Pronouns

Use of ‘thou’, such as when Othello speaks to Iago, conveys a sense of equality within friendship. Though, it can also convey that the character using it is more superior than the other, such as if they are of a higher rank. Some people view it as an insulting or aggressive pronoun. However, in the context of Othello’s allegiance to Iago, most would interpret it as the first meaning. ‘You’, interestingly, is a very formal pronoun (unlike our contemporary use of the word, which is very colloquial).