Shannon+H+Othello

Shannon H. __The Monkey Motif in //Othello//__ Thesis:

In William Shakespeare’s heartbreaking play __Othello__, Shakespeare uses the animal motif to highlight the weak and powerless because it shows the importance of social class and respect.

William Shakespeare utilizes the animal motif in order to highlight the importance of social class and to show the characters respect for one another. In most situations, the animal motif if used in an insulting manner which shows the lack of respect most of the characters have for each other. A commonly used animal in this play is a monkey or a baboon. In the first scene, Shakespeare represents a baboon's lifestyle in an insulting way. He tries to use the baboon example in order to describe a useless, embarrassing life. In the play, Iago uses the motif when he says, “I would drown myself for the love of a guinea hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon” (Act 1 Sc 3 #355-356). When Iago is saying this, he is implying that a life of humans is superior to the life of a baboon. This proves that Shakespeare uses baboons to symbolize lower class and less privileged lives. This motif stresses the importance of reputations and how being referred to as a baboon would show the lack of respect one would have and the embarrassment that person would live through.

In the third act of Othello, Shakespeare changes the description of the lifestyle of monkeys from embarrassing to sexual. The reason there was a change in description is because the third act is where the tension in //Othello// starts to begin. This tension is caused by Iago revealing the affair between Desdemona and Cassio. Thus, Iago and Othello tend to use this motif in order to describe this affair. Iago angrily asks, “were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, as salt as wolves in pride...” (Act 3 Sc. 3 #460-461). When Iago asks this to Othello he is referring to Cassio and Desdemona. He is asking if Othello would like to hear him say that they are as intimate and hyper as monkeys. Thus, one can see that being described as a monkey would be insulting and would highlight the person's social class. In fact, when Othello is describing his wife, with this motif, he feels embarrassed for having a relationship with someone this low-leveled. In all, Shakespeare makes it clear that being referred to as a monkey would lower the character's reputation and respect.



Towards the end of the play, the monkey motif is mostly represented in a sexual manner. Thus, Othello commonly uses this motif to describe Desdemona. He uses this motif in exchange for calling her a disloyal, cheater. In addition, Cassio uses this motif when he states, “This is the monkey’s own giving out. She is persuaded I will marry her out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise” (Act 4 Sc 1 #146). When Cassio says this, the word “monkey” is referring to Bianca. This proves that monkeys are described as sexual animals in this play because Bianca is looked at and treated as a prostitute in the eyes of the characters. Also, this motif emphasizes the theme of reputations. Throughout the play reputations plays a key part and is shown in this quote. Bianca obviously has a bad reputation and that is why Shakespeare decides to use to word “monkey” to describe her.