Animality and Darkness in OthelloA first reading of Othello would suggest that animality and darkness are indeed opposed to beauty and light. This view is confirmed by examining Iago's language and actions: "Though I hate him as I inflict hellish pain on him", unlike Desdemona (or even the first Othello), "Not to choose the evil of evil, but in poor repair.'The animality and darkness can be clearly seen in the character and especially in Iago's language. From the beginning of the play, curses and hateful words fall easily from his lips. His cryptic declaration that "I am not what I am" is preceded by the disturbing image that when he is sincere "I will wear my heart on my sleeve/So that the cabbages can peck." His descriptions of the relationship between Othello and Desdemona are also animalistic: “Your daughter and the Moor are the beast with two backs”. The linguistic identity that Shakespeare gives to this character is later adopted by Othello; in essence, we can see that she imbues the play with a certain baseness that is opposed to the character of Desdemona, not only in her language and actions but in the way she is constructed by others. A very clear example of this can be found in Act V Scene II and in the imagery used to describe Desdemona, "her skin whiter than snow/and smooth as monumental alabaster", and in the recurring references to the light, “you, flamboyant minister”, “your ancient light”. '. Furthermore, if we view beauty and light in this context as celestial, then animality and darkness can be seen as corresponding to that which is profane, a notion that Othello communicates in the opening speech of the final scene, contrasting earthly notions of justice. ..... middle of paper ...... scene and the misogynistic views of such as Iago, "How if she were black and witty" with the later scene of Act IV, scene iii and the Desdemona's refusal to say the word "whore", "I can't say whore/He hates me", then the dark baseness of the male world is seen in opposition and dark contrast to Desdemona's innocence and naivety. Thus, through such passages of Othello, it is possible to see that "animality and darkness are opposed to beauty and light", in different ways, dramatic, linguistic, thematic and conceptual, and it’s a conflict that can be claimed to never be resolved. Othello's suicide ends the personal conflict, but the audience's decision depends on their response to what is dark or beautiful. It is possible to see the "tragic loading of the bed", either as the triumph of animality, or as the return of Venice as good and light..