The Use Of Animal Imagery In Othello Essay -- William Shakespeare

In William Shakespeares play Othello the use ofanimal imagery was unpatterned throughout the telling ofthe story. Shakespeare explained several charactersactions by comparing them to similarities in animals. The characters in Othello were often depicted ashaving animal-like characteristics. Some characterswere even compared to animals by other characters inthe play. By defining characters in terms of thesecharacteristics one can get a clear description of whatthe character is doing or saying as compared to sealedanimals. In this paper I hope to give examples of animalimagery used in Othello that assist in explaining theplay. The specific examples I present exit describe acharacter either as seen by himself or by a fellowcharacter. The first use of animal imagery I noted occurred came in Act One when Iago, Othellos standard bearer,has awaken Brabantio, who was a Venetian senator andthe father of Desdemona, to tell him that Othello hastaken his daughter Desdemona, and as they blab out ismaking neck to her. Iago was attempting to instigate afight between Othello and Brabantio, using Desdemona asthe bait. Iago stated, Your heart is burst. You havelost half your soul. Even now, now, very now, and elder scandalous ram is tupping your white ewe (p. 13). In thatstatement Iago was comparing Othello to an old blackram by comparing Othellos skin color to that of theblack rams, and the white ewe, a young female sheep,to Desdemona. Shakespeare was trying to illustrate inhis writing the act of and old black man making love toa young white woman. The use of a black ram and awhite ewe to compare Othello and Desdemona helped inthe visualization of their affair. Shakespeare displayed animal imagery over again in ActTwo when Cassio was explaining to Iago that if he hadas legion(predicate) mouths as Hydra, a many headed monster slain byHercules, he could silence the many questions asked ofhim. In this Shakespeare presented Cassio as beingburdened by many questions that he could not answer allat once, scarcely if he had as many mouths as Hydra it wouldbe more accessible for him to do so. Cassio said, Iwill ask him for my place again he shall tell me I ama drunkard Has I as many mouths as Hydra, such ananswer would stop them all (p.101). Cassio wasexplaining to Iago that if he went to Othello now... ...eceptive tears. Desdemona, in the eyes ofOthello, was not sorry, but was rather hiding somethingfrom him. Shakespeares use of animal imagery here wassimilar to his earlier uses. Shakespeare was trying todisplay a woman, who in the mind of her husband, was insistent tears of deception. Othello had let his mind beso altered by Iagos lies, that he had even began tobelieve everything he said. This action of Othello wasfueled by his earlier animal-like change caused byIago. In conclusion, Shakespeares use of animal imageryin Othello was crucial to the description of thestory. In Othello certain scenes would have beenharder to go out or relate to if it was not for theanimal imagery related to it. Shakespeares comparisonof characters to certain animals is unlike any others. Shakespeares portray of a characters emotions andthoughts through animal imagery helped in theunderstanding of that particular scene. Lastly,without the vivid comparisons of animals andcharacters, this play would undoubtedly have been morecomplicated to both interpret and understand. Works CitedShakespeare, William. Othello. Toronto Pocket Books, 2008.