Othello themes and motifs
Plot
Iago is furious about being overlooked for a promotion and plots to take revenge against his Genera;
Othello (the Moor of Venice). Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is
unfaithful, stirring Othello’s jealousy. Othello allows jealousy to consume him, murders Desdemona,
and then kills himself.
Themes
Love
Jealousy
Betrayal
Manipulation
Ambition
Prejudice (racism)
Deceit
Manifestations
• Desdemona’s love for Othello (undying love)
• Othello’s love for Desdemona (conditional love)
• Iago’s love for Amelia (selfish love)
• Iago’s love for himself (self-driven love)
• Cassio’s love for his General, Othello
• Iago is jealous of Othello
• Othello is jealous of Desdemona cheating on him
• Desdemona’s perceived betrayal to Othello
• Amelia giving Iago the handkerchief
• Iago planting the handkerchief in Cassio’s room
• Iago believes that Othello has had sex with Amelia (Iago’s wife)
• Iago manipulating Othello into thinking that Desdemona cheated on
him
• Iago’s ambition to be General
• Iago saying that Othello doesn’t deserve his promotion because he’s
black
• Iago lying to Othello about
Motifs / symbols
Plants
Animals
Bible
Candle
Handkerchief
Details
• Iago uses his ‘gardening’ skills in order to plant a seed of doubt in
Othello’s mind that Desdemona is cheating
• Animalistic references when Othello and Desdemona were having
sex, “…the beast with two backs”
• Biblical allusions such as the use of the curse ‘zounds’ (referring to
the wounds on Jesus’ hands and feet)
• Symbolises someone’s life
• Othello blows out a candle after he kills Desdemona, symbolising
her death
• Symbolises Desdemona’s and Othello’s love
Quotes
Love
Jealousy
Gender
Betrayal
Manipulation
Honesty / loyalty
Prejudice (racism)
Quotes
• “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she
did pity them,” Othello explaining how Desdemona came to love
someone as different as him
• “I do perceive here a divided duty.” Desdemona feels torn between
her father and her husband, the two men she loves
• “His unkindness may defeat my life but never taint my love.” Said
by Desdemona to Emilia and Iago; foreshadowing as she says that
not even a mistreatment that lead to her death would make her
love Othello any less
• “Even so y bloody thoughts with violent pace, shall never look back,
never ebb to humble love.” Othello is entirely convinced that
Desdemona has betrayed him; he has quickly switched it up and
decided that he hates her with a passion
• “Were I the moor I would not be Iago,” shows Iago’s jealousy
towards the fact that Othello is general and he is not
• “Thieves, thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your
bags! Thieves, thieves!” said by Iago when he goes to visit
Desdemona’s father; he likens Desdemona to property of her father
as she is unmarried and having sex
• “She did deceive her father, marrying you…” said by Iago to Othello
about Desdemona when trying to convince Othello that she has lied
to one man she loves (her father), and she will lie again
• “I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me?” said by Othello, to be a
cuckold (a man whose wife cheated) was a shameful thing and was
seen as a destroyer of a man’s masculinity
• “I know, Iago; thy honesty and love doth mince this matter;”
Othello believes the lies that Iago tells about Cassio and the
drunken brawl that he is involved in
• “I saw’t not, thought it not, it harmed not me.” Othello as he rages
about Desdemona’s apparent ‘betrayal;’ he is saying that he was
fair happier when he was blissfully unaware
• “I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings.” Othello says this after
Iago has manipulated him into thinking that Desdemona and Cassio
are having an affair
• “My wayward husband hath a hundred times woo’d me to steal it.”
Said by Emilia, Iago manipulates her into getting him the
handkerchief in order to make Desdemona look bad
• “No, Iago, I’ll see before I doubt.” Othello asserts his faith in
Desdemona and this shows that he doesn’t want to think ill of her;
however when presented with ‘evidence’ his loyalty quickly shifts
• “And, noble signor, if virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-inlaw is far more fair than black.” Said by the Duke who admires
Othello, and almost implies that Othello is an honorary white man
• “I do perceive here a divided duty.” Desdemona’s loyalty to her new
husband rather than her father
• The use of ‘moor’ when referring to Othello
• “… the beast with two backs;” animalistic degradation because of
Othello’s race
•
•
Animals
Bible
•
•
•
•
Candle
•
Handkerchief
•
•
“Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white
ewe!” said by Iago to Desdemona’s father’ exploiting the stereotype
that black men have an animal-like hypersexuality
“O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil!” said by Emilia
after Othello kills Desdemona; by killing her he inacts the racist
stereotype that black men are violent and savage
“… the beast with two backs;” animalistic imagery and degradation
Using ‘zounds’ as a swear; references the wounds on Jesus’ hands
and feet
“Therefore be double damned: swear thou art honest.” ‘Damned’
refers to eternal damnation in the Bible; said when Othello is
preparing to kill Desdemona. She protests her innocence which
makes Othello angrier as he believes she is committing the sins of
both lying and adultery
“O, the more angel she, and you the blacker devil.” The use of
‘devil’ reminds Othello and the audience that the act that he has
just committed is a divine sin
“Put out the light, and then put out the light.” Said by Othello after
he kills Desdemona; the candle symbolises that Othello is putting
out the light of Desdemona’s life
“My wayward husband hath a hundred times woo’d me to steal it.”
Said by Emilia, Iago manipulates her into getting him the
handkerchief in order to make Desdemona look bad
“Tell me but this, have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief
spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand?” said by Iago to
Othello in order to prompt Othello to speculate as to why Cassio
has Desdemona’s handkerchief