“I am not what I am” is a major theme of this play. This quote embodies
the theme not to trust appearances and not to trust everything that you see
. The most obvious example of this is when Iago pretends to be the loyal servant of Othello, yet is planning the downfall of Cassio and Othello.
WHO states I am not what I am explain its meaning and significance?
While pretending to be Othello’s dutiful servant, he is really only looking at ways he can get rich off of him—”I am not what I am.” The phrase has a second meaning. It alludes to a passage in Exodus in the Old Testament
when God tells Moses
“I am that I am.” He is basically telling Moses that as God, he hides nothing.
What does Lago mean when he says I am not what I am?
When Iago says “I am not what I am,” he means that
he is not truly and in essence what he merely pretends to be
. He pretends to be a servant of Othello, but he is really a servant of himself.
How is Iago’s statement I am not what I am an example of dramatic irony?
There is a deep dramatic irony at the core of this statement:
while Iago declares that he is not what he appears to be, he admits to the nature of his façade
. Thus the audience knows who Iago is, even if the rest of the play’s characters do not.
What does Iago mean when he says I am not who I appear to be?
Who: Iago. Meaning: I am not who I appear to be. Importance: he may seem like a very good and honest friend to everyone including Iago, but really he just is using everyone for revenge.
What literary device is I am not what I am?
A second poignant literary device can be seen in Iago’s final statement in this speech: “I am not what I am” (68). This sentence is a form of parallelism called
antithesis
, and both parallelism and antitheses are considered rhetorical devices.
Who says I’m not what I am?
Charles Horton Cooley
, an American sociologist at the start of the 20th century, said: “I am not who you think I am; I am not who I think I am; I am who I think you think I am“, a statement which helps to capture the complexity identity.
Is I am not what I am a paradox?
The phrase “I am not what I am” (I.I. 69) basically translates to “I am not what I appear to be,” but it goes much deeper than that. If you are not what you are, that what are you? It’s
really a paradox
: a person can be one thing in appearance, but the interior can be starkly different.
What does Iago mean by in following him I follow but myself?
In following him I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty
, … He follows Othello not out of “love” or “duty,” but because he feels he can exploit and dupe his master, thereby revenging himself upon the man he suspects of having slept with his wife.
Here “double knavery” means
to pull off one stunt and obtain two desired outcomes
– to get Cassio’s position (which he felt he deserved) and to make himself appear respectful for his ego’s sake.
What is ironic about Iago’s final statement?
One might argue that Iago provides the audience with reasons for his behaviour. … Iago’s final lines imply
that speech, in his view, has become futile
. Everything that happened was driven by speech, so he appears to feel that, now he has been unmasked, there is nothing more worth saying.
What is the irony in Othello?
Dramatic Irony in Othello
Dramatic irony is
when the audience knows more about what is happening in the story than the characters
. A main example of dramatic irony from Othello is the plot to destroy Othello’s life. The only character who knows about this is Iago.
Would they might seem none?
Men should be
what they seem, Or those that be not, would they might seem none! People should be what they appear to be. If they’re not honest, they shouldn’t look like they are!
Is tupping your white ewe?
When Iago tells Brabanzio that “
an old black ram / Is
tupping your white ewe,” he demeans a passionate and loving relationship between two intelligent adults by characterizing Othello as a mindless rutting animal who has soiled the pure Desdemona with his lust.
What is Janus in Othello?
The term Janus, because he is believed to be a two-faced god, is
often used to describe someone who is deceitful
. Ironically, the allusion is a quote from Iago who is a deceitful and two-faced character. When Othello steps away in this scene, Iago shows his “other” face of Janus and begins his evil scheming once again.
What is the central idea of the poem I am?
Major Themes in “I Am”:
Sadness, disappointment, and loneliness
are the major themes of this poem. The poem reflects the behavior of people who do not try to look a the positive side in life.
