IAGO

• What does the line "Work on, / My medicine, work!" suggest?

  It implies a plea for intervention.
• What does the juxtaposition in the line highlight?

  The unfairness of accusations against innocent women.
• How does the juxtaposition contribute to the play's themes?

  It adds to the tragic sense of injustice.
• What rhetorical device is used in the line about "worthy and chaste dames"?

  It employs a rhetorical question.
• What does Iago's statement about false accusations prompt the audience to reflect on?

  The injustice faced by innocent women.
• What is the significance of the phrase "worthy and chaste dames" in the context of the play?

  • Highlights innocence of women
  • Contrasts with wrongful reproach
  • Emphasizes themes of injustice
• How does Iago's manipulation affect the perception of women in the play?

  • False accusations tarnish reputations
  • Innocent women face societal judgment
  • Reflects broader themes of gender injustice
• "Look, he stirs: /Do you withdraw yourself a little while, / He will recover straight. When he is gone, / I would on great occasion speak with you."

  Act 4:1

  Enjambment- "Look, he stirs: / Do you withdraw yourself a little while, / He will recover straight" – The lack of punctuation at the end of the first line (after "stirs") and the continuation into the next line creates a sense of urgency and flow, as if Iago is quickly directing the action.
• Foreshadowing- "When he is gone, I would on great occasion speak with you" – Iago hints at something more significant that will happen later. This line foreshadows Iago's future plans to further manipulate both Cassio and Othello.
• Dramatic Irony:

  • The audience is aware of Iago's deceitful nature and his role in causing Othello’s rage, which adds dramatic irony to this line. While Iago pretends to care for Othello's health and recovery, he is, in fact, using the moment to continue his manipulation.
• "Think every bearded fellow that's but yoked / May draw with you. There's millions now alive / That nightly lie in those unproper beds / Which they dare swear peculiar."

  Act 4 Scene 1

  Iago planting seeds of doubt about Desdemona's fidelity.
• Hyperbole:

  • "There's millions now alive" – The exaggeration of the number of people alive who are involved in infidelity is meant to overwhelm Othello and make him believe that cheating is more common than he thinks. It suggests that infidelity is widespread and that Desdemona is just one among many who are unfaithful.
• Juxtaposition:

  • "Nightly lie in those unproper beds / Which they dare swear peculiar" – The phrase contrasts the idea of "unproper beds" (symbolizing infidelity or immoral behavior) with the idea of "peculiar" beds (which should belong exclusively to the rightful partner). This juxtaposition highlights the disloyalty and the corruption of trust that Iago is trying to convince Othello of.
• Irony:

  • "Which they dare swear peculiar" – The irony here lies in the fact that these men are lying in beds that they swear are exclusive to their wives, but they are, in fact, betraying that trust. Iago is manipulating Othello by convincing him that all men are inherently unfaithful, even if they claim otherwise.
• "For I will make him tell the tale anew, /Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when /He hath and is again to cope your wife."

  Act 4 Scene 1
• Anaphora:

  • The repetition of "how" at the start of multiple questions is an example of anaphora, a rhetorical device where successive phrases begin with the same word or phrase. This creates a rhythm in Iago’s
• Foreshadowing:

  • This line foreshadows the further destruction of Othello’s mental state as he becomes increasingly obsessed with the details of his wife's alleged infidelity. Iago is setting up a trap for Othello, manipulating him into a more intense jealousy that will lead to tragic consequences.
• Hyperbole:

  • The use of "again" suggests that Iago is implying that Cassio and Desdemona have already been intimate before, and that they are continuing this affair, even though it is all a fabrication. Iago’s hyperbolic claims increase the intensity of Othello's jealousy, making it feel as though the affair has been ongoing and is much more widespread than it actually is.
• "Do it not with poison, strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated."

  Act 4:1
• Imagery:

  • "Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated" – The imagery here is vivid and violent, conjuring an image of death in a personal, intimate space. The mention of the "bed" emphasizes the betrayal Othello believes has occurred, making the act of killing Desdemona in that space seem even more fitting to him. It also highlights the emotional intimacy between Othello and Desdemona, which makes the act of murder more tragic.
• Juxtaposition:

  • "Strangle her in her bed" vs. "the bed she hath contaminated" – The juxtaposition of the loving act of intimacy in a marital bed with the violent act of murder reinforces the emotional weight of the situation. The bed, once a symbol of love, is now the site of betrayal and violence, adding to the tragedy.
• Anaphora:

  • The repetition of "bed" in "in her bed" and "the bed she hath contaminated" draws attention to the importance of the location and the act of betrayal Othello perceives to have occurred there.