Imagery In Othello :: essays research papers

The function of imagery in the mid-sixteenth century coquette Othello by William Shakespeare is to aid characterisation and define meaning in the play. The antagonist Iago is defined by many different images, Some being the use of poison and soporifics, sleeping agents, to presentation his true evil and sadistic nature. Othellos character is also shaped by much imagery such as the animalistic, black and white, and horse images which indicates his lustful, sexual nature. Characterisation of women is heavily dictated by imagery used to show the patriarchal gender system of the time. Some of this imagery is that of hobbyhorses and the like showing that they, Desdemona and Emelia, were nothing better than common whores. Othellos view at the start of the play is contradicting of these patriarchal views with Desdemona and Othellos true love overcoming these stereotypes and we are told this with imagery of fair warriors and the like. The power of deceit is shown also through imagery o f spiders and webs, uniforms and other such images. excessively the power of jealousy is well defined by imagery. The handkerchief, green-eyed monster and cuckolding imagery are prominent in defining this theme. The satanic character of Iago is interpret well though different types or imagery. His sadist intend is depicted through suffocating imagery Ill pour pestilence into his(Othellos) ear (II iii 356) says Iago in a soliloquy in as he is outlining his malicious intent and nature. This continues throughout the play with lines such as The Moor already changes with my poison (III iii 322) and Not poppy nor mandragora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world shall medicine thee to that sweet sleep Which thou did owdest yesterday (III iii 327-30). His malicious character is likened to a snake through this imagery of poisons like a snake has and then Lodovico calls him a Viper (V ii 281) which indicates how Iagos character is that of a snake, and in those times a snake was conside red a creature of pure evil. The Machiavellian persona of Iago can also be seen through his use of reputation imagery to Cassio and Othello. To Cassio he says Reputation is an idle and approximately false imposition (II iii 267-8) and as a paradox, to Othello, he says reputation is everything to a man and he is nothing with out it. Iago is also likened very much, though imagery, to the Devil.