Othello Turning Point Quotes

‘To abuse Othello’s ear that he is too familiar with his wife.’ The first seeds of jealousy and doubt are seen in Othello’s head.
‘The Moor is of a free and open nature, and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are.’ Animalistic comparison, Othello – Donkey. Just as a donkey is led by the nose to carry out simple tasks very easily, so Iago will lead Othello to his doom without exerting much effort.
‘Good signior, you shall more command with years than with your weapons.’ Othello doesn’t want to fight Brabantio and his men, as Othello respects him and in this moment we see him as calm, measured and respectful of his elders.
‘I may profess due to the Moor my lord.’ Desdemona is more loyal to Othello than her father, akin to her mother who preferred Brabantio to own her father.
‘That I did love the Moor to live with him, my downright violence and storm of fortunes may trumpet the world.’ Desdemona is saying here that she loves Othello enough to violate the standards of Venetian customs, and disrupt her own future by marrying Othello, showing her devotion.
‘My life upon her faith.’ Othello completely trusts Desdemona’s loyalty, and would place his life on the fact that she could never deceive him. This is foreshadowing the end of the play.
‘Honest my lord?’ ‘Think my lord?’ The echoing of his words enrages Othello, and riles him up so that when the grisly ‘truth’ is revealed, he is more inclined to believe Iago’s lies.
‘I think that he is honest.’ The word choice of ‘think’ sews further seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind, which stick in his thoughts. Iago’s use of ‘think’ is carefully placed, as it is meant to show that Iago’s is uncertain about the true nature of Michael Cassio.
‘Beware my lord of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.’ Iago seems to suggest that once you are infected with jealousy, you are tormented until it consumes you. This is also foreshadowing of Othello’s fate. The outbreak of ‘truth’ sends Othello into a trance, out of which comes a violent killer.
‘Goats and Monkeys!’ Both of these creatures are known to be lascivious in nature, and these show the effects of Iago’s manipulation on Othello’s mind. He has lost his eloquence and self control.
‘A swift means of death for the fair devil.’ Othello’s attitude towards Desdemona has changed from utter devotion to that of hatred. He now seems to believe that she is the devil incarnate, sent to torture him.
‘From this time forth I never will speak word.’ Irony – Iago’s words were what caused the downfall of Othello and his compatriots, and now he won’t use them to defend himself. Iago shows no remorse for what he has done.
August 27, 2019