‘Othello’ is another of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, embracing the complex ideas and the intrinsic nature of the human condition. The 1603 text encompasses around Othello, a tragic hero who allowed his fatal flaws, honour and reputation, to inevitably lead to his demise. The textual integrity of this Elizabethan tragedy has been preserved, allowing a critical analysis of various issues addressed within the play which still resonates in today’s society. Shakespeare accentuates the vulnerability of humanity, and confronts universal concerns such as discrimination and the effects of jealousy in the form of pride and deceptions. Consequently, Shakespeare’s Othello in conjunction with its relevance in our society allows the audience to gain …show more content…
Shakespeare has represented this concept through, Despite his victories in battle, Othello possesses emotions of self-consciousness and insecurity. This is examined in the quote, “For I am black, and have not these soft parts of conversation...or for I am declined into the vale of years”. (Act 3 Scenes 3) This depicts the uncertainty of living in a Venetian society because of ethnic origin, his lack of depth in speech and the age gap between his lover Desdemona and himself. However, this perception is contradicted by Desdemona’s continual faithfulness towards Othello. “So much duty as my mother show’d to you...so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor, my lord.” (Act 1 Scenes 3) suggests Desdemona has no interest in cheating on Othello, and understands the devotion required in a marriage, alike her mother. Shakespeare continues to enforce her loyalty using subtle forms of representation throughout the text. “Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief, spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand?” (Act 3 Scenes 3) emphasises this idea, with the symbolic reference of the strawberries being Desdemona’s virgin blood, again demonstrating her faithfulness towards Othello. Answer
Jealousy is a powerful emotion that can blind oneself from identifying the truth. Shakespeare heavily emphasizes this theme throughout the drama Othello, especially through the actions of characters. In the play the heinous antagonist, Iago, uses each character’s jealousy to deceive that person and manipulate the truth. His false promises and deceitfulness bring to the demise of many of the main characters in the play, including the protagonist, Othello. Othello could not have been deceived if it were not for his powerful jealousy. Therefore, Shakespeare is telling us that jealousy is an ugly trait that can hide the truth, which in turn causes many problems between characters in the play.
first of all the characters in the play to be attacked by the "green -
Shakespeare has an exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, trickery, murderous revenge, and jealousy. In Othello, one of his most recognized tragedies was consistently evolving around the central theme of jealousy. Jealousy in Othello is what the play was founded on. One of Shakespeare's most credible characteristics in his writing is his ability to compose a play in which has a story that originates, and strides on lies. As theses lies were unraveled the central theme of his play became distinct, and clearly visible. The central theme was based on the acts that characters had taken based on their jealous feelings. The flaws within all of the characters lied within their blindness to over look Iago's lies. What made each
In William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello", jealousy is conveyed by the handkerchief, a symbol that adds to the importance of the work all in all.
In Act III, Scene iii of William Shakespeare's Othello, Othello initially appears to be firm in his judgment; however, as the scene progresses, Othello's vulnerabilities are exposed and Iago is able to take advantage of his racial insecurities. Iago uses jealousy to sway Othello into his scheme by making it seem as though Desdemona is to blame, which further decreases Othello's self-assurance. Although Othello initially seems strong willed in his disbelief of Desdemona's disloyalty, his lack of self confidence and decision to trust Iago eventually lead to the detriment of his reasonability. When Othello is first presented with the idea of his wife cheating on him, he chooses to stay firm in his judgment. For example: "No, not much moved.
The relationship between Desdemona and Othello in the play ‘Othello’ is used to express and observe the way that humans are selfish by nature. Although both Desdemona and Othello do sincerely love each other, both of them find great personal gain in their marriage, which clearly contributes to their feelings for one another. Othello, who is a black leader in an overwhelmingly white, Christian society, has come from a troubled and difficult background, being “sold to slavery” and working in the military all his life. In finding a good Christian wife in Desdemona, he finds someone to always support him in hard times, as evidenced in his summary of their romance, “she loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them”. This quote suggests that their love is more self-serving than he lets on; Desdemona loves Othello for the adventures he has been on and the stories he tells, and Othello loves Desdemona because she listens and devotes herself to what he has to say. When Desdemona gets a chance to explain their relationship herself, she is particularly proud of the fact that she “did love the Moor to live with him; my downright violence and storms of fortunes may trumpet to the world”. We note that she mentions her ‘violence’, the way she deliberately disobeyed her father and fled his company to secretly marry a man who is not one of her father’s approved suitors. This furthers the idea that Desdemona seems to be in love with Othello because of the adventures he has been on, and the excitement and liberty of her being with such a man; she is seeking her own freedom in a misogynistic society by defying her father to marry Othello. Their relationship is
Shakespeare’s Othello is a play consistently based on jealously and the way it can destroy lives. One is quick to think this jealously is based on Othello’s lack of belief in Desdemona’s faithfulness to him or his suspensions over Desdemona’s affair with Cassio, Othello’s honorable lieutenant. Upon closer inspection of the jealously that exists throughout the play it becomes clear that his jealously is not the sole start and reason for all of the destruction that occurs. Iago, a good friend of Othello, is not who he appears to be. Iago’s own jealously of those around him pushes him over the edge. He begins to deceive all those who believe he is a true, honorable, and faithful man. Throughout Othello, Iago incites his own jealously in
Jealousy is a powerful drug. When someone is jealous, one can only imagine how far someone would go because of it. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, there were several characters that went through different ways of processing their jealousy. Iago’s jealousy provokes his idea to get back at the people he felt was not deserving enough of the things they had or their happiness. His plans succeeds but by the end, no one wins. Iago’s jealousy forms at the beginning of the play which causes Othello’s jealousy towards the end and because of it, it results in people hurt mentally and physically.
Despite being written in 1603, William Shakespeare’s Othello is a tragic tale of love, jealousy and betrayal that still resonates with audiences today. No doubt it is shakespeare’s greatest tragedies. But of the many strong emotions and tragic elements in Othello, jealousy seems to be at the core of all events in the story. Jealousy results in hate, lies , betrayal, manipulation, and eventually to murder.
Othello and Desdemona’s once loving relationship quickly fell due to the false rumors rooted by Iago with the help of the “green eyed monster” of jealousy and Othello’s gullibility. Shakespeare illustrates the gender inequality in the quote, “I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me?” (4.1.219), where Othello is angry that Desdemona supposedly cheated on him. Othello is unable to accept the fact that he, a man with renowned honor and respect due to his military reputation, has been cheated on by a woman.
In today’s society lies and decits are very common, the characters in Othello showed a whole lot of lies, jealousy and hatred. Meanwhile, the role of Jealousy does have tragic consequences in William Shakespear’s Othello. Jealousy signifies the hate that someone has towards what a person has or have in the characters of Othello. To Illustrate this, One can examine Iago’s reaction after speaking to Rodrigo, about his hate towards the moor, and how the moor secretly slept with his wife.
Only by considering a range of perspectives can we truly appreciate the world of Shakespeare’s Othello. It is through my exploration of these perspectives and their relationship with changing morals and values that has enriched my understanding of the play. One such reading of the play challenges the marginalisation and objectification of woman in a patriarchal Venetian society, while taking into account the changing role of women in modern society. Another interpretation of Othello examines its post colonial elements through the protagonist Othello, and his insecurities of being a black man in a white society. My interpretation of the play as a portrayal of the values existing in Shakespeare’s time is filtered through these
Othello has suffered less in its modern interpretation than any other of Shakespeare’s tragedies, it would seem. So insistently did Shakespeare keep this tragedy unified about the theme of jealousy and the central victims of the passion, so obviously did he mould his plot about the black Moor and the
Within this play, fundamental questions about humanity, as well as situations, attitudes, and problems that continue to hold strong universal meaning to this day are explored .It shows Shakespeare’s ability to create characters who resemble real life individuals and reflect lifestyles and personalities accurately. You could not help but be moved by the dark despair and utter wretchedness of Othello’s downfall! Shakespeare has dramatically explored many aspects of the human condition in this play, The Tragedy of
Jealousy is described as someone who is feeling or showing envy of someone because of their achievements and advantages. Jealousy plays a major role in Shakespeare’s play Othello. There are many instances throughout the play that show jealousy between the characters. Throughout the play, jealousy is used for destructive purposes only. I believe that Iago longed to get revenge on Othello for previous issues. This only results in a long line of accusations and disputes between the characters in Othello.