Othello Seminar

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Recommended: William Shakespeare's Othello as a tragedy

The Theme of Love

In William Shakespeare's Othello the Theme of Love is very important. The main themes conveyed are: Love can be used against you/ love can be manipulated, and love is blinding (unconditional love). The theme of love can be used against you is best shown in Othello and Desdemona, Cassio and Bianca, Roderigo and Desdemona, and Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio. The theme of love is blinding is best shown in Desdemona and Othello, Emilia and Iago, and Brabantio and Desdemona.

Love can be used against you/ Love can be manipulated.

Iago uses Othello's love for Desdemona against him. Iago hints to Othello that she deceived her father so she could deceive him.
"She did deceive her father, marrying you, and when she seemed to shake, and fear your looks, She loved them most." (III,iii, 204-206)
Like human nature is Othello goes through events which now have answers,
"She's gone: I am abused, and my relief must be loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For other's uses." (III,iii, 264 - 270)

Othello is getting angry:
"Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore;
Be sure of it: give me the ocular proof," (III, iii, 356-357)

Othello hears Iago's predictions:
"All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven:
‘Tis gone.
Arise black vengeance, from the hollow hell!" (III, iii, 442 - 443)

Othello believing Iago:
"Damn her, lewd minx! O damn her, damn her!
Come go with me apart." (III, iii, 472 - 473)
She then tells him she is a virgin.
"No, as I am a Christian.
To preserve this vessel for my lord
From any other foul unlawful touch,
Be not to be a strumpet, I am none." (IV, ii, 82 - 84)

Desdemona then turns to Iago.
"O good Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,
I know not how I lost him." (IV, ii, 148 - 150)

Othello feels guilty because he found out she was innocent.
"Soft you; a word or two before you go.
I have done the state some service and they know it:
No more of that. I pray you in your letters
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate
Speak of me as I am: nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak of one that loved not wisely, b...

... middle of paper ...

...from the Moor./ My wayward husband hath a hundred times/ Wooed me to steal it; ... I'll have the work taken out, / And give't Iago. / What he will do with it, heaven knows, not I: / I nothing, but to please his fantasy."
(III, iii, 287 - 296)

Emilia's love blinds her from Iago's true nature. She disregards his vulgarness towards women. She also disregards how badly he treats her.

"A good wench! Give it me." (III, iii, 311)

"You rise to play and go to bed to work." (II, i, 114)

Brabantio is blinded by love for his daughter. He believes that she is an innocent child and would never marry ‘the Moor'/Othello of her own free will. He is so angered by the imagery that Iago gave him, he wants Othello killed.

"Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her./ For I'll refer me to all things of sense,/ If she in chains of magic were not bound .../ So opposite to marriage that she shunned/ the wealthy curled darlings of our nation, / Would over have .../ Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom? Of such a thing ... to fear not to delight." (I, ii, 63 - 71)

"Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,
Subdue him, at his peril." (I, ii, 80 - 81)

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