1.) I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapor of a dungeon
Then keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses.
I had rather be .......... for other' uses.
REFERENCE:
(i) Drama: Othello
(ii) Dramatist: William Shakespeare
CONTEXT:
(i) Occurrence: Act 3, Scene III
(ii) Content:
Iago plots against Othello and sends Roderigo to tell Brabantio that Othello has seduced Desdemona, Brabantio's daughter. After convincing Brabantio that he has won Desdemona's love, Othello is sent to Cyprus for a military command. Iago plants a handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona on Cassio to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona have an affair. Iago also convinces Roderigo to make an attempt on Cassio's life. He frames the courtesan Bianca and murders Roderigo. Mad with jealously, Othello smothers Desdemona, Iago's wife Emilia stumbles upon the murder and exposes Iago's plots, for which Iago kills her. Othello, realizing his error, kills himself.
EXPLANATION:
These lines are seized on as an example of Othello's self-pity, and of his insensitivity to Desdemona as a person. When Othello is convinced by Iago that Desdemona has cheated on him, he is drowned in self-pity. He wishes he were the most loathsome toad in the filthiest basement than to have only a part of someone he loves, sharing the rest of her with others. He feels injured in his pride, and in his self-respect. The animal reference clearly shows Iago's influence on Othello. The toad analogy is also a hyperbole used to express the direness of his angst. Othello also uses depersonalizing words "corner" and "thing" for Desdemona which can be interpreted as misogynistic or simply terminology from Shakespeare's time. These words also suggest that if she is promiscuous, then she is indeed an object; attempting to push away from him the pain of the sexual hurt, or the disappointment of his conviction of her uniquely individual value.
OTHELLO BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
2.) Now, by heaven,
My blood begins my safer guides to rule,
And passion, have my best judgment collied,
Assays to lead the way.
Now, by heaven, ......... to lead the way.
REFERENCE:
(i) Drama: Othello
(ii) Dramatist: William Shakespeare
CONTEXT:
(i) Occurrence: Act 2, Scene III
(ii) Content:
Iago plots against Othello and sends Roderigo to tell Brabantio that Othello has seduced Desdemona, Brabantio's daughter. After convincing Brabantio that he has won Desdemona's love, Othello is sent to Cyprus for a military command. Iago plants a handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona on Cassio to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona have an affair. Iago also convinces Roderigo to make an attempt on Cassio's life. He frames the courtesan Bianca and murders Roderigo. Mad with jealously, Othello smothers Desdemona, Iago's wife Emilia stumbles upon the murder and exposes Iago's plots, for which Iago kills her. Othello, realizing his error, kills himself.
EXPLANATION:
These lines reveal an important flaw in Othello's character for the first time. Othello is not a logical and sensible person. When he is angry or emotionally moved, he allows himself to act according to his heart rather than his mind. His self-control is overcome by his anger, and his best judgment is darkened by his passions. In fact, Othello is awakened from his wedding bed by a commotion and a brawl in a tavern involving none other than his lieutenant Cassio and a gentleman Roderigo. He is surprised more than a little irritated by the fact that he is aroused and ousted from his bed in the middle of the night. Othello dismisses Cassio without even waiting until morning to further consider and consult others before making a decision. Othello himself knows this flaw and describes it perfectly in these lines. Why then does he not, knowing his weakness, endeavor to correct it? It seems that he does not consider this aspect of his character a flaw at all, rather an integral part of his personality.
OTHELLO BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 3.) To be suspected, framed to make women false. The Moor is of a free and open nature That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, And will as tenderly be led by the nose As asses are. To be suspected, .......... as asses are. REFERENCE: (i) Drama: Othello (ii) Dramatist: William Shakespeare CONTEXT: (i) Occurrence: Act I, Scene III (ii) Content: Iago plots against Othello and sends Roderigo to tell Brabantio that Othello has seduced Desdemona, Brabantio's daughter. After convincing Brabantio that he has won Desdemona's love, Othello is sent to Cyprus for a military command. Iago plants a handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona on Cassio to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona have an affair. Iago also convinces Roderigo to make an attempt on Cassio's life. He frames the courtesan Bianca and murders Roderigo. Mad with jealously, Othello smothers Desdemona, Iago's wife Emilia stumbles upon the murder and exposes Iago's plots, for which Iago kills her. Othello, realizing his error, kills himself. EXPLANATION: These lines are spoken by the antagonist Iago. In these lines, Iago says that suspicion leads to destruction and honest people are easy to manipulate. Iago has made a plot to destroy Othello. For this purpose, he wants to make Othello believe that Desdemona, Othello's wife, is having an affair with Cassio. He plans to plant the seed of suspicion in Othello to make Desdemona false. Moreover, Iago has openly recognized Othello's good nature. He knows that Othello is generous and straightforward. He thinks any man who seems honest is honest. These people are gullible and easy to handle. They are just like asses who can easily be led by the nose. We can control them so that they do exactly what we want them to do. In short, Iago implicitly suggests that he himself has none of the virtuous attributes which Othello does have.
0 Comments