Pure and Foolish Love in Othello

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Pure and Foolish Love in Othello

Othello, the central character of William Shakespeare's play is an excellent leader but a poor reasoner and foolish lover. The tragedy of `Othello' is largely due to Othello's personality and life experience. Othello believes himself to be loved and respected by everyone around him as most people refer to him as the "noble General Othello". Othello, after realizing his tragic mistake of murdering his innocent wife, Desdemona, claims he "loved not wisely, but too well", this is an honest reflection of himself as his love was true and pure but also foolish. His lack of wisdom is because of his little experience in personal relationship and his role as a noble solider. Othello did love too well and it is shown right through the play as he displays his love for Desdemona but also his ignorant trust and love for Iago, his Ancient. Only knowing a soldier's life, Othello was unwise in relationships and love.

Othello being a soldier had only ever had formal relationships based mostly around work until he met Desdemona who he formed his first relationship controlled only by emotion and love that they held for each other. The fact this was his first personal relationship with a woman made him naive in this new experience. Othello's lack of experience made him vulnerable to Iago's falsehoods "In Venice they do let God see the pranks they dare not show their husbands; their best conscience, Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown." Iago says to Othello planting a false idea of Venetian woman in Othello's mind. Othello having little knowledge of Venetian woman is easily persuaded to believe Desdemona is unfaithful to him. If Othello had of been a little wiser in lo...

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...Desdemona and ignorantly Iago through the course of the play. Othello's comment on his foolishness and depth of his love is valid and justified claim as evidence in the play shows Othello did love unwisely but loved well.

Works Cited and Consulted

Bloom, Harold. "Introduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987.

Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55)

Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.

Neely, Carol. "Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 68-90)

Shakespeare, William. Othello. Toronto: Pocket Books, 1993.

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