Reflective Essay Warm-Up

The song "Who's Cheatin' Who" by Alan Jackson provides a wonderful connection to all of the cheating in "Othello." It connects to the confusion of who is sleeping with who in Othello because there is a large number of accusations with no evidence to support them. Emilia cheated on Iago with Othello. Desdemona cheated on Othello with Cassio. Bianca is Cassio's whore. There are so many unfounded claims that make readers wander who is really cheating on whom. "I thought I knew her well I really couldn't tell that she had another lover on her mind." These lines from the song connect to Othello's thoughts. He thought he knew her well enough that he would be able to tell if something was amiss. However, Iago forces him to confront the possibility that she has another love on her mind. Othello doesn't know how he could have missed the fact that she was thinking about someone else. (He didn't miss it because those feelings were never really present.)

Get More: Who's Cheatin' Who, Alan Jackson, Alan Jackson Videos

Plays: Othello 6

"A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber and not know who left it there! This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There, give it your hobbyhorse. Wheresoever, you had it, I'll take out no work on't." Page 1432, Act IV, scene i, lines 143-146

This quote bring the hankerchief into the story. Throughout the work, the hankerchief is involved with the supposed affair. Everyone has their opinions as to who has it and how they have it. Othello sees it as proof of Desdemona's affair. Iago sees it as a tool to get things to happen the way he wants. The hankerchief is also the piece of the puzzle that helps Emilia piece together everything that has unfolded in Act V. Once Othello tells Emilia that Iago's hunch was proven with the handkerchief, she is able to make the connection that Iago planned everything out. I also think that the connection is a bit of a symbol of the whole scheme becuase it is present or mentioned with pretty much every step of Iago's plan. It is as if it is a way for us to keep up with what point in Iago's plan we are reading.

Plays: Othello 5

"My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago." Page 1454, Act V, Scene ii, line 153

This line reveals what Iago's epithet has been the entire play. Iago is repeatedly referred to as honest. However, readers are aware of the fact that he is anything but honest. I think this epithet is ironic because Iago spends the entire time manipulating people for his own good. This epithet characterizes how Iago appears to the characters. This is important because it explains and justifies the actions that the characters take that the readers percieve as stupid. One of these actions is trusting Iago. The characters all seem to trust him to help them because he acts honest and genuinely concerned for them. I think this epithet also shows how manipulative Iago was because everyone called him honest. An epithet is a generally accepted adjective that describes the character, so it must have been a consensus that Iago was a good and honest man.

Plays: Othello 4

"Moor, she was chaste. She loved thee, cruel Moor, so come my soul to bliss as I speak true. So speaking as I think, I die, I die." Page 1457, Act V, scene II, lines 247-250

In the fifth act, readers are shown that Emilia is a dynamic character. She makes a drastic change from the beginning acts to now. In the beginning, Emilia was subservient and quiet. She didn't stand up to Iago and just let him insult her in front of her friends. Now, in act five, after dramatic deaths, Emilia is more active in asserting her views. She becomes direct, forceful, and nonintimidated. She finally stands up for herself and Desdemona. She is not afraid to stand up to Othello and let him know that he unjustly murdered his wife because Desdemona was nothing but faithful. This dramatic change in Emilia's character shows that everyone can change and most people have an inner tiger just waiting to let loose. For Emilia, her inner tiger was released when she watched multiple people die because of what she would later discover to be her husband's lies and manipulation. I think this helps show that truly only Iago knew what he was doing and nobody could have predicted this outcome (except Iago).

Plays: Othello 3

"I humbly thank you for't. I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest."--Cassio (1403: III. i. 37-38)

This quote is an instance of dramatic irony. The audience has been informed from Iago's soliloquies that everything he is advising people to do is for his own gain. He could care less if Roderigo gets the girl. There is dramatic irony because the characters think that Iago is really trying to help them. Roderigo thinks that Iago is giving him advice on how to win Desdemona's heart. However, Iago is using Roderigo to make people mad, so that he can get the position he wants. Likewise, Cassio thinks that Iago is helping him get back in favor with Othello, but he is actually tricking him and setting him up to mess up even more. The purpose of the dramatic irony is to reveal to the audience another side of Iago's personality. It also creates suspense because readers are drawn into the action because they know Iago's true intentions. It is effective because the characters act as if they truly believe that Iago is being helpful. The characters and readers have different understandings of situations, so they are expecting different results.

Plays: Othello 2

"Come on, come on. You are pictures out of doors,
Bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchens,
Saints in your injuries, devils being offended,
Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds."--Iago (1386: II.i.109-112)

This quote from Othello contains metaphors. In this situation, Iago is talking about his wife. The things he is saying about her do not seem to be flattering. in fact, they are rather offensive. He is basically saying she is too loud, in the way, and the opposite of what one would want in a wife. I think this is rather rude. This quote and the way Iago treats his wife in general is a way for us to learn his character. He treats people as means to get what he wants. He is only concerned with his own goals and needs. I think that Iago not only treats his wife badly, but he also uses and takes advantage of all of his "friends." Iago seems to be a pretty selfish, grudge-holding, and mean person. I am a little puzzled; however, that Iago doesn't seemed satisfied with his wife, yet he is super angry at Othello for sleeping with her.

Plays: Othello 1

"Tush, never tell me! I take it much unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this." --Roderigo (1362: I. i. 1-3)

This play begins in medias res. It begins in the middle of something and readers are uncertain as to what was going on prior to our introduction. I am not sure what the purpose of this is, but readers are able to infer what the conversation was about because some of it is given to the readers. However, we are never told what Iago was not supposed to tell Roderigo. The scene that begins the play is hardly introductory. Like I said before, we are thrown into the thick of things right off the bat. In the first few pages, we begin to know that Iago is upset because he was not picked to be the Lieutenant even though he had the seniority and skills. At this point, I do not think that readers are missing out on anything by the play starting in medias res because Shakespeare wouldn't have started the play without vital information. The information at the beginning and Iago's wrath over not being pick for lieutenant carries on throughout the act as something constantly gnawing at his conscience and driving him crazy.