Honesty In Othello

Honesty In Othello
William Shakespeare is a classic writer and has written several plays. One of his famous plays he
has written was Othello. There are several roles that show throughout the play; false friendship,
race, and gender roles. Iago portrayed himself as honest and truthful, which allowed him to earn
Othello trust. This is what we can see as false friendship and is explicitly in the play. "He hath a
person and a smooth dispose to be suspected, framed to make women false. The moor is of a free
and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be so..." (Act I, Scene III, 400–403) Iago
was very good at saying the right things at the right time. As the story progresses we see that Iago
not only lied to Othello but lied to each character along the way. Roderigo and Iago was false
friendship because he was using Roderigo to seek revenge on Othello. Iago tells Othello he loves
Othello so much and that is why he questions about Desdemona honesty towards him. He
apologizes to Othello for loving him so much. "... I humbly do beseech you for your pardon, for too
much loving you." (Act III, scene III, 211–212) Throughout the story I have realized that Iago
misled each character to their downfalls. He is a master manipulator as the audience can all see.
There was an analogy in the play that Iago reference too about gardening and free will. "... Our
bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles, or sow
lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Essay General Othello in Othello
William Shakespeare gave us a most moving drama in Othello. In this play we witness the demise of
a "paragon" of a wife and a "valiant Moor", Othello. Let us consider the Moor in detail, with
professional critical input, in this essay.
From the text of the play a number of clues can be gleaned which round out the description of the
general. In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the general in Othello:
Though scarcely the "barbarian" (1.3.353) he is called, the Moor is emphatically black, probably
rough, even fearsome, in appearance, and a foreign mercenary from Mauritania in refined Venice.
Though of royal blood, since the age of seven he had a restrictive, painful life, being sold into
slavery ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Politely he addresses the mob leader. "Where will you that I go / To answer this your charge?"
Brabantio demands prison for the general, but this conflicts with the duke's request for the general's
presence in council. When they have reappeared before the duke, the latter greets Othello
immediately and respectfully ("Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you / Against the general
enemy Ottoman."), but doesn't even notice the senator Brabantio ("I did not see you. Welcome,
gentle signior." Noble Othello obviously outranks even the senator, in the estimation of the city's
leader. Blanche Coles in Shakespeare's Four Giants praises Othello standing before the senators:
In Act I, Scene III, the "valiant Othello," as the Duke calls him, comes into the august presence of
the Venetian senators. He enters with others but can be singled out by his soldierly bearing in which
there appears a certain pride in his calling but no petty self–confidence. His appearance is that of a
man mellowed more by experience than by years. He is not handsome as to facial features but has a
good physique. When he stands to speak it is with a simple dignity and natural nobility. The deep
organ tones of his resonant voice, the rich quality of which was born to him in a southern climate,
commands the spellbound attention of his

Othello : William Shakespeare 's Othello
Jack Martin
Mrs. Siplivy
British Literature
3 March 2015
Othello
Introduction
Shakespeare is the second most quoted writer in the English language – after the various writers of
the Bible. Many of Shakespeare's ideas for the play Othello came from a collection of tales written
by Giraldi Cinthio. In Othello the character of Iago acts as the prominent main character throughout
the play, even though he plays the role of the antagonist to the other central characters in the comedy
Iago is the tragic hero. Shakespeare's Othello was not just a translation of Cinthio's version from
Italian to English, but a transformation of the drama, changing the dynamic of the play.
Shakespeare's use of metaphors, the tragic hero and the actuality of the story led to Othello
becoming an infamous piece of writing during the Renaissance. William Shakespeare's Othello is a
classic piece of British Literature because of its use of literary devices, intriguing plot and historical.
Biography
William Shakespeare comes from a story of mysterious origins, however there are Church records
and accounts that give us brief sketches on the life of Shakespeare, but these records do not tell us
much on the man of Shakespeare himself. "By 1592, there is evidence William Shakespeare earned
a living as an actor and a playwright in London and possibly had several plays produced(William)."
After that date of 1592 it is considered to have been about twelve years until Shakespeare wrote his
comedy Othello and

Othello By William Shakespeare 's Othello
Emilia found it and took it to Iago, who left it for Cassio to find; Cassio in turn, gave it to his
mistress.
To add to his suspicions, Iago sets Othello up to hear Cassio 's discussion regarding his mistress
Bianca; however, Othello believes he is referring to Desdemona. This situation only becomes worse
when Bianca produces a copy of Othello 's handkerchief, and believing it to be his own he strikes
Desdemona in his rage. Othello first asks Emilia to confirm Desdemona 's unfaithfulness, but she
cannot; therefore, he confronts Desdemona herself. Obviously astounded by the accusation,
Desdemona is devastated. Meanwhile, Iago again tricks Roderigo– this time into killing Cassio in
order to keep Desdemona in Cyprus. Roderigo again starts a fight with Cassio, but Cassio injures
him, thus Iago injures Cassio himself. Othello, believing that Iago and has killed Cassio, leaves to
again confront Desdemona. Wanting to rid himself of any potential threat, Iago kills Roderigo. As
Othello is confronting Desdemona, he tells her to wake up and pray as he "would not kill thy
unprepared spirit" (5.2.33). After explaining his reasoning for killing her, he smothers Desdemona
with a pillow. Emilia finds her mistress murdered at Othello 's hand and is told that her husband,
"honest" Iago, confirmed Desdemona 's adultery. Upon hearing this she, proceeds to tell him the
truth of Iago 's deception. Iago murders his wife for her betrayal, but Othello only manages to injure
him. Finally knowing

Othello Down Shakespeare 's Othello comprises of the subjects betrayal, affection and dishonesty.
At the focal point of this play is the lamentable ruin of Othello because of his so–called friend Iago.
In this paper I will be examining the explanations behind and against Othello being in charge of his
defeat through taking a gander at critical interpretations of his character and activities. Othello was
profoundly in charge to his own destruction as Iago demonstrating to him to be gullible and naive
manipulated him. Iago controls Othello by making him suspicious through induction, "Ha I like not
that". (38) Iago mumbles this when he sees Desdemona and Cassio talking. Iago clues that he knows
something verifying Othello can hear yet making it sufficiently unpretentious to imagine that he
didn 't need him to know. On closer examination, all through the play we see Iago controlling all the
characters thus; this demonstrates that he is a specialist expert controller for everybody to be
misdirected by him. At the point when perusing this play we don 't anticipate that Iago will as
effortlessly control Othello, as he seemed to be. As Othello is a general in the armed force we expect
more teach for him. He is an exceedingly regarded general in a trusted position of power. Othello
has no motivation to uncertainty what Iago is stating truth be told he supposes him legitimate and
has set extraordinary trust in him and hence he turns out to be all the more effortlessly controlled

Othello Questions
Act 1 Scene 1 Questions
1. From Roderigo's first speech it appears that he paid Iago for something? Can you tell what it is?
So that he will help win over Desdemona's heart
2. Iago say he hates Othello for what reason?
Iago hates Othello because he didn't get the promotion and Michael Cassio did and Iago thinks he is
the one who deserves it
3. What does Iago say of Cassio?
Iago says that Cassio is undeserving as he has no experience and only has book knowledge
4. What two kinds of followers are there, according to Iago?
The loyal who will follow their leader to death and the ones who will act like that but are really
plotting against him
5. Shortly after this, Iago speaks about appearance and reality. He concludes "I am not what I am".
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He defends Cassio and says that he does not know who started it 'I do not know.' (2.3.160)
3. What makes Iago a villain in this scene?
Iago can easily play a friend and always look sorrowful yet behind their backs he is plotting against
them. Iago is seen as honest, 'honest Iago, that looks dead with grieving' (2.3.158) and
4. Try to translate Iago's key speech line by line if possible line 303 – 329. Remember we can't know
exactly what Shakespeare meant so it's up to you!!!
How can someone say I am evil when I do a lot of great things?
Act 3 Scene 3
1. For what two reasons does Desdemona agree to plead Cassio's case?
Cassio and Othello have been friends for so long and Desdemona would hate to see that go to waste
'You do love my lord, you have known him long' (3.3.10–11) and Desdemona believes Cassio to be
an honest man.
2. What is Iago referring to when he says, "Ha! I like not that."
Cassio leaving quickly when Iago and Othello arrives so that he can plant a seed of doubt about
Cassio and Desdemona's relationship 'Cassio, my lord?... I cannot think.../ that he would steal away
so guilty–like,/ seeing you coming' (3.3.38–39)
3. Desdemona pleads Cassio's case, and Othello agrees to reinstate him. What happens next?
Othello starts to distance himself more and asks Desdemona to leave him alone 'I do beseech
thee,.../ leave me but a little to myself' (3.3.84–85) the seed of doubt has been planted
4. After Othello

Prejudice In Othello
From the beginning of Othello I noticed that it was one of the most interesting plays that I've read
and analyzed. This play is not just a drama, but also is a collection of problems and issues that
happen every day. For me it was very interesting to see how the imports of racism can be used to
depict Othello's actions, and even hurts him in the end.
In the scene study that our English class put on, I was Casio and Othello. These two characters,
though different, seem to be the same. Othello is the highly respected general of Venice, although he
is a Moor from African descent. Casio on the other hand is a rich haughty, beautiful man from
Venice. Casio's character is hard to depict, because haughtiness does not come easy. These two men
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The scene starts when Rodrigo tries to kill me but completely misses. I kill Rodrigo full of anger
and surprise. Even though I did not have many lines for Casio, I realized that his Character is hard to
play. Casio is extremely haughty and is a quick witted smart man who realizes what to do when
being attacked. Casio is also beautiful because Iago wants him dead because he says that "he has a
daily beauty that makes me ugly."Casio needs to be played by a rich snobby person, to get best
results.
During the month that we studied Othello I learned a ton. In this study of Othello I finally learned
how to get through the old Shakespearean English thanks to our small in–class acting sections.
These classes really helped me understand Shakespeare's writing in his plays and novels. The folger
edition of Othello was also helpful because at each page there were definitions for many
Shakespearean terms that were located on the page. Also at the end of each Act there was a small
summary that explained all of Shakespeare's words in modern day English.
These classes taught me theatrical language which I did not know of. Blocking, change in voice and
character, and most important expression were just a few things that I learned from watching other
people act or play characters in Shakespeare's

Is Othello A Hero
Othello is said to be the worst hero in any of shakespeare's novels, but it is surprising to even
consider him a hero after all that he has done throughout the novel. Othello is a hero and an
important figure in venice but I wonder if he would still be a high figure if the people heard what he
had done. If the people of venice finds his flaws he would quickly be removed from general. He is a
Very Gullible person, he has no trust and he is an over–emotional person. Because he has these
flaws he would not be considered Important anymore. And to really put the nail in the coffin hen
would be put in jail for murder. Since Othello is a gullible person it affects him in many ways. As
Othello is a very Gullible person it is very easy for Iago to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
It is the green–eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on." (3.3.178–179) Although the
play shows no indication of physical aggression by Othello, one can assume from the following
speech there is some physical confrontation between Othello, and Iago: "Villain, be sure thou prove
my love a whore! Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof, Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul,
Thou hadst been better have been born a dog Than answer my waked wrath!" (3.3.375–379) Others
also notice Othello's jealous loss of self–control. In Act III Scene V Othello goes do Desdemona to
demand she show him a handkerchief he gave to her. When she cannot produce the handkerchief
Othello gets furious and storms out of the room. After his exit, Emilia says, "Is not this man
jealous?" Othello, being a military man, sees himself as a man who judges by the fact. He believes
only what he sees, or what his most trusted ensign, Iago, reports to him. Having Iago report the
goings on between Desdemona

othello Essay
jealousy
In the play Othello, jealousy is shown to be very evident through the actions of the characters.
Jealousy is an emotion that everyone shares, and it is ultimately responsible for the tragic ending of
the play. Everyone feels jealous at certain times of their lives, and this feeling can cause people to do
irrational things. This human emotion also shows people to be weak in the sense that they are never
happy with what they have. Shakespeare shows through Othello, Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio that
jealousy is the most corrupt and destructive emotion.
Othello is horribly jealous of what he thinks is going on between his wife and Cassio. This
poisonous feeling turns Othello into a mad man and he strikes his wife. Jealousy causes ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Othello has many qualities that fit the category of a tragic hero. He falls from prosperity to suffering,
but not necessarily in a material sense. His fall is from happiness, contentment, and love to
unhappiness, accusations, and distrust.
. He is admired by everyone in the play, even Iago comments on what a good man Othello is.
Secondly, a tragic hero can not be perfect. He or she must have a flaw of some kind. In Othello's
case it is that he allows his emotions to take over. Manipulated by Iago's lies, Othello is forced to
confront emotions he obviously can not handle. His wisdom and patience are replaced by anger and
hate. The power of these destructive emotions ultimately lead to Desdemona's death and Othello's
suicide
Without a doubt, Shakespeare's play Othello is a tragedy. The main character, Othello, is a typical
Shakespearean tragic hero. Othello is good man who is deeply in love with his wife. He has one
flaw, jealousy, which gets the best of him, and triggers the downfall of his wonderful life.
Othello was living a successful life, but he had one flaw: jealousy. As a result of his jealousy, his life
begins to get chaotic because he no longer trusts his wife. Slowly Othello's sanity and status become
questioned, and he is no longer seen as important. The last straw is drawn, and Othello murders his
beautiful wife only to find out that she did not deserve to die. Othello was a good man, but he was a
tragic hero because of his flaw that

Manipulation In Othello
Tragedies, like Othello, are meant to cause great suffering, and destruction through a lesson, which
ultimately leads to an unhappy ending. Many of William Shakespeare's dramatic work accomplished
the goal or the ultimate lesson, through the protagonist's downfall, who meets with disaster through
unavoidable circumstances. In any play Shakespeare writes, they provide the audience with a
powerful message, which we can feel through each character's emotions and actions. With the help
of Shakespeare's broader view of human nature, the audience can relate to most of his dramas.
Ultimately, through Iago's calculated emotional manipulation of the Moor, Othello makes jealousy
his public insecurity, driving him to murder.
The setting starts with Roderigo ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Desdemona promises to Cassio, that she will do as much as she can to help Othello change his mind.
Othello tells Iago that he thinks he just saw Cassio depart from his wife, Iago then took the perfect
shot to kindle Othello's jealousy by telling him Desdemona and Cassio are involved in an affair.
Desdemona finds her husband not feeling well and offers him her handkerchief, which he knocks
out of her hand, leading Emilia to steal it for her husband Iago. Eventually, Iago places the
handkerchief in Cassio's room for evidence, and Othello off to the side sees the handkerchief in
Cassio's hand, knowing he got his proof. Later into the night, Othello demands Desdemona of the
handkerchief, and she quickly changes the subject by talking good on Cassio's behalf. Through
Iago's whispers, Othello becomes so consumed by jealousy, and later watches Iago and Cassio's
conversation of what is seemed to be the confession of unfaithfulness. Accusing his wife of being a
whore, he dismisses her and Emilia's protest of her being innocent. Iago reassures the only way
Roderigo will have a clear path to Desdemona, he needs to

Untruths In Othello
For Whom Is the Play Othello the Most Tragic?
William Shakespeare's 'Othello' reveals a range of flawed characters, who through their own actions
and behaviours may be perceived as tragic. Both Cassio and Iago lose position, power and face in
the community, this, of course, is tragic, however, it was merely a consequence of their own actions,
mainly Iago's series of untruths in attempt to fool all of the characters in the play. Othello could be
considered tragic through his naivety and trust in others, however, he has fallen so deep into
jealousy, that he is no longer the honourable and brave general that everyone had respected. It is
Desdemona, alone, rejected and betrayed by all who is the most tragic character in the play.
Othello's flaws ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Iago tells a series of untruths with the intention of hurting Othello, he has many reasons to do so,
one interpretation definitely might be that he is jealous that Othello chose Cassio to be his
(Othello's) second in command rather than him, but some readers will interpret the play that it is not
Cassio that he is jealous of but rather of the alleged affair of his wife with Othello (Act 2.1.224) – he
wants to pay Othello back for what he did. He suspects that Othello slept with his wife, but fails to
provide either evidence or any form of investigation. He gives Othello a taste of 'his' own medicine
called jealousy, also known as "The Green–Eyed Monster" (Act 2.1 Part 2:273–4 and Act 3:3:169).
Iago fails as a human to sympathise with another, his response in explaining his motive was so
inadequate that it was tragic by itself (Act 5.2 Part 2.302–3). Iago is a sadistic, cruel and mean–
spirited character whose intentions could also be viewed as pointless because he had no true motive,
with which, modern psychologists would call him a psychopath rather than being a tragic

Othello 's Othello By William Shakespeare
Iago's main reason to denigrate Desdemona's character is his love for Othello. Consequently, he will
do anything to gain Othello's admiration. When Iago is putting his plan into action and planting in
Othello's mind that Desdemona is not faithful to him, Iago says:
Othello kneels
..............................................................................................
IAGO: Do not rise yet.
Iago kneels
Witness, you ever–burning lights above,
You elements that clip us round above,
Witness that here Iago doth give up
The execution of his wit, hands, heart,
To wronged Othello's service. Let him command,
And to obey shall be in me remorse,
What bloody business ever.
OTHELLO: I greet thy love. (Shakespeare, 3.3.451–469)
It is speculated that Iago's love for Othello is so intense that he wishes that Othello were married to
him, not Desdemona. Thus, he creates a mock wedding by kneeling next to Othello and delivering a
speech that can be considered his wedding vows. When a woman marries in the Renaissance, she
gives up her life for her husband, as she now has to be submissive to her husband and do as he
pleases. Iago mentions that he will give up his "wit, hands, and heart" for Othello, as if he was
becoming Othello's wife. Therefore, he will commit any deed to show Othello that he is in love with
him. One may argue that Shakespeare also portrays male characters in Othello as monstrous.
However, even though their behavior, such as murders and bad treatment towards women,

Othello And Othello By William Shakespeare Essay
Desdemona and Othello's relationship is (at least initially) everything that ought to be desired in a
marriage: mutual respect, passion, empathy and loyalty. However, while sentiments of love and
compassion circulate within the happy couple's luxurious home, their surrounding neighborhood is
filled with vitriol and paranoia: "Who is this animal that has bewitched sweet Desdemona?" they
ask. The differences that separate Othello and Desdemona do not perturb them, but are starkly
obvious and unnerving to the judgmental citizens of Venice. While it was certainly rare in the 16th
century for couples to have such disparities in age, social position and race, none of these
differences diminished how Othello and Desdemona felt for each other, yet each spurred external
obstacles that threatened their relationship.
While Othello and Desdemona are separated by a considerable age gap, it has never hindered their
blossoming romance – at least until such a gap is exploited by Iago. Desdemona's exact age is never
offered, but it can be assumed by her description as "a young maid" that a generation gap is present.
During the play's time period (likely late 16th century based on the presence of the Venetian–
Turkish wars), the average age of marriage for aristocratic women was 19–21, so we can presume
that Desdemona is of similar age. Such an age would be consistent with Brabantio's characterization
of his daughter as just a "girl" (I.i.161), as he references her "delicate youth" and "youth

Free Othello Essay: The Disintegration of Othello
The Disintegration of Othello
Shakespeare's Othello is a play with unique characters. One such character is the one for which
Shakespeare names his play. In the play, Othello disintegrates from a confident leader to a homicidal
murderer. Linguistic changes throughout the play attest to this theory.
In the opening scenes, Shakespeare portrays Othello as a noble character. When Brabantio seeks
vengeance (for "stealing" his daughter) on Othello, Othello expresses his actions will "tongue out
his [Brabantio's] complaints" (1.2.21). Thus he shows his calmness against the verbal slander of
Brabantio. Throughout this scene, Othello remains calm and confident. Moreover, he humbly tells
the story of his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Othello continues in this matter until the Temptation scene in 3.3.
He begins this scene in the same manner but Iago's words transform him into a monster. At first, he
simply doubts his wife's fidelity. He asks Iago to observe Desdemona's actions (3.3.274). Then
Othello goes to his wife. Although he seems ill, his speech does not express his change. But the next
time Othello meets Iago, Othello has a different character. He begins using the animal imagery Iago
used throughout the play (3.3.407). In addition, he calls her a "lewd minx" (3.3.533). As the play
progresses, he begins using this animal imagery more often.
In addition, Shakespeare adds exclamation marks after many of Othello's words. Before this point,
few exclamation marks marked the text. Thus the reader might assume the excitement in Othello's
voice. An actor would surely make note of these exclamation marks. The calm Othello has begun his
descent into a raging Othello.

Furthermore, he calls on "black vengeance, from the hollow hell" (3.3.500)! He continues
exclaiming, "O, blood, blood, blood" (3.3.505)! Othello is in a fury. Also, he begins using imagery
of the devil in places such as 3.3.536 and 3.4.45.
In 3.4 he begins talking in riddles. He accuses Desdemona of having a "liberal hand" (3.4.50). Here
he is suggesting she gives her hand away too liberally. Later in this scene, he lies to her, making a
fantastical story about the origins of the

Othello Analysis : Othello By William Shakespeare
Riley Thompson
Professor Grill
LIT 200
2 November 2014
Othello Analysis Assignment
Othello, a play that was written in 1604 by William Shakespeare, is an example of a type of story
called a "tragedy." Throughout the course of the work, Othello proves himself to be very easily
misled, despite his heroic status. This causes him to lose his ability to make good judgments and
decisions. Even though Othello had a reputation as a hero, he ends up being one of the most gullible
characters in the play when he completely falls into the evil trap that Iago set for him. As the story
unfolds Othello's character evolves in an extremely tragic way as Iago manipulates him and leaves
him to rot in his misery. Eventually, this leads to Othello's suicide.
As a character, Othello is tough, noble, and virtually fearless. He is recognized for his hard work as
a soldier but at the same time manages to remain humble. Shakespeare makes him out to be a hero
from the start of the play. For example, in Act One, Othello says, "Let him do his spite./ My services
which I have done the signiory/ Shall out–tongue his complaints" (1.2.17–19). I think that this quote
displays that Othello is confident enough with his value and importance to the city of Venice that he
really is fearless of getting in trouble for marrying the one he loves, Desdemona. As the play
progresses, Othello's humility comes to the surface via the words he elects to use in order to explain
his marriage to Desdemona. In Act One, Scene

Insecurity In Othello
In William Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, there is a double standard for race focused mainly on the
main protagonists Othello and Desdemona. There is a drastic contrast between the way Othello is
held with high esteem politically yet is ridiculed when brought into a romantic setting. The disdain
that is brought upon Othello is one of the contributing factors for his spiral into a jealous rage and
his own downfall. Perhaps one of the primary instances of a character presenting Othello as a
negative character is when Brabantio discovers that Othello and Desdemona are married in Act I,
Scene 3; it is his speech beginning with "a maiden never so bold..." that plants the seed of insecurity
in Othello's mind and reveals the true feelings of not just ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Othello not only served in the army but was a famous general despite his race, showing that there
was nothing segregating him in that aspect. That entire mood shifts when Brabantio finds out about
the secret marriage, wrenching Othello down from someone he bestowed trust in to someone
beneath his status. In Brabantio's speech renouncing the possibility that Desdemona could choose to
love Othello in her right mind he accuses their relationship of being "against all rules of nature",
opening a broader concept regarding interracial relationships (Shakespeare I.iii.442). Brabantio
takes a similar stance a few lines earlier in his impassioned speech when he emphasizes the way
Desdemona chose Othello "in spite of nature, of years, of country, credit, everything" (Shakespeare
I.iii.437–38). Not only does Brabantio mourn for the damage this union inflicts upon their
reputation, but he also asserts that the possibility of their interracial relationship would be against
the laws of nature, something completely different from the praise Othello received as a general.
While Brabantio's dramatization of his expectations for the marriage's consequences does reveal his
own viewpoint on the double standard of race, it also unknowingly reveals Desdemona's stance as

Shakespeare's tragedy Othello deals with various issues in the tragic vein of tragedies such as
Hamlet and King Lear. Marriage and associated issues stands out as a key theme and preoccupation
in Othello. In Othello, various issues such as race, patriarchal attitudes and other general human
frailties complicate marriages. Shakespeare portrays marriage in a very bleak light. In the beginning
of the play, we see that marriage is not only a union of man and his wife but also involves various
familial considerations that add to the complexity of the marriage relationship. Shakespeare opens
the play with an argument between Othello and Desdemona's father. Desdemona's father is unhappy
about her daughter's elopement because he views her daughter as one of his properties. Later,
Shakespeare reveals a similar possessive attitude in Othello and other male characters, which shows
the role that patriarchal attitudes and associated male chauvinism play in creating the tragedy of the
marriage institution as shown in the tragedy Othello. Therefore, the essay proposes that patriarchal
attitudes create the fertile ground for the eventual destruction of the marriages and loving
relationships in Othello.
The tragedy of two marriages in Othello, which lead to the deaths of Emilia and Desdemona are
majorly caused by accusations of marital infidelity. In particular, Desdemona's tragic and short
marriage with Othello is troubled because of the attitudes during Shakespeare's time about
interracial

Foils in Othello
The Foils of Othello One of William Shakespeare's many attributes as a playwright of the late 16th
century was his character development. Shakespeare's seamless use of indirect characterization sets
his works apart from the other playwrights and authors of his time. In Othello, the Shakespearian
tragedy about the newlywed Othello and Desdemona, Shakespeare uses character foils to emphasize
the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. By making inwardly similar characters seem like
polar opposites, Shakespeare truly shows how dynamic each of the characters is. Othello, the play's
protagonist, is the most dynamic character of them all due to the fact that he is a complete foil of
himself by the final act of the play. In the second act ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Although Iago and Desdemona rarely interact throughout the play there are used to show how evil
or good the other is.
Desdemona was also a foil to the person she interacted with the most in the play; her husband,
Othello. Othello and his newlywed Desdemona become opposites toward the end of the play. The
main couple of the play is very different from each other which is easily seen by the audience
because of how they interact with one another. Othello was filled with hate for Desdemona because
he believed she had cuckolded him, and Desdemona never stopped loving him even though he
accused her of things she did not do. Desdemona asks Emilia "That there be women do abuse their
husbands In such gross kind?"(4.3) showing how truly innocent she is and when Emilia asks if she
would cheat on Othello she is appalled at the idea. Desdemona would never cheat on the husband
she works tirelessly to please. In this instance Desdemona does not only prove her innocence, but
she also shows that she is virtually incorruptible making her different from her easily corruptible
Othello. Iago only had to show Othello a little evidence for him to become corrupted with jealousy.
It was not Othello's fault that he was corruptible, but he was very quick to build hate for his wife,
but slow to believe her pleas of innocence. The reason for this is related to the time in which the
story

Bigotry In Othello
Othello, a play full of lies, deception, and sin, is filled with underlying tones of racism alongside
these other negative aspects. William Shakespeare, most likely unintentionally, displayed the bigotry
and racism that was politically and socially prevalent during their time period. He showed this
throughout with his usage of characterization and word choice when speaking of Othello, who was
of Middle–Eastern descent, which was looked down upon. Unfortunately since then not much has
been changed regarding the stereotypes that people have fabricated about people from these specific
ethnic ancestries. This same bigotry and racism can still unfortunately be seen today in presidential
campaigns, social conversations, and many other aspects of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
When Brabantio finds out that his daughter, Desdemona, is married to Othello, he is in utter shock
and disbelief, saying "This accident is not unlike my dream, belief of it oppresses me already."
(Othello I.i.140–141). This displays Brabantio's underlying fears of his daughter marrying, or even
being in a relationship with someone of Muslim descent. This follows the social norm of that time,
that people of white, or European decent, should marry into the same ethnic group. He believes that
due to Othello's ethnicity, that he possibly may have possibly used a charm to persuade her to fall in
love with Othello, asking Roderigo "Is there not charms by which the property of youth and
maidenhood may be abused?"(Othello I.i.171–173). Brabantio believes that his daughter, whom he
considers to be so pure and innocent, could not be married, especially not to a Moor, someone who
he considers to be unworthy of having his daughters hand in marriage. On the other hand,
Desdemona is exponentially more progressive than most people in her community. She does not see
skin tone as being a defining quality of a persons character or personality, and especially should not
be a reason for hatred. She married Othello, a person of Middle Eastern decent, not because she was
charmed, or forced to marry, but rather she is in love with him for his character and his past.

Discrimination In Othello
Othello is treated in a positive way more than negative in Venice. He is probably treated with higher
respect by other people of Venice because he is now a general of an entire army. He is even
respected by a higher powers like the Duke. Othello is treated negatively so far by the characters
that were introduced like by Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio but they do have their reasons. Brabantio
used to invite Othello to his house and listen to his stories about the life he had led. Brabantio
recently started to hate on Othello because of him secretly marrying Desdemona behind his back
which enraged him. Brabantio is now racist towards Othello because he believed that his daughter
would never fall for someone like him. He thinks that he can't be

Othello Notes
Othello Notes:
Assessment Objectives:
AO1: A consistently fluent, precise writing, using critical terminology to present a coherent and
detailed argument in which the question is well understood and answered.
AO2: Well developed, analytical and consistently detailed discussion of effects of language, form
and structure and ways in which it affects the audience.
AO3: Well informed and detailed discussion of different readings of the text by various audiences,
as well as different critical approaches.
AO4: Well detailed and consistently developed understanding of the significance of context of the
text.
Critical Approaches:
A C Bradley (1904):
Othello's nature is all of one piece. His trust where he trust is absolute. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Feudalism was giving way to capitalism; there were attacks on the Crown.
Aristotle's Poetics:
Othello follows the classical approach to tragedy set out in Aristotle's Poetics. The play imitates
actions which excite pity and fear. The character between two extremes that of a man who is not
eminently (respectfully) good and just, yet some error or frailty (conditions of being wear or
delicate). He must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous–a personage like Oedipus of the
Greek Myth, or other illustrious men of such families. A well–constructed plot should therefore be
single in its issue, rather than double as some maintain. The change of fortune should be not from
bad to good, but reversely, from good to bad. It should come about as the result not of vice, but of
some great error or frailty in character either such as we described, or better rather than worse.
Iago's plot is Iago's character in action:

Iago is a being who hates good simply because it is good, and loves evil purely for itself. His action
is not prompted by any plain motive like revenge, jealousy or ambition. It springs from a
"motiveless malignity" or a disinterested delight in the pain of others. Iago is a perfect examples of
how evil naturally arises within the human nature. As Ecclesiastes says "the hearts of the children or
men are full of evil."
The organic way "I'll pour this pestilence into his ear" in which Iago's plots consume the other
characters and

Handkerchief In Othello
The Handkerchief – Othello
Throughout Othello, the handkerchief is 'handled' by nearly all of the characters. This could be
interpreted to reflect a problem within the marriage. A number of characters are involved in the
couple's relationship, therefore interrupting any effective communication between the Othello and
Desdemona. The handkerchief may appear to be an insignificant object, however, throughout the
play its symbolic importance is revealed.
At first, the handkerchief is a gift given to Desdemona by Othello as a token of his love. Iago knows
that, for Othello, the handkerchief symbolises Desdemona's innocence and chastity. After it shows
up in Cassio's possession, when Iago 'loses' it in his quarters, Othello is convinced that Desdemona
has been unfaithful. The white napkin, is spotted with 'red strawberries'. Othello tells Desdemona
that the strawberries were hand stitched with thread that had been 'dyed with blood' from 'maidens
hearts' or, virgins' blood. Intern this could be interpreted to resemble a white wedding sheet that has
also been stained with a virgin's blood. Therefore, in Othello's mind, as long as Desdemona has the
handkerchief in her possession, she's chaste. This is the same case for ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The at first innocent love token is symbolically replaced with wedding sheets, which have then been
interpreted to be transformed into Desdemona's death shroud as she says to Emilia: 'If I die before
thee, prithee shroud me in one of those same sheets'. It could be interpreted that Desdemona tries to
show her chastity and the truth by asking for the wedding sheets to be 'lain'. But this real symbol of
her innocent sexual nature means nothing to Othello. To Othello the meaning behind the
handkerchief, which has been passed back and forth between man and man, is of more importance
then what his wife is saying. This conveys the control Iago has over Othello, who was once a
rational thinking

William Shakespeare 's Othello And Othello
Dejenara Williams
Ms.Milliner
EES21QH–04
January ,18,2017
In this world there are two different types of people. There are those with a fixed mindset and others
with a growth mindset . Each of these mindset involve different personality and characteristics. This
may create a different outlook on life, meaning different morals and actions. Which happens to
come into play while reading shakespeare 's Othello. Most of the characters , maybe even all fit into
either categories. Characters like Iago, Othello's bearer, Desdemona , a venetian lady, Cassio Othello
's second in command and Othello Himself. Throughout the book they all encounter different
situations and problems. That mostly happened because of the actions he or ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
This explains to be gritty means to be a person with a mindset based off characteristics that resemble
having effort , and allowing themselves to have time when trying to fulfill a short and long term
goal. So by always thinking about what it takes to reach higher levels instead of worrying about
wants , focusing on my needs will allow me to be viewed as gritty. Not only gritty but having a
growth mindset. I 've come to see the character in Williams Shakespeare book Othello that is mostly
the opposite of me would be Othello himself. Othello plays the role of a caring person. He cares for
the pleasures and pays less attention to the important aspects in his life that needs to be handled ,
first priority. It 's clear that throughout the book one of his main priorities is Desdemona. The writer
Williams Shakespeare writes, " The moor, howbeit that I endure him not is of a constant , loving ,
noble nature. And i dare think he'll prove to Desdemona a most dare husband"(79). One can see he
cares for desdemona and other characters see this as well. Proving also when you have attachments ,
which she is to othello, this can be a setback or leverage to others. This can either help you in life by
challenging you or be the drastic downfall. Therefore proving my point of view. Another important
character whose mindset is easily recognized in this book is Iago. He is

Iago And Othello
The play Othello by William Shakespeare showcases the unique characters of Othello and Iago.
Othello commences with Iago: Othello's general informing the audience of his hate for Othello.
Next, the Duke sends Othello, Iago, Cassio along with Desdemona and Emilia to Cyprus to defeat
the Turks. Once the Turks are defeated, Iago initiates his plan to ruin Othello's life. He plants the
idea of Desdemona's unfaithfulness in Othello's mind, which drives Othello mad. This leads to
Othello murdering Desdemona and Othello's death. Throughout the play Othello and Iago play key
roles in the story's plot. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago and Othello's complex character development
lead to continued conflict and their downfalls. Othello is a well respected ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Othello starts the play as a respected and honorable general that has won the respect of the Duke,
Brabantio, and Desdemona. However, Iago exposes his personal flaws of jealousy and being too
trusting, which lead to murder and his own death. Iago has always been well respected and
trustworthy throughout his life, nonetheless he uses his sneaky ability to conduct his plan and not be
seen. To carry out his plan Iago must manipulate key characters, among them are Othello, Cassio
and Roderigo. Othello showcases the characteristics of a tragedy because it displays the fall of the
major character and does not end with a happy

Musical Characterization For Othello 's Othello
Musical Characterization for Othello
In Verdi's Othello, the music is used by Verdi to characterize each character in the opera. It is the
music who describes the audience the personality traits of each character. Moreover, music
accompanies every scene in the opera. In many cases, we can know what is happening or what the
character is feeling through the music the orchestra is playing. This is an innovative way to
characterize the characters in an opera used by Verdi that do not fit into the traditional ways of
Italian opera. This paper intends to describe Verdi's textual and musical characterization of Othello.
Othello is a Moor, general of the Venetian republic. He has passed his fortieth years. He presents the
brave, loyal figure of a man of arms. Simply in his bearing and in his gestures, imperious in his
commands, cool in his judgement. The scene that follows the duet in Act I should suffice to reveal
these gifts of temperaments. This act shows him in all his strength, in all his glory, in all his
radiance. His first words proclaim victory in a voice of thunder amid the tempest. His last words
exhale a sigh of love upon a kiss. First, we should see the hero, then the lover, and we must perceive
the hero in all his greatness to understand how worthy he is of love, and how great his capacity for
passionate devotion. Then from that prodigious love a fearful jealousy will be born through the
cunning agency of Iago. Reason and justice govern Othello's actions up to the

Othello Is A Fool
Othello is honestly is getting more crazy in jealousy and rage. He actually starts to believe Iago's
stupid lies and "proofs." Iago is like becoming the master of Othello thoughts and is basically telling
him what to think. And it's sad, because of Othello's lack of esteem, he believes all of it. Iago tells
Othello that Cassio has even told Iago that Desdemona and Cassio slept together. To which they
both devise a plan to make Cassio outwardly say he has, so Othello hides while Iago and Cassio
"talk about Desdemona" but in reality he was talking about Bianca the whole time. Because Othello
is starting to believe Iago, he is making a fool of himself. He is becoming more irrational and not
trustworthy of his own wife, going as far to hit her

The relationships in Shakespeare's plays are never simple and even less so when one narrows the
field to his tragedies. In the case of Iago and Othello this complicated relationship is made more so
by the interwoven theme of appearance verses reality. The idea of Iago, the wolf in sheep's clothing,
fighting both for and against his master that permeates the play. Othello, however, a seasoned
warrior being unable to see through the guise is a flaw his companion takes advantage of. Iago's
hatred is the biggest mystery of this play, making the reader wish Shakespeare had written a prequel.
That prequel would defiantly clear up the currently unexplainable hatred Iago feels for Othello, who
trusts his companion to his own fall. Iago does not wish for Othello, or anyone but Roderigo, to
know of his involvement on Brabantio finding out about the marriage, telling Roderigo "I must
show out a flag and sign of love, / Which is indeed but a sign."(559). Iago goes on to defend his
master against his confidant drawing swords. Iago's hatred is hard to question, but the motives are,
like many things concerning Iago, notoriously masked. To Roderigo he makes it clear the hate
comes from Cassio being promoted over himself in the first scene of the first act even before the
reader knows of whom he is speaking. Then in the closing of the first act Iago spills out to the fourth
wall that rumour has it "'twixt my sheets/ has done my office."(572) and though he has no proof that
Othello slept

Shakespeare's Othello peels back the layers of society's underlying feelings regarding people who lie
outside of the perceived standard norm. It digs into the heart of society and reveals the damage that
is placed upon individuals who are considered outsiders, even if they manage to achieve success. In
this particular play, the audience is able to see how the subtleties of racial bias slowly destroy a
person's psyche. Throughout the play, the audience examines Othello cast in both negative and
positive positions. Othello is both a great general of the Venetian army as well as, just "the moor"
who used "magic" to trick his wife, Desdemona, into a marriage. Through harmful racial language
Othello is constantly reminded of his outsider status. The destruction of his character through blatant
and subtle criticisms cause Othello to doubt his self–worth and ultimately leads to his self–
destruction.
Racial otherness and the inconspicuous barrier it creates in this play is the key to understanding the
tragedy of Othello. Iago and Roderigo open the play with slanderous statements about the character
and personality of Othello that allows the audience to view how society perceives Othello. The
language Roderigo and Iago use is openly offensive and can't be mistaken for anything other than
hate based on Othello's race. Roderigo refers to Othello as "the thick lips" as well as a "lascivious
Moor", during the opening of the play. Both Iago and Roderigo are disgusted with the high rank

Othello and Identity
Identity is a very key, important thematic issue in William Shakespeare's tragic drama, Othello.
Identity, or what may be better explained as a character's public perception, is highly valued in the
Elizabethan Age in which Othello is set. There is a varying range between the characters in the
extent that how they are perceived in public is not how they behave in private or how they really are,
thus creating more than one identity per character. A character's identity is the overall essence of that
character, however, in plays such as Shakespeare's there must always be an element of tragic flaw to
the play thus creating conflict. In Othello, conflict ultimately arises through the plotting and
scheming of one central, manipulative ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is here that the audience begins seeing a different identity of Othello. Who was once regarded as
so valiant and courageous, was now beginning to show signs of severe insecurities dealing with
matters, most importantly, such as his lack of experience in love and marriage causing shadows of
doubt over his confidence in himself and his ability to be loved by and worthy of someone like
Desdemona. Desdemona, although not intentionally, seems to be the reason for all the unrest in
Othello. This is an instance in the play when irony shines it's smiling face upon Shakespeare's most
tragic characters. Othello feels truly happy with the presence of Desdemona in his life (Act II.1,
181–187):
It gives me wonder great as my content
To see you here before me. O! my soul's joy,
If after every tempest come such calms,
May the winds blow till they have wakened death
And let the laboring bark climb hills of seas,
Olympus– high, and duck again as low
As hell's from heaven! If it were now tow to die,
‘Twere now to be most happy;
And yet he also feels severe discontent with this same presence and feels that this love and triumph
in his life is too good to be true and as all things too good to be true, cannot last, "But I do love thee,
and when I love thee not,/ Chaos is come again" (Act III.3,

Othello Presentation
Discuss the presentation of Othello in Act III Scene iii with particular attention to the ways in which
the audience was prepared for these happenings.
The presentation of Othello in act III scene iii shows a pivotal change in his character persona. From
viewing the previous scenes, the audience would have likely perceived Othello as an honorable and
respectful man; however, with this scene we see his change in character occur so rapidly, that
previous scenes may not have prepared the audience of the extent of the transformation of his
character.
Right from Othello's entrance in the scene, we can already see the beginnings of what will be the
root cause of the change in Othello's character. Shakespeare makes the change in Othello's
presentation through the use of his other character, Iago. With Iago's cunning and sly words of
deceit, Othello slowly becomes more and more suspicious of Cassio and his relationship with his
wife, Desdemona. The choices of words in Iago's dialogue such as 'steal ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
As Iago speaks his mind, Othello is likely to act in states of agony, shock and anger, followed by his
lines of grief such as "O misery!" (173). When Desdemona returns, Othello tells her he has a "pain
upon my forehead" (288), which the audience can interpret as Othello's stress and suspicious
thoughts eating away at him. When Othello returns to the stage once more, his dialogue focuses
solely on how he cannot stop thinking about Desdemona cuckolding him. It is clear with this
presentation, that he does truly love Desdemona as he bids goodbye to all his happiness with the
thought of her cheating on him, and with this, we can also see the presentation of Othello's

Othello- Jealousy
Jealousy, "the green–eyed monster"
Shakespeare is consistent in his use of repeated themes throughout his works, particularly those of
love, death, and betrayal. Shakespeare repeats these themes to set the mood through his works. It is
important for Shakespeare to be consistent with his themes, or the plays would lose their meaning
and mood. All of these themes are present in Othello, but the most dominant is the theme of
jealousy, which presents itself multiple times throughout the play. We see the kind of jealousy which
is envy of what others have, and as the kind of which is fear of losing what we have. According to
The New Lexicon Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary of the English Language, "jealousy is a state
of fear, suspicion, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Iago then tells Roderigo that "elsewhere" will most likely be Cassio, and advises Roderigo that he
should start a fight with Cassio at the evening's celebration.
This begins part two of jealous Iago's plan of destruction. That night, Iago gets Cassio drunk and
sends Roderigo to start the fight with him. When Cassio stabs Governor Montano as he tried to hold
Cassio down, Iago sent Roderigo to raise alarm in the town. Othello arrives and strips Cassio of his
rank of lieutenant. Roderigo thought this plan was for him to get rid of Cassio so he would win over
Desdemona, but really it was for selfish Iago. Iago knew Cassio could not control his liquor and
would do something bad enough to lose his title, the title Iago was jealous that he did not have. Iago
then tells the audience that eliminating Cassio is the first important step in his plan to ruin Othello.
"I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets He's done my office." (Shakespeare
I.iii.). Now that Iago succeeded on getting Cassio stripped of his rank, his plan will continue to
destroy Othello.
Part three of Iago's plan begins with Cassio distraught and feeling that his reputation has been ruined
forever. Iago guarantees Cassio that he can get back on Othello's good side by using Desdemona as
a midway. Iago tells the audience that he

Othello Essay
Shakespeare's Othello creates a racial vision through comparing between the black and the white
people. Shakespeare connects the vision of black people (Othello) with evilness, darkness, and with
the devil. While white people (Desdemona) "that whiter skin of her than snow" (4.2.4), represents
purity, lighten, and goodness. Othello is represented as a devil because of his skin color and from
this we can see how racial prejudices subsisted strongly in the mid sixteenth and in the seventeenth
century. Actually Shakespeare uses Othello's complexion as a symbol of his "true" essence.
Shakespeare success in representing Othello in a way which provokes the audience, ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The two men have a news that Desdemona has eloped with Othello, general of the armies of Venice,
and left her father house, both want to share these news with Desdemona's father. This scene is
important because it portrays Iago as a vanillin also his actions, and his speech conveys him as a
manipulative character. Iago has constructed a schema to exploit Othello as a thief and magician by
saying that Othello has stolen Desdemona's heart by using witchcraft. Iago stimulates Roderigo to
confront her father, Brabantio. He tells Roderigo, "Call up her father, Rouse him...poison his
delights...do, with like timorous accent and dire yell," (1. 1. 64–65, 72) Iago is actually not worried
for Roderigo's heart and feeling. in another word Iago does not care that Roderigo loves Desdemona
and wishes to marriage her. Also, His intention is not to help Roderigo to get Desdemona but to
cause a problem and distress to Othello, when Roderigo tells Brabantio about Othello and
Desdemona marriage. Iago tries to provoke Brabantio by using racist language to appeal to the
senator's traditional beliefs, Iago

Manipulation In Othello
In modern society, everyone has a drive to become greater than what they are, and in some cases it
may require the elimination of the obstacles which restrict one's progression. William Shakespeare's
Othello is play which portrays these unfortunate aspects of society through the characters of Othello
and Iago. In short, the play is about a man named Iago who is unsatisfied with his prestigious
commanding general, Othello, and plots to ruin his life. Iago is deceitful character who Othello
perceives as truly honest and trustworthy, but through the manipulation of others, Iago transforms
the general into an irrational character fueled by false doubt. This eventually directs Othello into
ultimately killing his wife, Desdemona, before ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, they are also clearly different as Othello is gullible and accepts Iago's accusations which
grants Iago a window to tackle his schemes using his manipulative nature.
Firstly, Othello is a noble and valiant warrior who turns against his moral beliefs because of his
vindictive ensign, Iago, who intends on manipulating Othello into killing his wife. Othello is
gullible multiple times, including the stretch in which he first perceives Iago as a positive entity in
his life and embraces him as an honest individual. This can be seen when Othello promotes Iago,
when he states, "[n]ow art thou my lieutenant" (iii. iii. 478). The lieutenant position is extremely
hounourable as the individual entitled to this name grows in the social hierarchy and emerges as an
important factor in the governor's choices. Hence, this event is later a stem to all of Othello's doubt,
as Othello values his lieutenant's deceitful voice which leads him to believe Desdemona is a whore.
Moreover, after killing Desdemona, Othello cries "[m]y wife! My wife! What wife? I have no wife.
/O

For the time Othello was set in, 16th century Elizabethan society held strong socioeconomic roles
that governed social statuses. In Shakespeare's Othello, class positions become a theme that
emphasizes power as a major role in relationships. In the case of Othello, a general of the Venetian
army, and Iago, one of his trusted advisors, that power struggle is the force that dominants the play
and leads to the disastrous and memorable ending. Machiavelli's treatise, The Prince, examines the
dynamic between power and servitude and how a proper ruler will take care not to be hated by his
inner circle and pick the right ministers to advise him (Machiavelli XVI, XXII). By using
Machiavelli's treatise, the roles that Othello and Iago contributed to the tragedy will be studied to
determine the cause for the struggle between power and servitude and how, if possible, that struggle
could have been avoided if Othello had adapted to the philosophy suggested in The Prince.
Othello's character is one that goes through dramatic changes throughout the play at the hands of his
advisor Iago, but also at his own hands. Iago is arguably one of Shakespeare's most notorious villain
and he remains as evil in the play as he was when he is first introduced. Iago is determined to break
Othello down by manipulating him into believing that his wife, Desdemona, has been unfaithful and
Iago does not need to do much to convince him. There may be several theories as to why Othello is
easily manipulated even

Sacrifice In Othello
In Othello, there are many love interests that happen between the characters and many sacrifices are
made. This is what the poem revolves around Othello sacrifices his relationship with Desdemona by
choosing to believe everything that Iago tells him. In the play, Othello and Desdemona fall in love
and decide to secretly get married. This causes Iago to be overcome with envy. He decides to plot
intricate ways to foil their relationship. He begins by fooling Othello into believing that Desdemona
is cheating behind his back with Cassio. He sets up a conversation with Cassio to make it sound like
he is talking about Desdemona, however, he is really talking about some prostitute. The
conversation consists of Iago and Cassio talking about women.

Shakespeare's Othello
Desdemona in Othello
In William Shakespeare's tragic drama Othello, the wife of the protagonist is Desdemona. She is a
lovely, intelligent, wholesome and pious person. This essay will analyze her.
In Act 1 Scene1, Iago persuades the rejected suitor of Desdemona, Roderigo, to accompany him to
the home of Brabantio, Desdemona's father, in the middle of the night. Once there the two awaken
him with loud shouts about his daughter's elopement with Othello. In response to Iago's vulgar
descriptions of Desdemona's involvement with the general, Brabantio arises from bed and, with
Roderigo's help, gathers a search party to go and find Desdemona and bring her home. The father's
attitude is that life without his Desdemona ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Thus it would seem that Desdemona has been living her life with a father who is primarily interested
in self and less in Desdemona. And yet she has emerged unscarred psychologically, and capable of
deep love for Othello.
Entrusted to the ancient's care and that of his Emilia, Desdemona arrives at the seaport of Cyprus.
While waiting there for Othello's ship, she grows tired of Iago's derogatory comments directed at his
wife, and she quite matter–of–factly states her mind: "O, fie upon thee, slanderer!" and even directs
Iago's focus off of Emilia and onto her ownself: "What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst
praise me?" Her total forthrightness and courage show her to be the daughter of a senator! She
continues to critique the ancient's answers to her questions: "These are old fond paradoxes to make
fools laugh i' the alehouse" and "O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best." She is not fearful
or reticent in the least.
Once that her husband has safely arrived on the island and disembarked, she greets him publicly,
and later responds before the crowd to his loving address to herself:
The heavens forbid
But that our loves and comforts should increase,
Even as our days do grow! (2.1)
She is showing herself to be a most wise and feeling wife. It is this tenderness that Cassio appeals to
after Iago has entangled him in

Othello 's Othello By William Shakespeare
Desdemona's Passivity
[In the Shakespeare's play "Othello"] Desdemona is a passive character in the Shakespeare play
"Othello". We can identify this as a fault in Desdemona, in various acts and scenes throughout the
play. A critic had stated that "Desdemona is passive, acted upon rather than acting." This is a valid
statement which is noticeable in Desdemona's character. When Desdemona argues Cassio's position
that Othello stripped from him. We see from this that she could have acted upon the situation rather
than a mere plead with her husband Othello. As well as the handkerchief Othello gave to her when
asked by Othello what happened to it, she passively told him "I have it not about me." (3,4,55). As
well as when Othello is about to kill Desdemona. She remains passive even as she is being murdered
by her own husband. Desdemona lies in her bed and allows Othello to unjustly smother her to death.
Cassio was made second in command by Othello the leading general in the armies of Venice.
However after Cassio is found to be guilty in a drunken fight by Othello, Othello then stripes Cassio
of his lieutenant position of the armies of Venice. Desdimona tells Cassio "Be thou assured, good
Cassio, I will do All my abilities in thy behalf." (3,3,1) Here Desdimona is referring to Cassio's
position Othello had stripped him of. Desdemona is letting Cassio know that she will speak to
Othello on his behalf, continuing on that she will make it right between

Racism In Othello
Othello Shakespeare has written many classic play writes that in time people fall in love with is
literature repeatedly. Othello, is one of the many classics that he wrote and perhaps may be one of
the most controversial play writes that involve racism, betrayal, and love. The story goes in depth
about interracial relationships and the status of a black man in a white privileged societies' uprising.
Othello's first man in command, Iago and other citizens in the Venice spout racial slurs throughout
the dialog as a scapegoat to blame and show hatred towards Othello. Throughout the play, the only
true person who saw Othello for himself was his love Desdemona, in which she had a tragic fate that
lead to her death from the insecurities, jealousy, and racism towards Othello. Othello comes from a
region in Africa and left his homeland to serve as a commander in the Venetian fleet. He is a
nobleman and a well–respected decorated solider by his men besides his first man Iago. In the
beginning of the dialog, Othello sees himself as a strong and confident man. "My parts, my title, and
my perfect soul, shall manifest me rightly." (Shakespeare, 30) He is a nobleman and a well–
respected decorated solider by his men besides his first man Iago. In the beginning of the dialog,
Othello seems as if he is a confident man that is not defined by the color of his skin.
In the dialog, Othello is known to be a Moor and is repeatedly called "Moor" in the story but also
imply that by his

Patriarchy In Othello
In the play, Othello, Shakespeare displays a patriarchal, or male dominated, society in which women
are seen as the inferior. Women are expected to be loyal, do as told and to never question the
judgment of men. The three women in the play, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca, represent three
different classes of women with the same expectations. Class standing didn't make a difference in
what was expected of them, but certain acts can bring one down by class. Through Desdemona and
the other two women, the audience is shown the injustice that Renaissance women face in marriage
and in society. In the Venetian society, women are seen as property and submissive. Although they
are seen as weak, women, in the play, have the power question the judgment ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Brabantio develops the traditional expectations of women in a patriarchal society. Brabantio
describes Desdemona as "Of spirit so still and quiet" and "A maiden never bold" (I.iii.94–95). He
describes as "never bold", demonstrating her as submissive. Desdemona embodies herself as a
submissive woman; she declares, "I am obedient" (III.iii.89). She continues to obey Othello
throughout the play. When Desdemona goes against her father's wishes and marries Othello, she
goes "Against all rules of nature" (I.iii.101). Branbatio implies that it is natural for women to be
obedient and do as told by their husbands and fathers.
The Venetian society presents its social beliefs as rigid laws of nature. On her deathbed, Desdemona
stays true to her husband saying "Commend me to my kind lord" (V.ii.128). Desdemona accepts her
role as a submissive and obedient wife. Emilia shows that she is aware of her role as a woman in
society but also shows her objection in Act: "'Tis proper I obey him, but not now" (V.ii.201).
Emilia's need to explain why she is going to betray her husband shows her compliance to the laws of
the society. The women in Othello help form the expectations of themselves through their
compliance and

Honesty In Othello

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Julie Kwhl

More from Julie Kwhl (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Honesty In Othello