Othello also says “I will kill thee/ And love thee after,” showing that he will continue to admire Desdemona in death. At this point, Othello begins to feel a conflict within him as his jealously clashes with the love he feels, causing him to weep over Desdemona. Part 2: Literary Devices One of the literary devices present in this passage is the metaphor and imagery of a rose. Othello compares Desdemona to a rose when he says “When I have plucked the rose / I cannot give it vital growth again; / It needs must wither, I’ll smell thee on the tree. What Othello is trying to say is that similar to how a rose cannot be re-attached once it is off its branch, Desdemona cannot be revitalized once he kills her. Thus, he must enjoy her while she is still alive, culminating into the kiss that Othello gives her. Imagery is also contained in the lines Othello has, as his comparison of Desdemona with the rose appeals to the reader’s senses of sight and smell. His lines make the reader imagine a rose that is beautiful and fragrant, but once it is plucked, it shrivels and withers.
A second literary device in this passage is the metaphor comparing Othello’s love to God’s love. A religious tone is introduced when Othello says “This sorrow’s heavenly / It strikes where it doth love. ” He is implying that the sadness he feels towards Desdemona is like the grief God feels towards his people. These lines give insight into what Othello might be experiencing at the moment and show that he is torn between his intense love for Desdemona and his jealousy and anger towards her, just like how God loves us, but can get frustrated with us at times too.
The Essay on Othello, in Love?
Was the relationship of Desdemona and Othello true love? Throughout the entire, through secrets and lies and murder even until the end one of the biggest questions that arose was the vitality of Othello Desdemona’s love. Although some readers of Othello have argued that Othello and Desdemona’s love was true, a closer examination of the way she shows empathy for him when he tells her stories ...
Similar to how Desdemona has committed a sin that has hurt Othello, we commit sins that hurt God. The second part, “It strikes where it doth love,” lets the reader know that Othello still loves Desdemona despite what he is planning to do to her. The reader begins to feel pity and sympathy towards Othello for the predicament he is in. While he wants to let Desdemona live, his jealousy and hate prevent him from allowing so. A third literary device in this passage is the symbolism of the candle (Othello refers to it as the “light. ) The candle is the only light source in the room, once again bringing up the theme of light versus darkness or white versus black. In this case, it symbolizes the internal struggle within Othello. His “light” side, which is the love he feels for Desdemona, is in conflict with his “dark” side, which is the hurt and jealousy he feels Desdemona has caused him. As a candle is a very small object to light up an entire room filled with darkness, it may imply that at that moment, Othello’s love is not strong enough to overcome his hate.
The candle also serves the purpose of showing Othello’s reluctance to harm Desdemona, as he says “If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, / I can thy former light restore/ Should I repent me,” meaning that if he decides at the last minute not to kill Desdemona, he can still turn back and light the candle. The candle also serves to set the mood of the scene for the reader, as it is the only thing keeping the set from being completely shrouded in darkness, creating a sinister and mysterious atmosphere, foreshadowing Othello’s murder of Desdemona in the room.
