May 26, 2014
Techniques
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
Definition
logos
appeal to reason
pathos
appeal to emotion
ethos
Appeal to character
metaphor
Animal/sexual comparisons
L Krieger
Where to look for a quote!

Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona
and Cassio are sleeping together, and
later that he should kill Cassio.
Iago knows Othello loves Desdemona, so he will
get particularly upset about her infidelity.

"You know I love you"
Using Cassio's reputation
Effect of the technique:

Develops a sense of logic and
authenticity

Intentionally positions the
audience to actually “feel” the
required emotional reaction

Establishes the extent pf a
particular relationship characters
(whether “real” or pretence).

creates an image of something
being something that it isn’t…
to show specific ideas /
characteristics / attitudes / values

intimation
hinting to things



"She did deceive her father..."
"Beware of jealousy"
"Men should be what they seem"

Creates a sense of foreboding and
alerts the responder to hidden
agendas and meanings
Repetition
Pattern of words or phrases which are
repeated in a phrase / sentence or
paragraph

Iago repeats Othello's words to cast
doubt

Emphasises an idea or image in the
mind of the responder
reveals the concerns, fears, desires
and/or weaknesses in a character
(the more an individual repeats a
phrase / word / idea… the more the
responder begins to wonder at the
TRUE concerns (obsessions?) being
expressed (ie: “methinks she doth
protest too much!)

May 26, 2014
Techniques
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
Definition
L Krieger
Where to look for a quote!
Effect of the technique:
Imagery
Phrases / clauses create clear pictures in
the reader’s imagination.
Creates “feelings” and emotional
responses in the responder.

Animal/sexual references to Brabantio,
Othello

Allows the responder to visualise
the ideas and values and emotions
of an object, event or character.
Connotation
(connotative
language)
implied (disguised – roundabout)
meaning


“topped”
“guilty like”

Plants a seed of an idea in the
minds of the character and or
audience
leading/rhetorical
questions
Did Cassio and Desdemona...


"Honest, my lord?"
"Indeed?"

Makes a point / plants and idea /
but in a way that the person being
questioned feels that they actually
come-up with the idea.
Ellipses
…  allows a sentence/thought to trail
off

Says bad things about Desdemona, then
stops and excuses himself

Can plant an idea – can create
ambiguity
Dramatic irony
… when the audience (responder”
knows details about events and
characters that the cast do not




Soliloquies
"I have a conscience"
"You know I love you"
"Cassio's my worthy friend"

Develops a much closer connection
between the characters and the
audience.
In very effective cases of dramatic
irony – members of the audience
will have to consciously “stop
themselves” from yelling out the
truth to the actors on stage.
… a contrast between expectation and
reality

May 26, 2014
Techniques
Understatement
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
Definition
deliberately less intense statement than
the true depth of meaning.
L Krieger
Where to look for a quote!



Scattering and unsure observance
"I see this hath a little dashed your
spirits"
"He is much changed"
Effect of the technique:
Can create:



sarcasm
irony
tension
Apostrophe (yes –
this is also the name
of a language
form/feature)
directly addressing an absent or
imaginary person, or some abstraction

"Arise, black vengeance"

Develops tension. Creates various
images abstract ideas and cultural
values eg: spirituality, witchcraft,
religion, philosophy and so on
soliloquy
speech to oneself

Iago's speech as he plans to "turn
goodness into pitch"
Othello's speech as he prepares to kill
Desdemona

Allows the audience to “see into”
the mind, thoughts, feelings,
emotions and values of a character
foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest
what will happen later in a plot



The Willow Song
Desdemona: "Shroud me in these sheets"
Othello: "Chaos is come again"


Establishes rising tension.
Acts as “glue” – which connects
specific ideas and themes through
the text.
Plants a ‘seed’ of the developing
plot-line.

blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter
iambic pentameter
a poetic meter that is made up of 5
stressed syllables (feet) each followed


Can represent brutally-honest,
authentic and sometimes “evil” or
amoral thoughts, actions and
events.

Illustrates the character (who
speaks in iambic pentameter) as
May 26, 2014
Techniques
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
Definition
(verse)
by an unstressed syllable
simile
a comparison using like or as
personification
the act of attributing human
characteristics to abstract ideas etc.
Oxymoron
Two opposite words – right next to each
other. Two opposite phrases – right
next to each other can also be identified
as oxymoron.
Juxtaposition /
contrast
Two opposite ideas which are express in
the same sentence / paragraph /
dialogue
L Krieger
Where to look for a quote!
Effect of the technique:
being cultured, refined, poetic,
persuasive – and so on.
The thought of Emilia and Othello together gnaws
like a poisonous mineral at Iago's innards


Jealousy as green-eyed monster




Creates confusion.
Develops “duplicity” in a
character’s personality and/or
motives.

Emphasises one idea or belief by
contrasting it with the opposite
idea. (eg: Luke Skywalker is good –
Darth Vader is bad. Darth Vader
appears even more evil in
“contrast” to Luke).
Can also create confusion.

Paradox
A contradiction – a statement in which
one idea “cancels out” itself.
Emotive language 
tone
The deliberate use of positive or
negative language (words)


Creates a visual image of a specific
personality trait of a character – or
thing.
Creates a visual image of an idea as
being positive or negative…

Creates confusion and
contradiction.
Represents the mood and opinions
of the speaker / the composer.
May 26, 2014
Techniques
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
Definition
Allusion
A reference to a person, a religious idea,
a famous text (painting, film, poem,
book, myth)
Alliteration
Repetition of a consonant letter at the
beginning of (at least) 2 words in a
single phrase
Assonance
Repetition of a vowel letter at the
beginning of (at least) 2 words in a
single phrase – or the repetition of
vowel sounds in a phrase / sentence
L Krieger
Where to look for a quote!
Religious references by Othello
References to Greek mythology

Effect of the technique:








Reveals the cultural and religious
and social values, attitudes and
“interests” of a character.
Creates sound imagery
Develops rhythm which positions
the responder to feel ‘comfortable’
with the meaning of the words
Creates soft sounds and develops
images of a setting (eg: wind)
Develops a ‘softness’ in a
character’s personality – shows a
calm and quiet dignity
May 26, 2014
[ANALYSIS GUIDE FOR OTHELLO]
L Krieger