as both the cause and result of Iago’s plans against Othello. In the first extract, in Othello’s second dialogue, Shakespeare uses hyperbolic language to show the audience the exaggerated and overwhelming nature of Othello’s love for Desdemona. This is shown in
‘Olympus-high and duck again as low
As hell’s from heaven!’
Shakespeare also uses literary features personification and metaphor to display the nature of Othello’s love for Desdemona. This is shown in ‘labouring bark’, which is the personification and ‘hills of seas’, which is the metaphor. This clearly shows that the nature of Othello’s love for Desdemona is absolute and overwhelming. This is again shown in
‘My soul hath her content so absolute’,
which puts emphasis on the absoluteness of the love between Othello and Desdemona, and gives the audience undoubting knowledge on their love. At the end of the play, it becomes clear that Shakespeare’s purpose of doing so here is to show how Othello’s overwhelming love leads to overwhelming jealousy.
Further on in the extract, in Iago’s first dialogue in the extract, it is shown that he speaks ‘aside’, indicating to the audience the beginning of Iago’s plot against Othello.
‘I’ll set down the pegs that make this music,
As honest as I am.’
This reflects Iago’s secretive and malicious nature. Also, by showing this while the reunion between Othello and Desdemona is being shown, Shakespeare, by keeping the audience aware of Iago’s plans, keeps the audience from sharing the happiness of Othello and Desdemona which then leads to heighten the dramatic irony and the tension on the stage.
In the second extract, which is Iago’s soliloquy, it is shown that jealousy is the cause of Iago plotting against Othello, Desdemona and Cassio. In this extract, Shakespeare uses language through Iago to show his jealousy towards Othello which is shown in
‘The Moor …
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature’
Shakespeare uses the list of three in this case to show that even Iago acknowledges Othello and this shows Iago’s jealousy of Othello. Further on in the extract, it is clear that this jealousy had led to his suspicion that Othello slept with his wife, shown in
‘For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap’d into my seat; the thought …
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards’
Here a very emotive simile is used to describe Iago’s jealousy, describing his jealousy to be ‘poisonous’. This jealousy is also expressed against Cassio in
‘For I fear Cassio with my night – cap too- -’
Towards the end of the extract, Shakespeare again uses the list of three to show to the audience Iago’s skilful positioning of himself, shown in
‘Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me.’
This again heightens the tension amongst the audience and the dramatic irony.
Daniel,
ReplyDeleteExcellent understanding of the extract / scene shown. You've used a wide range of pertinent quotations from different places within the scene - a skillful approach.
Your comments also show a strong awareness of how the audience would react to the drama they see before them - although I think you could comment more specifically (and in more detail) on the language use itself. For example:
"This is shown in ‘labouring bark’, which is the personification and ‘hills of seas’, which is the metaphor. This clearly shows that the nature of Othello’s love for Desdemona is absolute and overwhelming" - exactly HOW does the personification and metaphor here show his love to be overwhelming? Is it as overwhelming as the titanic, raging seas he describes from the storm? Does it relfect that his love would enable him to strive against such odds as the ship he describes is struggling against the 'hills of seas'?