It is important to note that identifying rhetorical situations and strategies is critical in order to comprehensively understand the underlying message behind a character’s speech. The key elements of such an assessment involve purpose, audience, speaker, and occasion, where the rhetorical strategies can be centered around pathos, logos, or ethos. The given analysis will focus on Othello’s speech from the writing’s Act 1, Scene 3. The general context is based on Brabantio accusing Othello about the latter stealing the former’s daughter.
Firstly, the occasion of Othello’s speech to the signors and Brabantio is a military meeting about Turks changing their plans about invading Cyprus. Brabantio arrives with other gentlemen to halt the meeting in order to address them about his personal problem with Desdemona. Therefore, the occasion is disruptive in its nature, where the flow of the story is stopped to highlight the importance of announcing Desdemona’s and Othello’s relationship with each other.
Secondly, the speaker is Othello himself, who addresses the accusations by Brabantio about an alleged kidnapping. Although Othello is speaking to other people in power, he is mostly trying to explain the truth of the relationship. One of the key aspects of the speech is that he openly admits he and Desdemona are together, but due to love and not forced marriage. Thirdly, the speech analysis is addressed to the teacher, but Othello’s audience involves officers, the duke, senators, Roderigo, Iago, Cassio, and Brabantio. For example, Othello states, “most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, my very noble and approved good masters” (Shakespeare). In other words, the main character starts his speech by addressing the audience.
Fourthly, the primary purpose of the speech is to address the accusations and provide clarifications on Brabantio’s misconception about the nature of Othello’s relationship with Desdemona. For example, Othello states, “what conjuration, and what mighty magic, I won his daughter” (Shakespeare). In other words, the speaker tells others that he did not force the relationship, but rather it was his stories that made it happen.
Fifthly, the rhetorical strategy utilized by Othello is mostly ethos with some elements of logos. He appeals to his authority and reputation of being a poor speaker but a proven battle commander with no ability to be deceptive other than being straightforward and truthfully direct. He states, “hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech … more than pertains to feats of broils and battle, and therefore little shall I grace my cause in speaking for myself” (Shakespeare). Therefore, it is evident that he uses the fact that all men are aware of his reputation of being direct and honest due to his military background, which is why he uses his authority to convey his innocence. The specific language choices are centered around exposing his strengths and weaknesses in order to provide credibility before he tells his perspective of the story.
In conclusion, Othello’s speech about the nature of his relationship with Desdemona uses ethos as a rhetorical strategy because he understands that others know about his reputation and authority. The situation takes place as a disrupted military meeting with Othello addressing officers, senators, the duke, and other characters. He uses language to expose his strengths and weaknesses to prove that Desdemona loves him and that he did not forcefully kidnap her against her will.
Work Cited
Shakespeare, William. “Othello: Act 1, scene 3.” The Folger Shakespeare, 2020, Web.