Annotation & Close Reading Notes for:

OTHELLO
ACT 1, Scene 1 , Lines 43-67

diction imagery device tone structure

Notes

O sir, content you.

I follow him to serve my turn upon him. Iago’s portrayal of “loyalty” or
“obedience” makes it seem more
45 We cannot all be masters, nor all masters like servitude / slavery.
Cannot be truly followed. You shall mark Knee-crooking (a deferential
gesture of respect turned into
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave something that sounds gross. The
comparison of a follower to a
That (doting on his own obsequious bondage)
mule/ass is a harsh way of
Wears out his time much like his master’s ass making them seem little more
than animals that carry loads for
50 For naught but provender, and when he’s old, cashiered. others.
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are
Who, trimmed in forms and visages of duty, The diction in this part
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves emphasizes Iago’s attitude that
superficial displays of loyalty are
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords, acceptable.
(deceit / deception as a deliberate
55 Do well thrive by them. And when they have lined their coats,
strategy to achieve one’s goals)
Do themselves homage. These fellows have some soul,
And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago. Deliberately confusing logic - calls
60 In following him, I follow but myself. attention to the absurdity of his
reasoning (he really doesn’t have
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, a valid excuse for his attitude
(lack of loyalty to Othello)
But seeming so, for my peculiar end.
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
65 In compliment extern, ’tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. Figurative language - “wearing
one’s heart on their sleeve”
(putting oneself at risk of being
hurt by outwardly exhibiting inner
emotions)
 SUMMARY

● Who is speaking? To whom are they speaking?

● What events in the story’s plot motivated this dialogue / monologue?
● What are they speaking about?
● How does this part contribute to the development of the characters and conflicts?

Othello has recently promoted a Florentine named Michael Cassio to the rank of lieutenant, even though Iago
feels he himself is a better man for the job. Iago tells Roderigo that by serving under Othello, he can take
advantage of him. Iago plans to exploit Othello in some way to achieve his own wicked objectives. Here we
realize the depth of Iago’s betrayal of Othello. Not only does he loathe Othello secretly, but he is actively
plotting in some way against him. Iago says, “we cannot all be masters” and again that reveals his sense of
frustration and bitterness at the rigid class structure that he lives in. In lines 46~50, Iago refers to those
members of society who are loyal to their masters. Here he mocks and ridicules bowing and scraping
members of society who live in servitude or as implied by the word ‘bondage.’ He goes on to say an
oxymoronic phrase, “whip me such honest knaves.” Interestingly Iago has no respect for honesty or people
who are loyal. The fact that Iago expresses utter contempt for the idea of honesty very clearly aligns him with
wickedness and evil. He goes on to suggest that ideally one would be continually keeping an eye on one’s
own situation looking for ways to profit by appearing to be honest and dutiful and loyal whereas constantly
in the background you are in fact plotting to achieve your own ends. Lines 58~60 is Shakespeare
foreshadowing Othello’s great flaw. Othello’s fatal flaw is his credulity, in essence he is gullible. Iago on the
other hand being a much more suspicious kind of individual almost a paranoid individual does not have that
weakness and he is able to exploit it in others.

ANALYSIS

Themes, Issues, and Perspectives Literary Techniques

(notable form and content choices)

Reputation and honor Shakespeare uses the metaphor of “wearing my

Deception heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at.” This
suggests to us that Iago sees honesty as a
weakness. When his behaviors and his actions and
his speech are true to what he thinks and feels that is
when he will be vulnerable and he compares that
behavior (that act of honesty) as being like wearing
one’s heart on one sleeve to be pecked at by birds.

In line 67, the caesura that falls in the middle of the

line draws our attention to this final sentence of
Iago’s speech. He says very simply, “I am not what I
am.” This is a paradox because it suggests to us that
not only is Iago not what he appears to be, but he
defines himself through a denial of what he is. In
doing so, he defies our comprehension. Anything that
we might think that he appears to be by his own
 explanation, he is not. He defines himself using a
negative construction and in doing so, he earns out
horror and fascination at the same time.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

discussion notes / comments / questions / reflections / connections