Asides:
The first of his asides starts at line 182 and ends at line 193 and is in response to seeing Cassio and Desdemona hold hands. Iago says to himself "with as little a web as this will I ensnare as / great a fly as Cassio" (2. 1. 183-184). Iago was giving hints at how he will get back at Othello and become lieutenant. Iago wants to use this hand hold to trap Cassio and become lieutenant. Iago also says that "I will / gyve thee in thine own courtship" (2. 1. 184-185). Iago again hints at how he will use the hand hold for his own personal gain. This is just another way if Iago saying that he is going to trap Cassio from his own actions (the hand hold). Throughout the rest of the aside Iago makes comments about the hand hold he is observing and how said action is going to make his goal easy to accomplish.
Iago's second aside of Act 2, scene 1 is in response to Othello and Desdemona's conversation and then them kissing. Iago says: "O, you are well tuned now, / But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, / As honest as I am" (2. 1. 218-220). Through his aside, Iago once again provides insight into his future actions through his thoughts. Iago uses a metaphor of a string instrument to symbolize his plan to destroy the love between Othello and Desdemona. In a string instrument the pegs are what hold the strings and keep the music in tune. If Iago were to lower the legs in the instrument, he would cause the music, metaphorically Othello and Desdemona's love, to become out of tune and he would cause their love to unravel at the seams. The part of the aside "as honest as I am" hints at how Iago is going to make his story sound like the truth, especially given Othello's keen view of Iago. Iago's asides are his thoughts and his thoughts are key to understanding Iago's motives and what he plans on doing throughout the play.
(Act 4, Scene 2, Lines 106-108) "'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet./ How have I been behaved, that he might stick/The small'st opinion on my least misuse?" What she is saying is 'It’s fair for him to treat me like this, very fair. What have I ever done that he has anything to complain about?' She's confused at why Othello is accusing her of cheating.
Motifs:
"You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch./Good night, honest Iago" (Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 324-326). Iago is continuously mentioned as honest. While at first the reader might write this off immediately as something that is not true, but there is some truth to this statement. Iago is honest with many people during the book but makes it seem like he knows more than he is really telling. He tells the basic facts and uses those to lead the characters on. It seems ironic to call the villain honest, but, Iago is a mostly truthful guy, making his honesty a clever paradox. Not only is Iago's honesty a paradox, it is also a motif. Othello, Cassio, and Barbontia have all called Iago an honest man many times. His honesty is a reoccuring concept while he is actually going against all three of them. He builds things up into things thats more than what they really are, but in the bases of his accusations lies the truth.
Antithesis:
"O, sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed" (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 39-40). Iago talks on and on about how much he doesn't like Othello and wishes that he was the one in charge. But he then lets us know that he follows him so that one day he can take over.
(Act 3, Scene 3, Lines 339-340) "He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol'n/ Let him not know't, and he's not robbed at all.." This antithesis was said by Othello. It is an antithesis because its comparing a happy robbed man that doesn't know anything about what is missing, to a miserable robbed man who knows the truth of what is missing. He thinks he's missing Desdemonas love.
The first of his asides starts at line 182 and ends at line 193 and is in response to seeing Cassio and Desdemona hold hands. Iago says to himself "with as little a web as this will I ensnare as / great a fly as Cassio" (2. 1. 183-184). Iago was giving hints at how he will get back at Othello and become lieutenant. Iago wants to use this hand hold to trap Cassio and become lieutenant. Iago also says that "I will / gyve thee in thine own courtship" (2. 1. 184-185). Iago again hints at how he will use the hand hold for his own personal gain. This is just another way if Iago saying that he is going to trap Cassio from his own actions (the hand hold). Throughout the rest of the aside Iago makes comments about the hand hold he is observing and how said action is going to make his goal easy to accomplish.
Iago's second aside of Act 2, scene 1 is in response to Othello and Desdemona's conversation and then them kissing. Iago says: "O, you are well tuned now, / But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, / As honest as I am" (2. 1. 218-220). Through his aside, Iago once again provides insight into his future actions through his thoughts. Iago uses a metaphor of a string instrument to symbolize his plan to destroy the love between Othello and Desdemona. In a string instrument the pegs are what hold the strings and keep the music in tune. If Iago were to lower the legs in the instrument, he would cause the music, metaphorically Othello and Desdemona's love, to become out of tune and he would cause their love to unravel at the seams. The part of the aside "as honest as I am" hints at how Iago is going to make his story sound like the truth, especially given Othello's keen view of Iago. Iago's asides are his thoughts and his thoughts are key to understanding Iago's motives and what he plans on doing throughout the play.
(Act 4, Scene 2, Lines 106-108) "'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet./ How have I been behaved, that he might stick/The small'st opinion on my least misuse?" What she is saying is 'It’s fair for him to treat me like this, very fair. What have I ever done that he has anything to complain about?' She's confused at why Othello is accusing her of cheating.
Motifs:
"You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch./Good night, honest Iago" (Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 324-326). Iago is continuously mentioned as honest. While at first the reader might write this off immediately as something that is not true, but there is some truth to this statement. Iago is honest with many people during the book but makes it seem like he knows more than he is really telling. He tells the basic facts and uses those to lead the characters on. It seems ironic to call the villain honest, but, Iago is a mostly truthful guy, making his honesty a clever paradox. Not only is Iago's honesty a paradox, it is also a motif. Othello, Cassio, and Barbontia have all called Iago an honest man many times. His honesty is a reoccuring concept while he is actually going against all three of them. He builds things up into things thats more than what they really are, but in the bases of his accusations lies the truth.
Antithesis:
"O, sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed" (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 39-40). Iago talks on and on about how much he doesn't like Othello and wishes that he was the one in charge. But he then lets us know that he follows him so that one day he can take over.
(Act 3, Scene 3, Lines 339-340) "He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol'n/ Let him not know't, and he's not robbed at all.." This antithesis was said by Othello. It is an antithesis because its comparing a happy robbed man that doesn't know anything about what is missing, to a miserable robbed man who knows the truth of what is missing. He thinks he's missing Desdemonas love.