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Critically analyze the character of Othello
Critical analysis of othello character
Critical analysis of othello character
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William Penn once said, “Only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee.” If Othello, the protagonist of Othello had followed this cynical attitude many lives would have been saved. In Othello, William Shakespeare tells the tragic story of Othello who is led to his downfall because of his confidante’s deception. Shakespeare effectively utilizes symbolism, asides, imagery and characterization to demonstrate the effect of Iago’s lies in the ruination of Othello.
Shakespeare excellently uses symbolism in this drama. The first example is Desdemona’s handkerchief. It symbolizes the love between Othello and Desdemona. The handkerchief was Othello’s “first gift” (3.3) to Desdemona; therefore, it was precious to both of them. Othello tells
Most of the asides are used by Iago, which creates dramatic irony. Iago announces he will “abuse Othello’s ear [by saying that Cassio] is too familiar with his wife” (1.3). This displays how Iago plans on using innocent Cassio to cause Othello’s downfall. The aside convinces the readers that Desdemona is innocent and that her infidelity was part of Iago’s scheme. Later, Iago declares that he will “set down the pegs that make this music” (2.1). He is saying that he will make sure that the merriment they experience will not last. He achieves this through dishonesty. Iago declares that “whether he kill Cassio, or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, everyway makes my gain” (5.1). This proves how sly he is and how indifferent he is to the fact that innocent people could die because of his plot. Then Othello says “she must die, else she’ll betray more men” (5.2). Through this aside readers are told that Othello’s intention in going to her room is to murder her. It shows how significantly he was affected by Iago’s
Iago tells Roderigo to “poison [Brabantio’s] delight […] incense [Desdemona’s] kinsmen, and though he may be in a fertile climate dwell, plague him with flies” (1.1). This sensory imagery shows how uncomfortable Iago thinks Desdemona’s relatives will feel hearing that she married Othello. This is also the scene were Iago first works against Othello by informing Desdemona’s father that Othello had married Desdemona. Iago also says “with as little web as this will I ensnare a great fly as Cassio” (2.1). Through this simile, Shakespeare creates the image of Iago as a spider and Cassio as a fly that is about to become the prey to the spider. Cassio becomes a victim because of Iago’s lie that Cassio was having a romantic relationship with Othello’s wife. Othello cries “farewell the neighboring steed and the shrill trump, the spirit-stirring drum, the ear- piercing fife, the royal banner and all quality” (3.3). By describing some of the things related to war and the military Shakespeare emphasizes how Othello can no longer care for such things because hurting Cassio and Desdemona is his main
Rhetorical strategies are continually used to get a point across or to manipulate another. Iago uses many devices to put false accusations into Othello’s head. In lines 330-447 in Act 3 scene 3, Iago uses rhetorical question, imagery, and sarcasm. He questions Othello and makes him think the worst between Cassio and Desdemona, and then his use of words adds color and a picture, so it has to be right. Last his sarcasm creates the assurances Othello needed to be duped.
“I am not what I am,” proclaims one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most enigmatic villains, Iago, in the tragedy Othello. Iago’s journey for revenge enables him to become capable of immoral acts, and whilst his malevolence excites us, we are no more intrigued by his attributes than we are of the play’s tragic hero, Othellos’. Rather, both characters’ confrontation with jealousy and their subsequent moral demise as a result of failing to control such an emotion provides the true excitement for audiences. Iago’s spiteful manipulation of Othello makes him a multifaceted character — whose corrupt attributes make the audience examine their own morality. However, the same can be said of Othello; his failure to withstand Iago’s ‘pouring of pestilence’
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
Iago is angry because Othello chose Cassio to hold a position which he thinks he deserves, so he seeks revenge by playing upon Othello’s main flaw—his lack of trust—and putting Cassio in a position that would turn Othello against him. In the beginning of the play, as Cassio and Desdemona wait for Othello’s ship to land, he pulls her to the side to talk about Othello’s arrival. He innocently takes her hand as he speaks to her and Iago takes notice. Iago then says, “With as little a web as this I will ensnare as great a fly as Cassio” (2.1.166-167). Iago introduces his plan of revenge to us, the audience. He uses the word “web” because a web is a great representation of how his plan starts and develops. A web starts out as a single line of string and is then manipulated and entangled to form a more complex structure that cannot be undone without being destroyed. Iago does this same thing when he takes this guiltless gesture and twists a...
Built on a broad base of multiple themes, Othello is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies. Let’s sift through the themes and try to rank them in significance.
...ituation Iago is finding ways to twist the innocent actions of Desdemona and Cassio to make it seem as if they are flirting and carrying on this affair for almost everyone to see. Enraged and eventually consumed by his emotions Othello’s takes Desdemona’s life due to the manipulation of this so called friend and confidant. A ‘friend and confidant’ who has been to battle with Othello and fought side by side, yet Iago is the one who ultimately uses and betrays Othello.
With Roderigo, someone he commands control over, Iago employs pathos, allowing his plan to appeal to Roderigo’s sensitive emotions about Othello. Roderigo and Iago discuss about how each of them despise Othello when Iago says, “If ever I did dream of such a matter, / Abhor me” using pathos to confirm his hatred towards the General (1.2. 5-6). The play commences with Iago employing direct rhetoric and partnering up with Roderigo to enhance a sense of comradery. Harsh language such as “Abhor me”, exemplifies the hateful emotions Iago feels toward Othello as well as enhances the emotions Iago wants to appeal to in Roderigo (1.2. 6). Affecting Roderigo more influentially, Iago uses deeper, more personal pathos, by highlighting the seemingly good qualities in Roderigo. Iago contrasts Roderigo to Othello pointing out, “Let not they discreet heart think it…manners and beauties: all which the/ Moor is defective in” (2.1. 215, 219-220). Firstly, Iago weighs Roderigo’s positive qualities against Othello’s negatives ones, convincing Roderigo to feel more confident with Iago and following along with his scheme. Secondly, Iago alters this rhetoric to include Roderigo’s love interest, Desdemona. By exemplifying a more personal and sensitive side when talking about “manners and beauties”, Iago can create a bigger impact in
In conclusion, Othello put too much trust into his friend and dishonest friend, which caused Othello his life. Furthermore, Iago, seemed to have thought ahead of Othello, by planting seeds of jealousy into Othello’s mind. Furthermore,
...uinely sweet on her. When Desdemona asks Iago to distract her from worrying about Othello, who may be lost at sea, Iago obliges by plying his wit upon her. This particular conversation does not serve to further his plot by causing his good image to increase, as he praises people of ill-manner, nor does it set up a future situation. It is simply conversation. However, Iago recognizes his love will forever go unrequited even if Othello were to die, and so his passion turned bitter and he jealously decided that if he can’t have her, no one can. Goading Othello into blind jealousy, he also restrains the Moor with cautionary words- like holding back a rabid dog whilst prodding it with a stick, so that once released, there is no chance of the madness wearing off mid-bite. Iago wants to ensure that when Othello says, “I’ll tear her all to pieces” (3,3, 447), he really will.
The story of Othello begins in Venice when Roderigo and Iago having a discussion. Before the discussion with Iago, Roderigo finds that Desdemona has already been married off, to a Othello, a moor, none the less. Iago is enraged by this news, he decides that he now has more than one reason to hate Othello. Othello has not only taken the woman that Iago so desperately longs for, but he had just recently surpassed him over for the position of lieutenant for Michael Cassio, who is not as experienced as Iago. Iago and Roderigo go to the house of Brabantio, the father of Desdemona, to tell him that his dearly beloved daughter has been kidnapped and has married a moor. They tell him to go and check on his daughter to see if she is in the house, when Brabantio goes to check his daughter's room he indeed realizes that she is missing and he quickly sends out some of his officers to find Othello. These events show that Iago will take any chance that he can to take a stab at Othello, no matter what the risks may be, if the king...
Iago’s artful manipulation of Othello’s mind is done in such a way that Othello no longer realizes what he is doing. Angered by the “proof” Iago gives him, Othello does what he believes was honorable in his situation. When he wishes to kill his wife, it is not because he wants it to end that way, but rather because he feels it is the only way to clear the sins the she has committed. Before he kills her Othello says, “Justice to break her sword! One more, one more!/ Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,/ And love thee after.” (114).
Within the drama, “The Tragedy of Othello”, Othello maintains a vital role in the plot within Shakespeare’s writing. Othello held a prominent role in society as a general for Venice and was both physically and psychologically respected in his community. However, during the drama Othello makes an important decision by choosing to murder Desdemona even with no clear proof; this action would affect Othello greatly as the drama transpired. Throughout Shakespeare’s script, Othello is continuously manipulated by Iago which ultimately results in not only the death of Desdemona but also the death of Othello himself. All of his actions would play a part in the overall analyzation of Othello; a tragic hero.
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.
Despite the negative foregrounding of Othello’s character by Iago, our first impressions of Othello in Act 1 are of a noble and well-spoken man, his nobility is conveyed through his speech ‘most potent grave and reverend signiors’(1.3.76) to his future father-in-law Brabantio of Othello’s love for his daughter Desdemona in Act 1 Scene 3. This is a very different character to what we expect from Iago’s preparation for the introduction of Othello. Where we are expecting an angry and possibly violent character, we instead are met with something completely surprising, a quiet and calm man who dismisses Roderigo’s insult and even avoids the prospect of a conflict.
Angry over being passed up for a promotion Iago decided to take matters into his own hands. In order to become lieutenant Iago devised a plan that included breaking up Othello’s marriage and eliminating Cassio as competition. Iago enticed Roderigo to be his partner in crime with the promise of attaining Desdemona’s love. Desdemona had many suitors since she was an attractive young woman, yet she “shunned [t]he wealthy,” (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 66-67), which included Roderigo, who owned multiple plots of land. Roderigo, who was naïve for thinking Iago actually had his best interest in mind, was easily persuaded since he was obsessed with Desdemona. The truth of the matter was that