Shakespeare's Othello (Shakespeare, 1604) is a tragedy that takes place based on the actions and language of a character: Iago. As a result, the plot is linear, but the game manages to maintain a multidimensional effect. Shakespeare uses character language to achieve this multifaceted quality. Through the use of language (particularly Iago, Othello, and Desdemona), Shakespeare drives the plot, engages the audience, creates dramatic irony, and reveals the psyches of the characters. The eponymous character enters the work as an image rather than a physical presence. Despite preconceived ideas that the play is about a black man, Othello's first impression is associated with the nameless man that Iago and Roderigo are slandering at the beginning of the play. Shakespeare builds the anticipation of seeing this man through the vivid images that Iago and Roderigo use to describe him. The audience learns that he is a man of high military rank who is an independent thinker. Iago describes that there were "Three great ones in the city/ In personal capacity to make me his lieutenant" (I:i:8-9) but the hitherto nameless Othello "Escapes them with a pompous circumstance" (I:i:13 ) naming Cassius instead. The nameless man's race is revealed when Iago shouts to Brabantio, "An old black ram/ Is pummeling your white sheep" (I:I:88-89). While a Jacobean audience would already know that Othello is black from the use of the word "Moor", a modern audience who is less familiar with the term would be intuited from Iago's vivid descriptions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Another function of the vivid language used to describe Othello is to help the audience perceive his physical attributes. In the play, the character of Othello could be played by a white man who lacks the physical characteristics of a Moor. This would be especially plausible in the Jacobean era, when all players tended to be white males. While skin color can be changed quite easily with makeup, other physical characteristics attributed to a black man would be left to the imagination. When Roderigo asks, “What luck does the thick lips owe,” his insult focuses on a physical attribute that a white actor would likely lack (I:I:68). Iago and Roderigo's venomous insults would have aided the Jacobean audience's imagination of Othello's physical appearance. In addition to informing the audience about Othello, the language used in the opening scene provides an important portrait of Iago's character. His bigotry and spite make an immediate appearance. He dehumanizes Othello with animal imagery, “your daughter and the Moor are now creating the beast with two backs,” and panders to Brabantio's pre-existing prejudice to instigate a ruckus (I:I:115-116). Iago more subtly reveals his other prejudices when he classifies people by their heritage; his disgust for "Michele Cassio, Florentine" (I:i:19), and his holding in high regard his fellow Venetians, the "Big Three of the city" (I:i:8-9).When the public for she first meets Othello in scene ii of Act I and they are immediately subjected to a moment of dramatic irony with Iago. Iago tells Othello of Brabantio "who uttered such surly and defiant terms against thy honour, that with what little pity I have, I did all I could to bear it" (I:ii:7-10). Iago's feigned servitude is impeccable and his words assure Othello of Iago's loyalty while demonstrating to the audience his brilliance at deception. Othello's early speeches establish him as a calm, noble, dignified manjudicious. Although marrying Desdemona without Brabantio's acquiescence in the context of the Jacobean period is indeed a serious crime, Othello is able to use his words and reputation to exonerate himself in the eyes of the Senate. His poetic words were also what earned him Desdemona's love.Othello describes how his tale wooed her; Desdemona, to hear this, would be seriously inclined; But the affairs of the house would still lure her thither, and as she would come with haste and haste, she would return and with eager ear devour my speech. (I:iii:145-150)Othello's speech is gallant and grand. G. Wilson Knight described it in the phrase coined "the music of Othello" (Knight, 72). If you separate much of Othello's language from the text, it retains its integrity and reads like verse. For example, the lines: O heavy hour! I think there should now be a huge eclipse of the sun and moon, and the frightened globe should yawn at the change. (V:ii:97-100) And, no, if it had been true, if Heaven had made me another world of a whole and perfect chrysolite, I would not have sold it for it. (V:ii:141). Extract from the context of Othello read again poetically. Othello does not maintain this dignified disposition throughout the play. His speech manages to deteriorate from grandiose orations to monosyllabic utterances. Shakespeare uses Othello's language to directly reflect his psyche. As Iago's accusations of Desdemona's infidelity begin to undermine Othello's confidence, there is a change in his speech. As his jealousy intensifies, his speech increasingly imitates that of Iago, whose words are obscene and short, with the emphasis placed more on the unsaid than the said. Iago's speech is often very suggestive and evasive, leaving the reality of the facts to the imagination of the listener (who often imagines the worst case scenario). For example, Othello answers Iago's elusive question, "Do you think, my lord?", with "Do you think, my lord?" By heaven, he echoes me, as if there were some monster in his thoughts, too horrible to be shown (III:iii:109-112) As Othello's jealousy grows, it takes on this aspect of the unspoken. In the following exchange with Desdemonda, it is evident that he has adopted some of Iago's rambling ways of speaking, Othello Pray, Chuck, come here Desdemona What is your pleasure? Othello Let me see your eyes,... Look at my face Desdemona What horrible fantasy is this? Othello: Some of your duties, mistress, leave the procreants alone and close the door, cough, cry or stink, if anyone comes; Your mystery, your mystery; no, send. Desdemona On your knees, what does your speech matter? I understand the fury in your words, but not the words. (IV:ii:23-34)He also adopts Iago's lewd and lewd vocabulary. "Zounds" begins to make a regular appearance in Othello's speech, as well as in the sexual insults he directs at Desdemona. He calls her "that crafty whore" (IV:ii:91), "devil" (IV:i:235), "impudent slut" (IV:ii:80), "lewd shamefaced girl" (III:iii:482), and "woman perjurer" (V:ii:64). After Othello discovers that he has killed Desdemona under false pretenses, his original speech pattern returns, indicating that Iago no longer holds the veil over Othello's eyes, figuratively speaking. Othello's last speech, before killing himself, has echoes of his earlier spoken music. In a particularly tender part, he implores the other men, then you must speak of someone who has loved wisely, but too well: of someone who is not easily jealous, but who is agitated, perplexed in the extreme; from whose hand, like the vile Indian, he threw away a pearl, richer than all his tribe. (V:ii:344-349) So there is a final return to his stately use of language before committing suicide. It is important to note, however, thatthese speech patterns only take effect when the characters are engaged in dialogue. Both Othello and the short-spoken Iago articulate themselves in fluid iambic pentameter when addressing the audience in their monologues. In both cases this allows the audience to get a full look into each character's private thoughts. This is especially important with the character of Iago, because it drives the plot of the play. Iago's speech transforms to suit his current goal. While most characters remain consistent with the use of verse or prose, Iago keeps constantly switching between them and using the one that suits his purpose. The other characters use prose or verse depending on the situation, while Iago controls the situation based on his choice of language. When Shakespeare allows the audience to know Iago's entire agenda, he experiences dramatic irony and makes no false pretenses regarding the sheer selfishness and wickedness of Iago's character. Furthermore, Othello's experience is much more tragic and frustrating when the audience is aware of the truth. Iago's language is Shakespeare's tool for conveying all these facets to the audience. Twice in Othello Shakespeare uses song as a literary device. The first of these instances is when Iago sings to Cassio in an attempt to get Cassio drunk. In addition to awakening Cassio's drinking spirit, Iago's song would have incited and provoked Shakespeare's Jacobean audience. Iago speaks of his song: "I learned it in England, where indeed they are mightier in pot: your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Dutchman, - drink, oh! --- I'm nothing in compared to your English!" (II:iii:71-74) . Clearly such favoritism towards a non-Venetian culture is unusual for the bigoted Iago, but Shakespeare uses this opportunity to uplift his English audience. In Iago's second song, he describes King Stephen, he was a man of great fame, and you are only of low rank. It's pride that brings the country down, so take on your old cloak. (II:iii:87-90)This song alludes to the character of Iago; in seeking redemption for his wounded pride, he demolishes the infrastructure of Othello's domestic life and focuses solely on caring for himself, regardless of the effect this may have on others. The other example in Othello where Shakespeare uses singing as a literary technique is Desdemona's singing of the "Willow Tree Song." The song is a harbinger of what will happen in the immediate future; indicates that Desdemona is about to die at the hands of her husband. The song is full of symbolism relating to the current situation in the opera. Green is the color that represents envy, and the song says: "Sing all, a green willow must be my garland" (IV:iii:50). Envy is the emotion that dictates Othello's action; Desdemona dies due to her husband's jealousy. She continues, Let no one blame him, I approve of his contempt No, this is not the text... ... I called my love false love, but what did he say then? (IV:iii:51-54)This lyrical confusion is intentional and further foreshadows the events of Desdemona's death. Before Desdemona dies, Emilia asks her, "Or who did this deed?" and Desdemonda replies: "None, I farewell:/ Commend me to my good lord, oh, farewell!" (V:ii:124-126). Rather than place the blame on Othello, Desdemona falsely claims to have killed herself. Another technique Shakespeare uses is repetition. Often in comedy there are words or phrases repeated two, three, even four times. This technique has several purposes. On the one hand, the use of repetition merges an idea between two characters, as shown in the following example: Iago Lie. Othello With her? Iago With her, on her, whatever you want., 1958.