Considered one of the most famous literary works of William Shakespeare of all time, the play of “Othello” is a classic for any fan of tragedy. The protagonist, Othello is a powerful general for the army of Venice and has accomplished much in his lifetime. During the course of his lifetime, he has fallen in love and married a Venetian woman named Desdemona. Due to many conflicts from Desdemona and Othello’s marriage, Othello assumes that Desdemona has cheated on him and so Othello decides to kill her. After words, Othello discovers that Desdemona’s affair was false and only devised by his fellow acquaintance and the antagonist of the play, Iago. Feeling extremely remorseful, Othello kills himself. Othello is believed to be a person of good morals and is highly regarded by many, but due to the series of events that …show more content…
“Othello: I think my wife be honest and think she is not. I think that thou art just and think thou art not. I’ll have some proof.” In 3.3.394-6, Othello claims that he is positive that his wife is in fact not cheating on him, and within the next line he claims that of course Desdemona is cheating on him. Othello is not secure of either option and hence the fact that Iago is emboldening him to perceive his wife as the antagonist, he would rather believe the negative latter. “Othello: Haply, for I am black And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declined Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much— She’s gone." Othello blaming his skin tone for all the unfortunate events that have happened is a clear sign that he is insecure. It is not necessarily his belief that skin tone his skin tone is what caused all these unfortunate events, but more of the fact that Othello has taken all his deep set insecurities and placed them upon all the most important things that he
Northrop Frye once said, “Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning.” Othello is the pillar of tragic heros, first playing the part of a loving husband with a beautiful wife, then being manipulated into believing his wife was cheating on him and killing her. Throughout the play, he played the part of the protagonist, everyone hoping he would figure out Iago was lying to him. Othello being the protagonist made the fact he was also a villain bittersweet. His apparent love for his wife Desdemona, his ‘just’ reasoning for killing her, and Iago’s deserving end all contribute to the tragic work as a whole.
Shakespeare’s Othello illustrates the story of one man’s, Othello’s, self-destructive journey through vicious lies and slander surrounding his loved ones. Who is to blame for this? While the play focuses heavily on “Honest” Iago’s devious acts, Brabantio becomes the catalyst by warning Othello about Desdemona: “Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. / She has deceived her father, and may thee” (I. iii. 294-295).
Othello is a man of romantic nature. He fell in love with the beautiful Desdemona. He was accused of stealing her away from her father. Othello was of a different race and did not fit in with her family. Othello makes a plea for Desdemona and tells his story which wooed her to begin with. Othello tells of the love that her father showed him since his boyish days. This was like a match made in heaven that overcame many obstacles which got in their way. Othello could not understand why he was good enough to work and fight alongside of her father, but was not good enough for his daughter.
Now, when Othello and Desdemona, get the hesitant approval of their marriage by Desdemona’s father by blessing their marriage, the Father of Desdemona says “She has deceived her father, and may thee (Act 1, 3, 294).” This may not at first give Othello concern that his wife might cheat on him, but later with the help of Iago’s lies, this line becomes more relevant to Othello, giving him the idea that Desdemona may not always stay loyal. Now here Othello has some proof, of Desdemona’s betrayal but it is not very strong proof, at least not enough to go to the extreme the Othello went to. Now, Iago also makes himself seem innocent, by warning Othello, of jealousy and acting like a good friend, this shown when Iago warns Othello of the dangers of jealousy.... ...
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.
...e must be a travesty, which is filled with tarnished emotions. Due to his own insecurities and phobia of a promiscuous wife, Othello is quick to believe in the bogus claims implied by Iago.
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 tragedy “Othello” is written by William Shakespeare in 1604. The story is based on revenge of two characters, Othello and Iago. Othello, the play’s protagonist and hero, who has great reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. However, his jealousy causes the major tragedy in his life. This tragedy is brought by a simple manipulation of Iago, the villain of the play. The jealousy led Othello to a path of constant questioning to his wife, and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play, he sinks deeper and deeper into his doubt and eventually that causes him to kill not only the love of his life, but also himself.
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.
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.
Throughout the drama, Othello let Iago control him as if he was a puppet under his master’s hands. When Iago first brought up the idea that Desdemona and Cassio might be having an affair, Othello did not believe him, he had faith in his wife. After many lies that Iago planted in Othello’s ears, Othello started to believe him and he dropped most of the faith that he had in Desdemona. Iago told Othello that in his sleep, Cassio said “Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our love”. Cursed fate that gave thee the Moor” (III.iii.416-417).
He tells Othello that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Michael Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant. This is shown when he says “I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear/That she repeals him for her body’s lust”. Othello is naïve and trusts Iago’s word instead of investigating himself. He repeatedly refers to Iago as “Honest Iago” and begins to doubt his wife. This is evident because he says “I think my wife be honest, and think she
“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock. The meat it feeds on ;”. ( Act 3 Scene3 Lines195-197) Othello is warned by Iago of what is ultimately is down fall.
Othello is a play that was during 1500’s by William Shakespeare. The important characters in this play is Othello, the muslim and dark skinned men that loves Desdemona, the catholic and light skinned women. Everyone was against their love because they are different from each other, but they have faced every obstacle to be together. Also Iago that hates Othello to death for no reason and want to destroy him and he has been using Cassio that was working with Othello and was his friend to destroy Othello by making him think that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. In this play Iago is the devil that manipulate Othello to kill Desdemona.
The play Othello The Moor of Venice, written by William Shakespeare is one of many great writings by Shakespeare. The story involves many characters, but the main idea of the story is a character named Lago trying to ruin Othello’s life essentially with the help of other characters. Othello has a lot of power in the story, and he decided that Lago was not going to be given the Lieutenant job. Lago was obviously very upset with this and it really sets the tone in the play, because for the rest of the play Lago convinces people and does a lot of things indirectly and directly that help him get back at Othello. The topic of this paper is deciding whether or not Othello’s downfall is caused by Lago or by his own personal flaws.