The Switch

This is a question that we had in our reading questions about Act I. It asked us to think about why Iago would change from prose to iambic pentameter. For me, I have one theory that makes sense. In Shakespeare's plays, prose is usually given to someone who is uneducated like maybe a slave. Characters who speak in iambic pentameter, on the other hand, are usually just going to be the educated ones. However, in this case, I think the reason for Iago switching is slightly different. I think whether or not he speaks in poetry is determined by who he is speaking to. In the play, Iago begins with expressing his hatred for Othello (which is how he truly feels), but when he talks to Othello, he shows respect and acts like there is no problem between them. So when he is talking to other people expressing his hatred, he talks in prose becuase he is not talking up to anybody in order to show respect. However, when he talks to Othello, he changes to prose because he is acting like a different person and maybe it seems like he is showing more respect talking in prose. The way that Iago talks reflects his attitude in the situation.