The 10 Most Important Quotes in Othello

[Music] hello my name is dr. Adnan Elliot and this is the complete guide to shakespeare welcome to this video on Shakespeare's tragedy a fellow in the next few minutes I'll use just ten quotes to help you get an understanding of the main themes of the play my first quote is spoken by Iago one of the greatest and most enigmatic of Shakespeare's characters he says I am NOT what I am now at one level this is a very straightforward phrase Iago is telling Roderigo that he's not the person he appears to be that he's putting on an appearance but he also adds dramatic irony to much of the play because we always know that he doesn't mean what he says in addition the revelations about Iago's intentions at the start of the play the story of being passed over for promotion the idea that a fellow has had an affair with his wife Amelia and the suggestion that Cassio is not a proper soldier shaped the way we perceive events this is an example of something called the primacy effect and makes us empathize with the Argo even though we know he's doing reprehensible things the second quote is also from the Argo even now now very now an old black RAM is tupping you're white you this is in part a racist statement the simple juxtaposition of black and white and it's just one of a series of such statements the characters make but also note that a black sheep is a rarity as a fellow is himself a black man in a mostly white society and the term black sheep represents an outcast who's done something wrong the black sheep of the family also note the way Iago uses language here the repetition of now now very now suggests the idea that a fellow and esta Mona are having sex right now at this very moment this is a technique that the Argo employs throughout the play repetition of words and using the present tense to put ideas into the characters heads making them seem more real and more immediate quote three so please your grace my ancient a man he is of honesty and trust these lines are spoken by a fellow as he introduces Iago to the Duke in Venice the Duke is called your grace and the Argo is called my ancient this quote illustrates the degree to which a fellow is already being deceived by Iago's seemingly honest behavior also look out for the frequent repetition of honest or honesty in the fellow these words are used forty-nine times whereas on average the words appear just ten times in the rest of Shakespeare's plays again most of these uses of honesty are ironic in this play because we know a yago is far from the honest person the other characters take him to be quote for look to her Moor if thou hast eyes to see she has deceived her father and may thee although it is a Iago who eventually turns the fellow against Desdemona it is her father that first draws attention to have being untrustworthy she's deceived him by secretly running away with the fellow these lines may well place the idea of her being unfaithful in Iago's mind for him to use later with a fellow and the words may also help make it easier for a fellow to believe the argos story she's done it once she may do it again quote v one of the most famous in all of Shakespeare's plays I hope you wear my lord of jealousy it is the green-eyed monster which doth Mock the meat it feeds on by this stage in the play Iago has suggested to a fellow the Desdemona has been having a relationship with Michael Cassio now on one level Iago is warning a fellow that jealousy is an uncontrollable monster that will consume him but on another level these lines could be about Iago himself he himself is jealous because he thinks his wife Emilia has slept with the Filip and so Yago could be seen as the monster who will eventually consume aya earth hello through his maneuverings quote six not poppy nor mandragora nor all the drowsy syrups of the world shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which their words yesterday the quote shows us the extent to which Iago is enjoying the effect he's having Alice teller the stress on the word all in line to green forces the idea that there are no remedies in the entire world that can restore a fellow to his previous happy state also notice that the known medicine he's turned into a verb making him more active and powerful a lack of sleep is often used in Shakespeare as a sign of discontent worry or guilt quote seven I think my wife be iced and think she is not I think that there are just and think thou art not this quote comes a de turning point in the middle of the play Act three Scene three note the way that the lines are virtually identical and set up a key decision that a fellow must take who does he believe Desdemona or Iago her fellows decision here will be crucial and he's erroneous decision to believe the dishonest Iago is the step that leads to the tragic ending but he's east the lines delicate balance here which is so remarkable a perfectly balanced line at a crucial point in the play quote eight another very famous quote yet she must die else she'll betray more men put out the light and then put out the light these two lines reflect the way that a fellow snuffing out a candle flame the light but Venn intends to snuff out Desdemona's life or her in a spiritual light in the same fashion these lines are horrifying in their simplicity and brutality a human life extinguished as easily as a candle flame you might also note his reasoning he's killing her because she might betray other men in the future it's a very weak rationale and we must surely conclude that he doesn't really believe it himself quote 9 demand me nothing but you know you know from this time forth I never will speak word these are the lines that are given in Argo a place in theatre history using his customary repetition what you know you know in air refuses to utter end of the word this of course has ensured that his motivations have been a constant source of mystery for 400 years and why some of you will have been asked questions at school such as is Iago evil quoting then must you speak of one that loved not wisely but too well this quote in my opinion shows the degree to which a fellow is confused here he seems to suggest that he loved Desdemona too well suggesting that he was too trusting but in fact we might see that his actions have been directed to protecting his reputation as the husband of an unfaithful wife he has committed what is in effect an honor killing so do look out for some of these features as you read watch and study the play and I hope this brief video has given you some new insights that will help you to get greater enjoyment from Shakespeare's Othello give a thumbs up if you enjoyed this video and subscribe now so that you never miss any of my future posts you

Channel: Dr Aidan

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Keywords: Shakespeare quotes, othello, othello quotes, shakespeare verse and prose, revision, story structure, key themes, key quotes, gcse, ssc india, analysis, characters, dr aidan, 10 most important quotes, A-Level, iago

Id: wjxT2Kr2vik

Length: 8min 37sec (517 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 15 2018