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Shakespeare's historical plays
Othello critical analysis
The character of othello analysis
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Recommended: Shakespeare's historical plays
Shakespeare’s legacy is one that is largely unmatched. It is common knowledge that Shakespeare has a vast amount of critically-acclaimed pieces. With this, discussion arises regarding his greatest story. With groundbreaking characters, clever storytelling, and remarkable character development, Othello stands out as Shakespeare’s greatest accomplishment. Othello is a tragedy focused on the story of Othello, a general in the Venetian army, and how his life takes a dark turn. The one causing this dark turn is none other than Iago, Othello’s standard bearer. Iago’s reasoning for causing the downfall of Othello is mainly focused around the fact that he was not chosen to be Othello’s officer. Evidently, this angered Iago, so he produced a plan to …show more content…
Even though Othello himself is the minority, he expresses hatred towards his own skin color. This is a result of the systemic oppression being placed on him, and it eventually rubs off into his own thoughts. Another reason this play is Shakespeare’s greatest accomplishment is the growth of relationships. There is a phenomenal growth of relationships in this play, mainly surrounding Iago. Iago’s role is to use his gift of deception to manipulate those around him, and he does this with an evident god-complex. It’s almost as if Iago is omniscient, toying in others’ affairs with ease. This clever manipulation is even displayed in the first scene: 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 will make a grandsire of you.
Arise, I say! (III.iii.97-101)
Iago addresses Brobantio, speaking on his daughter, and how Othello is “tupping” her. His intent is to obviously anger Brobantio, and he urges him to take action. Iago also uses his manipulation skills on Othello to make him believe he is a cuckold: In sleep I heard him say “Sweet Desdemona,
Let us be wary, let us hide our loves,”
And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,
Cry “O sweet creature!” and then kiss me hard,
As if he pluck'd up kisses by the
…show more content…
Although these are both great plays, this just simply isn’t true. Character development in Othello, and the progression to chaos each character undergoes, is better than most pieces of literature anywhere, much less Romeo and Juliet. Compared alongside Othello, Romeo and Juliet has a much more two-dimensional buildup of character development. Regarding storytelling and plot development overall, Othello again reigns superior to most other pieces of art. The intricate design of the plot and rise to utter chaos is unmatched, even for one of Shakespeare’s better plays, Macbeth. Othello begins with Othello’s love for Desdemona, but his love becomes thoroughly twisted by the end of the play; he even
“I am not what I am,” proclaims one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most enigmatic villains, Iago, in the tragedy Othello. Iago’s journey for revenge enables him to become capable of immoral acts, and whilst his malevolence excites us, we are no more intrigued by his attributes than we are of the play’s tragic hero, Othellos’. Rather, both characters’ confrontation with jealousy and their subsequent moral demise as a result of failing to control such an emotion provides the true excitement for audiences. Iago’s spiteful manipulation of Othello makes him a multifaceted character — whose corrupt attributes make the audience examine their own morality. However, the same can be said of Othello; his failure to withstand Iago’s ‘pouring of pestilence’
Iago has everyone fooled into believing that he is a noble honest man. Without this
The story of Othello and Desdemona is one of forbidden love. She, a white Venetian and he, a black Moor, fall in love with each other despite the disapproval of Desdemona’s father, Brabantio. Her father accuses Othello of using black magic on Desdemona. This is the only reasonable explanation for Desdemona falling in love with Othello in his mind. Othello’s rebuttal to this accusation shows his inexperience when it comes to love. He states, “When I did speak of some distressful stroke that my youth suffered. My story being done, she gave me for my pains a world of sighs. She gave me for my pains a world of sighs. She swore, i’faith, ‘twas strange,” twas passing strange; “twas pitiful, ‘twas was wondrous pitiful.” He continues by stating, “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them. This is the only witchcraft I have used.”(pg. 1199 Act 1, Scene 3 Line 157-169). Othello explains that Desdemona listened to him about his struggles in life ...
Othello thinks nothing of it. At this point Iago thinks this is the right time and place to start manipulating people, particularly. Othello. I am a Iago replies by saying ‘Ha!
The Relationship Between Othello and Iago In this scene Iago persuades Cassio, who is on watch, to drink, knowing that he is not a drinker and that he will be easy to antagonise. Roderigo provokes Cassio into a fight and Othello, hearing the disturbance, arrives to find the nobleman Montano seriously injured. Cassio gives no explanation, Montano pleads self-defence, and say that Iago knows best, so Iago is ordered to speak, ' Iago, who began't? " This passage starts with Othello, who appears to have interrupted someone, as there is a line break.
William Shakespeare’s Othello is a tragedy about revenge through jealousy and deception. Throughout the play, Iago is constantly pitting characters against each other in order to satiate his anger from being denied the promotion to lieutenant that Cassio was granted. As a catalyst for all the conflicts that arise during the play, Iago merely uncovers the underlying insecurities characters such as Othello, a notable war general in Venice, are struggling with. Animal imagery as well as the use of light and dark to differentiate between race is very prominent and is used to drive a wedge between the newlyweds, Othello and Desdemona. Although Othello is a highly accomplished and well respected war hero, the notion that Venetians, including Desdemona, are a superior race, prevents him from ever feeling truly secure in his marriage, ultimately leading to the demise of several people close to him, and finally himself.
Iago makes his actions of revenge toward Othello almost immediately by informing Brabantio, a Venetian senator and father of Desdemona, that "an old black ram (Othello) is tupping (his) white ewe (Desdemona). " (l.i.97) Iago's next motive becomes clear when he convinces Othello "that he (Cassio) is too familiar with his (Othello's) wife." (1,iii.4399) Iago's motive here is to break the bond between Othello and Desdemona.
Othello seems to have a really rough time finding the truth in people. The reasoning behind this is simply the way he acts around people. Although Othello is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice, his skill as a soldier and leader is nevertheless valuable and necessary. He is after all a man in high power and is respected for that simple fact. Essentially, the first impact that is made upon the reader of Othello is not one of high quality. He was called many names of which had to do mostly with his racial background some of these names include “the Moor” (I.i.57), “an old black ram” (I.i.88), and “a Barbary horse” (I.i.113). The two characters that begin the cruel introduction of Othello are two trusted comrades, one being Iago. Right from the start, Iago already begins the demise of Othello. Now since Othello made this decision to trust and simply see the good in everyone rather than the truth in everyone his life got turned upside down and started to take ...
He says: "I love the gentle Desdemona", and this suffices to explain his feelings. It is obvious that Othello is a much 'deeper', more sensitive man than Iago. Another contrast is that Iago's motivation is himself and his self-interest. Iago desires success and gain for himself and no other. It appears that his major grudge against Othello is that he promoted "a fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife" (that is, Cassio) above himself.
From the beginning, Othello is noble, quick to act, judicious, trusting, and gives much weight to the importance of duty. These are all traits that serve to make him great at the beginning of the play, and later, ironically, become key elements in his downfall. These aspects can be considered the internal causes of Othello’s tragic flaw. “Othello's nature is all one piece. His trust, where he trusts, is absolute.
In some ways you could say that Othello was highly responsible for his own downfall as he was easily manipulated by Iago showing him to be gullible and naïve. Iago manipulates Othello by making him suspicious through inference,
Iago also realises Othello’s interpretation of the statement will magnify the implied meaning due to his paranoia and doubt. Iago, therefore, achieves his goal of planting doubt in Othello’s mind. Iago’s manipulation isn’t limited to Othello. It reaches Desdemona. Similarly, Iago is able to use Othello’s weaknesses against him in various situations.
Iago’s magnificent intelligence and superiority make him a very intriguing character. Iago is not just any villain that comes into a town, with a black cape and knife that scares everyone, he destroys and “kills” by using creative tactics that could only be thought of by someone who is brilliant. He deceives, strategizes, and twists the truth with amazing ease. Iago maintains his on point intelligence by staying completely unconflicted about being evil. Iago is completely committed as he states, “[He will] turn her virtue into pitch, / And… make the net / That shall enmesh them all” (II. Ii. 366-368). Iago is considered a cross between God and the Devil, as shown in the, “Divinity of Hell!” (!!. ii. 356)
Iago has been to blame for the downfall of Othello because he is the one that created the jealousy within Othello. Iago started this because he was jealous of Othello because he was not made lieutenant, and Cassio was. Iago has been selfish and takes it upon himself to get revenge against Othello.
He projected racist beliefs into Othello’s psyche (Adelman 144). He made Othello so hesitant and frail about his race that he loses his own life and killed his wife. Othello’s blackness turns into a powerful vehicle for Iago (Adelman 140). Iago was just driving Othello all around Venice causing chaos.