Power Of Words In Othello

The ability of passion to bring destruction upon the lives of the unsuspecting is illustrated in Shakespeare’s Othello with the use of both manipulation and deceit. The curse of fierce passion fell namely on Othello as he transitioned from a respected general to an unstable murderer. His downfall is demonstrated through his increasing self-doubt, lack of ability to articulate, and violence. In the start of the play, he is an accomplished general and happy newlywed, and has yet to be significantly held back due to his being a Moor and outsider in Venetian society. As passion overtakes him, however, Othello truly ingrains the idea that he is less than, and those around him begin to blame his actions on the nature of his ethnicity. He has completely lost his identity to his desires and is unable to think rationally. Shakespeare juxtaposes this version of Othello with his initial composed self in Venice to demonstrate the damage of ignorance to logic and heighten the sense of tragedy. The effects of an overwhelming passion involving love, jealousy, and revenge are shown through Othello’s degradation and loss of stability.

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.

Throughout the first act, a host of disparaging and select terms are used to describe Othello by a number of different characters. Referred to as

Language features such as dramatic monologue and symbolism are a key component in understanding significant messages of a play, as well as expressing the Author’s overall purpose in a text. “ The Merchant Of Venice”, by William Shakespeare- demonstrates a number of key ideas, one being to teach us the concept of mercy being righteous and morally acceptable than justice. Shakespeare does this explicitly by modelling his characters to represent this idea through forms of language features, in specific dramatic monologue.

   In Othello, Shakespeare explores the relationship between words and events. Spoken thought, in the play, has all the power of action; speaking about an event will make that event become reality for those who hear - it will affect reality as if that event had taken place. Shakespeare demonstrates the power of words poignantly through Othello's monologues. Othello struggles with the reality that Iago creates for him. When Othello speaks, he reveals that he is unable to stop himself from carrying out acts that Iago's and his own words have prophesied and initiated. Othello's monologues further demonstrate that even the knowledge of the power of words cannot protect the characters from the

The basis of Othello is that words play a crucial role in the downfall of the character Othello. The audience is left to interpret Shakespeare’s language. This is what gives the play its beauty. In ‘O’ the power of words is lacking, and the director has created a film which involves the audience not being left to interpret the film for themselves. This immediately destroys the beauty and literary value of the play. In the play Iago only has to say one word and Othello makes grand presumptions completely unrelated to the that sole word. For example when Iago says ‘Lie’ to Othello, Othello replies with ‘Lie with her? Lie on her?’. Iago knows that ‘lie’ has two meanings and knows that Othello will instantly relate it to Desdemona’s affair. However, in the film there is no evidence on power and manipulation of words, which causes the film to look bad compared with Shakespeare’s version.

In Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Geoffrey’s film appropriation of “Othello”, the context and circumstances of which these two productions are set, feed heavily in to the ways the composer is conveying and dictating the values that particular time privileges. Through the vastly different centered audiences (Elizabethan and modern), the themes of race and ethnicity, language and imagery, both composer’s skilfully represent these issues and values. In Shakespeare’s Othello, the christian context dictates much of society's moral codes, with the idea of marriage as a ‘deal’ or ‘purchase’ ie, woman being possessions and submissive.

The setting for Othello's final moments onstage is critical to how it is perceived by Othello, the other players onstage, and the audience. It lends credence to the nobility of the situation, and adds to Othello's misguided self-perception. The experience, in itself, is

The Bard’s presentation of emotions, character, of good and evil actions that are down-to-earth – these are sometimes seen as the main reasons for the high ranking of Othello. Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in “The Engaging Qualities of Othello” maintain that the popularity of this play has been consistent for about 400 years and they tell

Language reflects the most fundamental human need, the desire to communicate. What and how a person says has the ability to stay with us for years and years, shaping us into the people we become. Words possess the ability to change meaning based on the tone of the speaker, as well as have the power to deeply influence another. In his many works, Shakespeare presents a distinctive style of language. Being intentional with the word choice, pauses, and tone of the character reveal how a character feels at a specific point in time.

   In the Bard of Avon’s tragic drama Othello there is a very disquieting dimension of the play; this is the evil dimension, which has such depth and intensity that it penetrates not only the mind but the body and soul of the audience.

Othello is one of the greatest plays due to its variety of character and themes. The immorality seen in Iago, the gullibility in Othello, and the desperation of Desdemona make the story. The theme of social status plays a huge role in the story. In addition, the theme of appearance versus reality also plays a huge role in how each tragedy happens. In the critical essay “Othello” it discusses the idea that the characters are cast as outsiders due to false interpretation of what is happening or what is being said. On the other hand, the piece “Othello Character Analysis” emphasizes how characterization reflects the greatness of the piece.

Shakespeare’s famous play Othello is a play of love that has turned bad by the unfounded jealousy of the protagonist character Othello. Arguably the contribution of Othello’s susceptibility to manipulation, his weaknesses and the manipulation of other characters tactics such as Iago each contribute to the downfall of Othello. However, to the extent of which each is more significant varies and this is what will be analysed in this essay.

Shakespeare’s complex plot and development are an interconnected sequence of events that even minor characters can drastically alter the storyline. The perfect example of Shakespeare’s interwoven plot line is Emilia’s crucial role in Othello. Her loyalty and love towards Iago assists him in his plan of demoting Cassio and bringing the downfall of Othello. After uncovering Iago’s plans, her bravery helps restore Othello’s tarnish reputation and bring justice back to Desdemona. Even without Emilia and the importance of her role in the play, Othello, Iago would have altered the course of his plans if it prevented him from bringing the downfall of Othello and Cassio. The drama in Othello possesses elements of jealousy and revenge that expose the darkness in both Othello and Iago, resulting in many untimely shocking

It is often troublesome to infiltrate into a work of such total and astonishing brilliance as King Lear. Reading Shakespeare can, sometimes, seem to be construed as an insincere activity, performed only to impress literature enthusiasts. But, there are times when one goes over entries that, by the sheer power of their lyrical, graceful magnificence, jump off the page and reverberate so unequivocally inside one's mind that they turn into a sort of refining of the whole play. One can read King Lear over and over, and still be struck once more by Shakespeare's absolute dominance over language; without a doubt, no other author had so full a feeling of, and who used to such harsh ends, the power of words. In a genre that contradicts a novelist's affluence of narrative explication, the language in its purest form becomes Shakespeare's powerful instrument, wherein he controls it with the unusual combination of force, nuance, and exactitude.