Chanelle's+Group

Othello's Mythological Group
 

Mythological Allusions are present in all Shakespeare plays. These references to mythological stories would be well known by Shakespeare’s audience at this time.

Understanding allusions will allow you to understand the meaning of the line ten times over. First, look for a mythological allusion. Learn the story of the reference. Then, apply this ‘better’ understanding to the scene. Perhaps this reference says something about the speaker or someone else. Sometimes, the reference is meant to foreshadow or predict. And finally, sometimes the reference is meant to emphasize one of the themes of the play.

For your presentation, you will have to add a picture, the line from the play, and an analysis of how understanding this mythological allusion will lead readers to a deeper understanding of the play.

 Janus, Roman God of gates and doors, is represented by a two-faced woman/man. He/She looks in both directions symbolizing the future and present/beginning and endings. Janus also serves as representation of the transition between urban and rural life. The month January stems from Janus, symbolizing a transition into a new year. On page 7 of Othello, Iago says, “By Janus, I think no.” Iago is suggesting that he is not all that Roderigo sees Iago to be. By using Janus, Iago calls himself two-faced, and should not be trusted. However, Roderigo does not catch the true meaning and continues to put his trust in Iago. Soon, Roderigo shall find that Iago is lying to him covering for Othello about Desdemona. The two-faced Iago lied to Roderigo time after time about getting Desdemona to like him; taking the jewels and money Roderigo would hope Desdemona would eventually get, but never does, and constently saying their plans to get Desdemona into Roderigo's arms would come together perfectly eventhough Iago has no true intentions of doing any such thing.

Jove also referred to as Jupiter, stands for Roman God of the skies and head of the Gods. Jove, one of the twelve major deities was said to control the skies (precipitation), rain, thunder, and lightning. Jove is married to Juno. He was said to have guarded the Roman cities and protected the Roman people from all evils. Jove is often compared to his equal in the Greek Gods, Zeus. However, Jove was a ruler of Rome who created social laws and order. In the play Othello, Jove is mentioned on three different occasions. On page 23 Cassio said, “A se’nnight’s speed. Great Jove, Othello guard.” This is referring to Desdemona and how she is like Othello’s protector. Desdemona is always there, in lightning’s speed for her love, King Othello just as Jove, King of the Gods protects the Roman people. On page 30 Jove is mentioned again by Iago. Iago says, “He hath not yet made wanton the night with her, and she is sport for Jove.” This statement refers to Jove’s wife Juno and her beauty in comparison to Desdemona. Iago tells Cassio that if he were Othello, he would want to be enjoying my new wife’s beauty. He sets emphasis on her beauty; calling her beautiful enough to be a God’s wife is an honor. In the final mention of Jove in Othello on pg. 51, Othello states, “the immortal Jove’s clamorous counterfeit.” Here Othello is saying good bye to all the events in his life worth living for all as clear as thunderbolts thrown from the gods. The only God capable of throwing a thunderbolt is Jove.

One of the most recognizable Mythological Allusions, mentioned on page 26, is Mount Olympus. There is some specculation whether Mt. Olympus is in fact a mountain, however, what is know is Mt. Olympus raises from the center of the Earth. The Greek Gods live at the summet and the God Zeus lives at the top of the moutain. Some say Mount Olympus is not a mountain, but, is in fact a region of the Heavens. It is also agreed Mount Olymups is the meeting place of the Gods. They would gather to hold court and drink the necture said to reinforce thier immortality. On page 26 Othello's ship finally arrives, Cassio and Desdemona greet him, and Othello is over joyed to see his wife Desdemona. Othello says, "If after every tempest come such calms,...let the labouring bark climb hills of seas Olympus-high." Because Othello is returning from battle against the Turks, tempest would corilate to the hardship of war. "The labouring bark climb hills of seas Olymus-high," is supposed to show one of the most hardest of tasks, as no mortal could climb Mt. Olympus. In short Othello is saying, if after every hardship he gets to be with his wife Desdemona, then bring the most difficult hardships the Gods could throw at him.

Prometheus; son of the Titian Iapetus, tricked all of the gods. As punishment, Zeus took all the fire and light away from mankind. Wailing inhabited the earth, as all the fire and light encompassing it was taken away. So Prometheus snuck into the palace of the gods, and stole the sacred fire back. Upon his return to earth, Prometheus distributed the flame over the world, bringing all the sorrow to an end. Zeus was very displeased with Prometheus and decided to punish him for all eternity. So Zeus chained Prometheus to a mountain top, and had a bird of prey feast upon his liver. Every night, Prometheus's liver would grow back, only to be feasted upon the following day. -Prometheus is mentioned on page 82 of Othello "I know not where is that Promethean heat that can thy light relume." Of course making reference to the sacred fire being restored to the Earth by Prometheus. Relume means to relight, just as Prometheus gave fire and light back to mankind Othello wishes he could bring the light, life, back to his beloved wife Desdemona.

Hydra, a multi-headed water creature is best known as a mythological allusion.Most believe that his heads came from the myth that each time one oh his heads was chopped off by Hercules, another replaced it and the chopped head grew back, creating multi-heads. Hydra had the body of a devil with multiple heads and he used them to attack people of the village when he would emerge from the swamp. Hercules was supposed to save all the people from this evil creature but was uncapable of doing so by cutting his head because many would grow back in an instance. Once Hercules realized his method of killing was not working, he figured he would try to cut Hydra's neck. Hercules became a hero and saved the people from Hydra. In Othello, Hydra is mentioned on pg.37 when Cassio and Iago talked after Cassio had to many drinks. Cassio said to Iago, " Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an asnwer would stop them all." At this particular point Cassio was just fired by Othello for arguing and being drunk. Here means that no matter how many times he asks Othello for his job back, Othello will continue to say know because he will always see him has a drunk no matter how many different heads he could have. Just this one experience will forever hold him back from what he once was. This is also similar to satan, who was once cast down from heaven due to one expirence and was never able to regain his power.



In Greek mythology, Chaos, the first of the Protogenoi is the god of air. Chaos is also described as the original state of being in which all of the gods came from. It is visualized as a dark void of space, constructed from a mixture of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and spirit. For example, when a log is burned, the fire was the spirit of the log being released, the flames came from the fire inside the log, the smoke coming off the log was attributed to the air inside it, the grease that came from the log was supposed to be the water inside of the log, and the ashes left over were the earth.

In Othello, Chaos is mentioned on page 43: "Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. "

   Lady Justice also called Goddess of Themis embodied order. She was said to be the Mother of Seasons and three fates with Zeus. Themis was Zeus’ lover who sat beside him on Mt .Olympus. She remembered as the Goddess that ordered a 13-month year be divided into 2 seasons and for helping Zeus in plan the Trojan War. There is an altar named after her in Troezen. Themis is represented by a woman holding scales and a sword, symbolizing her power and authority. In Othello Lady Justice is mentioned on pg.82. Othello said to Desdemona, "Justice to break her sword! One more, one more:." In this section Shakespeare suggested, that her sweet breath almost convinced Othello to not kill her and allow her to live and keep order as Lady Justice would have. When he refers to breaking her sword it like death to her. 

 The Muses were nine intelligent, careless, stunning divinities created by Zeus. Zeus was the King of the Gods who secretly slept nine nights with Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. As a result of him sleep nine times with Mnemosyne, the muses were created.Muses were brought to life to rid the world of evil to relieve the sorrows and praise the gods. At the time,the gods were being praised in particular at this time because of their Olympian Gods' victory over their ancestors, the Titans. Often, the muses would accompany Apollo, their teacher on strolls along with the graces. The graces were Zeus’ daughters.