Figurative Language In Othello

The society in which Othello takes place is a patriarchal one, where men had complete control over women. They were seen as possessions rather than being just as equally human and capable of duties performed by men. All women of the Elizabethan were to obey all men, fathers, brothers, husbands, etc. Which leads me to the most reliable and trustworthy character of Desdemona, whom goes through many trials just to satisfy her love. Shakespeare brings the thought of Desdemona into the play by Barbantio, her father, “It is too true an evil. Gone she is.\...Oh, she deceives me\ Past thought! …” (1.1.163)(1.1.168-169), whom has just found she has taken off with Othello and firstly suspects they have been hitched. Shakespeare gives reader the

Othello said, “Oh, yes, and went between us very oft”. (3.3.103) Othello let a white man carry his words to a Desdemona knowing there would be problems if it Othello and Desdemona’s relationship went out to the public. That shows how trustworthy Cassio was to Othello. Within these reasons, Othello’s feeling is

Through using powerful words in, “Othello”, the human behaviour of the characters is either positively or negatively influenced, and their characteristics and destinies are created. In the following essay “the power of words” in “Othello” will be discussed. Firstly, an introduction paragraph will be given about the power of language devices. Secondly, the language device, “words as power”, will be discussed. Thirdly, the language device, “words as character”, will be elaborated upon. Lastly, the

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the role of women is greatly emphasized. The important characters of the play, Othello, Iago, and Cassio, each have a women that stands behind him. These women each have an obligation to remain loyal and respect their husband's wishes, especially Desdemona and Emilia.

    Othello represents a prime example of Shakespeare's ability to develop relationships between the sexes so as to demonstrate those relationships' weaknesses. In Othello, the sexes are divided by misconceptions and ego- centric views of the opposite gender. The men of the play, in particular Othello, maintain a patriarchal, chivalric notion of the sexes, while the women of the play yearn for more involvement in their husbands' affairs. So it is that the thrust of the play emerges from "the opposition of attitudes, viewpoints, and sexes." (Neely 214)

Women in the sixteenth century were commonly dominated by a patriarchal society. Meaning their loyalty and respect lay amongst the men in their lives with little choice for opposition. In Othello by William Shakespeare, he portrays the role of women in a way typical to their representation in Elizabethan and Venetian society. While the women may be presented as mentally stronger than their male counterparts, the language given to these female characters suggest that they have internalized society 's expectation of them. Apart from moments of private conversation and Emilia 's reaction to Desdemona 's death, the women behave in a submission that is expected of them, believing it to be the natural way, as the men continue to downgrade and treat them as secondary citizens. Shakespeare represents this status of women through the traditional views of the male characters, moments of submission from the females, and how the women internalize this society.

Othello had slept with his wife. He suspects not only that of Othello but Cassio as well. It seems as though Cassio is more involved with others lives rather than focusing on his own.

The settings establish the mood and tone of the act. The play's opening setting of Venice symbolizes the sophisticated, wealthy, and civilized world. This is later juxtaposed by Cyprus, an isolated military outpost composed of uncivilized, uncultured people. In Venice, Othello's diction is calm, intellectual, and respectful as displayed when he addresses the Senate in Act I, scene 2: "'Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, / My very noble, and approved good masters.'" He displays his faith in Desdemona: "'If you do find me foul in her report, / The trust, the office, I do hold of you / Not only take away, but let your sentence / Even fall upon my life.'" However, once in Cyprus he becomes angered and short tempered and strikes Desdemona. Lodovico, a relative of Brabantio, then remarks "'My lord, this would not be believed in Venice,'" signifying the contrast between Othello of Cyprus and Othello of Venice.

Othello, on the other hand, is set in 16th-century during the war between Venice and Turkey. Othello promotes the Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is deadly jealous. Iago begins an evil and malicious

Figurative Language 4. In Act 1 Scene 1, Iago says “I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.” This is an example of imagery. Again, this shows that Iago really does not like Othello, basically calling him an animal. Also, it describes Desdemona and Othello as being very ‘animalistic’ which really sets off Brabantio, all part of Iago’s plan.

Shakespeare’s plays depend to a great extent on incongruity. There are three sorts of incongruity introduced in this novel. They are: situational, verbal, and sensational. Incongruity assumes an imperative part in Othello. It makes anticipation, also adds enthusiasm to the story.

The English language is essentially a melting pot of many languages that includes words and phrases that are only intelligible to a speaker of the language. However, even those most educated in the field of English often don’t know that much of the vernacular we use offhandedly comes from one of England’s most celebrated writers, William Shakespeare. During his career Shakespeare wrote 40 plays and 154 sonnets and countless poems all of which contain certain phrases that Shakespeare coined and we still use today. In Shakespeare’s play Othello the character Iago uses the phrase “But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve: For daws to peck at”, which translates into what we know today as “wearing your heat upon your sleeve.

In William Shakespeare’s second act of Othello, Iago uses the power of language to make people believe he truly is an honest person that only wants what is best, but actually, he just wants to set them up while still appearing as their friend. Iago is telling Montano about how Casio is a drunk without even saying it, when he says, “I fear the trust Othello puts him in, on some odd time of his infirmity, will shake this island” (2.3.131-133). Iago is using indirect language to tell Montano that Cassio is a drunk but while saying it in the nicest way possible. He is also saying that Othello has to much trust in Cassio. Iago telling Montano that Cassio is a drunk is all part of his plan of getting Cassio fired.

There are only three female characters in William Shakespeare's play Othello, Desdemona, Othello’s wife, Emilia, Iago’s wife and Desdemona’s lady-in-waiting, and Bianca, a courtesan. When first introduced to this limited number of representatives of the female gender, it is quickly assumed that they will not be very present or have an important role in story. In addition, the male characters of the play see women as submissive and promiscuous possessions that should be controlled by either their fathers or spouses. However Shakespeare’s female characters are shown to question male authority and to have the ability to speak for themselves, which could be seen as feminist statement during the Elizabethan time that Shakespeare lived in.

Female characters, whether they are mothers, sisters, daughters, or lovers, are used as essential roles in every play written by William Shakespeare. In the beginning of both plays, Twelfth Night and Othello, we see strong-willed ladies. Shakespeare enjoys giving women powerful minds and hearts in his works. I think that the female character development between these two plays is that women have the ability to be dominant in a man’s world, but can also lose themselves by becoming submissive to men. While Shakespeare wrote the later play with concepts about consequences of jealousy and not trusting a loved one, he used Twelfth Night to be an example to men to have more compassion for women.