loyalty

• loyalty quotes


  i am not what i am - iago

  i saw othello’s visage in his mind - desdemona

  why did i marry - othello

  o the more angel she and you the blacker devil - othello
• i saw othello’s visage in his mind - desdemona

  • highlights her loyalty to othello as her love transcends physical appearance, the hierarchy and societal prejudices
  • her loyalty is an expression of true love portraying her as a devoted partner
  • shakespeare’s intentions are to set the stage for tragedy when her fidelity and loyalty is late questioned
  • audience thinks she is open minded and kind which emphasises the tragedy further
• i am not what i am - iago

  • known as honest iago but reveals his duplicitous nature as he pretends to be loyal while harbouring malicious motives for othello’s downfall
  • adverb ‘not’ shows certainty
  • shakespeare’s intentions to create atmosphere of mistrust and set a tragic tone
  • audience dislike his villainous ways as he’s plotting against a well respected man to benefit himself and clim the great chain of being
  • loyalty can be weaponised when manipulated
• why did i marry - othello


  • mistakenly places trust in iago who continues to feed him lies which furthers his insecurity on his marriage and wife’s fidelity
  • othello believes iago rather than his wife because of the strong patriarchy
  • shakespeare’s intentions to illustrate how misplaced loyalty can undermine relationships
  • loyalty can cloud judgment when given to the wrong person
  • audience feel sorry for othello as he’s exploited but question why he‘s so easily influenced and believe there was already doubt in their marriage and iago acted as a catalyst
• o the more angel she and you the blacker devil - othello

  • othello’s realisation
  • juxtaposition of the dichotomy ‘angel’ and ‘devil’ emphasises difference of desdemona’s loyalty and iago’s disloyalty and shakespeare‘s intentions was emphasise the climax
  • dichotomy has semantic field of religion which relates to religious beliefs in this era which mirrors importance of his loss, regret and pain
• o the more angel she and you the blacker devil - othello

  • audience either empathetic as he was exploited into his actions or loath him due to contemporary societal prejudice
  • coloured characters usually written as cruel, treacherous and barbaric
  • othello believed iago’s false incriminations, acting on his anger meaning his character has now met the criteria of these stereotypes