The Linguistic Features Of Arousing Suspicion : A Study Of lago's Dialogues With The Venetian Moor In Shakespeare's Othello

Abstract

The study is based on an analysis of certain linguistic features that are employed in arousing suspicion with reference to the dialogues lago has with the hero in Shakespeare's Othello mainly in the Temptation Scene (lll.iii.). This study attempts to assess lago's character as a Machiavellian villain who is motivated by a number of reasons to weave a web of deceit against Othello laying special emphasis on his suggestive linguistic tactics through which he succeeds in deceiving Othello.

The review of lago's motives is intended to furnish the linguistic application to the !ago-Othello dialogues with a solid foundation that backbones the argument. A mere analysis of lago's motives would have been hollow and fragile and a mere linguistic application of certain linguistic theories on his conversations with Othello would have been mechanical and vague. The How of lago's plot had thus to be supported by an examination of the Why of his villainy. This marriage between critical assessment and linguistic analysis was found essential in order for the argument to be meticulously organised and clearly understood.