Othello: Poison Motif

Othello has fallen for every poisonous proposal Iago has told him. He no longer can think rationally of what he is doing as he is overcome with jealousy. Iago's influence has become so strong that he has convinved Othello to murder Desdemona. He suggests to "strangle her" to show her the destruction she has caused. This shows the power words have as they poisoned Othello's mind and led him to murder his own wife.

"Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated." Iago (iv.i.197-198)

Othello is already beginning to change after Iago's poison has entered his mind. At first his words were of "distaste" but now they are "burning" throughout Othello's blood. Iago compares the lies he has fed to Othello to the "mines of sulphur" as they are overwhelming his body and burning him from the inside out. This shows the power words have as they can eat away and destroy someones rational thought.

This image represents the lies that are incinerating Othello's brain as the posion eats away at his thoughts clouding his vision of truth.

Othello: Poison Motif

"The Moor already changes with my poison...which at the first are scarce found to distaste, but with a little act upon the blood burn like the mines of sulphur." Iago (iii.iii.325-329).

"I'll pour this pestilence into his ear, that she repeals him for her body's lust." Iago (ii.iii.327-328)

Iago comes up with a plan to pour "pestilence" into Othello's ear that his wife is cheating. The poison imagery is seen in the words Iago plans to say to Othello as they will enter his "ear" and infect his mind. The words are a seed that only grows with increasing curiosity, which spreads the poison throughout Othello's brain leading him to believe everything Iago says.

In Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello" the recurring poison imagery illustrates the negative effects words have on one's mind as it destroys rational thought resulting in death and destruction.

"Swell bosom, with thy fraught for 'tis of aspics tongues." Othello (iii.iii.448-449)

Othello's heart is full of "aspics tongues" as his love for Desdemona is now poisoned. All of Iago's lies have triggered a response in Othello to hate his wife. He has fallen into Iago's trap and loses his sense of thought and is unable to think about Iago's accusations thoroughly. This image represents the poison that is beginning to come to the surface as it has spread from his brain. The posionous thoughts will now become murderous acts.

"If there be cords or knives, poison or fire, or suffocating streams I'll not endure it." Othello (iii.iii.388-390)

Othello's statement of "knives, poison or fire" indicates that his jealousy has increased and he hints that he wants to commit suicide or murder. This image represents Othello's furious rage as the seed of poison that Iago implanted into his mind has reached its tipping point and is filling him with murderous thoughts.