Language Influence On Othello

When looking at any form of written work from any period of time it is clear that language plays a significant role. For the purpose of this dissertation I will be analysing the novels A Clockwork Orange and Catch 22, with these novels I will also be analysing the Shakespearean play Othello. The language used in these set works will be analysed with regards to the importance of language in the categories of interaction with others; influencing/manipulating and self-expression.
This dissertation will firstly look at the influence of language on the interactions with other characters. When analysing Othello’s interaction with other characters and the influence language has it becomes a predominant idea that language is used for beneficial and

When looking at the play Othello we see the protagonist Othello being influenced and manipulated by Iago, a man who Othello believes to be his friend. Iago’s manipulation of Othello leads to Othello’s fall from stature into his fall of dehumanisation. Othello is influenced to such an extent that he murders his wife Desdemona and only after her death does Iago’s deceit become known to the rest of the characters. Othello is gradually manipulated by Iago through Iago’s comments. These comments from Iago played on Othello’s fears but were also used to make him feel degraded without him knowing that he is feeling degraded. Iago clearly made use of subliminal messages when talking and it is these messages that lead to his ability to manipulate Othello. According to Kaleba & et al. (2012) we can see Iago manipulated Othello through deceit/lies and it was imperative that Emilia helps Othello through telling him the truth but after being deceived and manipulated to the point where murdered his true love Othello kills himself. In A Clockwork Orange Alex uses Nadsat language for various reasons and one of these reasons is to manipulate others. Alex uses the manipulative capabilities of language to draw in his victims and to incite violence. He draws in his victims by luring them closer through using regular English and when they are caught in his little game he switches to Nadsat language which causes confusion that leads to violence. Not only does Alex manipulate other characters to partake in violent confrontations but he also manipulates/influences the reader to a certain extent. Alex is able to manipulate the reader because he is able to make us complicit in his actions, we the readers become complicit as soon as we start understanding Nadsat because Nadsat is the language that he uses when communicating with his