A motif is a recurring element or theme in a work of literature, and in Shakespeare's play "Othello," there are several motifs that help to reinforce the play's major themes and ideas. One such motif is the motif of jealousy, which is present throughout the play and helps to drive the tragic events that unfold.
At the heart of the play is the character of Othello, a military general who is deeply in love with his wife, Desdemona. However, Othello's friend and trusted lieutenant, Iago, is jealous of Othello's success and happiness and begins to sow seeds of doubt and mistrust in Othello's mind, ultimately leading to the tragic events of the play.
Another motif present in "Othello" is the motif of manipulation and deception. Iago is a master manipulator, and he uses his skills to manipulate and deceive the other characters in the play in order to achieve his own ends. He is particularly successful in manipulating Othello, using his jealousy and insecurities to convince him of Desdemona's infidelity.
The motif of love is also present in the play, as Othello and Desdemona's love for each other is a driving force throughout the play. However, their love is ultimately tested and ultimately destroyed by the manipulations of Iago and the jealousy that consumes Othello.
The motif of racism is also present in the play, as Othello is a black man in a society that is deeply racist and prejudiced against him. This racism serves to further fuel Othello's insecurities and mistrust of those around him, and it ultimately contributes to the tragic events of the play.
In conclusion, the motifs of jealousy, manipulation and deception, love, and racism all play important roles in "Othello" and help to reinforce the play's major themes and ideas. These motifs help to create a complex and tragic tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal that has stood the test of time as a classic work of literature.
Motifs In Othello [eljqeg3r8741]
However, the handkerchief eventually comes to symbolize to Othello Desdemona's betrayal, which is of course a lie made up by Iago. Motifs Plants Throughout the play, Othello, as a poetic figure, keeps invoking the imageries of plants and metaphorically contemplates. Drunk We watch as Cassio drunkenly begins to attack anyone who opposes him. Jealousy, desire for power, and greediness are the core driving forces that cause lead to fatal results. He tells Desdemona that it was woven by a 200-year-old sibyl, or female prophet, using silk from sacred worms and dye extracted from the hearts of mummified virgins. Weller, an Eastern Washington University professor of English and Shakespearean scholar for more than 50 years. By including such motifs within a writing piece, these topics will become more prominent over others in the story and will act to greatly affect the plot and highlight a possible theme.
Iago manipulates the handkerchief so that Othello comes to see it as a symbol of Desdemona herself - her faith and chastity. . Veil Desdemona gets into bed and invites Othello upon it with her through the veil the covers it. By poet and literary critic William Empson's count, there are 52 uses of "honest" and "honesty" throughout the play. Strangled Othello strangles himself after discovering he's been tricked by Iago into believing that his wife has betrayed him with another man and has killed Desdemona by smothering her.
That is why he betrays his master. This allows the audience to know he meant savage Moor. Iago, on the other hand, is far more shallow about the things he sees. However, the power of greediness blinds people. There is a plenty reference to hell, demons and monsters in the play. This song therefore becomes a symbol of Desdemona's own impending doom, brought on by Othello's madness.
Shakespeare's vast knowledge, and writing style made his works interesting for both the intellectual, and the illiterate. The villain kills Emilia because she dares to expose him. The handkerchief functions as a symbol of Othello's love, which Desdemona cherishes 3. You can become one. From these statements, it is evident that plants hold a special place at the center of the play. Iago, on the other hand, uses the ideal of brotherly love for his own vile ends.
Desdemona challenges him to say something about her, and Iago expresses some reluctance to answer Desdemona's challenge, but Desdemona keeps after him until he starts in again. Towards the end of the play, Desdemona sings a song which she learned from Barbary who was a maid to her mother. Overall, the three motifs of Othello play a crucial role in the storyline progress. By the end of the play, Barbanito dies of grief after losing his daughter to Othello. Like the repeated references to plants, these references to animals convey a sense that the laws of nature, rather than those of society, are the primary forces governing the characters in this play.
Iago uses this term to compare jealousy to a monster that makes fun of the victims it devours. We know that Iago plans to use whatever Desdemona says on Cassio's behalf as evidence that Desdemona is in love with Cassio, but Iago asks us why we should think he's a villain. The object poisons sight. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. He tells Cassio when speaking of Desdemona, 'Her eye sounds a parley to provocation. Many of Iago's botanical references concern poison where his language becomes lethal poison when he plants the seeds in the minds of others.
However, Iago is a monster who doesn't care about his honor. The motif of Othello, in this case, was blind Besides jealousy, the desire to have power in the hands is another motif of Othello. Roderigo is not used to losing, Iago is mad about being overlooked, and both will work hard to make sure Othello does not win in the end. Plants Iago tells us, 'Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme. The veil represents that there no longer is anything between the two lovers as they are now wed and have intimately consummated their marriage behind closed doors to the public. By taking possession of it, he is able to convert it into evidence of her infidelity. Othello claims that his mother used it to keep his father faithful to her, so, to him, the handkerchief represents marital fidelity.
He says, Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars! For other characters in the play, especially Othello, it's not so easy to distinguish between honor and reputation. The handkerchief is a visual reminder of the blindness caused by passion. Desdemona's "Willow Song" is famous, but the play also contains two other songs, and some references to music. Not only is Othello a black man in a white world, but the contrast between black and white is used as a metaphor many characters, including Othello. The first motif in the play Honest Iago of Shakespeare's Othello Essay Honest Iago of Othello To most of the world William Shakespeare is recognized as the greatest dramatist in history.
Being different from jealousy, it is still an essential driver of the plot. He is convinced she has betrayed him. Yet I'll not shed her blood; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. It is a universal attribute of human beings. The most significant are those that represent a large element of the play. So, now we can see how the problems can and will rear their ugly heads.
Symbols And Motifs In Othello; Play By Shakespeare • English Summary
We asked our top educators, with years of expertise, to answer some of the most common inquiries from students. He is blinded by his jealousy and commits irrational and evil deeds. Shakespeare has juxtaposed the different interpretations to each of. Throughout Othello, there Jealousy And Deception In Othello The endurance of a text can be evaluated through timeless universal human values it examines. Trying to arouse Brabantio's anger at Othello, Iago yells at him in the middle of the night, When Brabantio and his followers try to arrest Othello, Brabantio charges Othello with using magic to seduce Desdemona.
