How Shakespeare presents the love between Othello and Desdemona

Shakespeare presents the love as trusting through Othello's ability to put

things in the hands of Desdemona; loyal, by the choice Desdemona makes of
Othello over her father; innocent and respectful, in the subtle way that
Desdemona makes the move on Othello; and strong and passionate by the
sharing of lines, the structure of the play and their romantic actions towards one
another.
Othello and Desdemona's love is presented by Shakespeare as trusting
when Othello hands all control over the situation to Desdemona; he speaks to
Duke when he says on page 29: "If you do find me foul in her report ... Even fall
upon my life". The fact that he is entrusting Desdemona with his life through his
belief that she will not only tell the truth, but tell it to Brabantio, her father who is
completely against the idea of his daughter being married to a black man, means
that Othello poses a lot of trust in Desdemona and the strength of their
relationship. Trusting someone with your own 'life' is almost the most trust you
can have in a person; when Othello expresses this much trust in their
relationship, it may first of all worry the audience that something could go
drastically wrong with such a statement about a character that has not even
appeared yet, however after Desdemona proves Othello correct, it allows the
audience to feel that they can also trust Desdemona and shows the legitimacy of
their love for one another. Another way in which the trust in their relationship is
expressed is the way in which Othello allows Desdemona to make decisions for
herself. He agrees that Desdemona can "Let her have [Duke's] voice" when she
asks to "go with him" to war - 'him' being Othello. The way in which Othello hears
Desdemona out and allows her to do what she wants shows that he has a lot of
trust and respect in her desires and opinions; it could however also be
interpreted that Othello feels obliged to allow Desdemona her freedom in what
she wishes to do due to the racial differences between them. Perhaps Othello
feels blessed and slightly out his league with her, and doesn't want to do
anything that could take that away from him, which in that case could show the
audience that his love for her is truly real; although it doesn't necessarily portray
Desdemona's equal love for Othello, but rather the power and control she could
potentially have over him. This could be perceived by the audience as dangerous
and a suggestion to be wary about the progression of the play and things to
come.
The love between Desdemona and Othello could be interpreted as a
manifest of innocence and respect in the way that Desdemona subtly hints at
herself falling for Othello. Othello describes that Desdemona said to him that "If
[he] had a friend that loved her,/ [he] should but teach him how to tell [his]
story,/ and that would woo her." The suggestion of having been wooed by Othello
portrays a very innocent and pure love through the subtle hint using delicate,
indirect language, rather than being very forward and direct with some sort of
sexual act having been played out. I think that the fact that it was Desdemona to

make the move would have been controversial at the time, therefore reflects
bravery and desire in their love by doing something that was unusual; an
audience response of respect for Desdemona could be gathered from this.
Shakespeare could have also been showing the respectful behaviour and
innocence by the way in which Othello held back from being the one to make the
move due to the racial difference between them, and not knowing where he
stood; this could be highlighting the control and power that Desdemona has in
the relationship as well. From a structural point of view, the audience is caused
to question the love between Othello and Desdemona, due to the accusations of
witchcraft towards Othello and his ways of getting Desdemona to fall in love with
him. Othello appears to back up Brabantio and his theory of witchcraft on page
27 when he says: "what drugs, what charms,/ What conjuration and what
mighty ,magic -/ For such proceedings I am charged withal-" The audience at this
point is worried that Desdemona has in actual fact been tricked by Othello; the
long list of sorceries creates tension in the wait to find out until Othello reveals
that he 'won his daughter' and that she in fact was the 'wooer', so the only magic
used was love. The revelation made the love seem very innocent in comparison
to the thoughts and accusations of witchcraft.
Loyalty is incorporated into the love between Othello and Desdemona by
Shakespeare when Desdemona is forced into a choice between Othello and her
father, Brabantio. Talking to Brabantio, she says: "So much I challenge that I may
profess / Due to the Moor my lord." The phrase 'my lord' suggests that
Desdemona is very respectful and fond of her father, so the very fact that she
chooses Othello over Brabantio, shows the huge amount of loyalty she has for
Othello, even though he is of different race to her which her father completely
disapproves of. Desdemona also mentions how her mother showed the same
loyalty to Brabantio over her own father, which gives the impression that
Desdemona really believes that what she is doing is right and following the
footsteps of her mother; furthermore she appears to be comparing their
relationship with her parents, which could show that she is fully accepting of
Othello's race and doesn't see that there is any difference in a relationship with a
black man or that it is an issue at all.
Shakespeare presents the love between Othello and Desdemona as very
strong and passionate when they are re-united after the storm and worry that
Othello had gone missing. They share a line of iambic pentameter when Othello
says "O, my fair warrior!", with a reply from Desdemona of "My dear Othello!",
this gives the audience a sense of the close connection and equal passionate
love for one another. It is also an implication of the fact that they are married
and so therefore represents the way in which marriage involves the merging of
two people's lives and belongings and sharing everything - what is his, is hers
and vice versa. The title of marriage in itself poses a strong, stable, and set in
stone relationship; more so in those days than nowadays, where the title is not
thought of as quite so necessary. Othello romantically expresses his strong love
for Desdemona through the use of hyperbole within his dialogue: "If after
tempest come such calms, May winds blow till they have wakened death". He
would go through any amount of storms if it meant that he could see Desdemona

afterwards, who he uses the word 'calms' as a metaphor for; implying that
Desdemona is his safe haven. The reference to storms could also, however, be
interpreted in showing the hectic emotions of their relationship, in the way that
storms are, with a disrupted undercurrent that is hidden. The imagery of
destruction could cause the audience to feel unconvinced about the relationship
and worried about what may be to come. There is a romantic embrace and kiss
within this scene which is a clear implication, by Shakespeare, of the love and
passion that the lovers have towards one another. Shakespeare structures this
scene so that the kiss is not the first thing they do when they see each other, but
rather the exchange of romantic emotions and joy to see each other through
words comes first. He does this to accentuate that their love is not only driven by
the physical and sexual energy, but more so by the strong, emotional feelings,
giving the audience the impression of a strong and passionate, yet innocent
relationship.
Shakespeare presents the love between Othello and Desdemona as
involving a lot of trust, loyalty, innocence, respect, and being strong and
passionate. This at times causes the audience to feel connected to the two lovers
and relaxed in watching them as a couple, because it appears as if the
relationship is so strong that is can't be broken; however as a contradictory
interpretation, the audience could feel uncomfortable and concerned for their
relationship by the way that Desdemona can appear to have the upper hand of
control over Othello due to her higher racial status, and the implications of a
disrupted undercurrent in the relationship through references to the storm.