Othello
One of the central aspects of Othello's character that is shown is the fact that he is not Iago's stereotypical black barbarian. He mainly comes across as the seasoned soldier. The speech contains stately poetry - 'Othello's music' (intro., Othello, p.22) - and connotes a noble character. This contrasts with the demotic rhythms of his later language: 'Out strumpet' (5.2.80). The speech shows us very clearly a noble and honourable Moor and this highlights the depth of his descent by the end of the play. But there are other undertones that undermine this aspect of his character.Another important aspect is that of control and education. Othello's speech contains a large amount of classical rhetoric, for example, the isocolon in the first line, 'Her father loved me; oft invited me'. There are also triplets: 'the battles, the sieges, fortunes...' and so on. This all points to someone who is a very intelligent and a well taught speaker. It also shows someone who is in control of what he is saying, and is also a reflection of the fact he is in control about what he is doing. This starkly contrasts with Iago's view of Othello as 'an old black ram' (1.1.89), or as a 'Barbary horse' (1.1.111). Othello's controlled and eloquent speech is
This is evidence of the fact he is trying to impress the people around him, he is extremely conscious of his image. Perhaps it was because of her devotion to him? This may offer some explanation as to why Othello ends up calling her a 'lewd minx', and 'devil'. Although it is not necessarily hyperbole, this may give a nuance of overconfidence and conceit. Words such as 'beguile' have a rather dishonest connotation - perhaps Othello is not as pure as he makes himself out to be. The passage does show that there are flaws in this apparently flawless character. This suggests a relationship not only built on love but also pity: 'she loved me for the dangers I had passed'. But this is undermined by his apparent self-conscious state of mind. This is of great importance later on in the play when Othello is made to feel jealous about Desdemona and Cassio. The fact that the passage also demonstrates his pride and also arrogance suggests that he may be easily manipulated in the future. This links him with a wild character, however well he says it. This part of the speech shows his rather inflated character and pride, Othello is therefore all the more easy to manipulate by Iago. This promotes his divided character: he is controlled general but is looked at as a barbarian; a husband to Desdemona now, but before this he was 'uncircumscribed'; he is a Moor who is self-conscious, yet proud at the same time. It broadcasts that perhaps he is not so tame. His speech also shows a certain amount of mysterious imagery and reveals an aspect that is less controlled.
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Acceptance Essays
