Act IV of Othello: Foreshadowing Tragedy

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In Act 4, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's Othello, imagery and other stylistic devices are used in lines 48-74 to develop the lack of communication between Othello and Desdemona. This passage foreshadows tragedy, as it illustrates that Othello no longer trusts his wife. It is apparent that Iago's plan will be a success.

Othello begins hyperbolically: "Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell." This also contains two antithetical terms: heaven and hell. Shakespeare uses adjectives to illustrate this-- heaven is true and hell is false. This is a response to the previous line, spoken by Desdemona: "Heaven doth truly know it [that she is honest]."

Desdemona then naively says, "With whom?" She also asks "To whom...?" and "How...?," but Othello probably would have chosen to hear "With whom?" This is because he has no evidence of Desdemona's infidelity other than Iago's testimony, which has begun to manipulate his mind.

After further expressions of Othello's stubbornness and Desdemona's naivete, Othello finally gives a short speech, beginning with a vivid allusion to the Bible. Othello metaphorically compares himself to a man who fell victim to a contest of will between God and the devil. The devil thought that if God made the man to suffer, he would denounce God; but after being plagued by illness and poverty, he still loved God. Vivid imagery is found in this passage:

Had it pleased heaven

To try me with affliction, had they rained

All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head,

Steeped me in poverty to the very lips,

Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes

I should have found in some place of my soul

A drop of patience.

More metaphors and im...

... middle of paper ...

...e. If you have lost him,

I have lost him too.

OTHELLO: Had it pleased heaven

To try me with affliction, had they rained

All kinds of sores and shames on my bare head,

Steeped me in poverty to the very lips,

Given to captivity me and my utmost hopes,

I should have found in some place of my soul

A drop of patience. But alas, to make me

(A) fixed figure for the time of scorn

To point his slow (unmoving) finger at-

Yet could I bear that too, well, very well.

But there where I have garnered up my heart,

Where either I must live or bear no life,

The fountain from the which my current runs

Or else dries up-to be discarded thence,

Or keep it as a cistern for foul toads

To knot and gender in-turn thy complexion there,

Patience thou young and rose-lipped cherubin,

Ay, there look grim as hell.

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