Nicholas Harmon English 117S Shakespeare Professor Knapp 19 November 2004 Vir !

e an" #onven ion in Othello $illiam Shakespeare begins his pla% The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice &i h a conversa ion be &een &o na ive Vene ians' &i ho! he presence of ( hello' an o! si"er) *ago an" +o"erigo converse in he s ree ' o! si"e he pro ec e" ho!ses of Venice' e,pressing ha re" for ( hello) +o"erigo' a gen leman' canno !n"ers an" &h% *ago' a sol"ier' is &illing o serve !n"er ( hello' "espi e his ha re") *ago sees a necessi % for h%pocris% in he arm% an" in life) *ago s a es' -$e canno all be mas ers. /Othello' *)i)401'1 b! here are people &ho see &ha is necessar% if one is no a mas er' -$ho' rimm2" in forms an" visages of "! %3 Keep %e heir hear s a en"ing on hemselves. /*)i)405411) *n *ago2s min"' circ!ms ance provi"es a 6!s ifica ion for &o5face"ness' as a means of self5preserva ion7 he imperfec ma% !se conven ions o sanc ion heir "esires) 8his sen imen has heav% bearing on he ac ion of he pla%' &hich cen er aro!n" &o conven ions ha have m!ch in common' marriage an" &ar) 9o h conven ions are pa h&a%s o preserva ion of socie %' he one b% procrea ion' he o her b% pro ec ion) 9! marriage as a conven ion "oes no %iel" procrea ion' as &ar an" armies "o no necessaril% pro ec 7 !n"ernea h hese honorable Vene ian conven ions s an" "ir % reali ies: be%on" love' marriage re;!ires se,' as be%on" honor an" "! %' &ar re;!ires killing) 8hese sins are he !n"erpinnings of hese vir !es) <arriage an" &ar sanc ion sin' !rning vice o

=ll s!bse;!en ci a ions &ill refer o The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, b% $illiam Shakespeare' as con aine" in The Riverside Shakespeare' 2n" E"i ion) Ho!gh on <ifflin #ompan%)

vir !e' in he hope of socie al preserva ion) 9! he necessar% h%pocris% of hese conven ions is sho&n o be "angero!s &i hin he pla%' for if he h%pocris% emerges' ei her he roo sin can be free"' or o her vir !es can be "o!b e") Ei her se, an" m!r"er ma% be !se" o! si"e conven ion' lea"ing o chaos' or he sol"iers an" spo!ses &i hin conven ion ma% see each o her as sinners in heir vir !e) 8he emergence of he h%pocris% !n"er he conven ions of marriage an" &ar' "espi e he ill!sions of he p!re' are he ca!ses of rage"% for ( hello) >ove be &een ( hello an" ?es"emona is no a l!s f!l or carnal hing) 8o hose &ho love p!rel%' love is a ma er of he so!l) 9raban io' &ho loves his "a!gh er so m!ch ha her "epar !re kills him' is mocke" b% *ago !pon her eloping' &i h he &or"s -@o! have los half %o!r so!l. /*)ii)A71) >ove be &een a fa her an" "a!gh er is clearl% e,pec e" o be free of l!s ' %e ( hello2s love for ?es"emona an" hers for him seem' ini iall%' e;!all% free from l!s ) ( hello &ishes for ?es"emona o ravel &i h him o #%pr!s af er heir marriage -BNo C o compl% &i h hea / he %o!ng affec s3 *n me "ef!nc 1 an" proper sa isfac ion3 9! o be free an" bo!n eo!s o her min". /*)iii)2D052D41) He &ishes o be &i h her an" give her &ha she &an s' in a higher sense han he carnal) He falls in love &i h her beca!se' af er rela ing his life s or% o her' she pi ies him) She loves him in s!ch a &a% ha ' - if B( helloC ha" a frien" ha lov2" her3 BHeC sho!l" b! each him ho& o ell B( hello2sC s or%3 =n" ha &o!l" &oo her. /*)iii)1D451DD1) Her love is for his e,perience' no his ph%sicali %' &hich o her love is in erchangeable &i h an% o her ph%sicali %) Eor ( hello' a moor an" clear o! si"er in Venice beca!se of his ph%sicali %' his lack of specifici % in ph%sicali % is a &on"erf!l hing) He is like an% Vene ian in her e%es) ( hello &an s o 6oin Vene ian socie %' an" ho!gh he is no a gen leman or sena or'

?es"emona allo&s him o be a par of a sof er life) =f er heir marriage an" ens!ing arrival in #%pr!s' ( hello becomes sof er' sa%ing -( m% s&ee 3 * pra le o! of fashion' an" * "o e3*n mine o&n comfor s. /**)i)20452071) ( hello &an s o 6oin her life' as ?es"emona &an s o 6oin his) She has !rne" "o&n s!i ors from Venice' incl!"ing he gen leman +o"erigo' an" seeme" oppose" o marriage) ( hello' a &arrior is her choice' a fac ha makes heir marriage s range) Her l!s o&ar"s ( hello is one for his a"ven !res' an" &hile lis ening o his s ories she &o!l" -&i h a gree"% ear3 ?evo!r !p BhisC "isco!rse. /*)iii)14951401) She l!s s no af er his bo"% b! af er his lifes %le' an" he "oes he same) 8heir love s ems from heir "ifferences' a &an ing o become he o her' an" is reflec e" in heir gree ings a #%pr!s7 o ?es"emona -( m% fair &arriorF. /**)i)1A21 an" o ( hello -<% "ear ( helloF. /Ibid.1) ?es"emona is he &arrior' as she &ishes o be' an" ( hello is he ob6ec of innocen affec ion' as he &ishes o be) 8heir love is a means o become &ha he% &ish o be' e,changing heir roles of &arrior an" na ive Vene ian) Spiri !al longing' no ph%sical "esire' "rives heir love) S ill' he socie % of Venice "oes no see heir marriage as of he min"' ho!gh heir love ma% be) *ago calls o! o 9raban io -an ol" black ram3 *s !pping %o!r &hi e e&e. /*)i)AA5A91' an" af er he marriage is approve" in he sena e' ( hello is ol" b% a sena or o -!se ?es"emona &ell. /*)iii)2911) <arriage is a se,!al bon") * allo&s ( hello o !se ?es"emona2s bo"% accep abl%) *ago2s s a emen of he sociall% accep able vie& of killing can e;!all% be applie" o se, in marriage' &hen he sa%s' -8ho!gh in he ra"e of &ar * have slain men3 @e "o * hol" i ver% s !ff o2 h2 conscience3 8o "o no con riv2" m!r"er. /*)ii)1501) =s a &arrior' killing is allo&e" in &ar' as in marriage se, is allo&e" &i hin he bo!n"s of ha marriage' ho!gh o! si"e hese conven ions' conscience' an" so accep e"

morali %' prohibi s hese same ac ivi ies) $ar an" <arriage are ironic conven ions' necessar% an" so accep e" b% socie %' ho!gh in an abs rac an" absol! e sense' heir ac ivi ies are vice) 8he c!l !re of Venice' hro!gh hese conven ions' !rns vice in o vir !e) ( hello recogniGes se, as a par of marriage' ho!gh no i s basis) =s he s a es o ?es"emona in regar" o heir marriage' -8he p!rchase ma"e' he fr!i s are o ens!e3 8ha profi 2s %e o come H &een me an" %o!. /**)iii)95101) He love" her before marriage' b! marriage is a roa" o se,' ho!gh &i hin marriage i is no vice) ( hello' a sol"ier' is one &ho sho!l" !n"ers an" ha ) #onven ion ransforms vice in o vir !e) #onven ions' ho&ever' sho& hemselves o be &eak in he pla%) >a&' a conven ion hel" o be soli" an" !niversal' is an earl% e,ample) 9raban io' a sena or' is ol" b% he ?!ke ha he ma% !se he la& o &ha ever en" he sho!l" like in "e ermining &rong"oing &i h regar" o his "a!gh er2s having elope") He is ol" - he bloo"% book of la&3 @o! shall %o!rself rea" in he bi er le er3 =f er %o!r o&n sense. /*)ii)D75DA1) 8he la& &ill be !se"' no applie") * can be ben ) 8he o her conven ions in he pla% sho& hemselves ben"able as &ell) *ago' as a sol"ier' !ses his posi ion in conven ion' as an e,c!se" m!r"erer' o kill +o"erigo in s!ppose"l% "efen"ing #assio' &hom he also s abbe") 8hro!gh conven ion he m!r"er of +o"erigo is e,c!se" as a "efen"able one' an ac of &ar b% a sol"ier in "efense of ano her sol"ier) *ago !ses he ben"ing of conven ion o his a"van age) $i hin he con e, of vir !e as a s an"ar"iGer an" ransformer of vice' *ago !ses conven ion as a means o rever o vice !n"er he g!ise of accep abili %) #onven ion crea es vir !e' b% masking vice in s an"ar"s an" con e, s' an" his mask can hen be applie" o! si"e conven ion) 8he par icipan s in hese conven ions are h!s re;!ire" o main ain he conven ions in"ivi"!all%' bearing he b!r"en of perpe !a ion on

hemselves) 8he e,ample of la& in he sena e "emons ra es ha conven ions are no a! onomo!s' b! are onl% as s rong as he in"ivi"!als &ho par icipa e in hem' an" hose in"ivi"!als2 belief in hem) 8he line be &een a &hore an" a goo" &ife is h!s e, remel% en!o!s an" ar ificial) 8o a charge of being a s r!mpe ' ?es"emona respon"s' -*f o preserve his vessel for m% lor"3 Erom an% o her fo!l !nla&f!l o!ch3 9e no o be a s r!mpe ' * am none. /*V)ii)A05A41) =ccor"ing o he -la&. of conven ional behavior' an" he accep e" "efini ion of a s r!mpe ' ?es"emona can claim o be p!re) @e he problem of marriage' like he problem of &ar' is ha af er 6oining he conven ion here is no proof possible ha one has gone o! si"e conven ion' shor of e%e&i ness vie&ing of he ransgression) =f er en ering conven ion vice is more possible for he in"ivi"!al' an" in *ago2s vie&' a c%nical vie& of conven ion' - heir bes conscience3 is no o leave2 !n"one' b! keep2 !nkno&n. /***)ii)20052041) *n marriage' he bloo" of he &ife af er he firs se,!al enco!n er af er marriage is proof of previo!s chas i %' b! no of f! !re p!ri %' an" his proof is goo" onl% once) Eor a &arrior' af er becoming a sol"ier m!r"er can be maske" in a similar &a%' as *ago sho&s) 8he losing of he han"kerchief is s%mbolic of he loss of his firs proof' for af er i is los all "o!b is possible for no f!r her proof can be given of fi"eli %) $hen ol" o rela e her sins b% ( hello' ?es"emona replies -8he% are loves * bear o %o!. /V)ii)401) 8o ( hello' his is a confession of a giving o o hers &ha sho!l" be his' &hile o ?es"emona i is simpl% he s a emen ha her sins are forgiven hro!gh conven ion) 8his "o!ble meaning emphasiGes he bl!rring of moral lines !n"er conven ion) $ha is forbi""en is accep e" in con e, ' b! ha rela ivisa ion of moral absol! es crea es an ins!rmo!n able ambig!i %) =s ( hello s a es -(nce * have pl!cke" h% rose3 * canno give

i vi al gro& h again3 * nee" m!s &i her. /V)i)105141) =ll vir !e becomes "o!b able !n"er conven ion' beca!se i bl!rs absol! es) ( hello begins o "o!b ?es"emona' a "o!b possible !n"er conven ion' an" soon all her conven ional vir !es become vicio!s) =f er he begins o see her as sens!al an" se,!al' he vices &hich ha" !rne" vir !es in marriage' he is open o "o!b ' an" &hen "o!b is provi"e"' even hro!gh he inconse;!en ial evi"ences of a reco!n e" "ream an" a los han"kerchief' all conven ion re !rns o vice) Her obe"ience becomes a hing o spi e /*V)i)24052D01) = ?es"emona2s "ea h' she lies abo! her m!r"erer' pro ec ing ( hello' a lie &hich Emilia accep s as r! h' ( hello s a es ha -She2s like a liar gone o b!rning hell3 H8&as * ha kille" her. /V)ii12051291) =s in heir marriage' ?es"emona sins for her h!sban"' l%ing no& ins ea" of having se,' an" ( hello spi es her sacrifice' as he "i" in heir marriage b% "o!b ing) Her par icipa ing in conven ion &as her sin' an accep able sin' an" in his sense she "i" in"ee" kill herself' hro!gh par icipa ion in he conven ion &hich even !all% "isin egra e") *ago an" Emilia' a sol"ier &ho is &illing o m!r"er an" a &ife &ho is &illing o be !nfai hf!l o her h!sban"' are incomprehensible o ( hello an" ?es"emona) ( hello r!s s *ago comple el%' beca!se ( hello is p!re an" "oes no see falsi % in o hers) ?es"emona canno !n"ers an" ho& Emilia co!l" consi"er being !nfai hf!l o *ago or ho& an% &oman co!l" consi"er "oing s!ch a hing /*V)iii1) 8he conven ion &hich ( hello an" ?es"emona par icipa e in is !n"ermine" b% he e,is ence of *ago an" Emilia) ( hello' as an o! si"er' is especiall% s!scep ible o *ago' a Vene ian' "escribing he conven ions as roo less) ( hello m!s accep *ago2s claim &hen he sa%s' -* kno& o!r co!n r% "isposi ion &ell. /***)iii)2011) 8h!s *ago can re"efine he conven ions for ( hello

as roo less' beca!se for *ago an" Emilia he% are) =f er his !n"ermining' ( hello becomes a m!r"erer ins ea" of a sol"ier' an" in his min" he &oman &ho &o!l" be his &ife becomes a &hore) His conven ional roles are "es ro%e"' beca!se he par icipa es in hem as an o! si"er) 8he conven ions are Vene ian' an" Vene ians can h!s "efine hem for him) >ove' as i e,is s be &een ?es"emona an" ( hello' is essen iall% con rar% o conven ion) ?es"emona is sof an" "omes ica e"' ( hello is a har" killer7 more obvio!sl%' ?es"emona is &hi e an" ( hello is black) 8he !nreasonable na !re of heir love is emphasiGe" hro!gho! ac *' an" hro!gho! he pla% b% *ago) Eor hem o live o! si"e conven ion &o!l" "isempo&er *ago' &ho !ses conven ion as a shiel") So' &hen in marriage he% a emp o en er in o i ' *ago can !se conven ion agains hem) 8his en r% in o conven ion is heir !n"oing' as he conven ion lea"s be%on" heir love' &hich is vir !o!s' in o he carnal) 8he "is inc ion be &een vir !e an" vice is !n"ermine" an" heir marriage en"s in an ass!mp ion of infi"eli %' he ransgression of one conven ion' an" con rive" m!r"er b% a sol"ier' he ransgression of ano her) 8o conven ion' he% began as o! si"ers' an" b% leaving ha s a !s he% &ere lef v!lnerable o he h%pocris% !n"erl%ing ha conven ion' a h%pocris% ! iliGe" for a"van age b% he h%pocri e *ago) 8he na !re of conven ions is e,pose"' an" love &hich &as heir s ronges bon"' becomes obsole e) 8he rage"% of ( hello is he rage"% of conven ions' &hich hro!gh con e, a emp o in egra e vir !e an" vice !n"er he name of vir !e' an ac far more con rar% o reason han a love be &een ?es"emona an" ( hello)