Summary AQA English Literature A-level - Othello - A* Quotes & analysis
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Course
Love through the ages (4.1)
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AQA
My quote-bank for the core Shakespeare set text ‘Othello’, I used to get an A* in my 2023 A-level. Includes in-depth analysis (covering AO1 and AO2) of quotes for all characters and the key themes of: romantic love, sexual love/lust, platonic love, loss of love, unrequited love, reputation, soc...
Othello, act Not to please the palate of my appetite… but Noun appetite continues the semantic field of hunger like
1 sc 3 to be free and bounteous to her mind Emilia's idea of men "eat[ing]" the women. However Othello
subverts this idea as he is not asking to have her near for
sex, but for her mind which he values. This implies that he
doesn't sexualise or objectify her like 17th century men
including Iago do, and he values her for more than her "fair"
beauty.
Othello, act And this, and this, the greatest discords be Ironic as the noun 'discord' denotes disagreement between
2 sc 1 (kissing her) that e'er our hearts shall make! people, and foreshadows that Othello causes the fighting
between himself and Desdemona later in the play.
Physically affectionate with each other - seen through
'kissing' and their plans for consummation of their marriage.
Therefore, we can infer that they are physically attracted
(especially as "fair" Desdemona's beauty is often
highlighted, and Othello is likely muscular due to his job) and
feel lust towards each other.
Othello, act The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue: As socially acceptable, they are now able to consummate
2 sc 3 that profit’s yet to come ’tween me and you. the marriage in bed as they are officially married. Arguably
they never did consummate as they were interrupted by
Cassio's drunken actions. Othello talks about sex positively -
the plural nouns "fruits" for both of them to enjoy and 'profit'
from. Arguably "purchase" and "profit" could also be seen
negatively, like how Brabantio and other men then would
see their daughter as property and marriage as a potential
business transaction.
Othello, act All’s well… come away to bed Othello uses his free time to spend with his wife, yet never
2 sc 3 neglects his official duties. He becomes more dismissive of
Desdemona here whilst he is talking about the war.
Potentially as he doesn't want to worry her, or doesn't think
she is capable of understanding what they are talking about
which is to some extent paternalistic as it seems he is
talking to a child. Or that he tries to keep his love life and
military work separate - although ultimately he cannot as his
violence appears in their relationship.
Contrasts how he called her "warrior", now treats her as
weak
Othello He is in denial about losing Desdemona, reflected by how he
I had been happy if the general camp, tries to forget the evidence of the "handkerchief" and would
Act 3 sc 3 pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body, have been happier if the whole army (including the low
so I had nothing known. ranking people) had had sex with Desdemona as long as he
didn’t know anything about it.
Act 4 sc 1 I would most gladly have forgot it!
Othello, act This hand is moist A double meaning - either reflects Desdemona's youth, she
3 sc 4 is physically nervous, or Othello is using at as a sexual
Hot, hot, and moist innuendo to imply she has been doing something sexual
with Cassio.
, He uses Iago type language here, similar to "as hot as
monkeys" in act 3 sc 3.
Othello, act A liberal hand. Desdemona's "hand… gave away my [her] heart" to Othello.
3 sc 4 Here the adjective "liberal" suggests openness and
generosity, and he implies she is giving it to others too and
cheating on him.
Othello, act Lie with her? lie on her? We say “lie on her” A double entendre - the verb "lie" to make an untrue
4 sc 1 when they belie her! statement, or the noun "lie" the way someone is position on
a surface. Suggests Desdemona is deceiving as he believes
she is cheating with Cassio, yet also creates sexual imagery
of them.
Similar language to the clown uses in act 3 sc 4 "to tell you
where I lie".
Othello, act Noses, ears, and lips. Nouns about the physical body. However as its plural it
4 sc 1 shows Othello's thinking about two bodies - Desdemona and
Cassio's cheating.
Othello, act Goats and monkeys! This image Iago created in act 3 sc 3 still plays on Othello's
4 sc 1 mind, seen through this nonsensical repetition to Ludovico.
Othello, act Chop her into messes Iago's language has influenced Othello's violently, which
4 sc 1 / act 3 would come as a shock to the audience. Whilst they are
sc 3 I'll tear her all to pieces! rhetorical figures, the graphic visual imagery creates
uncomfort and forebodes Othello murdering Desdemona.
The verb "tear" denotes pulling apart something with forces
and implies it is done in a reckless manner, which also
portrays Othello in an animalistic way like Desdemona. His
behaviour reflects how wild animals eat meat when hungry,
suggesting that he is never going to be satisfied until he has
"ocular proof". When convinced of Desdemona's disloyalty,
the tone of his voice becomes violent and aggressive (which
the use of repetition and exclamation marks emphasises),
revealing his true nature and alluding to the threat of
physical violence, which creates sympathy for Desdemona.
Iago, act 1 An old black ram is tupping your white ewe Iago often describes their relationship solely through this lust
sc 1 to downplay their love, for example animalistically by the
antithesis of labelling Othello a "black ram", juxtaposed with
Desdemona as a "white ewe". The nouns "ram" and "ewe"
denote adult male and female sheep, with the verb "tupping"
referring to the sexual act of mating between sheeps (often
for produce). Therefore he dehumanises their loving
relationship solely to an almost material, animalistic one. It
implies that they are not equal in their relationship, with
Othello dominating and taking advantage of Desdemona's
vulnerability. His lust forcibly takes her virginity and ruins her
"youth", "maidenhood", innocence and purity - which are the
connotations of "white".
Iago, act 1 …make a grandsire of you A barbary horse is a Northern African breed. Iago uses
sc 1 zoomorphism to reflect how he feels black people are as low
You’ll have your daughter covered with a as animals. Here he suggests that if Brabantio doesn't act
Barbary horse; you’ll have your nephews soon he will become a grandfather to black grandchildren.
neigh to you
,Iago, act 1 Your daughter and the Moor are now making A euphemistic metaphor for Desdemona and Othello being
sc 1 the beast with two backs. engaged in sexual intercourse. However the noun "beast"
suggests a dangerous animal, again dehumanising the
couple and Othello. The 'b' sounds are plosive, which
emphasises it.
Iago, act 2 You are pictures out of door… wild-cats in He implies that women are deceiving as they are well
sc 1 your kitchens… You rise to play and go to bed behaved in public but not at home. He dehumanises them to
to work. animals through the noun wild-cat which refers to native
Eurasian/African cats noted for their ferocity. He sees
women's duty as a housewife and lover to their husbands,
and therefore he objectifies and sexualises the women he
talks about - including Desdemons and Emilia. However, the
verb "play" implies working as housewives is for enjoyment
(and not taken seriously) but sex is "work" - reflecting that he
doesn't care about pleasure for the woman, unlike Othello
who uses "fruits… [and] profit’s" to suggest mutual
enjoyment. Perhaps this supports that Iago cannot satisfy
his women as he does not try to.
Iago act 2 sc Lust and foul thoughts. They met so near with He brings attention to Desdemona and Cassio's bodies as
1 their lips that their breaths embraced together. he knows the image will play on Roderigo's mind too.
Iago act 2 sc Now, I do love her too, not out of absolute lust He lusts for desdemona too, likely due to her beauty and
1 [but revenge too] how she fits his stereotype of the perfect woman.
Additionally he banters with her in this scene, much like
Beatrice and Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing do.
Iago I’ll warrant her, full of game…What an eye she Although he is trying to provoke a reaction from Cassio we
has! Methinks it sounds a parley to know Iago is attracted to Desdemona. He is crude when
Cassio provocation… when she speaks, is it not an talking about love, referring to it as "lust" and using sexual
alarum to love? innuendos. He believes she's good in bed, sexualises her
Act 2 sc 3 eyes with the noun "provocation" suggesting she is
deliberately trying to arouse him, and her voice stirs up
Exquisite lady… fresh and delicate… passion.
modest... indeed perfection
This is in contrast to Cassio who is not sexual in his
compliments of her and positive - not just her beauty but her
"modest" personality. This implies that Cassio doesn't
believe Othello and Desdemona's relationship is pure lust as
he can see substance to her, and additionally it insinuates
his own love language would be affection, which
subsequently can be seen through his charming personality
that sometimes comes off as flirtatious.
Cassio treats Desdemona so well, because she is a
representation of Othello's power through their marriage, yet
he treats Bianca as much lesser than himself, because she
is not defined by a man through marriage, but seen as a
single harlot.
Shakespeare presents these two versions of Desdemona to
foreshadow the choice Othello will have to make, if he will
believe she is a faithful wife or a whore.
, Iago, act 2 Our general cast us thus early for the love of Implies that tonight the couple will consummate their
sc 3 his Desdemona… he hath not yet made marriage, which is quite a private matter he is bringing
wanton the night with her, and she is sport for public. He suggests that Desdemon is beautiful enough to
Jove… Well, happiness to their sheets! be Jove's lover, who is the head of the gods in Roman
mythology, so presents her as almost divine like.
Iago, act 2 In terms like bride and groom divesting them In response to Othello asking what went on in the fight
sc 3 for bed between Cassio and Montano, he states that before it
happened they were all as happy as a bride and groom
taking off their clothes. This reflects how Desdemona and
Othello were just doing that and consummating their
marriage, but also is an odd image to use in the context so
reflects how Iago makes everything sexual in his language.
Iago, act 3 Grossly gape on, behold her topped? Iago somewhat is sarcastic to Othello here asking if the
sc 3 proof he wants is to see Desdemona and Cassio having sex,
and her be "topped" and dominated by Cassio.
Iago, act 3 Were they as prime as goats, as hot as Zoomorphism is employed by Iago, likening Desdemona to
sc 3 monkeys, as salt as wolves in pride animals through the nouns "goats", "monkeys" and "wolves".
The habitats of these animals increases in savageness
(from farm, to rainforest, to the wilderness), which
emphasises Desdemona's wild behaviour, and in turn
sexualises her. Her purported behaviour would be shameful
in the historical context as it portrays her as enjoying sex,
which is in total contrast to her gender role where she would
be expected to be submissive and controlled by her
husband. Dysphemism through similes such as "as hot as
monkeys" dehumanises Desdemona by equating her on the
same level as these animals that are typically sexually
promiscuous and lack control.
Iago act 3 In sleep I heard him say "Desdemona, Let us From a Freudian perspective, Freud says that dreams
sc 3 be wary, let us hide our loves.”... he gripe and represent a disguised fulfilment of a repressed wish
wring my hand…kiss me hard… lay his leg (subconscious). Shakespeare too recognised that dreams
over my thigh tell us what we wish to hear. Also they were seen as
prophetic then, such as in Julius Caesar and Macbeth.
Therefore, even if it's just a dream and hasn't happened to
Othello it seems more likely.
The description also seems quite homerotic for Iago.
Iago act 2 sc So much of her lips as of her tongue she oft Double entendres for: kissing and/or Emilia talking too much
1 bestows on me and answering back to Iago.
Cassio & Cassio takes Desdemona's hand As Roderigo says this is just "courtesy", but Iago twists it to
Desdemona, seem like this is flirtatious and lustful.
Act 2 sc 1
Iago & Iago: Merely a lust of the blood and a Roderigo does not want to believe that his love for
Roderigo, permission of the will. Desdemona is only lust which Iago downplays it to be.
Act 1 Sc 3 Emphasised by the adverb "merely" which suggests it's not
Roderigo: It cannot be large/important.
Roderigo, Gross clasps of a lascivious Moor The adjective "lascivious" is considered offensive sexual
act 1 sc 1 behaviour. The archaic meaning of the verb 'clasp' is to
fasten something, which further suggests to Brabantio that
Othello has somehow trapped Desdemona into marriage.
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