Desdemon The Most Static Character In Shakespeare's Othello

Shakespeare’s Othello deals primarily with the unconscious yet nonetheless prevalent attitudes regarding social class, ethnicity, and gender. The titular character is a black man of an upper echelon which, at the time of the play’s conception, was likely considered contradictory. Respected as a high-ranking official throughout the play, and it is not until Othello’s mind is completely festered by jealousy that he begins to simultaneously lose his control and the respect of his peers. Othello also demonstrates the conflict between how an individual appears to be versus how that individual truly is—in essence, a character may portray his or herself as respectable, but is truly despicable in nature. This struggle is particularly highlighted by

However, Iago works diligently to damage her reputation. She is devoted to her loved ones with her loyalty ultimately being her downfall. Her father, Brabantio, plants the initial seed of doubt by warning Othello, “She has deceived her father, and may thee” (Act I, Scene 3). It is later revealed that Desdemona adores Cassio and is willing to continuously beg Othello to assist him—her stubbornness leads Othello to believe that Desdemona is in love with Cassio, though she was only trying to help her friend. Desdemona’s initial portrayal of how she truly is and how she appears to be is correct; her character is later misconstrued to appear manipulative and cunning, verifying Brabantio and Iago’s slander. Perhaps it does not matter how inherently good someone is—any piece of evidence can be exploited and consequently harm their

Iago is explicitly stating that he is not who he appears to be, meaning that while he may portray himself as trustworthy, he is quite the opposite: vile and manipulative. Because no one attempts to question his loyalty, he manages to maintain his façade until the end of the play when the truth has been exposed. Some individuals may be aware and even take advantage of the disconnect between the self and its portrayal. Because the characters tend to believe in whatever the self appears to be rather than the actual self, any amount of acting can disguise a villain as a