ELEMENTSA variety of literary elements can be identified throughout the text, beyond this point is where we will discuss and cover these uses.
Allegory - Emilia wishes a curse on the man who slandered Desdemona, but it turns out to be a curse on her husband. Allusion - Iago swears to Janus, the god of two faces, perfectly fitting as Iago is manipulating Othello. Catastrophe - Desdemona is smothered to death by Othello, he realizes the truth soon after and commits suicide. They die together in the same bed. Catharsis - Othello clears all of the love from his heart to make room for bloodlust and hate. Characters - Othello, Iago, Roderigo, Brabantio, Desdemona, Montano, Lodovico. Comic Relief - Roderigo and Iago calling upon Brabantio in the middle of the night, very comedic towards the beginning. Conceit - Iago uses conceit in his schemes, often saying what he doesn't mean in order to trick Othello. Connotation - An example of connotation used in Othello is in act 1, when Iago was screaming at just-awoken Brabantio. He mentioned that Othello and Desdemona were making "the beast with two backs". It has sexual connotations. Context - Cyprus, Greece, 1600-1700 Effect - It is supposed to teach a lesson of knowing when you’re being manipulated and how to spot it. Also, don’t jump to conclusions. Hamartia - Othello believes Iago's awful lies about Desdemona. Invocation -Iago invokes the help of the devil, and also Janus, the god of two faces. Socratic Irony - Iago constantly pretends to be ignorant but its part of his plan all along Verbal Irony - “I think he’s honest” Iago says specifically in order to get Othello considering that he may well NOT be honest. Mood - Sinister, Tense, Melancholy Plot - “The story of William Shakespeare's Othello is set in 16th-century Venice and Cyprus. Othello the Moor, a noble black warrior in the Venetian army, has secretly married a beautiful white woman called Desdemona, the daughter of a prominent senator, Brabantio. When he finds out, he is outraged, and promptly disowns her. Othello’s ensign, Iago, harbors a secret jealousy and resentment towards the Moor, partly because another soldier, lieutenant Cassio, has been promoted ahead of him, and also because he suspects that Othello has had an affair with his wife. Intent on revenge, Iago hatches a devious plan to plant suspicions in Othello’s mind that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him with Cassio. He orchestrates a street fight, for which Cassio is wrongly blamed, and is then dismissed from his post by Othello. Desdemona takes up Cassio’s case with her husband, which only further inflames his suspicions that the pair are lovers. In the meantime, Iago manages to procure a treasured handkerchief from Desdemona that was given to her by Othello. He plants it on Cassio so that Othello sees it, then concludes that it is proof of their affair. Maddened by jealousy, he orders Iago to murder Cassio, and then he strangles Desdemona. Immediately afterwards her innocence is revealed, and Iago’s treachery exposed. In a fit of grief and remorse Othello kills himself. Iago is taken into custody by the Venetian authorities.” -Arogundade.com Complication - The complications of the story are when Desdemona is "caught" seeing Cassio, Iago putting suspicion in Othello's head. Crisis - When Othello swears to kill Desdemona. Climax - As Othello is circling Desdemona while she lies on her bed. He tells her to pray. Denouement - The death of Othello and Desdemona. Recognition - When Othello finds out that his wife was never cheating at all. Reversal - Iago’s plan starts to almost fall apart towards the end, and Othello almost finds the truth. Sadly, he gets it back together pretty fast. Setting - Venice, Greece. Cyprus as well Tone - Serious Tragedy - Othello is a tragedy Tragic Flaw - Othello's self consciousness. Tragic Irony - Cassio dies even though he has truly done nothing wrong, because of his high status Simile - Act 1, scene 1, "Wears out his time, much like his master's ass..." Iago speaking of the treatment of the slaves, comparing them to tired donkeys. |
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