In The Satanic Verses, numerous symbols illustrate how human nature is the source of the evil. Furthermore, the symbolic significance that pertains to the main character also shows how all individuals have both good and bad qualities. A repeating motif in the book is the reference to the play “Othello”. Skapearses famous play follows the life of the Moor Othello after is marriage to Desdemona. Iago, a loyal friend of Othello, was furious that the Moor overlooked him for a promotion, sparking his lust for revenge. Iago devised a plan to persuade the King that his had been having an affair with his trusted friend Cassio. Iago's actions resulted in the Moor killing Desdemona. After learning the truth, Othello committed suicide. The references to the play foreshadow the ending of the novel but also gives further explanations to the actions of Gibreel. The first mentions of “Othello” only occurred to criticize Shakespeare because he "couldn't spell" (256). The primary reference occurs when Gibreel wondered about the creation of evil, "why it grows, how it takes unilateral possession of a many-sided human soul. Or, let's say: the enigma of Iago" (439). Gibreel continues by denying his allegations saying he's, "no match for the moor" (439). Gibreel turns out to me more naive than the moor because the events that occur in “Othello” are mirrored in the novel. Gibreel assumes the role of Othello, Saladin Iago, and Gibreel's love interest Allie Cone, Desdemona. Gibreel inherited the
Iago often refers to Othello as the "Moor" and when Emilia realises how Othello has treated his wife, she calls him "the blacker devil". As Iago's plan unfolds, Othello's suspicions and jealousy come to the fore. Iago's blasphemous expressions gradually infiltrate Othello's vocabulary as Othello becomes more and more convinced that Desdemona is being unfaithful. Initially he claims that while the marriage is expected to bring him some physical satisfaction, he and his wife value their mental attraction just as highly. However, as he becomes ensnared in Iago's trap, Othello reveals a more detailed acknowledgement of Desdemona's sexual appeal. As he discusses her death with Iago, he says he will not argue with Desdemona"lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again".
Shakespeare often has common themes throughout all of his poems which include love, death, and betrayal. When talking about Othello, all of these major themes are presented. Although, the major theme is jealousy. Throughout the play, jealousy is shown in each character in some way and drives the decisions that they make. The beginning starts with Rodrigo being covetous of Othello for being with Desdemona, and at the end where Othello is envious because he believes Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Iago is an important character throughout all of this because he makes up lies and misleads characters into believing things that are untrue. From the beginning, he is envious of Cassio and has hatred towards Othello because Othello
Continuing on, a major factor in the whole turn of events that occurs within the play is the power of human emotion to overcome reason. Throughout the play many characters fall victim to their own emotions one example would be the infamous Iago. Almost immediately Iago’s soliloquy demonstrates to the audience the effect that hate –in this case his hate for Othello- has had on him by simply stating “I hate the Moor”. This hate is what drives the whole play and Iagos’ plot to manipulate and eventually destroy Othello. Othello is the next to fall. With his jealously of Cassio and his doubt of Desdemona the overall result is one of devastation. He takes Desdemona’s life challenging her purity and her innocence which is seen as the ultimate act of betrayal. This is the pinnacle of the effects that human emotion can have to overcome reason and not only its effects on the individual but also its effects on people surrounding them.
A key figure, if not the most important in the play, is that of the malcontent Iago, who sows the seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind, and presents him with ‘proof’ to back up his suspicions. Iago acts as a catalyst to Desdemona’s murder and it is his intricate
William Shakespeare wrote Othello in 1603. It is a tragic, love story full of love, honour, and betrayal. Othello is the protagonist in this drama. He is a skilled fighter and he is not from Venice. He falls in love with Desdemona, a beautiful and innocent woman from Venice. Her father disowns her for the marriage because he is racist toward Othello. Iago is the antagonist in the drama. The drama starts with him and shows that he is an instigator. He manipulates his way in to the lives of all of the characters and gains their trust. Iago is responsible for most of the sins. He takes on the role of Satan in the ways that he entices the characters into sinning, which leads to their own
It would be difficult for anyone to come to terms with such contradictory notions of themselves, and Othello is no exception. Once Iago sets the stage for Othello?s fall, the negative emotions aroused in the general cause him to release the lunatic black man that the insiders have feared lies within ?The Moor?s? austere composure. Many critics have suggested that Othello?s extreme jealousy is what amounts to his belief in Iago?s twisted tale of Desdemona?s infidelity and thus his ultimate downfall; however, it seems more likely that it is Othello?s insecurity over his sense of self that allows this manipulation to amount to such an extreme representation of character. Othello himself admits ?Rude am I in my speech? (I.iii.81), failing to have the confidence to eloquently explicate his relationship with Desdemona, although his words prove him to possess quite an impressive mastery of the English language. He comments again on his
It is essentially the summation of the characters’ predisposition to accept Iago’s distortion of the truth that leads to Othello’s downfall. Iago’s manipulation of Othello, who he recognises as being “of a free and open nature” in his descriptive soliloquy, is enhanced by the direct juxtaposition between Iago’s duplicitous nature and Othello’s complete honesty. In order to prompt Othello’s downfall, Iago exploits Desdemona’s unwavering innocence to turn her “virtue into pitch”, where the racial imagery accentuates Iago’s deceptiveness, thus foreshadowing Othello’s downfall. Iago’s acknowledgment of his immoral intents heightens the sense of dramatic irony created as he sets “down the pegs that make this music”, which metaphorically reinforces
We find in William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello an example of personified evil. He is the general’s ancient, Iago, and he wreaks havoc and destruction on all those under his influence.
Evil appears through the menacing Iago and his devilish undertakings in Shakespeare’s Othello. Perceived as a sociopath, Iago antagonizes and fuels conflict. Through an interpretation by Ralph Berry, the literary critic identifies a “fairly clear-cut pattern of good and evil that can be closely identified with the three main personages: that is, of evil, personified in Iago, struggling in the soul of Othello for possession of the goo, Desdemona” (3). The conflict throughout the story is fueled by the good versus evil narrative. Firstly, evil shows its presence when Iago manipulates Othello into thinking his love, Desdemona, cheated on him. In response to Iago’s insinuation Othello speaks, “Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw/the smallest
In Shakespeare’s play Othello, tragedy unfolds on the account of one man’s actions, Iago. He is a twenty eight year old military veteran from Venice. His personality consists of being obsessive, manipulative, relentless, and bold. From the beginning he expressed his hatred towards the Moor, or North African named Othello. Othello is a highly respected general and is also married to the pure Desdemona. The marriage between Othello and Desdemona is destroyed due to Iago’s actions and lies. His actions consist of getting Michael Cassio discharged as lieutenant and convincing the Moor that his wife is cheating on him. The motives Iago has for despising Othello are he passed him over for a promotion to be his lieutenant, instead he chose
The name-calling and violence with which Othello attacks Desdemona contribute to the scene’s intense tone. The play reaches its climax just two scenes earlier, when he kneels at Iago’s feet and vows to kill Desdemona (3.3.485-487). However, each time a new piece of “evidence” is revealed, it seems that Othello reaches this decision all over again. Although this scene does not mark the plot’s climax, as Othello screams “Devil, devil!”(4.1.192) at his wife, the heated drama might convey to the reader that the plot is at its peak. In fact, the use of invective language actually marks the beginning of both the plot’s and Othello’s downward trajectory, contrasting all of the protagonist’s previous behavior toward his wife. The scene comes to an end as Othello sends Desdemona to bed with intense aggression, demanding her “out of [his] sight”(4.1.195). This conflict parallels the drunken conflict between soldiers in Act II Scene 3, but with a stark distinction: Othello’s conduct toward Desdemona directly contrasts his handling of his brawling soldiers. In fact, the resolutions are near exact opposites; while in Act II, Othello gently leads Desdemona to bed to keep her far from the brawl (2.3.216-218), here, he viciously orders her to bed alone. Similarly, his sharp attack of his wife throughout the scene reveals his loss of control, while in Act II Scene 3 his words are calm and calculated. It is clear that Othello has embarked on his downward spiral, and the shift is alarming to the reader; Shakespeare has allowed readers knowledge of the truth about Desdemona’s fidelity, revealing the author’s own empathy with and concern for Othello, and
Shakespeare’s play Othello is based on tragedy of Othello’s jealousy, which ironically leads Othello to kill Desdemona, his beloved (wife). Evil Iago is above all Shakespeare’s villains. Iago is a person with evil emotions, and as a result he deceives everybody, he also is exceptionally influential character who has taken in everyone, above all his own wife Emilia. His public face of bravery and honesty conceals a satanic delight in manipulation and destruction, and he will stop at nothing. Iago’s opinion on women is that he detests women in all kinds and shapes, and finds faults even when they have little or no faults.
Receiving the death penalty is the worst and final penalty that the United States Justice System can administer, especially for those who are mentally ill. Many Americans are questioning the morality of executing mentally ill convicts, as well as the validity of the death penalty itself. These are the questions Americans should be asking, or at least putting some thought into. One might be surprised at how much knowledge one has about the death penalty and very surprised at the many things that are not often discussed. The following research will examine what the death penalty is, what constitutes mental illness, how people with mental illness do not always have knowledge of what they are receiving or doing, how people with mental illnesses do not all have access to quality treatment and rehabilitation, and finally, the cost to carry out the death penalty. Sentencing a mentally ill patient to death is unjust. The death penalty should not be applied to those with mental illness.
Othello is a classic of the universal literature, where human relations show a constant fight between good and evil. From the opening of the play, Shakespeare, in addition to racial and gender aspects, makes continuous religious allegory. From the stories told in the Bible and the events reported by Shakespeare can be compared to the history of destruction of life Othello with Christ, as a result of evil desires and envy. In Othello, Iago is the main driver of the action, with their manipulations makes the characters to where he wants, merciless and unscrupulous. Iago may be related to Satan, because their actions are for the purpose of self-interest, with perversion and harm to others. Shakespeare makes one of his first allusions to the perversion
To begin, Iago’s encouragement of prejudice leads to Othello’s manifestation of darkness. For instance, when Iago unveils to Rodrigo that he has a plan to attain Desdemona’s affection for him, he in contrast dehumanizes Othello he reveals that “If I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, but seeming so for my peculiar end. For when my outward action doth demonstrate” (I.i.57–65). This illustrates, Iago’s true nature that he holds prejudice and hatred for Othello by referring to him as a Moor, it proves that he only views him as substandard. Iago will pretend to serve him, but in reality he is only loyal to himself. This foreshadows that Iago will use negative connotations of race to manipulate Othello into thinking he is worthless. Thus, planting in Othello’s mind thoughts of adultery and hypocrisy. Later, resulting in the uprising of jealousy and darkness of Othello’s character. So Rodrigo, can obtain Desdemona’s love. Promotion of racial bias is also, evident when Iago tries to insinuate that Desdemona is unfaithful. He argues that “not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, Where to we see in all things nature tends—Foh! One may smell in such a will most rank, Foul disproportions,