"Her father loved me, oft invited me,(140)
Still question'd me the story of my life..."See in text(Act I - Scene III)
This is a clever rhetorical move on Othello’s part. He reminds Brabantio of their previous friendship, which both softens Brabantio’s stance and makes Brabantio appear two-faced for turning on Othello.
"Rude am I in my speech,
And little blest with the soft phrase of peace;..."See in text(Act I - Scene III)
Othello uses a rhetorical tactic similar to those used by Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. By claiming to be ineloquent—“rude in… speech”—Othello hopes to appeal to the statesmen. Ironically, this is itself a rather eloquent move. The eloquence is heightened by his repetition of l and t sounds in “little blest” and f sounds in “soft phrase.”
