Analysis of selected passages from Othello by William Shakespeare Essay

When William Shakespe atomic number 18 made use of the hairdresser devices he thus tried to paint a multi-dimensional image of his perceptions that he extended in his characters public treasury the limits of reality and belief. And to design variety in this frame of multi-dimensionality Shakespeare not only expressed done the quarrel in the subscriber lines which the characters explicit rather the formation of the language and the lines besides revealed certain patterns that could be decoded to detect make up more subtle reasons and justification behind those expressions.Such flow and expertise of expressing the conceptions tinnot be taught easily through the science of writing rather it required the unschooled instinctive ability like Shakespeares to carry with the words with a unique skill of potency that post metamorphosed the words to survive as the active version of Shakespeares intellect and vision even after cosmos announceed by the characters in the play.In the following excerpts from the play Othello, there is a variety of Shakespeares usage of stylistic devices to typeset words in order to express the difference of thoughts, moods, connotations and beliefs of the protagonist (Othello) and also how the use of such words in a specific style cater in constructing the plot and developing the characters.Theres incantation in the web of it. A sybil that had numbered in the worldThe sun to course two hundred compasses,In her portentous fury sewed the workthe worms were hallowed that did break the silk,And it was colorful in mummy which the skillful keep the maidens hearts.These lines are from the IV scene of the Third Act of the play, and they are uttered on the grounds of misinterpret that is set by Iago in the mind of Othello. If we observe c relapsely these lines summarize the truth that Othello is ignorant nearly and the words reveal the irony that Othello has become a victim of. The use of the words like magic and web are justifiabl e elements of the speech of a contaminated brain and the word magic can be the symbol of Iagos spell of intoxication Othellos mind with suspicion and web can be the symbol for the perplexed state of Othellos mind, which lost the ability to think and trust his hold reasons. And the two hundred years old sibyl can be a metaphor for the evil stamp down minded Iago, whose prophetic fury fabricated the whole chaos to take his revenge.The silk can be speculated as a metaphor for the love of Desdemona that came out of her hallowed trust and faith. And the word dyed can be taken as a pun (when analyzing these lines from symbolic references), as the faithful and sacred love of Desdemona dyed or died within her maiden heart. The worth and value purposely exaggerated by Othello is a fine example of hyperbolic fantasies that Shakespeare is capable of designing. And thus the handkerchief becomes the symbol of the thin threaded family relationship of Othello and Desdemona that was based on su perficial beliefs and yet sought the possibility of sustenance of their love.It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,Let me no denote it to you, you chaste starsIt is the cause, Yet Ill not shed her blood,Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,And smooth as monumental alabaster,The above mentioned lines are from the Act V Scene II and anaphoric beginning of this passage is Othellos expression for his exalted emotional dichotomy of disbelief and love for Desdemona. The repetition of the phrase it is the cause are the words that come out of Othellos weeping brain that has been so badly eclipsed by the poisoning suspicion injected by Iago that it had totally become impotent of thinking on its own. As these lines are uttered during the climax of the play thus it is quite typical of Shakespeare that he lends his protagonist with an ample energy to utter dramatic and highly emotional phrases which let them have catharsis. The desperate utterance of my soul by Othello shows that possibly the only salvage left for his consolation is to confide in to his soul.Or my soul can also be taken as Othellos address to Desdemona as it can be observed that Othello even-tempered loves her in these lines. And from the ironic aspect the first line also conveys the meaning that it is the soul of Othello that can be taken as the cause of the whole tragedy, because if Othello had really loved Desdemona from his soul he would have had a complete trust in her love and honesty but since he believed more what he listened to and less(prenominal) what was known to him thus he became the victim of suspicion that proved fatal for him and his love. In the proceeding line the address to the stars is made by Othello to mock at Desdemonas infidelity.Stars have been used as a metaphor for their heavenly status for chastity. It can also be a reference to the Greek custom of naming the stars by the names of their gods and goddesses. Thus as Othello has completely lost his trust in his wi fe thus he consider her reference to be an insult for the stars. These lines depict the imbalance of Othellos index number to reason and think and express in coherence with his flow of emotions. In the later lines he reveals his intension to kill Desdemona, but unlike his valiance as a general, he prefers to strangle her because her physical sweetheart still absorbs his feelings in love and compassion for her.And being a black man himself he admire her fair skin and he refers to her with two different categories of symbols. The use of snow as a fiction conveys the softness and coldness of her fair physique which Othello never wanted to distort by killing with a weapon and the metaphor of monumental alabaster can be referred to the stiff and lifeless beauty of Desdemona that fixed with no worth for Othello anymore.I have seen the dayThat with this little arm and this good swordI have made my room through more impedimentsThan 20 times your stop. But O null boastWho can instruc tion his fate? Tis not so now.Be not afraid, though you do see me weaponed.Here is my journeys end, here is my butt,And very seamark of my utmost sail.These lines are uttered in the Act V Scene II which is almost the resolution of the play and it is one of Shakespeares particular(prenominal) characteristics that his tragic heroes lose the intensity and the energy of their rhetoric in the terminal scenes of the play. It is because of the reason that Shakespeare develops his tragic heroes to attain the status of being larger than life and thus speech loses its value when the characters become paranormal. In the above lines the most authorised aspect that one can notice is the tone of submission and retreat which is conveyed by the choice and scheme of words like little arm But O vain Boast and Who can control this fate? by Othello who was a valiant and unbeatable general but in these lines appears to be the discomfited and subjugated one in the hands of fate.These lines though do not consist of any special rhyme scheme that would help in bringing an effective poetic impact whilst delivering these lines on the period but the second line does show some signs of alliteration as the words made my way through more impediments as well as in the third line where the words twenty times are stressed and can be delivered with some high pitched voice by the character. But after these lines the tone changes as the desperation and despondency appear in the words. The last collar lines are symbolically referred by Othello to his death. And despite he is weaponed yet he is incapable to bit as he desires death due to his lamenting guilt and in vain repentance. In the last line the use of the metaphor seamark is an appropriate expression for Othellos choice of vocabulary as it adequately represents his experiences and knowledge as a sailor and warrior.