ORAL COMMENTARY
SOME NOTES ON IAGO’S SOLILOQUY
Here are some notes on Iago’s soliloquy for the exam. There
were lots of opportunities to make analytical points. There are 17 literary
terms used in these notes. When you prepare for your oral commentary you should
identify key literary terms and comment on the effect of these on an audience.
Identify as many terms as you can. I’ve posted a list of core – must know terms
elsewhere. Check these out.
This extract ends Act 1 of the play. It is a soliloquy in which Iago discloses to us his inner thoughts. First he dismisses Rodrigo as a fool to be exploited and used. But the majority of the monologue focuses on Othello. Iago is planning to destroy him and Cassio. He comments on Othello's virtuous qualities and comments that he will use these to destroy Othello. He then considers Cassio - again he plans to use Cassio's attractive qualities to destroy him too. After thinking about it he decides to tell Othello that Cassio is having an affair with his wife. Iago declares that this is evil but seems to celebrate this idea in the final couplet of the act.
TEXT
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COMMENTARY
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Thus do I ever
make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain'd
knowledge should profane,
If I would time
expend with such a snipe.
But for my sport and profit.
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References to Rodrigo who Iago has just been speaking to.
He describes him as his ‘fool’ – a jester an employee.
Fools were comedians and advisors. He could be referring Rodrigo as a man
without any intelligence. The metaphorical
noun ‘purse’ is used to show the fool – Rodrigo as an object of
exploitation, to make money from. Note the repetition of the possessive
personal pronoun ‘my’. This shows Iago’s sense of power and control
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I hate the Moor:
And it is thought
abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if't be
true;
But I, for mere
suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for
surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
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This section begins with a short, simple, emotive declarative statement.
He uses the possessive
personal pronoun ‘my’ again. He has repeated
it now 5 times in 7 lines.
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Cassio's a proper man: let me see now:
To get his place
and to plume up my will
In double
knavery--How, how? Let's see:--
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Iago continues with short
simple declaratives, the alliterative
‘place’ and ‘plume’ adds emphasis
The phrase ‘let me see now’ suggests he is think
spontaneously and this is even more strongly suggested with the repetition of ‘how’ and the elliptical and repetitive ‘Let’s see’ Note the continuing of the possessive pronoun ‘my’ and the
phrase ‘ double knavery’ – even Iago sees his actions as evil. He admits
himself to be a villain.
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After some time,
to abuse Othello's ear
That he is too
familiar with his wife.
He hath a person
and a smooth dispose
To be suspected,
framed to make women false.
The Moor is of a
free and open nature,
That thinks men
honest that but seem to be so,
And will as
tenderly be led by the nose
As asses are.
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An instruction to himself to act.
Iago is thinking aloud ‘he’ refers to Cassio. Iago uses post modifiers to add detail to
Cassio here
‘free’ and ‘open’ post modify Othello and give us more
detail to his character
Links to the theme of appearance and reality
A simile compares
Othello to a trained and domesticated animal. ‘Ass’ may indicate further Iago’s
dislike of Othello.
The adverb ‘tenderly’
– a premodifier suggests easiness
and gentleness.
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I have't. It is
engender'd. Hell and night
Must bring this
monstrous birth to the world's light.
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This is a gift of a final rhyming couplet to comment on. It ends the first act of the play.
Plants and animals ‘engender’ = mate, not a term used to describe what people
do. Iago uses powerful emotional and extreme
Christian imagery to communicate here. He also uses elemental language such as light and dark. These have powerful connotations.
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