Religion In Othello Research Paper

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Desdemona’s Biblical Importance Knock, knock. Who’s there? Religion. The concept of religion is always present, as it’s abundant in everyday life. It spans all seven continents and affects the choices of people around the world, including whether it should be used in literature, media, or the like. The usage of religion in literature is a way to help people interpret meanings and ideas. Whether it is used to define a character or to provide an allusion, religion is prominent in more ways than one. A play that contains religion in a featured position is William Shakespeare’s Othello.
The play Othello, written in 1603, centers around the Venetian general, Othello and his recent marriage to Desdemona. Othello’s ensign, Iago, manipulates Othello into believing his wife is cheating on him, consequently Othello murders Desdemona before killing himself in despair. Religion is a primary factor that defines each character. In the play, Iago represents Satan, and Othello …show more content…

Othello laments after stabbing Iago about how wrong he truly was to stab Desdemona. Othello declares, “Like the base Judean, threw away a pearl away/Richer than all his tribe” (5.2.346-47). Othello is stating that like Judas, he betrayed someone he should not of. Othello then decides to kill himself in order to redeem himself of his actions. Therefore, he is taking the burden of Desdemona’s death away to attain his own personal redemption. Siegel states that Desdemona’s forgiveness and perfect love that springs about Othello’s redemption through Desdemona’s death is reminiscent of Christ (1068). Like many before, Siegel believes that in Othello’s suicide to bring about his own absolution displays Desdemona’s Christ-like juxtaposition as it parallels that of Christ’s death in order to forgive humanity for their sins. Even after her death, Desdemona’s religious significance still gets displayed through the death of her

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