Imagery, Themes, and Characters of Othello

The function of imagery in the mid-sixteenth century play Othello by William Shakespeare is to aid characterization and define meaning in the play. The antagonist Iago is defined through many different images, some being the use of poison and soporifics, sleeping agents, to show 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. Characterization 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 Emilia, 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 through imagery of fair warriors and the like. The power of deceit is shown also through imagery of spiders and webs, uniforms and other such images. Also the power of jealousy is well defined by imagery. The handkerchief and cuckolding imagery are prominent in defining this theme. Honor, along with envy, is probably one of the biggest themes in Othello. It is either present or non-existent within each character in the play. Moreover, honor versus reputation is a prominent theme as well. Honor is having personal values and morals. Also, it's doing what's right no matter what the circumstances. Reputation is simply what others think of you. What others think of you is not necessarily always truthful. Iago is a perfect example that the difference between reputation and honor is like the difference between appearance and reality. Iago has a wonderful reputation, but no true honor. He is a monster who really could not care about his honor. In Act II, Othello says "Iago is most honest" (II iii, line 7). Also in that same scene Cassio calls Iago "honest Iago" (II iii, line 335). These two quotes show that Iago's reputation is quite good. The other characters in the play think quite highly of him. Both Cassio and Othello go to Iago for advice and help because they find him to be a very honest man. However, they are being fooled because in their doing that, it is only helping Iago with his treacherous plan. It's very ironic that they trust him so highly while all Iago is doing is trying his best in order to deceive them. Iago is one of the characters that have absolutely no honor. Unlike with Cassio and Othello, Iago's honor cannot be disputed. It simply does not exist within him. He is indeed the villain.

For other characters in the play, especially Othello, it is tougher to distinguish between honor and reputation. Cassio is another character in which it is hard to decide whether he is really honorable or if it is just his reputation. He is personified as a loyal man and the honorable lieutenant. He never wronged Othello, Desdemona, or Iago. It is true that Cassio does set much store upon reputation as is said in Act II, scene iii. Cassio says "Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation" (II iii, line 261-164). Roderigo, on the other hand, is most certainly dishonorable. He knew of Iago's plan, not entirely, but he still knew it was wrong yet he went along with it anyways. He did it because of his love for Desdemona, but that does not make it right. Honor is doing what's right no matter what! Othello is definitely the hardest character in which to determine between honor and reputation. He had always been held as an honorable man. Yet, as the end of the play nears, you can see his honor diminishing. After he murders Desdemona he says "Why anything: An honorable murderer, if you will; for naught I did in hate, but all in honor" (V ii, line 298-291). Othello did not murder his wife out of honor; he murdered her because his own jealousy was driving him mad. Not exactly a very honorable thing to do. After he murdered Desdemona, Othello took his own life. He realized the truth of the matter and that he had killed his wife for absolutely no reason. Therefore, he could no longer live. This is what makes Othello a tragic hero. This incident is Othello's tragic flaw. His problem is that at heart is indeed an honorable man but he lets his passions rule him and they cause him to lash out with devastating consequence. The honor of Othello is something that will be disputed for many years to come. It is plain to see that the role of honor plays a large part in Othello. It is intertwined with all of the happenings in the plot. It shows you the difference between honor and reputation and how sometimes it is very difficult to distinguish between the two of them. It plays a prominent part in the play's central conflict and is used in order to show and justify the characters' actions. Othello is also strongly characterized by imagery too. Imagery depicts to us his animalistic nature that his cultural background suggests to the audience he has. Youll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, youll have your nephews neigh to you, and youll have coursers for cousins and genets for Germans. (I i 8-12) This is suggesting that Othello is an animal, namely a horse, which depersonalizes him to the level of more an animal than a man. Another quote suggesting this is when Iago says An old black ram | is topping your (Brabantio) white ewe. This also is lowering Othello to the level of an animal. Othellos black skin too is defined by imagery like that of the quote above and others such as Run ... to the sooty bosom | of such a thing as thou (I iii 69 -70). Othellos black skin is reinforced so much that it becomes in integral part of his character it cannot be ignored at any stage of the play. Othello is also depicted as being evil and violent and a devil, because of his cultural background.

You ... blacker devil (V ii 130) is a line which reflects how his skin color and supposed evilness go hand in hand. The satanic character of Iago is depicted well though different types or imagery. His sadist intends are depicted through suffocating imagery Ill pour pestilence into his (Othellos) ear (II iii 310) 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 considered 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 most false imposition (II iii 267-8) and as a paradox, to Othello, he says reputation is everything to a man and he is nothing without it. Iago is also likened very much, though imagery, to the Devil. I look down towards his feet-but thats a fable. | If thou best a devil, I cannot kill thee. (V ii 282-3) and he also is called a demi-devil and other terms.

Irony plays a major part in the meaning of deception in Othello. Throughout the play Othello is constantly referred to as a devil; Thou art a devil (V ii 132) says Emilia of Othello. This is based around his black skin and being of non-Venetian descent which makes him an alien to his peers. Yet in the end it is proved that Iago is the actual Demi-devil (V ii 297) whereas through the whole play Othello is made out to be a devil because of his skin color and from this we can see how racial prejudices existed strongly in the mid sixteenth century.

Female characters in the play Othello are also determined to a degree by images. Prostitute imagery plays a heavy part in depicting women through the play with women being called many terms such as Hobby-horse(s), Minx(s) and Minion(s). Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca are all termed some of these names throughout the length of the play. Through the disregard for the emotions and feelings of women by men in the play we can see how it agreed with the patriarchal views on women of its contemporary audience. Women throughout the play are treated as objects by their male counterparts. This is evident through the death of all but one woman, Bianca. They die because of mens need to have them as a possession that they can control and if they cant control them what use to them are they. Iago takes his revenge out on Emilia, his wife and property by killing her even as she speaks. This imagery of the silence and what it represents is that women should be silent no matter what, because if the silence is

not kept it may be the end as was the case for Emilia. The image that leads to the demise of Desdemona is that of the strawberry embroidered handkerchief given, by Othello, to Desdemona. The handkerchief is a very important symbol of Love, lust, Desdemonas virginity and sexuality. As Iago stages for Cassio to be seen with it, it demonstrated to Othello that he has lost Desdemona, therefore for his honor she must not live. The unique love and feelings shared between Othello and Desdemona is illustrated through such images as fairness, the act of kissing, and ocean and water imagery. At the start of act two Othello greets Desdemona as My fair warrior (II i 180), but then his views start to change, as when Iagos poison has started to take effect, Othello then refers to Desdemona as The fair devil (III iv 475) which reflects his respect and honor he has for Desdemona .Another symbol for Othellos affection for Desdemona is that of freezing cold water. Othello likens his heart towards Desdemona was Like ... the Pontic Sea | whose icy current and compulsive course | Never keeps retiring ebb. This quote show how Desdemona does not have Othellos favor because of the lies of Iago which have convinced Othello he has been cuckolded. But Othellos love for Desdemona is unchanging. This conclusion can be drawn from the kissing that occurs throughout the play. Even when Othello has taken the last breaths from Desdemonas lungs he kissed thee (Desdemona) ere and killed thee (V ii 354) and to signify he will always love her he Die(s) upon a kiss (V ii 355). This is ultimate irony that he would be kissing his love whose life he just extinguished. He did it though, not out of hate but so she would not Betray more men (V ii 6).

The notions of deceit and honesty are tested throughout the play through images of spiders and webs, uniforms and crests. Othello, Desdemona and Cassio all consider Iago a Fellow of exceeding honesty, | and knows all qualities, with a learned spirit (III iii 357) and has unparalleled Honesty and love (II iii 246). But really his real aim is to, When my outward action doth demonstrate | the native act and figure of my heart | in complement extern, tis not long after | But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve | for the daws to peck at; I am not what I am. (I i 58). Because of Iagos supposedly honest nature and Othellos credulity he is able to put his Monstrous birth to the worlds light.

Imagery, as we can see, is essential in the play Othello to definition of characters and to illustrate the main meanings of the play. Imagery functions as a main source of characters nature such as Iago, the sadistic, malicious antagonist whose destructive powers controls the fates of other characters. Othello is the poor, misguided Moor; and our tragic protagonist who succumbs to the evil torments of a malevolent friend. Desdemona is loved by the misguided noble Moor, who ended up dead

because of the hatred of one man. And Emilia, who is the poor wife of the demonic Iago, that bears the brunt of his vicious nature. Imagery is also fundamental in understanding the issues of the play such as the jealousy in all men through the images of the green-eyed monster and the horns of the cuckold (jealousy and envy). Also the power of deceit in an evil mans hand is also portrayed well as the end scene is The tragic loading of this bed (V ii 359) because of powerful imagery such as spiders and webs used by the manipulative Iago. Othello is a story of raging sexual jealousy prompted apparently by the least credible of motives. Othello has eloped with Desdemona, the white, refined, and pure daughter of a Venetian senator, Brabantio. The marriage might have succeeded had it not been for one of the most hateful characters ever created: Iago. This essentially puny man is, he tells his dupe Roderigo, jealous because his general Othello has appointed as lieutenant not the seasoned plain veteran Iago but a learned soldier of the new type, Cassio. In soliloquy (I iii, 377), Iago tells us also of the reasons for his jealousy and proposed revenge, all of them sexual: he claims both Cassio and Othello have seduced his wife, Emilia, a warmhearted, simple woman. He proposes, as revenge of wife for wife, to put Othello into such a jealousy as judgment cannot cure. Thus we see that from beginning to end, the passion of jealousy dominates as the primary motivational force.