A Comparative Study of Imagery in Shakespeare and MacDonald's Works

This essay provides a comparative analysis of imagery in Shakespeare's "Othello" and MacDonald's "Goodnight Desdemona." It explores how both authors employ imagery, particularly animal imagery, to represent human characters and convey complex themes. The essay examines how Shakespeare uses animals to reflect social biases based on age, race, and gender, while MacDonald utilizes a mouse to symbolize a character's personality and societal position. The analysis highlights the significance of these images in revealing hidden intentions and portraying character transformations, such as the evolution of a female character from a timid mouse to a strong, assertive woman. The essay concludes by emphasizing how both plays use imagery to critique societal norms and offer insights into human behavior. The essay references relevant literature to support the arguments.

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Imagery used by Shakespeare and MacDonald
Introduction
The use of Imagery is imminent in both MacDonald’s “Goodnight Desdemona” and
“Othello” by Shakespeare. Imagery is used in their works to signify human characters, which
eases the passing meanings that could have been coded. This style helps both writers to portray
how people behave and how they interact in a healthy society. The idea of Imagery helps in
keeping the universal truth in more discrete manure to prevent attacks on the works. In both
works, the use of Imagery in describing situation targets enhancement of senses.
Literature Review
In Othello, the animals used serves as a reference on projection in social biases
manifested through discrimination based on age, race, and gender (Caroline, 160). The animals
are used to show how members of societies are often involved in perception triggered by
differences in the parameters highlighted above. Using people, in the same characters would
have had a negative implication on them, but the use of animals will make people relate the

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situation much better and have arousal in their senses (Sol, Feldman, 436). Effective use of
animals in Othello has enabled revealing of intentions that may have otherwise been hidden by
human characters.
MacDonald uses a mouse in “Goodnight Desdemona” despite the simplicity of the
animal. The mouse, in this case, is used to signify traits in Constantine personality, which
prevents success and the desired love (McDonald, Gabrielle, et al, 457). The character of the
mouse means a lady who pins away from the office, completes assignments for the man she
treasures, and students take advantage of her. She is barely noticed thus signifying her little
nature which is also manifested in losing her job mysteriously, she is continuously called
titmouse by her lover and her loves fades offs after realizing it’s over. Her nickname was given
by the students which reflected her timid and unassertive nature
The Imagery created by the mouse becomes more meaningful when transformation
occurs in Constantine, by becoming a strong woman with self-confidence shedding off shyness
and referring to herself as little (Sol, Feldman, 434). This transformation from a useless mouse is
referred to as a Shakespearean adventure. The significance of the mouse portrays how women
are preserved in a patriarchal society (Klemen, Maša Skelin, et al , 109). The change signifies the
position occupied by women in the 21 century. At the end of the play, women are perceived as
assertive, and the unsung heroines. The location of the play is that women have a high chance of
changing the narrative of receiving mouse like treatment by revealing their strong character
Conclusion
In both plays, animals are used to represent human characters through analysis of interest
situations that lowers human dignity. The transformed mouse represent women in the 21Century
who strive for the best, but this situation was not experienced before, and thus, women were

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treated with low dignity, which adversely affected their esteem. Shakespeare has also used
animals to show discrimination on the bases of age, gender, and race. The above literature on
Imagery used by Shakespeare and MacDonald stipulated how ideal situations are represented
through creative works (Plays) with the aim of passing a strong message politely.
Work Cited

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Hart, P. Sol, and Lauren Feldman. "The impact of climate change–related imagery and text on
public opinion and behavior change." Science Communication 38.4 (2016): 415-441.
Klemen, Maša Skelin, et al. "The triggering pathway to insulin secretion: Functional similarities
and differences between the human and the mouse β cells and their translational
relevance." Islets 9.6 (2017): 109.
McDonald, Gabrielle, et al. "Female bias in systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with the
differential expression of X-linked toll-like receptor 8." Frontiers in immunology 6
(2015): 457.
Spurgeon, Caroline FE. "From Shakespeare’s Imagery and What It Tells Us." Macbeth.
Routledge, 2015. 155-164.