Question

1. 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 th nose / as asses are.\ identify the simile in the text and explain what iago is saying about othello and how he can use it to his advantage.
2. \i have ’t. it is engendered! hell and night / must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.\ explain the metaphorical language in this quote and what it reveals about the nature of iago and his scheme.
3. compare the way iago refers to cassio, othello, and roderigo. what imagery patterns do you notice, and explain how they reflect his feelings on each of the characters.

Explanation:

Question 7

1. Simile Identification: The simile is "will as tenderly be led by th' nose / As asses are".
2. Explanation of Iago's Statement: Iago is describing Othello's nature as "free and open" (trusting, naive, believing others are honest even if they only seem so). The simile compares Othello being led by the nose to an ass (donkey) being led, implying Othello is gullible and easily manipulated.
3. How Iago Uses This: Iago can exploit Othello's trusting nature. He can plant false ideas (like about Desdemona's infidelity) and Othello, being easily led, will believe him without much skepticism, helping Iago carry out his schemes against Othello.

1. Metaphorical Language: "It is engendered! Hell and night / Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light" uses metaphor. "It" (Iago’s scheme) is a "monstrous birth", "hell and night" are the dark, evil forces birthing it, and "world’s light" is revealing it (the scheme) to others.
2. Revelation about Iago: The metaphor shows Iago’s scheme is evil (a "monstrous birth" from "hell and night"). It reveals his malicious, manipulative nature—he’s eager to unleash his destructive plan (the "birth") into the world, showing his willingness to cause chaos and harm for his own ends. His scheme is his "monstrous" creation, born from darkness, to be exposed to disrupt Othello’s world.

1. Iago’s References:

• Cassio: Often uses animal imagery (e.g., "spotted cat", "fool"). Implies Cassio is deceitful, foolish, or a pawn.
• Othello: Uses racial/animal imagery (e.g., "old black ram", "barbary horse") and imagery of gullibility (as in Q7’s ass simile). Reflects Iago’s hatred, seeing Othello as a target for manipulation (gullible) and as "other" (due to race), to be destroyed.
• Roderigo: Uses imagery of a fool/pawn (e.g., "silly duck", "my purse"). Implies Roderigo is stupid, easily used for money/pawned in Iago’s schemes.

1. Imagery Patterns: Animal imagery (asses, cats, rams) and dehumanizing/derogatory imagery.
2. Reflecting Feelings:

• Cassio: Disdain (sees him as foolish/deceitful, a rival to undermine).
• Othello: Hatred, superiority (uses racial/animal imagery to demean, sees him as gullible to manipulate).
• Roderigo: Contempt (sees him as a stupid pawn, useful for money/schemes).

Answer:

• Simile: "will as tenderly be led by th' nose / As asses are"
• Iago's Statement on Othello: Othello is trusting (sees others as honest if they seem so) and gullible (easily led, like an ass).
• Iago's Advantage: He can manipulate Othello by feeding him false information (e.g., about Desdemona), as Othello’s trusting nature makes him likely to believe without question.

Question 8