Othello by William Shakespeare | Motifs

Course Hero

9 May 201902:29

Summary

TLDRThe script explores the themes of darkness and light in Shakespeare's 'Othello', highlighting Iago's manipulation through darkness and the ironic portrayal of Othello as the 'devil' despite his dark skin. It contrasts Othello's and Desdemona's skin colors and Iago's use of beastly imagery to stir racial tensions. The script also notes the characters' descent into beastly behavior, reflecting the play's deeper commentary on race and morality.

Takeaways

🌙 Iago uses darkness as a metaphor for his deceptive nature, often operating in the shadows.
🕯️ Light is used symbolically to represent Desdemona's life, which Iago plans to extinguish.
🖤 Iago's light skin color juxtaposed with Othello's dark skin challenges racial stereotypes.
🐾 Iago manipulates the play's racial tensions by invoking beasts and demon imagery.
🐺 Iago's language infects other characters, causing them to adopt his beastly metaphors.
🌓 Othello's dark skin is associated with the devil figure, subverting the conventional good vs. evil dichotomy.
🦢 Emilia's final act of defiance is symbolized by her declaration to 'play the swan'.
👫 Desdemona is portrayed as 'white' and 'fair', contrasting with Othello's 'black' descriptions.
🌌 Iago's nighttime activities are indicative of his secretive and malevolent character.
🔍 The script encourages readers to track the spread of Iago's manipulative language throughout the play.

Q & A

What is the significance of darkness and light as motifs in the play?
-In the play, darkness and light serve as motifs to represent the hidden and the revealed, respectively. Darkness is used by Iago to hide his true intentions and manipulate others, while light is used to symbolize Desdemona's innocence and life.
How does Iago use darkness to his advantage?
-Iago hides in the darkness during the early hours of the morning to avoid being seen while stirring up trouble about Desdemona's elopement. He also uses the cover of darkness to instigate a fight between Cassio and Roderigo.
What does the candle in Desdemona's bedchamber symbolize?
-The candle in Desdemona's bedchamber is a metaphor for her life, which Iago plans to extinguish, indicating his intention to ruin her.
How are Desdemona and Othello's contrasting skin colors used in the play?
-Desdemona is described with terms like 'white' and 'fair', while Othello is referred to as 'black'. This contrast is used to highlight racial differences and plays with the audience's expectations of characters based on their appearance.
What is the situational irony in the portrayal of Iago and Othello?
-Despite the conventional association of dark with evil and light with good, Iago, who is light-skinned, plays the role of the villain in the play, while Othello, who is dark-skinned, is the tragic hero. This undercuts racial stereotyping.
How does Iago use beast and demon imagery?
-Iago uses beast and demon imagery to associate blackness with negative connotations, manipulating the play's racial tensions. He refers to Othello as an 'old black ram' and suggests that Othello and Desdemona are 'making the beast with two backs'.
How does the use of beast imagery spread throughout the play?
-The beast imagery starts with Iago's insinuations and spreads to other characters. Cassio, influenced by Iago, refers to himself as a 'beast' after getting drunk, and Othello uses similar language when expressing his jealousy.
What does Emilia mean when she declares she will play the Swan in the final scene?
-Emilia's declaration to play the Swan is a reference to the myth of Leda and the Swan, where Zeus, in the form of a swan, impregnates Leda. Emilia implies that she will reveal the truth about Iago's manipulations, similar to how the swan's actions led to the birth of Helen of Troy.
How does Iago's manipulation affect the language and actions of other characters?
-Iago's manipulations lead other characters to adopt his language and actions. For example, Cassio and Othello begin to use animalistic and hellish references to express their feelings, showing how Iago's influence has permeated their thoughts.
What is the significance of the term 'a fellow' in the context of the play?
-The term 'a fellow' is used to refer to Othello and is a way of dehumanizing him. It reflects the prejudice and racism present in the society depicted in the play, as well as Iago's disdain for Othello.
How does the play challenge traditional racial stereotypes?
-The play challenges traditional racial stereotypes by showing that it is Iago, the light-skinned character, who is the villain and Othello, the dark-skinned character, who is the hero. This subversion of expectations questions the simplistic association of darkness with evil.

Outlines

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🌙 Darkness and Light Motifs

The paragraph discusses the use of darkness and light as motifs in the play. Iago, who often hides in the shadows, uses darkness to conceal his identity and manipulate others, such as during the confrontation between Cassio and Roderigo. In contrast, the character of Desdemona is associated with light, as seen when a fellow enters her room by candlelight, intending to extinguish her life. The text also highlights the contrast between Desdemona's fair skin and Othello's dark skin, challenging traditional racial stereotypes by portraying Iago, the light-skinned character, as the villain rather than Othello. Iago's language includes references to beasts and demons, which he uses to manipulate the play's racial tensions and spread suspicion among other characters.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Motifs

Motifs are recurring themes or elements that help develop the overall message or meaning of a story. In the context of the video, motifs of darkness and light are used to symbolize the hidden nature of Iago's evil deeds and Desdemona's innocence, respectively. Darkness is associated with Iago's deceit and plotting, while light represents Desdemona's purity and the truth that Iago seeks to extinguish.

💡Iago

Iago is the antagonist in Shakespeare's play 'Othello'. He is a complex character who uses manipulation and deceit to achieve his goals. In the video, Iago's actions are often associated with darkness, indicating his secretive and villainous nature. He is the driving force behind the play's tragedy, using the motif of darkness to hide his true intentions.

💡Desdemona

Desdemona is one of the main characters in 'Othello' and the wife of Othello. She is portrayed as innocent and pure, often symbolized by light. The video highlights her tragic end, where Iago metaphorically snuffs out her life, akin to extinguishing a candle. Her character is central to understanding the play's exploration of love, betrayal, and innocence.

💡Othello

Othello is the protagonist of the play, a Moorish general in the Venetian army. He is depicted with dark skin, which is used to contrast with Iago's light skin. The video discusses how Othello, despite being dark-skinned, is not the 'devil' in the play, subverting racial stereotypes. His character is used to explore themes of jealousy, trust, and the destructive power of Iago's manipulation.

💡Contrast

Contrast is a literary technique that juxtaposes two different elements to highlight their differences. In the video, the contrast between Desdemona's 'white' and Othello's 'black' skin is used to emphasize the play's exploration of race and prejudice. It also contrasts with the characters' moral qualities, challenging the audience's expectations.

💡Situational Irony

Situational irony occurs when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expected. The video points out that despite the conventional association of darkness with evil, it is Iago, the light-skinned character, who embodies evil in the play. This irony underscores the theme that appearances can be deceiving.

💡Beasts and Demon Imagery

Beasts and demon imagery are used by Iago to manipulate others and to associate blackness with negative connotations. In the script, Iago uses such imagery to suggest that Othello and Desdemona's relationship is unnatural and to plant seeds of doubt in Othello's mind. This imagery serves to intensify the play's racial tensions and Iago's manipulation.

💡Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things to highlight a similarity. In the video, the light of a candle is used as a metaphor for Desdemona's life, suggesting her innocence and the fragility of her existence. Iago's plan to extinguish this light symbolizes his intent to destroy her.

💡Suspicion

Suspicion is a feeling of uncertainty or doubt concerning a person's honesty or trustworthiness. The video illustrates how Iago plants suspicion in Othello's mind, leading him to question Desdemona's fidelity. This suspicion is a key element in the play's tragic unraveling, as it drives Othello to his tragic actions.

💡Racial Stereotyping

Racial stereotyping is the act of applying generalized characteristics to a group of people based on race. The video discusses how the play 'Othello' challenges this by making Iago, who is light-skinned, the villain. This subversion of expectations is used to critique and explore the harmful effects of racial stereotyping.

💡Manipulation

Manipulation is the act of influencing someone to act in a way that benefits the manipulator. Iago is a master manipulator in the play, as highlighted in the video. He uses deception and insinuation to control the actions of others, leading to tragic outcomes. His manipulation is a central theme in understanding the play's message about the dangers of unchecked power and influence.

Highlights

Iago often hides in darkness to conceal his identity.

Iago manipulates Brabantio about Desdemona's elopement during the night.

Iago uses shadows to his advantage during Cassio and Roderigo's confrontation.

A fellow enters Desdemona's bedchamber by candlelight, symbolizing her life.

Desdemona is referred to as 'white' and 'fair', contrasting with Othello's 'black'.

Othello's dark skin and Iago's light skin create situational irony.

Iago, despite being light-skinned, plays the devilish role in the play.

Iago uses beast and demon imagery to manipulate racial tensions.

Iago's language infects others with beastly metaphors.

Cassio, influenced by Iago, declares himself a 'beast' after drinking.

Othello adopts animal and hellish references under Iago's manipulation.

Emilia discovers Iago's deceit and declares she will play the Swan in the final scene.

The play challenges conventional racial stereotypes.

Light and darkness are used as motifs to represent different characters' traits.

Iago's devilish role subverts expectations based on his light skin.

Beastly metaphors are used to spread suspicion and discord.

The contrast between Othello and Desdemona's skin colors is significant.

The play uses light and darkness as symbols for life and death.