Othello It is the cause speech | Top grade analysis

Summary

Key Points

• Othello's "It is the cause" soliloquy in Act 5 Scene 2 shows him in a state of reluctance, doubt, and affection, a stark contrast to his previous vengeful determination. 1:10
• The soliloquy reflects Othello's internal conflict, suggesting a greater force compels him to act despite his hesitations and potential regret. 1:22
• Triple repetition, such as "it is the cause" and "one more," highlights Othello's mental paralysis, hesitation, and attempt to delay the act of murder. 3:25
• The repetition of "one more" may also serve as a self-hypnotic mechanism for Othello to carry out the deed in a semi-conscious state. 3:50
• Analogies comparing Desdemona to snow, alabaster, light, and a rose serve to objectify her, making the act of killing easier by dehumanizing her. 4:50
• These comparisons to inanimate, cold objects like snow and alabaster might also reflect Othello's perception of Desdemona as cold and unfeeling in her inability to empathize with his jealousy. 5:26
• The use of hyperbaton, or inverted word order, in phrases like "I can again thy former light restore" and "I know not where is that Promethean heat that can thy light re-loom" emphasizes the confused and twisted logic of Othello's reasoning. 8:34
• Othello's distinction between "quenching" a light and "putting out" a light, especially when applied metaphorically to Desdemona's life, reveals his illogical thought process and the finality of his intended action. 9:32
• Paradoxes such as "kill before I show thee any love" and "if a kiss is sweet, how can it be deadly" accumulate towards the end of the soliloquy, saturating the speech with contradictory tension. 10:56
• These paradoxes highlight Othello's binary, dichotomous mindset, which struggles to reconcile opposing thoughts and emotions, contributing to his tragic flaw and internal struggle. 11:38