Analysis of an Extract from William Shakespeare's Othello
In the play 'Othello', four characters are murdered. The character
Iago, who manipulated certain characters into wanting to kill them.
Desdemona, Emilia, Othello, and Roderigo, are killed. Iago originally
did this out of jealousy of Othello and Roderigo. The deaths of these
four characters were inevitable. There was justice in this play for
all of the characters who were involved in the killing of the four
characters.
Act V Scene II in many ways represents the emotional climax of the
play. The events which have preceded this point have led Othello to
the decision to kill his beautiful wife Desdemona. The major themes of
this act are the emotional conflict felt by Othello and the
protestation of innocent express by Desdemona.
The play's final, bloody scene opens in the bed chambers of Othello
and Desdemona as the deranged Moor battles between his love for his
beautiful young wife and his desire to murder her. This atmosphere of
this scene opens with bitterness. Throughout this scene Othello is
speaking in soliloquies which are delivered in blank verse. He repeats
the phrase "it is the cause, it is the cause" Shakespeare makes use of
repetition to emphasize the fact that Othello is acting out of
conviction. Othello is convinced of Desdemona guilt. The language
device is useful because it emphasizes that Othello sees himself has
justified to commit the murder of Desdemona and yet does so
resonantly. "It me not name it to you" this implies that Othello is
very upset but doesn't want to name the "cause" because it has caused
him great pain.
The opening line shows Othel...
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...ympathetic characters dies.
Othello kills himself because of killing his fair chaste wife
Desdemona. Desdemona is killed by Othello because of Othello's lack of
comprehension to Desdemona wrongly committing adultery. Emilia is
killed because of speaking the truth about the racist antagonist her
husband Iago is. This is ironic as many consider Iago is a good honest
man. But are obviously very gullible, as this isn't the true side of
Iago.
I think that the tragedy is more dependant on Iago's wickedness than
Othello's willingness to be led because Iago is such a clever, devious
character who is a genius. Othello is totally influenced by Iago's
power, which in the end pulls him down.
I finish my essay by asking you if Othello is a Christian, kind noble
man if so, then why did he kill his fair chaste wife Desdemona?
weapons. He has to use race as an excuse as he knows that Othello is
The biggest things that one notices in the plot, are the great losses incurred by Othello. A key loss of Othello was that of his best companion, his wife, Desdemona. Desdemona was the closest person to him; no one can get closer to a guy than his wife. They were able to share their thoughts with each other and that is very powerful. The unfortunate part to it was that it only took a couple untruthful words from Iago to change Othello's opinion of her. "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/ It is the green eyed monster…" (III, iii). From words like this, and just a little more suggestions, Othello killed his wife. Its hard to believe that just a few well-placed words like this started a chain reaction that caused great harm to Othello.
Shakespearian tales always leave us with a plethora to ponder about the Elizabethan age and Shakespeare himself. “Othello” is no break in this mold, leaving us to ponder the roll of Iago within the harsh tale of love and murder. Iago is the one to tell Othello of his wife’s betrayal with Cassio, hence making up a story that will work to his favor yet betray those around him. Iago betrays his wife, Emilia, but not only her as he drags Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio into the mix of lies and the hatred he is spreading to improve his rank with Othello. But were Iago’s acts unjust and done for the sake of it? Is he a heartless man who’s only happiness is to bring sorrow upon others? No, Iago has a just reason for what he does, even though he causes the deaths of Cassio, Emilia, and Desdemona in his search for revenge; Iago is not a heartless fiend, just a man wronged.
The European Renaissance forever changed the life of the contemporary individual. Explosive advancements in education, technology, and trade broadened geographic and mental horizons; however, in England these developments were paired with population crises of poverty and unemployment. In addition, the increased interaction with foreign cultures fomented by various commercial and diplomatic engagements gave rise to apprehension in English sensibility. Eventually, Christian England would attempt to reshape these ‘strangers’ in their image and modern racial tensions sprung forth. Recursion of the trope of race, under the guise of blackness, heathenry, or even femininity occurs extensively in literary tradition, and especially within Shakespeare’s oeuvre. “There exists in all literature an archetypal figure who escapes both poles of the classic definition – appearing sometimes as hero, sometimes as villain, sometimes as clown…[he] has been named variously the ‘shadow,’ the ‘other,’ the ‘alien,’ the ‘outsider,’ the ‘stranger.’” It is with this borderline figure, mired in ambiguity, that this investigation is concerned: primarily with the stranger as the Moor in Othello, the Welsh in Henry IV, Part 1, and the woman in both.
Picture this- William Harold Shakespeare, the most coveted playwriter in the history of the world, sitting at his desk, perspicaciously pondering over what shall become his most prominant and delicated tragedy of yet. Of course, given what little is known about Shakespeere displays, such deepseated imagery cannot simply be accomplished without first the propriety of haste and vinction.And yet, his very own rhetorical vibe displays allows such a vague pictoration to be concieved. Throughout the whole of Othello, the great Shakespeare remarks through an astounding displays show of pronouns, allitteration, and cacophonous diction his own resentment of both the King of Italy and the poor conditions of the said novelist.
5.2.221-26. Her confession then confirms that Desdemona was faithful and did not deserve to die and as a result she shows one that love can be foolish and nave. Her love and loyalty to Iago causes her to deceive her friend and this ends with both women being killed because the love they possessed for too foolish men. Othello is responsible for murdering Desdemona. Iago is.
Diction is the author's choice of words, taking into account correctness, clearness, and effectiveness. Shakespeare's works focus on human problems and resolving them. The use of Shakespeare’s diction throughout Othello is very unique because he is very clear in the emotions and the plans of characters. He lays out what a character's plan is before he acts it out. He also has a tendency to retell the recent events. These subtle hints allow the reader to foreshadow and develop a feel for each character. The intimations of what’s to come is prominently seen through Iago’s soliloquies. He often speaks openly of his plan for revenge that only the reader will know. This in turn creates dramatic irony. The effect of this type of diction is that the reader has a clearer and comprehensive understanding of what exactly is going on. He uses imagery several times in the describing of various people as animals or in terms of comparing things. Most of the imagery pertains to Othello and his various travels or especially his jealousy. This use of imagery and diction is effective because in addition to having merely an idea of what is going on the reader can have a mental picture as well. These strong bouts of imagery are beneficial to the work as a whole because they give strong pictures in which the general action of the work can be amplified, which is something Shakespeare strives for. The women in the story: Desdemona and Emilia, play an important role in the theme of the story. It is possible to establish a clear relation behind Shakespeare’s diction towards each of these women and the theme of ignorance behind a man’s view of the women in his life, and misconceptions of what love truly is.
Language and imagination are among the most dangerous weapons Iago has at his disposal in Othello. Jealous and angered by Othello’s - his commanding officer - passing over him for a promotion, Iago develops a fierce, antagonistic perspective the aforementioned character; this sentiment quickly corrupts his volition, and he subsequently concocts a plot bent on destroying Othello. He renders this revenge scheme credible by concealing his true feelings behind a facade of loyalty and trustworthiness, and fabricating a fictitious story concerning the infidelity of Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Until the play concludes, Iago utilizes purposeful rhetoric to drive his agenda, and also a mastery of deception to mislead the minds of his targets.
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.
Through studying Shakespeare’s and Cinthio’s Othello, I explored the concept of ‘The Moor’. ‘The Moor’ is a disrespectful and racist term , often used by white Europeans referring to arabs and blacks, and people of other races with relatively dark skin, such as Othello. During Shakespeare’s time, blacks are considered to be outsiders and are inferior to white people. In Cinthio’s work, it stated that moors are hot-headed as evident in this quote ‘you moors are of so hot a nature that every little trifle moves you to anger and revenge’ which is evident that moors are hot-headed. In scene 1 of the play, Iago told Desdemona father that his daughter was robbed by a thief, Iago uses metaphor to describes Othello as a “black ram”. Desdemona’s father was shocked that his daughter will fall in love with a black man. He believed that Othello must have use some magic to make his daughter fall in love with him; as there is social class difference at that time and it is unimaginable that a white woman will love a black men.
Othello is a man who is respected as a General in the Army. Brabanzio even considered him a friend. Thanks to Iago planting a seed in Brabanzio ear about his daughter, Desdemona, Brabanzio accused Othello of taking his daughter away from him by means of drugs or poision. Othello has fought on the battle-field and now finds himself on a very different kind of battle-field. He finds himself in a position of being forced to defend his honor, friendship and his love. There has been accusations made against Othello, so in a room filled with signors, masters, the Duke, and Brabanzio, Othello has a strategy of battlement in his own way. He tells the Duke to send for Desdemona, “Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her speak of me before her father” (1.3-115-116).
Othello is a dramatic play in which ends in ironic tragedy. In the play, Iago is a jealous man who wants revenge on Othello for giving Cassio the position of lieutenant, when Iago wanted the position for himself. In the play there is a handkerchief that is a symbol of Othello’s love for his wife, Desdemona. Iago has a plan to steal the handkerchief and place it with Cassio, then spread a rumor that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Iago uses Emilia and Desdemona’s close relationship as leverage in order to gain the handkerchief. Emilia takes the handkerchief without Desdemona knowing. Once the handkerchief is placed with Cassio, Othello believes that his wife is cheating on him. Othello then decides to kill his wife Desdemona. When Emilia realizes what she has done, she tells O...
He has a very strong character of virtue and nobility that is intact up to the horrid end. Iago’s deceit and trickery are more the cause of Othello’s tragic fall than any fault of Othello himself. This innocence and greatness of the tragic hero, unequaled in any other Shakespearean tragedy, is what gives the play its terrible irony and passion. Othello plays on the most powerful of all human emotions: faith and love, both embodied to the fullest in the great and honest Othello.
In this tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare, has created a villain who behaves in this manner. Iago’s hatred, method of revenge, and vengeful hatred are the reasons for the lives lost in this play and the reasons that led to Iago’s downfall. Iago’s hatred of Othello and Cassio causes him to seek revenge, and he is able to succeed because his victims are too innocent to suspect him. Iago is a Machiavellian Shakespearean character who cunningly convinces his victims of his full moral support and proves his innocence in a way that his victims do not suspect him. When Cassio finishes his conversation with Desdemona about how he will not have his job back, Iago unfolds his mischievous plan against Desdemona when he says that, “so will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all” (Shakespeare, 49).
In conclusion the downfall of Othello was because of his own weaknesses. His traits were the reason why Othello was responsible for the plays tragic outcome. Iago was able to control Othello like a puppet because of his easily manipulated conscience. He chose to make the poor decisions, trusting the wrong people. His mind got clouded by the obsession and jealousy of Desdemona. Othello’s own weaknesses were what led the tragic hero to his tragic