Love and Hate Expressed by Characters in William Shakespeare's Othello

Shakespeare is known for his use of recurring themes throughout his work, including love, death and betrayal. These themes are present in his work of Othello. However, the most fundamental issue is jealousy. The lives of the characthers in Othello are ruined by jealousy from the beginning to the end of the play. The telling of the story is carried out by passion, jealousy, and death. Shakespeare’s Othello reveals devastating tragic inevitability, stunning psychological depth, and compelling poetic depth; the fragility and mysterious power of love, as well as demons of doubt, and how suspicion can be triggered by manipulative villain (Barthelemy 12).

Although Desdemona’s meekness seemed prominent at times, she would stand by those she loved under any circumstances. She had a heart full of compassion and love. Othello was a man who saw Desdemona’s angelic personality and truly loved all of her. They had such a strong bond and even at times when it seemed the whole of Cyprus was against them their loved triumphed all. When they both met, there was an instant connection/attraction the stories Othello told about his passed enticed Desdemona as she always listened with woe and sorrow. He spoke of his times of struggle and hardship throughout growing up and his travels and it she had immense respect for him but, was also quite excitable. She spoke fondly of the time when he proclaimed his love for and told her father word by word, “She thanked me and told me that if a friend of mine had a story like mine to tell, she’d fall in love with him. I took the hint and spoke to her. She said she loved me for the dangers I’d survived, and I loved her for feeling such strong emotions about me. That’s the only witchcraft I ever used”.

Othello and Desdemona have peculiar relationship to say the least. While the story of Othello does not give us many insights on their relationship, throughout the story, we begin to question the concept of their relationship as a whole. The audience mostly blame the story of Othello ending in a tragedy on Iago, but as critical thinkers, they should consider the flaws of Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Along with flaws, Othello and Desdemona had relationship issues already in areas of behavior and backgrounds. It seems more likely that their relationship was going to fail regardless of the actions of Iago.

Tragically, this pure, innocent love obsession more often than not, develops into a bitter and resentful obsession that will spite one or both parties. This is clear in Shakespeare’s Othello. Desdemona’s and Othello’s harmonious marriage is warped by the Machiavellian villain Iago, who is insanely jealous and obsessed himself. Othello finds true contentment in Desdemona; she truly comprises his ‘other half’, as a spousal cliché states. She provides serenity in the life of a soldier who has known war since the age of seven. Unfortunately, this serenity and this union is what Iago seeks to undo. Expert in his understanding, he seizes upon lines previously spoken: “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:/ She has deceived her father, and

"You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not” (Picoult, 384). This quote is the definition of true love, something the two protagonists of this play sadly never had. The tragedy Othello is about a general of the Venetian army, and his beautiful wife Desdemona, whose lives are completely ruined by the deceitful, cunning, and cowardly Iago. One of Iago’s biggest accomplishments was breaking up Othello and Desdemona's relationship by getting it into Othello’s head that Desdemona was cheating on him. This really made the reader question Othello’s feelings towards Desdemona as for someone who claimed to have love Desdemona with a passion, Othello sure was quick to believe Iago’s lies and turn on Desdemona. Based on his actions towards Desdemona, Othello proved that he does not truly love Desdemona because he is insecure, lacks trust, and is a very jealous person.

Susan Snyder states "Barbantio, Iago and finally Othello see the love Between Othello and Desdemona as unnatural, ‘nature erring from it self’." Othello expresses this through his statement,

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):

From the beginning of the play, their relationship is tested, manipulated, and derailed. Despite this, Desdemona’s love for Othello is expressed in the lines, “That I did love the Moor to live with him,/ My downright violence and storm of fortunes/ May trumpet to the world…” (I.III.247-249). In these lines, Desdemona is justifying her reasoning, love, for accompanying Othello on the trip to

Desdemona loves Othello dearly, which is reflected in how loyal she is to him. There are two situations in particular that Desdemona demonstrates this. First, when discussing women that cheat with Emilia, Desdemona claimed,”Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong / For the whole world” (4.3.73-74). She would not cheat on Othello for the entire world. Another instance where she shows how loyal she is to Othello is at the end of the play. Othello stabbed her, and

Othello and Iago love emotions shows throughout the play that they have certain different view on their wives. Othello is so in love with Desdemona that he can’t imagine the thought of her being unfaithful to him. The aspect of him and his unbreakable love for Desdemona can be seen in these lines: “But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition, Put into circumscription and confine” (Othello 561;lines 25-28). Othello and Desdemona shows a healthy and genuine love for each other. Othello shows his affection for Desdemona despite their racial differences. Throughout the play Othello reassures us about their love and no one else’s thought can break it.

Iago, knows “that I love the gentle Desdemona” (Oth. 1.2.24). Othello loves Desdemona, but Othello’s character changes which causes his death. Iago sees that Othello loves his wife, but decides to manipulate the relationship they share anyway. This contrasts Macbeth, because Macbeth and Desdemona’s are separate from one another. Desdemona betrayed me and “my relief must be to loath her” (Oth. 3.3.269).

The evil in Iago becomes visible from the very beginning of the play. He explains at the beginning how he was passed over for the

There is no way that Othello truly loved Desdemona. As stated in the last paragraph, Othello eats up Iago’s lies without another thought. After assuming Iago was correct in his accusations, Othello was quick to become abusive towards Desdemona, even beginning to plot her death and how he would murder his own wife. Othello didn’t even confront Desdemona until he decided to carry through with the unjust slaughter, in which she desperately states “I never did / Offend you in my life, never loved Cassio / But with such general warranty of heaven / As I might love. I never gave him token,” (V. ii. 65-70). Othello, however, chooses not to listen to his wife, to his partner who he oh-so-loved, and responds by telling her that she is a “perjured woman”

Shakespeare explores more than just excessive, impetuous love in portraying the Moor. Othello has been prepared for his role as a jealous, murderous husband from the beginning of the play because his love for Desdemona is suspicious. Othello immediately discloses that the love he and Desdemona share derives from his stories of war, which are strong and heroic: "She loved me for the dangers I had passed/and I loved her that she did pity them." (1.3.168-169). He explains to Iago, "But that I love the gentle Desdemona/I would not my unhoused free condition/put into circumscription and confine/for the sea's worth." (1.2.25-28). Othello tells Iago that sea treasures could not make Othello surrender his love for war and nothing could make him surrender his love for Desdemona. This shows that the power Othello derives from war describes the powerful quality of his love. It seems doubtful that the love Othello has for violent "feats of broil and battle" can be used to describe his love for Desdemona who is "of spirit so still and quiet that her motion/ blushed at herself," without compromising the safety of love (1.3.131, 1.3.96-97). In fact, when he returns from suppressing the Cyprus revolt, he calls out to Desdemona, "My fair warrior!" (2.1.180). Although Desdemona has fallen in love with Othello by listening to his "travailous history", stating that she is a "fair warrior" does not seem to be the next logical step in

Othello’s immediate trust for Iago’s speculations demonstrate the truth of the matter that Othello is not close with his wife to be able to hear the truth from her. Othello exhibits assurance in Iago and goes to him for advice. In return, Iago deceives Othello by pointing out Desdemona’s actions saying “She did deceive her father” by marrying a Moor (III.iii.206). Iago is implying that Desdemona is not to be trusted because she lied to her father. Othello now disregards Desdemona and changes his attitude towards her. Othello believes that if she was able to lie and hide a relationship from her own father, she is capable of hiding her cheating ways from him. Othello is persuaded that Desdemona has what it takes to go behind the backs of the people she loves and this creates