Rhetorical Devices In Othello Essay

William Shakespeare uses language as the subject and medium of his plays. One truly sees the power of words and their delivery, along with the tremendous effect that they can have on people within the plays Othello and Henry V. Shakespeare’s characters, Iago and King Henry, use rhetoric devices to stimulate the other characters and shape the plot of the play. King Henry, who acts as the protagonist of the play, adjusts his feelings and speech patterns to increase the level of receptiveness from his listeners. He uses his conviction to strategically manipulate in order to be an effective leader. His wide range of emotions and ways of speaking can be uplifting and encouraging, but also harsh and threatening. Iago on the other hand, is the antagonist

Iago plots with supreme cleverness, carefully manipulating Othello into believing that Desdemona is an adulteress. His understanding of the human psyche is impressive, as is his ability to orchestrate the deception throughout the play. Iago 's trickery is strong because of his patience; he has the ability to make people manifest ideas in their heads and just wait for his victims to go mad. Iago 's convincing rhetoric clearly reveals what a dominant device language can be, especially when used by an eloquent, but immoral, person. Once can see Iago being deceptive and devious when he pretends to warn Othello on the effects of jealousy by saying “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on (III. iii.195-197). Here, he pretends to warn Othello not to be a jealous man, by pointing out that jealousy ends up destroying the heart of the man who becomes a victim to it. Iago was the one who told Othello the lie and planted the evil seed in his mind. Iago’s vindictiveness is also revealed when he says “The Moor already changes with my poison;/Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,/Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,/But with a little act upon the blood/Burn like the mines of Sulphur.“ (III. Iii. 373-378). Iago realizes the unbelievable power of jealousy and claims that

They are gifted rhetoricians and use language and the power of their words to bring other people around to their side. Henry V uses the power of speech to enhance his small English army’s self-esteem as they go to war, while Iago uses the power of language to manipulate Othello’s view of his wife and Cassio. This is precisely the difference between one being a historical play and one being a tragedy. Henry V encompasses war, nobility, and heroic English underdogs who accomplish victory against all odds. King Henry seems to be a perfect leader contains qualities of bravery, intention and ferocity. Othello, on the other hand, is the ideal tragedy because Othello’s downfall is of his own doing and it encompasses the tragedy of human