A Stylistic Analysis of the Word “Mock” in Othello

The word "mock" plays a crucial role in depicting themes of deception, betrayal, and irony in Othello. The way it is used demonstrates how characters manipulate each other and the tragic outcomes of misinterpretation and emotional manipulation. In Othello, the word “mock” is used 8 times. It is used by the characters Barbantio, Duke of Venice, Iago, Othello, and Emilia.

The word "mock" is used by Barbantio in Act I, Scene II of Othello. In the scene, Brabantio is facing Othello, blaming him for using magic to charm his daughter Desdemona into marrying him. He says: “O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter? / Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her; / For I'll refer me to all things of sense, / If she in chains of magic were not bound, / Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy, / So opposite to marriage that she shunned / The wealthy curled darlings of our nation, / Would ever have, to incur a general mock, / Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom / Of such a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight. / Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense / That thou hast practised on her with foul charms, / Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals / That weaken motion: I'll have't disputed on; / 'Tis probable and palpable to thinking. / I therefore apprehend and do attach thee / For an abuser of the world, a practiser / Of arts inhibited and out of warrant. / Lay hold upon him: if he do resist, / Subdue him at his peril.” In this scene, the word “mock” is significant. It shows how racist society was in that period. With his words, one might easily understand that Barbantio is racist against Othello, but he also states that society will find it ridiculous that his daughter loves a black man. With the phrase “Would ever have, to incur a general mock,” it is shown that society thinks the love between a black man and a white woman is ridiculous. Othello was a great soldier with many accomplishments, and if he had been white, he would have been a good husband to Desdemona. However, this is just ridiculous for everyone because he is not white.

In the next scene, as a continuation of this conflict, the word "mockery" is used in a conversation between Brabantio and the Duke. The Duke of Venice speaks: “Let me speak like yourself, and lay a sentence, / Which, as a grise or step, may help these lovers / Into your favour. / When remedies are past, the griefs are ended / By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended. / To mourn a mischief that is past and gone / Is the next way to draw new mischief on. / What cannot be preserved when fortune takes / Patience her injury a mockery makes. / The robb'd that smiles steals something from the thief; / He robs himself that spends a bootless grief.” (Act 1, Scene 3). In this scene, the Duke is trying to comfort Brabantio and persuade him to accept the situation with a sense of resignation. In this context, "mockery" highlights the notion that complaining about misfortune is both ineffective and absurd. It implies that maintaining dignity and composure during difficult times requires patience. The Duke suggests to Brabantio to be patient, warning that acting otherwise would make him look foolish and pitiful.

The next character who uses the word “mock” is Iago in Act 3, Scene 3. Iago addresses Othello and plants seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind about Desdemona's fidelity. As we can see in the passage: “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; / It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock / The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss / Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; / But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er / Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!” The term "mock" here refers to the mean and teasing aspect of jealousy. The green-eyed monster (Jealousy) laughs at those it hurts, finding joy in their suffering. The use of the word “mock” with the jealousy motif here can make Othello question his worth and sanity, mocking his love and trust. It can also make Othello feel that others, including the supposed unfaithful lover, are mocking him, adding to his humiliation. Iago’s use of the word "mock" is a strategy that targets Othello's mind, enhancing his fear and insecurity by portraying jealousy as something that ridicules him, thus making the thought of Desdemona's betrayal even harder to bear.

In the next passage, the word “mock” is used in the same scene, spoken by Othello in his soliloquy. Othello is having a conversation with himself, struggling with the doubts and jealousy that Iago has sown in his thoughts about Desdemona's loyalty. In the beginning of the soliloquy, Othello says, “This fellow's of exceeding honesty, / And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit, / Of human dealings,” and we understand that he trusts Iago, therefore he is being manipulated by him easily. When the passage continues, Othello despises himself and sees himself as inadequate. Othello mentions that Desdemona stops talking with him because he is black and has grown old. He adds, “I had rather be a toad, / And live upon the vapour of a dungeon, / Than keep a corner in the thing I love / For others' uses,” meaning he would rather be a toad than share his lover with another man. This passage is akin to a prayer or reproach to God. Othello ends the soliloquy by saying, “If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself! / I'll not believe't.” What Othello means here is that if Desdemona, whom Othello views as virtuous and angelic, turned out to be unfaithful, it would be like heaven making a mockery of purity and fidelity. So, he does not want to believe that Desdemona is unfaithful, or if he already believes that deep inside, he reproaches God again.

The next three uses of the word “mock” are again in the dialogue between Othello and Iago in Scene 4, Act 1. In this scene, Iago slanders Cassio. Iago says Cassio confessed to him that he slept with Desdemona. Othello gets very angry when he hears this and faints from anger when Cassio enters the room. After Iago sends Cassio back, Othello wakes up. Iago asks, “How is it, general? Have you not hurt your head?” and Othello replies, “Dost thou mock me?” Here, Othello thinks Iago mocks him by saying something about his head. The question “Have you not hurt your head?” evokes the image of a cuckolded husband. Iago fearfully replies, “I mock you! No, by heaven.”

In the next one, we have a different use of the word “mock.” In the passage: “Good sir, be a man; / Think every bearded fellow that's but yoked / May draw with you: there's millions now alive / That nightly lie in those unproper beds / Which they dare swear peculiar: your case is better. / O, 'tis the spite of hell, the fiend's arch-mock, / To lip a wanton in a secure couch, / And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know; / And knowing what I am, I know what she shall be.” Iago is speaking to Othello, continuing his manipulation to convince Othello of Desdemona's deception. What the “fiend’s arch-mock” here means is that if a wife is sleeping near her husband without him knowing she is cheating on him, it is worse than the devil’s worst joke. That is the worst thing to happen to a man, and your situation is at least better than that. So, Othello, trusting Iago’s words, might think that what Iago mentioned is worse than his situation, but this will only make him believe Iago’s lies more. Iago shows a worse scenario to Othello to make his lie seem more plausible and believable, and the phrase “fiend’s arch-mock” further strengthens his manipulation.

The last time the word “mock” is used is in Act 5, Scene 2, by Emilia, Iago’s wife. She says: “O mistress, villany hath made mocks with love, / My husband say that she was false!” In this moment, Emilia has just found out that her husband, Iago, is responsible for the false accusations of Desdemona's unfaithfulness that led Othello to kill her. “Villany hath made mocks with love,” here means that a villain has played tricks with love. She means Iago, with his manipulations and evil plans, played with Othello and made him kill Desdemona. Unlike its literal meaning, the term "mock" is used here to show how Iago's evil actions ridicule and ruin the sincere love shared between Othello and Desdemona. It conveys a deeper sense of betrayal and corruption of what should be real and honest.

As a result, the term "mock" in William Shakespeare's play Othello is a powerful tool that is intricately integrated into the play, delving into themes of deception, betrayal, and irony. Used differently by different characters, “mock” highlights the devastating consequences of manipulation and misreading, leading to tragic outcomes. In the early parts of the play, the use of the word "mock" in the sections where Othello's blackness is discussed shows the extent to which this issue was judged by society at that time. The word “mock” reflects the most important themes of the play: jealousy, its negative consequences, prejudice, and suspicion.