Brooke Martin
In Shakespeare's tragic play 'Othello', the candle is a significant symbol that represents life and death. As the play builds towards its tragic climax, the candle is used as a metaphor for Desdemona's life, which Othello has the power to extinguish. The candle also symbolises Desdemona's purity, which Othello fails to recognise, and the irreversible consequences of his actions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Symbolism | Life, mortality, and the transient nature of existence |
| Theme | Jealousy, purity, fragility, truth, wisdom, and manipulation |
| Character | Desdemona's life and purity |
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What You'll Learn
The candle symbolises Desdemona's life
In Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello", the candle is a significant symbol that represents Desdemona's life. In Act 5, Scene 2, Othello contemplates murdering his wife, Desdemona, while holding a candle. The candle becomes a metaphor for Desdemona's life, which Othello has the power to extinguish. Othello says:
> "Put out the light, and then put out the light: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me: but once put out thy light, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat That can thy light relume."
Here, Othello draws a direct parallel between extinguishing the candle's flame and taking Desdemona's life. He acknowledges that while he can easily relight the candle, he cannot undo the act of killing his wife. This symbolism underscores the irreversible nature of his impending actions and the fleetingness of life itself.
The candle also symbolizes Desdemona's purity, which Othello fails to recognize. This interpretation aligns with the traditional symbolism of the moon, which often represents purity and romance. However, in "Othello", the moon takes on a different significance, bringing tragedy and death. Othello blames the moon for his actions, suggesting that it drove him mad and led him to commit the murder.
Furthermore, the act of blowing out the candle can be interpreted as a symbol of Iago's influence over Othello. Iago's character is often associated with darkness, and his manipulative and deceitful nature is akin to weaving a web of darkness around Othello, clouding his judgment and leading him towards tragic decisions.
Overall, the candle serves as a powerful symbol in "Othello", highlighting the themes of life, mortality, purity, and the corrupting influence of jealousy. It is a tangible representation of Desdemona's fragile life and the tragic consequences of Othello's actions.
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Othello's power to extinguish her life
In Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello", the candle is a significant symbol that represents life and death. In Act 5, Scene 2, Othello contemplates murdering his wife, Desdemona, while holding a candle. The candle in this scene symbolises Desdemona's life, which Othello has the power to extinguish, as he says:
> "Put out the light, and then put out the light: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me: but once put out thy light, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat That can thy light relume."
Here, Othello draws a direct comparison between extinguishing the candle's flame and taking Desdemona's life. He acknowledges that while he can easily relight the candle, he cannot undo his wife's murder. This highlights the irreversible nature of his actions and the fragile nature of Desdemona's life.
The candle also symbolises Desdemona's purity, which Othello fails to recognise. This interpretation aligns with the traditional symbolism of the moon, which represents purity and romance. However, in "Othello", the moon brings tragedy and death, as Othello blames the moon for his tragic actions.
Furthermore, the act of blowing out the candle can be interpreted as Othello's rejection of truth and wisdom. By extinguishing the light, he emphasises his refusal to acknowledge Desdemona's innocence and his descent into darkness under Iago's influence. Iago's association with darkness is evident from the beginning of the play, mirroring his manipulative and deceitful nature.
Overall, the candle in "Othello" serves as a powerful symbol that explores themes of life, mortality, innocence, and the corrupting influence of jealousy. It highlights Othello's power to extinguish Desdemona's life and the irreversible consequences of his actions.
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Light and darkness as a motif
Light and darkness are recurring motifs in Othello, and Shakespeare uses them to reflect the inner qualities of the characters. The play begins and ends in darkness, and Iago's first scene starts in darkness, mirroring his personality and deeds, which are associated with darkness throughout the play.
The candle is a significant symbol in the play, representing life and death. In Act 5, Scene 2, Othello contemplates killing his wife, Desdemona, and compares her life to the flame of a candle, which he has the power to extinguish. He says:
> "Put out the light, and then put out the light: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me: but once put out thy light, Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat That can thy light relume."
Here, Othello acknowledges that while he can relight the candle, he cannot bring Desdemona back to life once he kills her. The candle symbolises the fragility of Desdemona's life and how easily it can be lost. It also represents Desdemona's purity, which Othello fails to recognise.
The contrast between light and darkness in the play highlights Othello's descent into jealousy and his tragic murder of Desdemona. The use of light and darkness as symbols adds depth to the exploration of the play's themes of mortality, jealousy, trust, and manipulation.
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Iago's influence over Othello
In Shakespeare's tragedy, "Othello", Iago is one of the playwright's most sinister villains. His influence over the titular character, Othello, is profound and ultimately tragic. Iago is a soldier and has fought alongside Othello for several years. At the beginning of the play, Iago claims to have been unfairly overlooked for a promotion to lieutenant, a position that was instead given to Michael Cassio. This perceived slight becomes the catalyst for Iago's revenge plot against Othello, driven by jealousy and resentment.
Iago is a master manipulator, and his talent for understanding and exploiting the desires and insecurities of those around him is what makes him such a compelling and dangerous figure. He is charismatic and friendly, and his advice is often superficially sound, which helps him gain the trust of Othello and others. Iago's influence over Othello is so strong that he is able to plant seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind about his wife, Desdemona, leading the general to believe that she is having an affair with Cassio.
Iago's manipulation of Othello is multi-layered and insidious. He first engineers a drunken brawl to ensure Cassio's demotion, and then sets about turning Othello against Desdemona. He manipulates his wife, Emilia, into taking a handkerchief from Desdemona, which was a gift from Othello and a symbol of their love. Iago then plants the handkerchief with Cassio's belongings, using it as false evidence of Desdemona's infidelity.
Othello, already insecure about his worthiness of Desdemona's love due to their differing social statuses, is easily duped by Iago's schemes. The handkerchief becomes a powerful symbol in the play, taking on a new meaning in Iago's plan and representing Desdemona's faith and chastity to Othello. Iago's influence over Othello is so complete that he is able to turn the general against his own wife, leading Othello to murder Desdemona in a jealous rage.
Iago's actions and influence are often associated with darkness, contrasting with Othello's nobility and integrity. Iago's true nature is only fully revealed in his soliloquies and asides, where he speaks of undertaking the "blackest sins". Even as Othello prepares to kill Desdemona, he ponders the candle he has brought, comparing it to Desdemona's life, and saying that he will extinguish it before extinguishing her "light". This act of putting out the candle can be interpreted as a symbol of Iago's complete manipulation of Othello, as well as a reflection of the tragic fragility of Desdemona's life.
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Desdemona's purity
In Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello", the candle is a significant symbol that represents Desdemona's life and purity. As Othello prepares to kill his wife, he blows out a candle, symbolically equating the extinguishing of its flame with taking her life. In his soliloquy, he acknowledges that while he can relight the candle, he cannot bring Desdemona back to life once he extinguishes her "light". This metaphor highlights Othello's recognition of the irreversible nature of his actions and the fragility of Desdemona's life.
The candle also serves as a symbol of purity, which Othello fails to recognize in his wife. Light often signifies truth and wisdom, and by putting out the light, Othello demonstrates his unwillingness to see the reality of Desdemona's innocence. This act of extinguishing the candle can also be interpreted as a result of Iago's manipulation, as Iago and his deeds are associated with darkness throughout the play.
Furthermore, the candle's symbolism extends beyond Desdemona's purity to represent the transient nature of existence. This motif of light and darkness is a recurring theme in Shakespeare's works, highlighting the brevity and insignificance of human life. The candle's fragile flame serves as a visual reminder of the ease with which life can be extinguished, adding depth to the exploration of mortality in the play.
Overall, the candle serves as a powerful symbol in "Othello", conveying Desdemona's purity and the fragile nature of her life. It illuminates the emotional depth of the play and provides a visual metaphor for the complex themes of life, death, and the corrupting influence of jealousy.
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Frequently asked questions
The candle in Othello symbolises Desdemona's life, which Othello has the power to extinguish.
The candle symbolises the irreversible consequences of Othello's actions. It highlights the fleeting nature of life and mortality.
Othello acknowledges that he can relight the candle, but he cannot bring Desdemona back to life once he kills her. By blowing out the candle, he symbolically extinguishes her life.
The candle is a vital symbol that deepens the exploration of jealousy, trust, and manipulation in Othello. It also emphasises Othello's unwillingness to see Desdemona's innocence, alluding to Iago's complete manipulation of him.
