Important quotes explained from Act 2
1. “He takes her by the palm. Ay, well said; whisper. With as little a web as this will I ensare as great a fly as Cassio” (II.i.163-165). The context is when Iago, Cassio, Emilia, and Desdemona are talking amongst themselves. Iago is talking to himself and is gathering facts to set up Cassio for his fall. Iago sees it as Cassio taking Desdemona’s hand, but in an indecent or less courtly manner. He puts it together with these small facts, that’s all I need to take Cassio down. The truth in the situation is that Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand simply out of courtesy, no lustrous or ulterior motives.
2. “I am not merry, but I do beguile The thing I am by seeming otherwise– Come, how wouldst thou praise me?”
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“If I can fasten but one cup upon him … My boat sails freely, both wind and stream” (II.iii.41-56). This is yet another part of Iago’s plan to bring down Cassio. His persistent ambition rests in the fact that Othello chose Cassio over him to be Othello’s lieutenant. Iago feels that he will get one step closer to ruining Othello as well as taking down Cassio. This falls into the line of the saying, “kill two birds with one stone”. In this plan, Iago is going to get Cassio drunk and have him do something stupid enough that it will offend many. Iago is manipulating Cassio to cause a scene so that he can prove his point that Cassio is a useless drunk to Othello. It is seen as ironic as the play goes on, since Iago is the one that is being …show more content…
“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial” (II.iii.245-247). Cassio is saying this after he had a fist fight with Roderigo. Othello essentially fires Cassio because of what he has done and Cassio loses his rank. It seems that to Cassio, reputation means everything to him, and without he is nothing. This might be referring to the word “bestial”, where a man is nothing without his reputation. Reputation in our society is a big thing, and in general, depending on how much reputation one has, that is how people will look at you in society. If one has a bad reputation, probably because they did something bad repeatedly, they will be looked at disdainfully by others. As opposed to someone with a good
Iago elaborates a master plan to get Cassio position as a lieutenant. Iago get Cassio drunk so he could fight Roderigo. Othello then discharge Cassio from the lieutenant position when he says, How must poor Cassio have felt? To lose all he had worked for, working up his reputation that any half-hearted human can tell he earned and deserved. Iago know that Othello who ask him about the deed because of he fame of being a honest man. Iago tell Othello about the deed winning his trust that is when Iago starts to crab Othello by his weak point his Love for Desdemona.
Without this reputation, Cassio feels as if he has degraded himself. Cassio then becomes an outsider in another way because his only form of communication is through Desdemona, and he must sneak around in order for a 'chance' to regain his position of lieutenant. Othello is perhaps the character with the most reasons to feel like an outsider. In the very first scene, before we have even met Othello or heard his name, we are struck by the prejudiced and crude refe... ...
In the beginning of the play, as Cassio and Desdemona wait for Othello’s ship to land, he pulls her to the side to talk about Othello’s arrival. He innocently takes her hand as he speaks to her, and Iago takes notice. Iago then says, “With as little a web as this, I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio” (2.1.166-167). Iago introduces his plan of revenge to us, the audience. He uses the word “web” because a web is a great representation of how his plan starts and develops.
In this scene he has changed his plan on how to take down Othello and choose to sacrifice his partner Cassio to achieve his dream. He tricked Cassio in speaking into Desdemona in assisting him over a different matter and while Desdemona speaks to him, Iago will trick Othello into believing Desdemona has feelings for Cassio. Iago hopes Othello takes the bait he is laying out would result in killing of two characters out of rage; which will place Othello in prison thus leaving Iago take over the position of
After being publicly reprimanded and stripped of his lieutenant position, Cassio is distraught and embarrassed. Iago recognizes that Cassio is gutted over the loss of his reputation and his friend Othello, and decides to use this heightened emotion against him. Iago approaches Cassio by fervently asking, “What, are you hurt, lieutenant? (2.3).” By showing frantic concern for Cassio and assuaging his fears, Iago paints himself as a friend and ally; However, by addressing Cassio as “lieutenant,” the position that Cassio no longer holds, Iago taunts Cassio with his loss, thus making him more emotional. Like a friend would, Iago continues to advise Cassio to, “confess [himself] freely to [Desdemona],” and “ Importune her help to put [him] in [his] place again (2.3).” Iago suggests that as an emotional woman, Desdemona would be better fitted to hear Cassio’s appeal than Othello would. Although Iago is manipulating Cassio as apart of his revenge, the action of offering help makes him seem as if he is empathizing with Cassio. Because Cassio’s interaction with Desdemona is imperative to the success of his plan, Iago depends on Cassio’s distraught emotional state to distract from his manipulation. Once thanked by Cassio for his help, Iago states, “I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness (2.3).” With the phrase “I protest” Iago appears selfless for humbly accepting Cassio’s gratitude. Iago attributes his willingness to help to “the sincerity of love and honest kindness” he feels for Cassio. He uses “love and honest kindness” to atone for the hate that Cassio is experiencing, thus appearing to palliate his hurt feelings. Iago displays pathos by accentuating Cassio’s emotions and employing his insincere sympathy to dictate a desired response from
In this first scene we see Othello, a general of Venice, has made Cassio his new lieutenant. Iago feels he truly deserves his promotion as he says "I know my price, I am worth more than a place." "(l.i.12) Iago over here is confused why Othello has made such a stupid decision. Iago is a man with a tremendous ego who knows, sometimes overestimates, his worth. Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman, understands Iago when Iago said that he is "affined to love the Moor. " (l.i.41-42)
Iago manipulates Cassio into thinking they are friends and Cassio could trust him. Iago becomes very jealous because Cassio got the high military position over him. He pressures Cassio into drinking, to the point where Cassio stumbles over drunk. Iago knows that Cassio’s weakness is liquor, so he takes advantage of him. Othello takes away the position from Cassio after his drinking spell which is exactly what Iago had planned for. Cassio becomes upset because he lost his reputation. Iago reassures him that reputation is not very important. “Reputation, reputation, reputation!/ O, I have lost my reputation!/ I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial./ My reputation, Iago, my reputation! (2.3.281-284).”
Othello did a big mistake by letting Iago flood his mind with false thoughts instead of communicating with Desdemona and Cassio about it. When Othello asks Emilia about the “affair” between Cassio and Desdemona, Emilia tells him the truth; Desdemona was never alone with Cassio. Othello completely shuts her down and says “She says enough, yet she’s a simple bawd that cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore, a closet, lock and key, of villainous secrets. And yet she’ll kneel and pray, I have seen her do ’t”(4.2.21-24).
If consequence do but approve my dream my boat sails freely, both with wind and stream" (2.3.30-47). Here, Iago is laying out his plan of deceit, beginning with getting everyone drunk. He believes that once drunk, they will be easily offended and ready to fight. It is then that he will coerce Cassio to do something to upset everyone, there will be a brawl and his plan will be a success. Although this sililoquy was depicted to himself, Iago conveys a sense of joy and excitement while rehearsing his plan of manipulation.
Iago had given Cassio a false sense of security to make him believe that drinking wine and partying would be acceptable. He told Roderigo to chase after Cassio, which resulted in Cassio’s sudden rage and unprofessional behaviour. In addition to motivating Roderigo to obtaining this goal, Iago is also stating what needs to be done in order for Cassio to be overthrown, and for Othello to be overcome with rage. Iago’s plan is to have Cassio ask Desdemona for advice on regaining his position, and have the Moor catch them at that precise moment and assume that Cassio is having an affair with his wife.
Iago intends to orchestrate the demise of Cassio and Othello. On the surface, winning a promotion was the catalyst for Iago’s rage but bringing down only Cassio does not satisfy his bloodthirsty rage. Although Iago is cunning and ruthless in his pursuit to ruin Othello, the plot spins out of his control and only gains traction when his wife, Emilia unknowingly helps him. At this point Iago is poised to fail but the possession of Desdemona’s handkerchief provides a key piece of “ocular proof (Shakespeare)” that Othello requires to be convinced of Desdemona’s infidelity. Iago loses control of the situation. His stated purpose is to suppl...
The situation above leaves an opening for Iago to fulfill his vital plan to bring down Othello through Desdemona. Cassio was a mental wreck and told Iago that his reputation was ruined. Iago told him that he can get his rank back through Desdemona and get back on Othello's good side. "Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again (p. 54)." Once Cassio talks to Desdemona, Iago will speak with Othello and get him to think of his wife's trust. In Act three Scene three Iago is speaking to Othello and warns him to look out for Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks Iago if it was just Cassio that left from speaking with his wife.
Iago is willing to prattle on Othello and Desdemona for animosity. Iago's poisoned language builds up Brabantio's fearness of mixed race marriage and especially his pure daughter. Iago's manipulation of Roderigo and Brabantio sets up the battle between Othello and Brabantio. Later on in the play Iago still seeks help from Roderigo by forcing him to kill Cassio whom is drunk with just a few words. Montano which is the governor of Cyprus stepped in to resolve the problem between Cassio and Roderigo. Unfortunately Cassio stabs Montano since he lost control of himself from Iago's...
Cassio is newly promoted as Othello's lieutenant at the beginning of the play even though he has little experience on the field, '. This position is what triggers Iago's inferiority complex, so he plans the bring Cassio down. One can easily say that through the course of this tragedy, Cassio's fortunes change considerably. In Act I, he is Othello's loyal and trusted lieutenant. In Act II, he is Othello's loyal friend in Cypress and respectful admirer of Desdemona but in Act II, Scene III, is manipulated to fight Roderigo, hitting him and Montano, and consequently losing his position as Othello's "lieutenant".
The humiliation of Cassio due to his discharge and loss of rank is the fulfillment of one of Iago’s large-scale goals. Cassio values his reputation very dear to him, Cassio’s mentality to keep it exposes him to actions that he will take without rationalizing. Subsequently, Cassio cries out,“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.