1. Othello Act I Scene i Metaphor of purse shows the trust
Confidante: trusted person to share one’s private affairs or secrets

2. Appearance vs. Reality “I am not what I am”
The dark, sinister qualities of Iago
“In following him I follow but myself”
Iago pretends, deceives , falsifies

3. Racial issues
“the thick lips” is a synecdoche to highlight Othello’s foreignness and black heritage
A racial distrust of Othello based on his color
Stereotypes about the race

4. Animal Imagery An old black ram White ewe Barbary horse
Animal imagery conveys immorality, bestial desire and illicit passion,
Othello is lustful

5. juxtapositions Light vs. Dark White vs. Black Order vs. Disorder
Steadiness vs. chaos

6. Act I Scene II Appearance vs. Reality
Janus is the two-faced god
Iago is two-faced, friendly and backbiting

7. metaphor “He tonight hath boarded a land carrack” Othello as a pirate
Desdemona as a prize

8. Pride Othello is proud of his achievements His public stature
Desdemona’s affection for him

9. Race
“run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of a thing such as thou”
Desdemona is enchantd because Othello is black

10. stereotypes Stereotype of African peoples Black arts of magic
Being pagan
Being lustful

11. Act I Scene iii incompatibility
Desdemona is bewitched.
Brabantio’s grief “engluts and swallows other sorrows” because he feels strongly about this issue.

12. From Venice to Cyprus Venice is a place of familiarity, order and law
Order vs. chaos
Othello sinks deeper into distrust of Desdemona
Othello is consumed by his jealousy

13. Duke’s advice Foretell trouble between the couple
Ends up being a reason for Othello’s fall
Use of couplet
Use of rhyme

14. Othello as a hero Power of languages He is tested, honorable warrior
Desdemona’s affection is a form of hero-worhsip

15. Othello’s lack of self-knowledge
When he is hard pressed to recognize his jealousy and his lust, this view of himself as a hero is troublesome.
He is unable to reconcile himself with his personality.

16. juxtapositions Light/ white/ fairness/ innocence/ goodness
Dark/ black/ sin/ evil/ bad
Vices
Honest / dishonest
Trust / distrust

17. Act II scene I storms Symbol of unrest and discord
End of the peaceful plot
An act of fate

18. misrepresentation Iago appears to be honest, faithful, good-hearted
Iago makes a fictional affair between Cassio and Desdemona
“with as little a web as this I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio.
A simile
Desdemona is misrepresented as a fickle, lusty woman.

19. Master of temptation Iago is a master of the use of language.
Iago’s speech plays on Othello’s insecurities.
Iago is able to say depending on the inclination of the hearer.
見人說人話 見鬼說鬼話

20. Motives of Iago He is not promoted.
He doubts the relationship between Othello and Emilia
He is just malignant, a villain.

21. Act II Scene iii dramatic ironies
Iago has plans and evil intentions
Othello is innocent of these plans and evil intentions.
Audience know Iago’s deviance.

22. self-consciousness “the purchase made, the fruit are to ensue;
That profit’s yet to come tween me and you.”
Othello is conscious of his public life and image.

23. juxtapositions Iago is manipulative and deceptive.
Cassio is full of honor and the ideals of a courtier.
“He’s a soldier fit to stand by Caesar.”

24. Cassio’s weakness Wine Liquor can separate the best man from himself.
Liquor can do great damage to one’s reputation.

25. perceptiveness Iago is perceptive of his status and his chances.
“If consequence do but approve my dream my boat sails freely both with wind and stream.”
見風轉舵

26. Appearance vs. reality
Iago pretends to settle the quarrel, but he is actually the engineer behind the whole affair.

27. Reputation Cassio mourns the demise of his reputation.
“Reputation is a most idle ad false imposition.”
A false consolation and full of irony.

28. Devil “invisible spirit of wine let us call thee devil”
The identity of the real devil
Iago is the source of what is poisoning everyone and everything.
Good vs. evil

29. Iago the title characher
“I will turn her virtue into pitch”
“out of her own goodness make te net that shall enmesh them all”
Iago is the center of the play