Supernatural interferences are somewhat apparent in the tempestuous journey to Cyprus; the storm is yet another instance where undertones of witchcraft may be seen. Christopher Pye references this instance whilst offering his understanding of the scene. Acknowledging that Desdemona’s behaviour often receives a lot of critical scrutiny, Pye sees Desdemona’s ‘dallying with Cassio when Othello is still out in the storm’ as a moment of distraction. Distraction, as Pye has it, is defined as a suspension within the plot, a moment in which Desdemona is temporarily side-tracked thus her attention turns away from Othello’s awaited arrival towards conversation with her present company. Within this distraction, Pye denotes that Desdemona ‘seeks to beguile herself’. Beguiling she may be, but a Jacobean audience may not perceive her as beguiling herself. The suspension of plot caused by mentioned distractions allows space for interpretation free from the events and text upon the stage. The …show more content…
(2.1.68-73)
Alongside Desdemona’s lack of concern for Othello, her apparent escape from the waves appears somewhat suspicious. The Malleus Maleficarum states that ‘there can be no doubt that witches can cause hailstorms, lightening, and storms at sea’. Drawing upon an instance where a woman was tried for summoning a storm, The Malleus Maleficarum notes how she set the storm in motion. She recalled how she dug a small trench and filled it with water; the woman commented ‘I set [the water] in motion with one of my fingers’ and the devil made the water disappear. Following this, she was
Iago suggested to Roderigo that Desdemona may have only been satisfying her curiosity by being with a black man. He says that Desdemona was getting bored with the sex from Othello and wanted something new (Shakespeare 2.1.282-283). She wanted someone more like herself, someone who was young and white, like Cassio (Shakespeare 2.1.280-281). Othello feared that this was true. When Iago told Othello that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio, Othello had no choice but to believe it. Iago’s lies made Othello so paranoid. Desdemona’s whiteness and Othello’s blackness made it easier for Iago to manipulate Othello. He made Othello so insecure and uncomfortable about his race that he took his own life and killed his wife. Othello’s blackness turns
Desdemona's naivety is the prime cause of the conflict in "Othello" because she doesn't know that Iago is depriving her in Othello's mind by using her actions against her. Desdemona loves Othello, but also is benevolent in helping anyone even if it might be practiced against her. Cassio asked Desdemona if she can help get Othello's trust back, only as Othello and Iago enters they see Cassio leave and gets a bit
Despite multiple signs of Othello’s intent to kill her, and even Othello directly stating that he would like to kill her, Desdemona does nothing but hope that Othello will somehow spare her. She hollowly hopes that Othello will believe her, that the bond she had with Othello
Othello and Desdemona's Love In Act 1 Scene 3. The scene begins with the Duke and senators sitting around a table in the dukes chamber, the conversation is based around what is going on. in Cyprus the conversation is between the Duke, a Sailor, an Officer, a messenger and senators of the United States. Lots of different people express their different thoughts but in the end the main message is that soon Cyprus will be under attack by the Turks.
Would you kill your significant other because your friend suggested they were cheating? In a marriage trust is everything, therefore solid evidence of your spouse cheating would need to be an obligation before ending the commitment. Desdemona is loyal to Othello throughout their entire marriage, there is no reason he shouldn’t have trusted her over Iago. Othello seems to be a better friend than husband as he is trustworthy of Iago’s lies. He is devoted to Iago’s plan and decided that he will go through with the killing of his own wife. Jealousy cannot over power genuine love, therefore Othello doesn’t love Desdemona, however he simply loves how much affection she has for his struggles. Othello doesn’t deserve sympathy because he doesn’t know
Othello's Responsibility for Desdemona's Death. Othello is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Its controversial issues and passionate characters excite audiences around the world. In the United States, the first ever on-stage kiss between a "black" man.
These behaviours allude towards tension due to their dissimilarity to the accustomed conduct of Othello and Desdemona. Desdemona’s growing fear of Othello is evident. in the precautions she takes to avoid his anger. Desdemona places the importance of Othello’s commands above her need to confide in Emilia.... ...
The society in which Othello takes place is a patriarchal one, where men had complete control over women. They were seen as possessions rather than being just as equally human and capable of duties performed by men. All women of the Elizabethan were to obey all men, fathers, brothers, husbands, etc. Which leads me to the most reliable and trustworthy character of Desdemona, whom goes through many trials just to satisfy her love. Shakespeare brings the thought of Desdemona into the play by Barbantio, her father, “It is too true an evil. Gone she is....Oh, she deceives me Past thought! …” (1.1.163)(1.1.168-169), whom has just found she has taken off with Othello and firstly suspects they have been hitched. Shakespeare gives reader the impression Desdemona is a devious imp full of disrespect towards her father. However, surpassing normal tradition of asking of her fathers’ permission to wed, Desdemona ran off and did marry the moor. This in a sense was her emancipation of her father’s possessiveness and oblivion of Othello’s dominance over her. Othello replies to Barbantio’s accusation, sedating or using black magic on his daughter, by saying, “My very noble and approved good masters, That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter. It is most true.” (1.3.79-81), which brings me to the claim that Desdemona’s character in this tragedy, was only to become and to serve as Othello’s private possession rather than a typical beloved daughter or wife as in modern time. Shakespeare bases this tragedy on the foundation of Desdemona’s character by the symbol of the discrimination of women in the Shakespearean time era. Desdemona even for the first and only time within the play stands up and challenges her inferiority under her father’s aut...
Desdemona is a victim of both Othello’s jealousy (the ‘green-eyed monster’) and Iago’s malevolence. However, as a literary construct, she is unable to prevent herself from falling victim to the hamartia of Othello and his hubris, an essential flaw in the tragic hero according to Aristotle. His pride is wounded by the idea that society would consider him emasculate due to having been cuckolded – in this sense, her fate was inevitable. Another of Aristotle’s theories purports that catharsis (often experienced following the death of the tragic victim) is a vital component of tragedy; as a great tragedy, catharsis must certainly be felt by the audience of Othello. However, the purging of emotions should surely only be felt towards characters which are genuinely liked, demonstrating the intricate link between pity and likability and highlighting the paradox in Auden’s statement: the audience must like Desdemona to some extent for her death to have a dramatic effect. Regardless of personal opinions on Desdemona, it is an upsetting final thought for the audience that there seems to be little hope for their own lives if evil can prevail over someone so good and taint something as beautiful as Othello and Desdemona’s love.
In fact, Desdemona holds herself in such high regard that she almost seems incapable of believing that anyone else may not. Luckily for her, Othello similarly holds her in high regard, at least until Iago begins to manipulate him. Even before Othello, Desdemona’s own father, Brabantio, thought highly of her. When she elopes with Othello, he never believes that she ran away from home willingly. He believes that Othello had enchanted her until she herself says otherwise. Upon this realization, Brabantio, warns Othello against Desdemona, telling him:
The Relationship Between Othello and Desdemona We first learn of there being a relationship between Othello and Desdemona when Iago and Roderigo are telling Roderigo (Desdemona's). Father, that ''an old black ram is tupping your white ewe''. This is referring to Othello and Desdemona having sexual intercourse, and. Shortly after hearing this, we became informed that Desdemona is "Tying" her duty, Beauty, Wit, and Fortunes In an extravagant and wheeling. stranger''.
In Shakespeare’s play “Othello” the main characters Othello and Desdemona suffer a tragic fate due to their actions and unforeseen circumstances. A majority of Desdemona’s suffering is down to Iago’s manipulation. However, it could also be argued that Iago is not completely to blame for the misfortune of Desdemona. We as the readers can see evidence of this at certain points in the play where Iago has planted the seeds of despair and Desdemona and Othello have fallen for his plans. In this essay, I will look at key moments in the play where Desdemona is presented as a tragic victim by the writer and justify why she is a tragic victim using quotes from the play.
Desdemona arrives in Cyprus with Othello’s ensign, Iago, and his ensign’s wife, Emilia, awaiting Othello’s safe arrival in Cyprus. Othello’s lieutenant, Cassio, arrives first. Iago, who is desperate for Cassio’s position, improvises a plan to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair after noticing how overly friendly Cassio is. Iago gets Cassio drunk and involved in a fight, damaging Cassio’s reputation and giving Othello no choice, but to demote Cassio. Iago begins his plan and suggests Cassio asks Desdemona to cajole Othello into giving him his position
The role of jealousy, love and betrayal play a major role in The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The entire play is based on the human interactions of the characters as related to Othello and Desdemona. The characters’ personalities, their social status, and their relationships to each other control the story line and their fate in the play. Othello is portrayed early in the play as an outsider with animalistic characteristics by Iago and Roderigo because of jealousy. “Your heart is burst; and have lost half of your soul/Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe”.(531) Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, accuses Othello of using witch craft on his daughter. “If she in chains of magic were not bound/ Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy/ So opposite to marriage that she shunned…” (535) This point is important because Othello must defend himself not only to Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, but to the entire Venetian Senate. “And till she come, as truly as to heaven,/ I do confess the vices of my blood./ So justly to your grave ears I’ll present/ How I did thrive in this fair lady’s love, / And she in mine.” (539) Othello proves himself to be an intellectual hero early in the play. He has worked hard to gain respectability and power, but because he has a different background, is from another country, is dark-skinned and is older than Desdemona, he becomes jealous very quickly of Cassio. Cassio is from the same social class, is compatible with Desdemona and is a young handsome man. Iago has also convinced Cassio to seek favor with Desdemo...
The Role of Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello. In Othello’s society, only men make decisions. Thus, in Othello, the title character and other male characters drive the plot, leaving the women to deal with the consequences. Desdemona’s role in the play shows the way the male-dominated society treats women.