Throughout William Shakespeare’s Othello, many different archetypes that commonly associate with readers are found all throughout the story. These different archetypes include situational, character, and symbolic types. A common situational concept in Othello is the unhealable wound represented by the character Othello, the character archetype being the scapegoat represented by Cassio, and the symbolic archetype being the handkerchief Othello gives to Desdemona which represents trickery and deceit.
While many situational archetypes could fit into the play Othello, one in particular truly stands out. This archetype is the unhealable wound, represented by Othello. This particular archetype is the concept of a character who bears, “[a] wound [that] is either physical or psychological and cannot be healed fully. This wound also indicates a loss of innocence. These wounds always cache and often drive the sufferer to desperate measures.” Othello represents this archetype for the following reasons: after he learns that Desdemona has (supposedly) cheated on him, he is deeply hurt and offended. He loses the innocent and pure trust in his wife. Othello, in his anger, decides to take revenge on Cassio and even his wife, Desdemona, which was common during the time. “Oh, that the slave had forty
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thousand lives! One is too poor, too weak for my revenge. Now do I see ’tis true. Look here, Iago, all my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell!” The second archetype that shows throughout the play Othello is the character archetype of the scapegoat, represented by Michael Cassio. The “definition” of a scapegoat character is one who, “...is unjustly held responsible for others’ sins; sacrificed but they often become [a] more powerful force dead than alive.” Cassio is mostly definitely the scapegoat of this play, as he is blamed for committing adultery with Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Iago blames Cassio because Cassio has taken the position right under Othello, and he has no military experience. Out of Iago’s jealousy, he set’s up a whole plan to blame Cassio for this crime because not only will it get him out of the position Iago wants, but it will embarrass him as well. The symbolic archetype mainly represented throughout Othello is the handkerchief.
This item represented Desdemona’s love for Othello, but also all of the scandal that happened in the play. It was traditional in this time for women to give their handkerchiefs to the one they loved. In this play, however, while Desdemona did give Othello her handkerchief to represent her love, Iago used this item to manipulate Othello so that he could take Cassio’s place. In a way, the handkerchief is the second most important part of the conflict. Iago had a copy of the handkerchief made identical to Desdemona’s, and placed in on Cassio. This ended up causing the main uproar of the
climax/conflict. In conclusion, the three different archetypes show themselves very clearly throughout the play Othello. The situational archetype is Othello’s unhealable wound; after he learns that Desdemona has supposedly cheated on him, he loses his complete sense of innocent love for her. The character archetype in the play is the scapegoat Cassio, who is blamed for having an affair with Desdemona. The third archetype, the symbolic, would be Desdemona’s handkerchief (and it’s copy), representing the theme of deceit throughout the novel.
Othello, a valiant soldier, has a much more complex character underneath the surface of his firm rough exterior. To represent these characteristics, in the form of a colored shape, I chose to compare Othello to a square with a red-orange exterior, contrasted with an ice-blue interior. This figure, while portraying some of the more literal traits of Othello, mainly focuses on his inner emotions, and his circumstances throughout the play.
In the beginning Othello is seen as a calm collected man when put into an awkward situation, such as being ridiculed by his wife’s father in thinking that Othello has used some sort of magic to gain Desdemona 's infection. Othello’s calm collected ways start to deteriorate after he is convinced by Iago, a deceiving evil man that Desdemona has slept with Cassio. Othello’s self control no longer exist once he is fully convinced that it is in fact true that Desdemona has been unfaithful. His sense of what is real and what is not real is thrown out the window. Othello starts to become extremely jealous of his used to be beloved Cassio, and after considering giving back his spot as liternuanat he denies him that. He starts to become cold and distant towards his wife, and starts to call her out of her name. As Othello continues to lose control the people around him start to doubt his abilities of being able to protect Cyprus, and even his wife starts to doubt him, and agree with her father. No one knows who this man is anymore, he has started to act in an insanely matter. He can longer be his true self and take on the responsibilities of being general as he starts to crack. With Othello being faced with evil, him being calm is no longer an option for him because he can’t face the fact that the person he loves so dearly is cheating on him. Going back the they handkerchief, the symbol of his love for her. Othello seeing Cassio with Desdemona’s handkerchief sets him over the edge becoming truly convinced that his wife has betrayed him. Even when Desdemona and her maid Emila, Iago’s wife, has told him countless times that she has not been unfaithful, he is so far gone from reality that he does not believe either one of them. With the state of mind he’s in he cannot bear the thought of another man touching his wife. Othello and Iago plan to kill Cassio and Desdemona. After he
...demona’s handkerchief was the main object and symbol that was known for betrayal. In result, Iago had been the primary reason why we experience betrayal in the play. Due to Othello giving away the handkerchief was a sign for his affection to his beloved wife. In addition, it then moves from person onto the next person which was caused by Iago. Once Othello becomes jealous it makes it act on as an illusion since Desdemona. She had been faithful the entire time during their marriage and thinks that she has been cheating on him. The people Iago had betrayed with this handkerchief were: Othello, Emila, Cassio, and Desdemona. Furthermore, it was intended to have significance as a symbol of sacred trust. It was known as the “pledge of love” to Desdemona.
Iago used his wife to obtain Desdemona’s handkerchief, given to her by Othello. When Iago received the handkerchief, he made it look like Cassio had it.
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, unspoken fears of being an outsider and concerns about his public image contribute to the downfall of a tragic hero named Othello. Othello, a general in the Venetian army’s, final monologue reflects the importance of reputation and the conformity needed to fit his surroundings. He is seen as an outsider of the Venetian culture; he is frequently referred to as “the Moor” and is called an abundance of racial slurs by the Venice born natives. Although Othello never voices his internal struggle to feel accepted by the people around him, his image and physical appearance are some of major issues he faces. Even in the moments before he stabs himself, Othello is more concerned with the legacy he is leaving behind than with the death of his wife, Desdemona. Shakespeare uses Othello’s transformation from a heroic military soldier to a tragic figure to warn of the dangers of obsessing over one’s reputation and the need to feel accepted by society.
In The Tragedy of Othello, William Shakespeare tells the tale of the “noble Moor” whose honor and innocence bring about his downfall. Shakespeare writes of the power of jealousy, and the art of masterful deception and trickery. The story primarily takes place in Cyprus, during a war between the people of Venice and the invading Turks. In this play Shakespeare shows the feelings of Othello’s embittered right-hand man of, Iago, who feels he is passed over for a promotion and swears his revenge. He proceeds to manipulate his friends, enemies, and family into doing his bidding without any of them ever realizing his ultimate goal. He makes Othello believe that his new wife, the innocent Desdemona, is committing adultery with his newly promoted officer Michael Cassio. After this seed of jealousy has been planted, Othello’s mind takes its course in determining the true outcome, with a little more nudging from Iago. The course of action he proceeds to follow is one that not only ends his own life, but also the life of his wife and others. In Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello, Othello is a man who is still truly honorable, despite the course of action he takes to resolve his perceived problem.
Continuing Act three, Scene three, Othello feels the beginning of a headache. Desdemona offers Othello a handkerchief to ease the pain upon Othello’s forehead. The handkerchief is a gift from Othello to Desdemona as a symbol of the love shared by Othello and Desdemona. In Othello’s pain the handkerchief falls from Othello’s hand and Emilia steals the handkerchief. Iago uses the characters of the play as pawns, including wife Emilia. Jealousy is the fuel and the handkerchief is the spark. With the handkerchief in Iago’s possession, Iago can continue to spin the web of lies and deceit. Iago plans to leave the handkerchief in Cassio’s lodgings to further support the suspicion of Desdemona’s infidelity.
The tragedy of Othello, written by William Shakespeare, presents the main character Othello, as a respectable, honorable, and dignified man, but because of his insecurities and good nature, he is easily taken advantage of and manipulated by his peers and alleged friends. The dynamic of Othello’s character significantly changes throughout the play. The contrast is most pronounced from the beginning of the play to its conclusion, switching from being calm and peaceful to acts of uncontrolled venomous rage. Othello’s motivation in the play appears to be his love and concern for his wife Desdemona, which ironically, ends up being his downfall in the end.
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...
Of Shakespeare’s five greatest tragedies, Othello is by far the most passionate and gripping. It is a tale of love, deception, evil, honesty, and virtue. Othello himself is set apart from other Shakespearean tragic heroes by the absolute feeling of affection the audience feels for him even unto the very end of the play. Any discerning reader painfully recognizes the virtue and goodness of Othello throughout the entire play, in contrast to the general degeneration of character so typical of a tragic hero. It is this complete pity that makes the death of Othello so tragic as the audience lends their full hopeful support until the inevitable and unavoidable fall. The evil side of Othello’s tragic flaw came from without, in the form of Iago. The internal flaw exists only in his heartrendingly unshakable goodness and honor.
Through his suggestion to Cassio, Iago can now be certain that Cassio will entreat Desdemona to petition for him with Othello. Cassio does implore Desdemona and she responds, “Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf” (Act III Scene III). Iago manages to obtain the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona that had strawberry patterns on it form Bianca. He then tells Othello to ask for the handkerchief and if she doesn’t produce it, than she must be cheating on him. Iago also manipulates the undeserving devotion of Emilia. We learn at the end of the play that Iago “begg’d of me to steal it” of Emilia. Like Desdemona’s good nature, Iago exploits his own wife for his malicious revenge. The handkerchief was the final straw for
Already there is a high importance to the handkerchief in the start of the story. This being due to the fact that it originally came from Othello’s mother. The reason it is also seem to be placed on a pedestal is because it is believed by Othello to possess magical powers. He had been told that it was woven by a 200-year-old sibyl also known as an Egyptian charmer. The process was done by using the silk from sacred worms, and the dye from mummified virgin hearts. Later being given to his mother; who he claims used it to keep his father from being unfaithful to her. This further illustrates Othello’s fixed perspective of the handkerchief, and the value of fidelity that it holds within it. When he presents Desdemona with the handkerchief, he expects nothing but love and faithfulness in return. The handkerchief, as mentioned, does give a variety of meanings to each of the characters as it falls into each of their hands throughout the entire story. So for Desdemona, the strawberry embroidered handkerchief, means nothing but Oth...
Shakespeare’s Othello consists of the themes betrayal, love and dishonesty. At the centre of this play is the tragic downfall of Othello at the hands of his so called friend Iago. In this essay I will be discussing the reasons for and against Othello being responsible for his downfall through looking at critical interpretations of his character and actions.
'” (III,3,2092) This psychological strategy angers Othello to no end. Othello has been jealous of Cassio (who is everything that Othello is not: white, Christian, young). This shows that Iago is very clever: he first uses psychological plants before he moves to physical evidence. When Othello demands ocular proof, Iago brings out the handkerchief, the magical symbol of Othello 's manhood and source of his jealousy: “I know not that; but such a handkerchief I am sure it was your wife 's--did I to-day
I would say the handkerchief was equally important to Othello as it was to Iago. Iago had a plot from the very beginning of the play. He planned to take out Michael Cassio as Othello’s right hand man because he was jealous and felt that he deserved to be fulfill that position. Iago is a very interesting and strong character in the play, as he dominates almost everyone to be a part of his plot without even knowing what he is up to. No one knew about Iago’s plot, except Rodrigo, who was in love with Desdemona. Iago promised Rodrigo that if he would help him get Cassio fired, he would have a chance with Desdemona. Rodrigo listened to Iago and as a result of that got killed when Iago backfired and killed him. Iago had two sides to his personality. He faked to be such a good man to everyone, while behind their back he was killing them