Compare the Presentation of the Themes Obsession and Control Found in The Collector, Othello and The Picture of Dorian Gray

Compare the presentation of the themes obsession and control found in The Collector, Othello and The Picture of Dorian Gray

Shakespeare employs obsession as a thematic device extensively in Othello with many characters exhibiting complexes which come into direct conflict with the fixations of others, highlighting the self-destructive and all-consuming nature of obsession. This is reinforced by the climax of the play, the deaths of Othello, Desdemona and Emilia and Iago’s subsequent arrest and torture. Similarly, Dorian Gray presents various forms of obsession such as lust, infatuation and narcissism which leads, in most cases, to the destruction of the characters who are swiftly overcome by their vices or refusal to recognise the truth. This is seen most obviously with Dorian himself, his conceit and desperation to conceal his true nature causes him to eventually kill his friend and painter of the titular picture, Basil, and ultimately himself. The Collector initially utilises a much more focused portrayal of obsession, Clegg’s infatuation with Miranda and subsequent winning of the Pools subverts the traditional trope that ‘power corrupts’, Clegg was fantasizing about Miranda before he gained power, the money merely provides the resources necessary to carry out his scheme.

One of the major themes of Othello is that of jealousy, a manifestation of paranoia and obsession in itself. Iago’s burning desire to drive Othello to madness and a compulsion to disgrace those above him can be seen, with a Marxist reading, as his intense dissatisfaction with the social system he is a part of, ‘we cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed’. Likewise, his intellectual superiority over his betters and peers is made evident ...

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...ng Desdemona has been unfaithful, ‘Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ’. However, his manipulation can also be seen with Emilia, in particular her finding of the handkerchief, ‘my wayward husband hath a hundred times Woo’d me to steal it’. The fact that Emilia gives Iago the handkerchief, despite her initial intention which is to have it copied and to return the original to Desdemona and despite his crude and derogatory remark, ‘it is a common thing’, reveals her desperation to please Iago and to satisfy his need for instant gratification. This contrasts with her outspoken, headstrong nature when Iago is not present and shows that women of this time period were dominated by men in all ways, including the suppression of their natural personalities.

Works Cited

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Collector

Othello