OTHELLO
william shakespeare
set in Venice, Italy and Cyprus
The Duke of Venice
characters:
Brabantio (a Senator, father of Desdemona)
themes: Gratiano (Brabantio’s brother, noble)
Lodovico (kingsman to Brabantio)
Race
Roderigo (wanted to marry Desdemona)
Jealousy
Othello (a General)
Deception
Cassio (Othello’s lieutenant)
Heroism
Iago (ensign-standard bearer- to Othello)
Patriarchal society
Clown (Othello’s servant)
Otherness
Montano (Governor of Cyprus)
Appearance vs
Desdemona (Brabantio’s daughter and Othello’s wife)
reality
Emilia (wife of Iago)
Bianca (mistress of Cassio)
QUOTES:
race:
patriarchal society: “his Moorship’s ancient.” - act 1, scene 1,
line 33
“Your daughter...hath made a gross revolt.” “does the thick-lips owe.” - act 1, scene 1,
- act 1, scene 1, line 133 line 67
“How she got out?” - act 1, scene 1, line 169 “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.”
“To you I am bound for life and education.” - act 1, scene 1, line 89
- act 1, scene 3, line 180 “Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.”
“She has deceiv’d her father and may thee.” - act 1, scene 1, line 92
- act 1, scene 3, line 290 “you’ll have your daughter covered with Barbary
“Put money in thy purse.” - act 1, scene 3, line 335 horse.” - act 1, scene 1, line 112
“he hath achiev’d a maid.” - act 2, scene 1, line 61 “In an extravagant and wheeling stranger.”
“You rise to play and go to bed to work.” - act 1, scene 1, line 136
- act 2, scene 1, line 114
“Shall’t be tonight at supper?” act 3, scene 3, line 56
“I am obedient.” - act 3, scene 3, line 89 deception:
“Call these delicate creatures ours and not their
“I follow him to serve my turn upon him”
appetites!” - act 3, scene 3, line 271
- act 1, scene 1, line 42
“I nothing but to please his fantasy.”
“I am not what I am.” - act 1, scene 1, line 66
- act 3, scene 3, line 301
“I must show out a flag and sign of love.”
“They are all but stomachs, and we all but food.”
- act 1, scene 1. line 156
- act 3, scene 4, line 98
“She has deceiv’d her father and may thee.”
“Let husbands know their wives have sense like
- act 1, scene 3, line 290
them.” - act 4, scene 3, line 91
“Myself the crying fellow did persue.”
“Nobody, I myself. Farewell.” - act 5, scene 2, line
- act 2, scene 3, line 214
125
“I never knew a Florentine more kind and
“Commend me to my king lord.” - act 5, scene 2,
honest.” - act 3, scene 2, line 39
line 126
“Men should be what they seem.”
“’Tis proper I obey him, but not now.”
- act 3, scene 3, line 127
- act 5, scene 2, line 195
“For your words and performances are not kin
together.” - act 4, scene 2, line 181
