Othello Literary Devices

“And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms” (I.ii.9). Alliteration
“To mourn a mischief that is past and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on” (I.i.123-127). Alliteration
“Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you’ll have your nephews neigh to you, you’ll have coursers for cousins and jennets for germans” (I.i.123-127). (Calling them horses/animals) Metaphor
“Even now, now very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” Othello and Desdemona (racist, symbolizes Des being pure. Ewe=female sheep) Metaphor
“By Janus, I think no” (I.ii38). (Allusion to a Roman God with two faces) Allusion
“Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if the Devil bid you” (I.i.122-123). Allusion
“‘Twas pitiful, ’twas wondrously pitiful” (I.ii.186). (Othello) Oxymoron
“At this odd-even and dull watch o’th’night” (I.i.138). Oxymoron
“Wherein I space of most disastrous chances of moving accidents by flood and field of her breath ‘scapes i’thiminent deadly beach…” (I.ii.155-157). (Othello) Foreshadow
“Look to her, Moor, if thor hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father and may thee” (I.iii.333-334). (foreshadowing deception) Foreshadow
“The bloody book of law” (I.iii. 80-81). Personification
“It is silliness to live when to live is forment and then we have a prescription to die when death is our physician.” (I.iii.350-353). Personification
“I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” (Act 1 Scene 1, 13) Motivation
And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets ‘has done my office” (Act 1 Scene 3, 430) Motivation
“I am not what I am” (Act 1 Scene 1, 72) Paradox
“The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief;” (I. iii. 238-239 Paradox
“Honest Iago” (I.ii.336). Irony
“A man he is of honest and trust” (I.iii.331). (Othello about Iago) Irony
“Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (I.iii. 333) (Duke to Brabantio) Pun
July 26, 2019