The Shakespearian play Othello tells how a good man falls to ruin after a friend fills his mind with jealous thoughts. Othello presumably had Desdemona’s love due to his age, skin color, and Iago’s treacherous tongue and actions. These factors did nothing but fuel his doubts further. However, Iago’s actions and words could not have been enough to push Othello over the edge. Othello’s jealousy, insecurity, and misplace of trust is what caused his downfall. Iago did push Othello to his actions, but he was already having his doubts, which led him to believe Iago’s lies.
Othello’s jealousy is the first factor that will cause his and Desdemona’s downfall. “Othello is that as it seems to be a play about a man who is persuaded into a jealous rage, and kills the woman he loves, and it is difficult to impute to such a man any motive other than sexual jealousy,” (Potter 36). Othello’s jealousy of Cassio is what fuels his disposition. He has just married the woman he loves, but with a few simple words his love crumbles. Iago is the devil on his shoulder that fills his mind with horrible thoughts. However, the devil only appears to those in doubt. Othello is
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The main reason Iago can deceive Othello so easily is due to this flaw. Othello is in a society where de differs from everyone, and this already causes some discomfort with Othello. The term “Moor” is usually used when referring to Othello’s race. Also, it is mainly used in a way that is supposed to insult him. As seen in the phrase, “I hate the Moor,” (Othello 36). Desdemona’s father also does not want her to be with Othello due to his skin color. Iago uses this fact to further torment Othello. He manipulates him into believing that if Desdemona can choose him over her own father’s wishes, then she can betray him as well. As seen in lines, “to you, preferring you before her father so much I challenge that I profess due to the Moor my lord,”
Othello trusts Iago and now Iago is trying to take his wife from him for someone else. Furthermore, “He takes her by the palm...sir in.” (pg. 71). Iago watches Cassio and Emilia because he thinks they had an affair he watches them carefully so he can figure out how to convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Another example involves the plan to help Othello kill Desdemona. “Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated” (pg. 185). Othello believes that Iago is most honest, thus he believed killing his wife Desdemona was the right thing to do. Iago brainwashed Othello into believing the wrong thing was the right thing. The characterization of Iago is created by the use of dramatic irony. The audience knew how devious Iago is, but the characters fell for his mischievous acts.
To begin, one factor that causes Othello’s downfall is that he is characterized by gullibility. Firstly, Othello is tricked by Iago, who leads him to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. After Iago tells Othello about Cassio’s dream, Othello says, “Oh, monstrous! Monstrous!" (Shakespeare. 3. 3. 427). Othello trusts and relies on Iago too much; he believes Desdemona is truly having an affair with Cassio. His gullibility makes him become very vulnerable in Iago’s revenge scheme and gradually becomes increasingly jealous. When jealousy takes over Othello, his mind and judgment are disturbed. Furthermore, when Emilia tells Othello about the death of Desdemona, Othello admits to murdering his honest wife Desdemona but says that he killed her because she is untrue to him. After Emilia tells Othello that his thought is untrue, Othello replies: “Ay, ’twas he that told me first./ An honest man he is, and hates the slime/ That
Starting off, Othello allows Iago to tamper with his mind and does nothing to stop it. Othello puts all of his trust in him, but Iago is just hiding behind a mask and only wishes to torment Othello. Othello is not aware of his surroundings and the people there, making him vulnerable. If he paid more attention to Desdemona and not Iago than he would not have thought to kill his loyal wife. Othello jumps to conclusions too quickly
The nature of Othello's character is of a dark man. Not only because he is black, but also because his whole person is very mysterious. He is mysterious in that he believes there is magic everywhere. With this dark side, he is also very outgoing, and not very bright. He is not observant and the schemes of Iago work well on him. For all the dangers and encounters he has been involved in, this man is still naive of the corruptness of other individuals. Othello has a trusting nature in which he gives it all. He put all his trust in Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage to Desdemona. Everyone considered Iago as honest, and it would be out of character for Othello to believe any different. For example, Othello had told Duke:
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
Once a seed of suspicion or doubt is planted in a person’s mind, the noxious effect of jealousy is soon to ensue. Jealousy and suspicion are Othello’s flaws hubris throughout the play and foreshadow to the audience his imminent downfall. He believes what Iago tells him so strongly that he compromises his close relationship with his best friend and his love for his wife. Iago manipulates Othello through the use of extortion, literary techniques, and his keen judge of character. His syntax and diction are so simple yet so powerful because he uses the correct rhetorical questions and addresses Othello with respectful terms such as “my lord.” He allows Othello do most of the talking
Acting on snap judgments results in a negative outcome. Although prejudice in and of itself is dangerous, the true damage comes from resulting actions. This is most clearly demonstrated by Othello’s handling of the play’s main conflict. Even though the majority of the blame falls upon Iago, the success of his scheme is dependent on how Othello interprets and reacts to his claims. If Othello does not act out of a place of jealousy and prejudice- premature judgment- Iago’s plot would have be thwarted. Through the first two acts of the play Othello is established as a character with great trust, pride, and honor. He confidently defends and upholds his love for Desdemona. It is shocking how quickly he strays from these traits after Iago merely hints at the fact that she might be cheating on him. With no evidence at all, Othello makes a snap judgment. “Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless/Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds” (Shakespeare
Iago seems sincere enough, and he makes a concerted effort to ensure that he remains aces in everyone's book. So when Iago begins to plant the seeds of doubt into Othello's mind, Othello has no cause to doubt him. Desdemona is his wife, the woman that he loves with all his heart. Yet, see how quickly he is dissuaded, and how he disparages her. "Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damn'd tonight, for she shall not live. No, me heart is turn'd to stone, I strike it, and it hurts my hand?I will chop her into messes. Cuckold me!" (1167). But Othello never thinks to disbelieve Iago. He believes Iago to be an honest man, wise and simply trying to help. So he doesn't stop to think that maybe he should talk this over with his wife before he launches himself into a state of panic.
Othello’s love for Desdemona was so deep he could not bear the thought of another being with her; “If she be false, O! Then heaven mocks itself. I’ll not believe’t.” Iago uses the characters of Cassio and the obsessive Roderigo as his weapons in his cunning plan. Iago drives the idea into Othello’s mind that Desdemona has been unfaithful, inciting him into a state of jealousy. “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee; and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” Othello growing insecurities about his wife’s faithfulness only adds to his psychological suffering which in turn acts as a catalyst towards the suffering of other characters involved in the play.Iago tells these lies with the intention of driving Othello insane as well as establish his dominance and influence the situations of those characters close to Othello. Evidence of this comes in one of Iago’s soliloquies from act two, scene one; “That Cassio loves her, I do well Believe’t: That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.” This section shows that he is trying to convince himself that his own manipulative lies are true and is trying to reassure his motives by justifying his own actions. By convincing Othello
The relationship of the characters in Othello are shaped by the theme of truth and lies. Othello has trouble believing in his relationship with Desdemona because he considers too many outside opinions. Iago is the center of creating manipulations to alter the truth of the actual information. Therefore, Othello questions his fidelity with Desdemona because Iago plants different information to manipulate Othello’s mind and ultimately disrupt his relationship. According to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Othello wishes to excuse himself—to excuse himself by accusing” (151). Othello has others easily influence his decisions, in which he is incapable of trusting himself. Needless to say, Othello finds it easier to accuse Desdemona of her wrongdoings and for being unfaithful; he does not question Iago’s creditability. In addition, the theme of truth and lies arise from Othello’s inability to understand himself, so Othello initially has Iago dictate. For that reason, Iago is able to tell Othello anything, knowing that Othello does not question him. However, Othello does not see that Iago manipulates him, and Iago’s lies are perceived as the truth, as it contradicts what Desdemona says.
Othello failed to know the strength of his love when iago started to put lies in his head. He started to believe Iago the second he told all those lies, and he seemed to forget how much desdemona love him. Othello says “ Honest Iago,/ My desdemona must i leave to thee./ I prithee
Othello’s antagonist won the battle allowing death to part them. One may ask, “why didn’t Othello just ask Desdemona about faithfulness?” Iago’s poison already spread through Othello’s mind, affecting him too deeply (Epstein). However, Iago’s menacing lies did not fully contribute to the failing marriage. The lack of communication between the couple allowed for mistrust and abuse, setting the tone for not only one broken character, but two.
In William Shakespeare's Othello, Iago's persistent tampering of Othello’s mindset allows Iago to manipulate Othello’s insecurities regarding losing Desdemona, founded in his ‘otherness’. The fact that Othello is an outsider, specifically a Moor, composes his insecurities. Given the way “outsiders” are treated within Venetian society, Othello has little social power, yet the Duke’s favor of him provides him with institutional power. Since Othello cannot effect change in his surroundings off the battleground, he is left feeling insecure and hyper aware of any betrayal. When trying to convince Othello, Iago elaborately warns, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!
Shakespeare portrays Othello as the general without faults, perfect. Yet, he slowly reveals the weaknesses of Othello’s love for Desdemona. For this love he will forsake anything. Iago is quick to pick on this and starts working towards destroying Othello through his only shortcoming.
The retelling of the play "othello" is betrayal can lead to trickery, hate, and jealousy. Iago betrayals his best friend othello over othello wife desdemona which a deeply in love. Iago finds othello mother handkerchief which 'twas his first gift to his wife and Iago gives proof to othello that she is cheating with Cassio who drunk by Iago and fooled and othello gets proof based on textual evidence Iago nodded Now his revenge against Cassio was sealed. But he had more poisoned words for Othello. “My friend Cassio is as good as dead,” he said. Then he added slyly, “But let Desdemona live.’ Iago gives him proof then started being shallow with his feeling towards