othello

I'll have some proof. My name, that was as fresh as Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black."


The first quote is from act 3, scene 3, lines 402-403. This is Othello speaking to Iago. By this point, Iago has already become successful of making othello's mind run wild and convincing him of Desdemona's infidelity. Evidence provided in this quote that Iago has clearly manipulated othello's mind is when Othello himself says that HE will find evidence which will prove that his wife had done him wrong. Without having any evidence himself yet, only having Iago's words, Othello has already settled the issue. It also foreshadows that he will now be more prone to accuse Desdemona with any opportunity that erupts.
What I also found interesting is how his flesh, which he claim was fresh as Dian's Visage (chaste), is now black. Eventhough the color of his skin has always been the same, it has not changed, and has always been black, exposes a possible stereotype Othello holds toward black himself. Although he has always been black, he obviously did not view himself as so. This whole time, holding a high position in society, he has never considered himself as black. Of course he knew so, but the fact that he was able to surpass the biases held against him, he considered himself something else. He was able to rise above, and in that, his manner became nonblack. Now, angry because of Desdemona's alleged infidelity, he has come back to his "uncivilized" self. He has been done wrong and now he will do her wrong. This wrong that he plans to do, obviously a bad characteristic, makes him think about blackness. Othello, himself, associated lowliness with blackness.

-jessica munoz