Themes Explored in Othello
Theme | Who and context | Quote | Explain how the quote reflects the theme | Jealousy | Othello and Desdemona– confronting Desdemona about the handkerchief | ‘…thou gav’st To Cassio.’ | He is jealous that she gave the handkerchief to Cassio. It shows how misinterpretation can lead to extremes | | Iago to Othello | O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on | This quote shows that Othello is growing jealous. It also shows betrayal as Iago acts as if he even cares | Revenge | Brabantio to Roderigo | My spirits and my place have in their power To make this bitter to thee. | Brabantio wants revenge on Roderigo in his anger | | Othello about Cassio | One is too poor, too weak for my revenge | Othello’s revenge is so great that no one, not even Cassio, would be able to take it | | Othello about Cassio | Had all his hairs been lives My great revenge had stomach for them all.’ | As a result of manipulation and deception Othello has grown jealous and hateful towards Cassio. | Manipulation | Iago to Roderigo | Oh, no, he goes into Mauritania and taketh away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident—wherein none can be so determinate as the removing of Cassio. | Iago takes advantage of Roderigo’s love for Desdemona and manipulates him into killing Cassio as a way to keep Desdemona at Cyprus. | | Iago to Othello | She did deceive her father, marrying you; And when she seem’d to shake and fear you looks, she lov’d them most | | Betrayal/dishonesty | Othello to Iago | “Oh, brave Iago, honest and just. That hast such noble sense of thy friends wrong!” | Irony is used as Iago is depicted as, ‘honest’ by all the characters, but is actually dishonest and is betraying them all | | Cassio about Iago | I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest. | Cassio is saying that Iago is a honest man in his soliloquy. His creates dramatic irony because Cassio thinks that