Othello Essay

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BookRags Essay.............................................................................................................1
Othello..................................................................................................................1
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Othello Essay.................................................................................................................2

BookRags Essay
Othello
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BookRags Essay

Othello Essay
`The tragedy of `Othello' is caused by the fatal flaw in the eponymous hero'. What can
be said for this view and what other factors contribute to the tragic situation"
`Othello' delivered many tragedies and each and every one of these tragedies had
something to do with Iago. `Othello' is Shakespeare's study in jealousy, betrayal,
passion and ambition. The play shows what one man, so envious does to fulfil his
ambition. Othello was involved in trickery and deceit, as Shakespeare shows.
Shakespeare's play displays one man's anguish, fighting the good side away causing
him to kill his innocent wife.
The fatal flaws when someone's emotions are deadly and cause people to do bad
deeds, even though the victim is innocent, these points are evident in `Othello'.
Othello's fatal flaw was jealousy; he had believed every lie Iago had told him. Othello
was gullible and because of this, it led to Othello loosing his trust for Desdemona and
jealousy taking over.
The other factors, which might have contributed to the tragedy, could have been
Othello choosing Cassio as lieutenant instead of selecting Iago, which might have
contributed in Iago seeking for revenge.
The handkerchief could have caused part of the tragedy as Iago used it as bait, so it
would look like Desdemona has been in Cassio's apartment. Another point could have
been Cassio asking Desdemona for advice and help. But Iago `turns the words
around@ and says they were together.
Othello has a very distinctive personality, sometimes he is very sweet and respectable
and sometimes he gets very angry. His heart is full of love for Desdemona, and she
knows it, he has powerful love for her, however this is altered by Iagos trickery.
Othello Essay

Othello Essay

Othello is a militant leader and high up in the ranks, Othello is a noble man.
Othello's fatal flaw is jealousy, he is too gullible and listens to all the lies Iago says to
him. "O beware, my lord, of jealousy: It is the green eyed monster which doth mock
the mock it feeds on", Iago says this when dropping hints about Desdemona and
Cassio, but Othello assures him that he is not jealous and knows his wife's virtue.
Othello's love for Desdemona is true. They love each other and do not want to part,
they are both meant for each other. Iago stirs things up so that they would separate and
so everything goes according to Iagos plan. Othello's love for Desdemona is very
strong and he tries very hard to ignore things and suspicions about his wife but cannot.
He turns to Iago for "hard proof" to see if the suspicions are right. As Desdemona said
in lines 166 act 1 Desdemona loves Othello for the dangers he had passed and
assertion.
Act 1: "My life upon her faith" shows the audience how much he trusts Desdemona.
Their relationship would have been endurable.
Desdemona uses `dramatic' words describing her love for Othello: "That I did love the
moor to live wit him, My downright violence and storm of fortunes may trumpet to the
world. My hearts subdued even to the very quality of my lord" This line shows how
devoted Desdemona is to Othello. In lines 215 act 3 scene 3 Othello says "I am bound
for thee forever."
This is showing us that it is a romantic play, that Othello is going to love Desdemona
forever and the play will not have any sad points. However the play is not what it
seems as things grow from bad to worse.
Othello is a gullible "valiant moor", the believes everything that Iago says to him, this
blind faith brings a dramatic and tragic end to the play.

Othello Essay

Othello Essay

Iago tells many lies, some of which are clever and some of which are sneaky, Othello
calls him "honest Iago" even though he has not evaluated the recent events that have
occurred.
Iago knows where his victim's weak points are and uses them to conduct deadly lies
and vicious acts. Othello's willingness to believe the worst of others is lethal. The
comments he hears by other people show him the worst of innocent people. The lies
that he hears are very destructive and drives him insane. Othello's willingness to
believe in the malignant natures of others is misguided. He is a vulnerable `moor'. The
lies told are devious and said because of greed.
When Othello hears about his wife's activities he believes every word Iago says to
him, He asks for proof but all is set up. Othello does not want to hear of innocence by
his wife Desdemona, just because someone has said she was guilty, Othello thought
that she was guilty too! He never wanted to hear Desdemona's side of the story. Iago is
very destructive and a clever, sophisticated man also a very demented man to. Iago
does not act suspiciously which is why he is not caught. Iago has persuasive skills,
which know one can be suspicious of. Othello was been duped by Iago but only when
Iago has said what he has to say.
Othello has intense emotions. He is very protective of Desdemona, He does not like it
very much when she goes off to chat to other men. There is no trust in their
relationship. Othello has much control over his wife Desdemona, she worships him.
Desdemona does not want to betray the noble lord. Othello is jealous and his
obsession with Desdemona is very strong. When Iago tells Othello that Cassio has
boosted about having sex with Desdemona, Othello is so upset it looked like he was
going to have an epileptic fit.
Iagos fatal flaw is power, ambition and greed, he too is a very jealous man, Iago
always thought he was right and wanted to put things his way. Iago was a conniving
man. He enjoyed ruining things and emotions. Iago was calculating conniving and
disloyal but he suspects Othello has slept with Emilia, which is another reason why he
Othello Essay

Othello Essay

wants revenge. Iago is very clever: "He hath a person and a smooth dispose to be
suspected, framed to make woman false. The moor is of a free and open nature That
thinks men honest but that seem to be so, And will be tenderly led by th'nose as asses
are", This shows us that Othello is very gullible and that he is the target which Iago
will start on. Iago is possessed with evil.
Iago's view of woman is very lecherous. He calls the, `whores', Iago thinks they are
just there to be housewives and sex objects. "You rise to play and go to bed to work"
(Act2 Scene 1).
Iago's need for revenge is very erident, He wants everything his way. The wanting of
revenge starts when Cassio becomes lieutenant instead of Iago, Iago does not like to
be second best and wants to become lieutenant, Iago also seems to think that Othello
has been seeing his wife Emilia. (Iagos wife), but the main reason is that Othello
married Desdemona and so Iago is jealous and does not want it to happen, even
though it has. Iagos plot for revenge is to break Othello's heart by breaking up Othello
and Desdemona and to bring chaos between them; Iago is successful in doing so as he
is very manipulative!
Iago is a manipulative man; all of the characters listen to him, and think that he is
right. Iago manipulates people in a second as he just lies to them and they believe it.
"O beware my lord of jealousy! It is the green eyes monster, which doth mock! The
meat it feeds on" Act3 Scene 3 this is just one comment Iago makes to change
Othello's view of jealousy.
Iago makes people act and think differently as they think that he is an honest man. He
affects their minds. Iago does not confront people face to face only when he wants
something or wants to stir things up.
Iago is prejudiced and a racist man. Iago says many negative comments about Othello.
"These moors are changeable in their wills. Fill thy purse with money. The food that
to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be to him shortly acerb as the coloquintida"
Othello Essay

Othello Essay

This shows us how much Iago hates Othello. Iago definitely puts racist thought and
feelings into Brabantios head in Act 1, when Othello has eloped with Desdemona,
Iago neglects to mention that they love each other, with his contrast on black and
white, age and youth, masculine sexual aggression and feminine sexual innocence. All
Iago is trying to do is to "inspire racism and outrage into Brabantio." Iago makes many
racist comments about Othello as stated before: "A moor", "The devil", "A Barbary
horse" and a "Black Ram" All of these phrases are insulting. Iago is a very diabolic
man, many people envy him and Iago is self-motivated. Apart from being prejudiced
Iago is a sexist man too. He does not like women very much. When Iago compares
Desdemona to food he insults her very much.
Desdemona is a beautiful woman, she is loyal, devoted and always wanting the best
for people even though she deceived her father for Othello, and had married Othello
with no communication with her father, Desdemona supports Othello many times:
"and so much duty my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so
much I challenge that I may profess due to the moor my lord", there she reminds her
father that her mother left her father for her husband and so she did the same. (Act1
Scene 3).
Desdemona loves Othello and wants to be with him fot the rest of her remaining life;
she married Othello against her father's wishes. Desdemona has devoted her life to
Othello, and wants to be faithful to him too, Desdemona wants her marriage to last:
"But that our loves and comforts should increase, even as our days do grow."
Desdemona should not have pestered Othello about Cassios reinstatement, this was
very suspicious, and husband would have jealous thoughts if his wife was helping
another man, In a man's head it would be call deceit as a man like Othello would be
very protective and paranoid. Desdemona should have stood up for herself and
searched for proof to prove Othello wrong. Their love was never meant to be.
Desdemona was determined to have Cassio reinstated as lieutenant as she thought she
owed him because he was a friend to her. Cassio and Desdemona talked often, but
always in private areas, never in front of people. This gave Iago a chance to create a
Othello Essay

Othello Essay

story to tell Othello.

Desdemona was very persuasive to Othello, so Cassio could have his job back; it was
building to become her ambition. Desdemona promised cassio that she would get his
job back for him: "I will give you thee warrant of thy place", Act3 Scene 3 "Assure
thee if I do vow a friendship, ill perform it to the last article."
Here Desdemona is saying no matter how long it takes, Cassio will have his job back
and she will do it until the end. Desdemona should not have got tangled up with
Cassio as she did, she took a big risk of jealousy, but then again Desdemona did not
know that Othello was on the verge on being jealous, having bad thoughts and getting
suspicious. Othello and Desdemona were misguided.
Desdemona was innocent all the way. She was not guilty of anything apart from
loving her husband, she pleaded innocent but Othello would not hear of it, there love
was still alive but their minds were not. Desdemona tried making Othello listen but he
thought he was right and everyone one was wrong, Desdemona tried to prove that she
was innocent but all of Iagos fine planning had worked and Othello was filled with
hate, Anger and fury, "Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men",
Desdemona was faithful to Othello, each others love was meant to break. Desdemona
had devoted all her love, body and possessions to Othello. She was not deceitful, only
to her father, as she married against her father's will.
Desdemona was a constant, loyal woman, she listened to Othello all the time,
Desdemona was not daring or nave. She loved Othello with all her heat even if it
meant life or death. Desdemona defended Othello several times. Desdemona does not
make any provocative comments about Othello ever. There were many eventful
points, which led to the tragedy, Emilia handed the napkin that Othello had given
Desdemona to her husband, this was a serious part leading up to the tragedy as it set
up many things for Iago and made many thoughts go his way.

Othello Essay

Othello Essay

It was not Emilia's fault when she had passed on the handkerchief to Iago as
Desdemona had dropped It and Iago had snatched it off Emilia. Emilia told Iago if the
napkin was going to be used for the bad then she would like the napkin handed back to
her. Iago would not hear of that and so he had lied.
Cassio was a true and honest man. He would never deceive his lord. He had an alcohol
problem. He would get drink on a little amount of alcohol. Iago had found this out and
so he used this against Cassio to make him drunk, Cassio was well over his limit, so
he lost control, This is what causes this honourable victim to be sacked owing to this
Othello had lost faith in Cassio and that is why Othello had bad thoughts about Cassio.
Roderigo loved Desdemona and was jealous that Othello had taken her from him; this
is what led Roderigo to join forces with the evil Iago to plan for revenge against
Othello. Everything has come out of jealousy and evil.
Othello was a valiant soldier, he had all the respect in the world, He was a black man
with a mixed background.
Before he had met the beautiful Desdemona he had led a very adventurous life, this is
what led Desdemona to love him. Many characters in `Othello' were racist especially
Iago. Iago continually called Othello a moor. Othello had respected his duty for his
country and was always in the middle of many happenings but he was alienated from
his society.
In conclusion, Othello's fatal flaw was to blame for the severe tragedy and for his lack
of trust in Desdemona. He has heard bad things from Iago and had believed it.
Jealousy was definitely the `green eyed monster' in this play. Othello's fatal flaw had
driven him mad, making him want to kill Desdemona's infidelity and tried to ignore it,
but it all became too hard. The main tragedy happened because of the smaller
incidents which grew bigger and bigger.

Othello Essay

Othello Essay

If Iago were made lieutenant initially then the deaths would not have occurred, as Iago
would have had anything to be jealous about because Othello had elected him.
Iago was only jealous because Othello picked Cassio instead of him, Desdemona the
`beautiful Venetian' did not have anything to do with this, but because had revenge in
mind, he had to have her involved to make things more severe.

Othello Essay