Othello Quote Significance 5.1-3 (End of Book)-1/14

"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 the light relume..." (Othello, 5.2.7-13)

This quote stuck out to me because of its use of "light". Shakespeare uses it as both light as we think of it, as a litteral light, a burning flame, but also as a metaphor for the soul. When Othello says "Put out the light, and then put out the light" (5.2.7), he's saying douse the flame and end Desdemona's life, metaphorically snuffing out her flame. He goes back and forth between these meanings, but I believe he's basically saying, "Put out the light then kill I'l kill you. If I kill you, I can relight the flame, but once I kill you, you and your cunning ways, I cannot bring you back." The Promethan heat that Shakespeare speak of refers to the tale of the Titan Prometheus, who stole fire and gave it to man, since man had none. This may be a symbol of life, so Othello's saying he doesn't know how to bring her back. This reveals that even though Othello's about to kill his wife, he still loves her enough to worry about what will happen after she's gone, and if he ever wanted to, how to bring her back.

I thought the ending was good, very exciting. The whole time I pictured Iago being the only calm one in the room, sorta-no-EXACTLY like those guys on Scooby Doo. I can totally picture Iago saying, "I woulda gotten away with it too, if it weren't fer you meddlin' Moor, and my dumb wife!"

Fie-(Interjection) 1. used to express mild disgust, disapprobation, annoyance, etc. 2. used to express the humorous pretense of being shocked(5.1.121)

Coxcomb-(noun) 1. a conceited, foolish dandy; pretentious fop 2. [Archaic] head; pate (5.2.230)