Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination

Literature in English

Topic: An analysis of Shakespeares choices in the Tragedy Othello

Name of Center: Saint Stanislaus College

Center Code: 090047

Name of Candidate: Carlos John Gonsalves

Registration Number: 0900470267

Territory: Guyana

Year of exam: 2017

Teacher: Mrs. Liverpool

 Acknowledgements
The researcher would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the ones that rendered assistance during
the completion of this Internal assessment, namely, God, his family and his Literature in English
teacher, miss Wyoma Liverpool

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Title: An analysis of the playwrights choices in the tragedy Othello by William Shakespeare.

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Othello is a tragedy written by world renowned writer William Shakespeare in 1603, and is based

off of the story Un Capitano Moro ("A Moorish Captain") by Cinthio, first published in the year

1565. Shakespeares Othello is also world renowned and focuses on a dark skinned Venetian

Commander, his young, fair wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio and the devious plans of his

ensign, Iago. Shakespeares Tragedy is littered with a plethora of literary devices and techniques

that are not only invaluable to the masterpiece that is Othello, but they also so enrich the various

meanings, interpretations and dramatic significance of the play so as to render them vastly open to

interpretation.

As far as the plot goes, we are initially introduced with a racial conflict between Othello and a

senator, but this unfolds and Othello takes the young daughter of the senator as his wife (the source

of the conflict) before departing for Cyprus upon news of impending war. On Cyprus, Iago, jealous

and angry, devises an elaborate plan to wreak havoc on Othellos life, which manifests as a desire

to usurp the harmonious relationship of Othello and Desdemona. Throughout the play he does this

by manipulating events and fueling jealousy in Othellos heart until the latter eventually resolves

to kill Desdemona, which he does, before being informed by Iagos wife that Iago fabricated the

entire thing. Upon hearing this news, he stabs himself and Iago kills his wife. The play concludes

with Iagos unresolved motive and oath to never speak again.

Deceiving simple, the plot overflows with, first and foremost, and various themes that are

equivocally brought to life through the dialogue of various characters. The major themes (some of

which are inter dependent) entail hate, sexuality, race, jealousy and manipulation. In regards to

Race, Othello is one of the first black protagonists in English Literature and in the play much

racism is directed towards the Moore, with slurs like Even now, now, very now, an old black ram

Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, Or else the devil

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will make a grandsire of you. Arise, I say! (1.1.97-101) such slurs like this go hand in hand with

the theme of sexuality as it plays on the Elizabethan notions that black men had animal like hyper

sexuality. The theme of sexuality is also portrayed in the play predominantly as a fear of

miscegenation or interracial sex. In addition, most men in the play believe that women are

inherently sexual, promiscuous beings as seen in , which results in all three women in the play

being accused of infidelity. This would explain the relative ease with which Iago was able to

convince Othello of Desdemonas infidelity. This theme of sexuality also aids in the image painted

of the men of the era with the theme of Jealousy. The plot predominantly revolves around how a

jealous villain uses jealousy to convince Othello of his wifes infidelity using merely

circumstantial evidence. One instance of this was One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, a fellow

almost damned in a fair wife, that never set a squadron in the field, nor the division of a battle

knows more than a spinsterunless the bookish theoric, wherein the togd consuls can propose

as masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election;

and I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds. Christian

and heathen, must be beleed and calmed by debtor and creditor. This counter-caster, he, in good

time, must his lieutenant be (1.1.21-34) the play is a vivid portrayal of the dangers and powers of

jealousy and the fickle nature of humans when exposed to such an element. With regards to hate,

it is a dominant theme in Othello, as its the driving force behind Iagos actions. Hate as we know

it does not exist within the play, unlike conventional hatred that stems from a single malicious

action or insult, Iagos hatred of Othello eludes any reasonable definition. Iagos hatred can be

seen in the lines Though I do hate him as I do hell pains, Yet, for necessity of present life, I must

show out a flag and sign of love, Which is indeed but sign. (1.1.171-174) His hatred also seems

vastly disproportionate to the supposed reasons (lack of a promotion or affair with Iagos wife)

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Shakespeares portrayal of hatred through Iago redefines our understanding of hatred as a inward

manifesting passion and not as a result of an external cause. This hate plays into the theme of

manipulation as Iago skillfully weave a fabric of lies and deceit without any concrete proof to

fool the mighty Othello into believing his wifes infidelity. This portrayal of manipulation speaks

to the fickle nature of Elizabethan era men and how easily corruptible the human mind is.

Othello, the titular character, undergoes drastic change throughout the plot. We are first greeted

with a noble, respectable Captain who is a decorated warrior and a eloquent story teller and in

many ways, is respected by many in venetian society. He was also initially a loving husband, but

Othello is also the victim of the racist attitudes that existed in the citizenry of Venice as well as

the target of Iagos masterful deceit, this mutates the moor into an unstable, irrational being that

questions both himself and his wife. He begins to absorb the racist attitudes around him, believing

that because hes black he isnt good enough for Desdemona and that he has soiled her with his

blackness. In addition, Iago fuels the seeds of Desdemonas infidelity by providing mental images

in response to Othellos Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, be sure of it, give me the

ocular proof. This create the impression in Othellos mind that her actions have shamed him and

that, like a solider disobeying orders, she must be punished. Shakespeares inclusion of this

character conveyed the message of a tragic fate that awaited blacks in that era and the taboo view

and heavy racism that interracial marriage or relations faced.

It also stood as a warning to young girls to be weary of the blacks through the story of the character

Desdemona. Shakespeare showed the consensus amongst the venetians was that young women

would be bewitched or lustily go after a moor, and as a result of her sinful passion she would be

met with a cruel and unjust fate, as seen with Desdemona, who fell in love with Othello and,

despite being completely faithful, was still killed by the hands of her moor husband. Desdemona

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was a vibrant, positive young woman initially, but underwent an extremely negative change, and

by the end of the play, practically blames herself for her own death, she can be deemed the true

victim of Iago and conveys the 16th century attitudes towards sex, gender and interracial marriage.

Iago, Othellos ensign, serves as the Antagonist of the play. He is one of the most notoriously

mysterious villains in literature, as his raging desire to destroy the life of Othello seems irrational.

Shakespeares employment of this character could be determined as a vice figure, which is an

embodiment of an immoral act. (As Shakespeare often includes these in his plays) Vice figures are

often described as agents of the devil, and this seems to be a fitting description of Iago given his

motiveless chaos and deceit he induced onto Othello. Even at the conclusion of the play Iago offers

no reason for his impeccable manipulation of the moor. The primary pawn in Iagos elaborate

chess game is arguably Michael Cassio.

Michael Cassio is a Venetian solider who was promoted to Othellos second in command. This

promotion seemingly fuels a jealousy in Iago, who feels that he deserved the promotion, and

unknown to Cassio, he becomes a vital pawn in Iagos intricate scheme to devastate Othellos

marriage and to soil Cassios good name. Cassio is a womanizer by heart and classifies women to

two extremes, virgins or whores. Naturally he classifies Desdemona as the former and adores her,

this plays right into Iago scheme and makes it that much easier for Othello to believe him and for

Iago to make Cassio lose his position. Interestingly, upon the loss of his position, he turns to

Desdemona for aid, which plays into Iagos plan even further, ensnaring him ever deeper into the

web of deceit.

Shakespeare does not only portray meaning solely through his use of characters, however, the play

features several literary devices that each portray their unique meaning. Firstly, the handkerchief

that Desdemona possesses is a vital piece of symbolism in the play. One can argue that the red on

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the handkerchief represents the red on the white sheets of Othello and Desdemonas first night of

love, and hence, the handkerchief is clearly an important symbol of love for Othello who expects

oit to be equally important to his wife. Hence, her subsequent loss of the handkerchief seemingly

signifies her giving away this intimate gift to another, which drives Othello to kill her. Another

significant symbolism is Desdemonas song she sings the night she is to be killed. She signs a

song about willow trees originally sung by her mothers servant who was in love with a crazy man.

This reflects her belief of her own situation as willow trees are traditionally a symbol of maidens

deserted by their lovers. A minor image present in the play manifests as the candle that Othello

blows out just before murdering Desdemona, this signifies Othello extinguishing her life. Lastly,

one could also argue that Shakespeare utilized the setting of the play to convey certain mindsets.

This rationale dictates that Venice represents civilization while Cyprus represents Wilderness.

Hence the indignities and errs that occur on Cyprus could have never took place in Venice.

In conclusion, in employing these various choices, Shakespeare creates a masterpiece that defies

the limits of geography and time.