Desdemona's Betrayal In Othello

In 2006, China, looking across the border to its most impoverished neighbor, sends aid trains to North Korea in a humanitarian effort to feed the poor. North Korea happily accepts the food and fuel the trains provide for them. The North Korean government is so grateful for the supplies that they decide to keep the trains, refusing to return them after many demands. North Korea took advantage of China’s generosity. Had China acted on political logic instead of kindness, they would have realized that North Korea would take advantage of them. China would have better relations with North Korea, two trains, and a crew of train operators. Likewise, Desdemona keeps her delusional trust for Othello, and does not escape her death. She acts on her affection

for Othello, which paralyzes and fails her. William Shakespeare uses the tragedy of Othello to show that admirable qualities of people can always be manipulated against them, and that people must handle this manipulation by removing emotions from their decisions.
Iago turns Othello’s passion for Desdemona into jealousy, driving Othello insane and taking control of his life. Othello’s adoration for Desdemona would ordinarily be considered a good quality - his adoration for Desdemona could have led to a merry and lasting marriage. Unfortunately, Iago demolishes Othello easily using his love for Desdemona when he convinces him that Desdemona is acting unfaithfully:
OTHELLO. All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven.
‘Tis gone.
Arise, black vengeance from the hollow hell!
Yield up, O love, they crown and hearted throne
To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,
For ‘tis of aspics’ tongues! (3.3.505-510)
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Here, Shakespeare portrays the dramatic reversal of ardor to betrayal.

The more Othello realizes how much would value his future with Desdemona, the more betrayed he feels. Othello begins to think that his entire investment in Desdemona is for naught, transforming Othello’s passion into spite. Iago exploits the underside of deep devotion - jealously. The emotions Othello feels - attachment, jealously, and hate - drives him mad, obscuring the logic of the situation - that Iago is only spreading fantasized rumors about Cassio and Desdemona. Instead of confronting Cassio, Othello accepts Desdemona’s treason as truth. Iago may have mastered Othello’s emotions, but Othello allows his emotions to consume him. People need to confront their feelings and not lose track of logic. Otherwise, even something as sincere as Othello’s fondness for Desdemona can turn one into a

monster.
Next, Iago uses Cassio’s courtesy as a way to push him over. Cassio shows courtesy towards all people - whatever relationship he has with them. This helps him build a good relationship with Othello, and gets him promoted to ancient. Alas, Cassio’s politeness becomes a tool for Iago, who convinces a Cassio intent on being sober to drink against his will:
CASSIO. Not tonight, good Iago. I have very poor and
unhappy brains for drinking. I could well wish
courtesy would invent some other custom of enter-
tainment.
IAGO. O, they are our friends! But one cup; I’ll drink for you. (2.3.34-39)
Soon, Iago convinces Cassio to drink with the gallants. Cassio opens the door for them reluctantly. While Cassio is supposed to be keeping guard, Iago pressures him to drink telling
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him not to disappoint his friends.

Social pressure and politeness transform Cassio into a yes-man, a pushover. Cassio’s inclination to be nice is integrated into Iago’s plan to destroy Othello. Instead of succumbing to peer pressure, Cassio could use reason. He could realize that it was his duty to guard the city, or recall that he was not in the mood for a drink. However, he attempts to please everyone. Cassio shows the weakness of attempting to be polite, and that even the kindest of inclinations can be utilized by the evil.

Finally, Desdemona’s faithfulness and trust in Othello turns her into a child, incapable of seeing Othello as dangerous. When Othello discloses his intent to kill Desdemona, she does not buy it.

DESDEMONA. Talk of you killing?

OTHELLO. Ay, I do.

DESDEMONA. Then heaven have mercy on me.

OTHELLO. Amen, with all my heart.

DESDEMONA. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.

OTHELLO. Humh.

DESDEMONA. And yet I fear you, for you’re so fatal then

When your eyes roll so. Why I should fear I know not,

Since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel I fear.

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

once
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would miraculously save her. Desdemona’s trust in Othello makes her believe that, if she is not guilty, she never has anything to fear. The consequence of trustworthiness is disregard. Desdemona fails to dodge Othello’s wrath by not quickly enough. Had Desdemona made the decision to take action based on Othello’s word, instead of becoming trapped by her fidelity for Othello, she could have saved her own life and the life of her husband.
Othello shows that even the most sincere, heartfelt sentiments can be exploited or turned into hatred by others. Kindness can become vulnerability, devotion can become jealousy, and faithfulness can become stupidity. The stories of Othello, Cassio, and Desdemona demonstrate that when one must make an important decision, logic is the only way to go. Iago was able to succeed off of the fragility of the emotions of others, and their inability to control themselves. Could Desdemona have avoided her death if she had acted logically? Many classmates yelling at the movie screen seem to think so.