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Signs and Meaning in Othello
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A full, in-depth A* essay plan exploring the theme of Signs and Meanings in Shakespeare's "Othello", for the Pearson Edexcel A-Level English Literature.
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signs and meaningsIntroduction
o Explore and expose the true identities of characters e.g. Iago and Desdemona
through biblical signs, Bianca through her name, and allusion to Merchant of Venice
for Emilia
Meanings of names:
o “Desdemona” -> “disdemona”, “the unfortunate” in Greek – must have been
carefully chosen by Shakespeare and reflective of her character: demise is due to
Othello, not her own flaws (victim of his savagery) showing decision to elope is
dangerous showing her independence and bravery
o Iago: Hands: name is Spanish (England’s main enemy in the Tudor times,
emphasising his antagonistic nature)
o Bianca: means “white”, pure connotations despite being a prostitute/”courtezan” –
contradictory as she remains loyal to Cassio (Shakespeare points towards complexity
of women Robertson “either sub or superhuman” and mocks men for viewing women
as either “pure and innocent” or “vulgar” and “common” - must be “especially
careful about adopting any single perspective of a character
Allusion
1) Emilia’s speech, Merchant of Venice
o “their wives have sense like them, they see and smell”) similar to Shylock –
Shakespeare uses pathos to appeal to audience to communicate message – Shylock
is a figure who represents unfair and unjust marginalisation – comparison to Emilia
transfers this message to women and reinforcing the effect of her emotional and
pathos-evoking speech) Wheale – moving speech about double standards and the
“essential humanity of woman” acts as a feminist figure responding to society like
Shylock does
2) Desdemona, Willow scene (Hamlet/Anthony and Cleopatra) (all Saunders)
o Reverse of Cleopatra who puts on robes to empower herself with her triumphant
encounter with death (shows how Desdemona is being reduced to child-like, weak,
helpless, fragile, frail), sacrificing yourself versus being sacrificed
o Ophelia falls from Willow tree and dies – Willow is symbol of unrequited love
(Saunders “emblem function as a symbol of forsaken or betrayed love”)
Meanings in the Bible
1) Iago is the devil
o “I am not what I am” and lying, manipulation – devil (Coleridge “motiveless
malignity”)
o Relationship with Othello like devil and mankind – Iago temps Othello to sin
2) Desdemona is pure
o “I am” – repeated motif in Bible to represent Jesus (e.g. “I am that I am”) directly
translating to ego eimi, “I myself”
o Links to Desdemona's last words and biblical events e.g. crucifixion where Jesus, like
Desdemona, wrongly accused and killed
o Shakespeare included this to defend her innocence as it could be used in
Desdemona's defense to prove her innocence
Handkerchief
o Visual representation for consummation - cloth = wedding sheets, strawberries
represent virginal blood: Boose “emblematic proof of the marital blood pledge”
(biblical precedent Deuteronomy, supports the idea of Desdemona’s purity and
virginity through its biblical presence)
o D’s purity and their unity - European countries, strawberries symbolize Virgin Mary
(often carved into stone pillars in cathedrals in middle ages) - pure, virginal and loyal.
Boose - handkerchief presents unity; strawberry is horticulturally related to the rose
family, represents love, romance, promise of generation, reinforcing view that the
handkerchief is significant in representing Desdemona’s unjust murder by O.
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