Literary Devices in 'Othello': Critical Essay

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Literary Devices in ‘Othello’: Critical Essay

A soliloquy is a long speech delivered by one character to other characters or to the audience. The purpose of a soliloquy is essentially to give the audience more information about events or background regarding the drama. Iago’s soliloquy in the play Othello is especially significant. The audience will notice more in the soliloquy about how Iago has no regard for other people, and in another, we see how completely devoid of conscience he is.

In Act 1, Scene 3 Iago’s soliloquy explains to us what a good, trusting person Othello is and how Iago treat that as one of Othellos weakness. Instead, it is evidence of how easily Othello will be manipulated to Iago’s evil ends, saying that Othello ”will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are.” This hints at Othellos final outcome which he has been manipulated by Iago. Not just this, Iago looks at Othello’s goodness only as something that can be manipulated for his selfish goals showing the blackness in Iagos personality. This is exemplify more of what Iago thinks which represents himself as a truly evil person and he believes evil is better than good. Iago also reveals himself to be unforgiving in this soliloquy, saying of Othello that ”it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets he has done my office.” What Iago means here is that he suspects Othello of having slept with his wife. ”I know not if’t be true,” Iago admits, but he says ”for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety.” This part means that instead of looking for proof and trying to understand the truth, Iago is going to persecute Othello as if he knew it for sure. So much for forgiveness or for looking for the truth! This Act 1, Scene 3 soliloquy also reveals Iago’s plan to frame Cassio for sleeping with Desdemona. Since Cassio is ”a proper man’, he thinks it will be easy to ”abuse Othello’s ear” and convince him that Desdemona has been unfaithful. Iago expresses satisfaction and no remorse for these plans as he concludes this speech with ”Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s life.”

Iago starts his Act 2, Scene 3 soliloquy by saying: ”And what’s he then that says I play the villain?” which is to say ”Who says I’m a villain? I’m no villain.” He goes on to justify his stance by saying that he has given Cassio good advice in persuading him to appeal to Desdemona to convince Othello to reinstate Cassio’s lost lieutenancy. ”This advice is free I give, and honest,” Iago argues. It’s true that Desdemona would be a good resource in this situation, ”if” Iago were not simultaneously plotting to frame Desdemona and Cassio. In this monologue, Iago seems pretty comfortable with and not at all worried about how all this evil plotting affects his character: ”Divinity of hell!” which he himself proclaims, ”when devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows as I do now.” Here in this sentence, he admits himself a devil and furthermore admits the falseness of the good and honest front he shows to the world. In admitting this, he expresses no remorse whatsoever, but instead delights in his creation of ”the net that shall enmesh them all.’ Again this part is showing Iagos will and desire to manipulate and desire for power.

These two soliloquies found in Act 1, Scene 3 and Act 2, Scene 3 give us some important information about the play Othello and also serve to illuminate the darkness of Iago’s character. The audience learns that Iago believes Othello has slept with his wife, also that Iago intends to repay this supposed infraction by making Othello believe in turn that Cassio has slept with Desdemona. The audience sees also that Iago cannot be trusted, and he does not value anyone but himself.

Among his supposed ”friends” are Roderigo, whom Iago is using for his money; Othello, whom Iago actually hates and wishes to destroy; and Cassio, whose job Iago hopes to get and whom Iago plans to use in his plot to destroy Othello. Desdemona, too, is an innocent party who gets swept into this great plot of evil.

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