Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello, centers on the calamity of Othello and the other major characters as a result of Othello’s compelling desires. Othello is torn between the love for his wife, Desdemona, and the trust of his good “friend”, Iago. Through the trust for his lover and his friend, jealousy and trust complications actively appear throughout the play. Desdemona will discover that “Othello’s visage in his mind,” (I.III. 255) is only a veil compared to what will arise when their marriage is
that Shakespeare portrayed throughout the play Othello. Even though there are other minor themes that show throughout the play, betrayal leading to death was consistent. The betrayal of characters throughout that book resulted in the death of people. Iago betrays Othello which in the end resulted in Othello’s death. Desdemona breaks her father’s trust which lead to many deaths. Othello’s loyalty to Desdemona is also broken and lead to the death of Desdemona. With many betrayals, that could have been
In the play, Othello was frequently referred to as “the Moor” or other terms that point to him being an African (I.i.31). Moreover, some people, such as Iago, dehumanized him as a “Barbary horse” (I.i.35). Using these negative terms to describe Othello implies that black men were animals not worth calling by their proper names. Curry supports this concept by saying that “Black males
In Othello, the power of the word is a continuous theme emphasized by many different characters and moments. These moments are highlighted further in the film adaptation through Iago and Desdemona. Beginning with Desdemona, the power of the word is shown through the recounting of how she came to love Othello. In this scene, Desdemona is shown having her maid attend to her as Othello talks and as he does she pulls her hair away from her ear many times. Such an action shows how Othello's stories affected
Othello is exemplified and referred to as an exceptional character that falls as the result of a tragic flaw. Othello; a black moor downfalls from a highly respected general to a jealous man who murders his own wife and himself. Othello is portrayed as a man that shows greatness; as a general from Venice who received high respect from his townspeople. However, Othello suffers from a moral dilemma, “jealousy.” Therefore he becomes convinced by a once trusted, scheming friend;Iago, that his wife, Desdemona
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare has been influential for many years. A play made for enjoyment that actually holds many truths of human lives within it. Othello takes hold of one man’s jealousy turned into a blood shedding story and the manipulation and betrayal all go too far. Othello explores the themes of how strong jealousy can be, how manipulation can be seen through those least expected, and how betrayal is seen even in loved ones. The play begins with Iago’s
the extent they don’t follow the social norms present in Othello. This is due to the modern social change happening in the mid 1960’s where women had more rights, an opportunity not present in 1604. Desdemona is a victim of the Venetian patriarchal society simply because of her gender and the fact that she adheres to the renaissance beliefs. Isaac Rosenberg and A.C Bradley, both feminist critics share my view. Rosenberg (1961) states Desdemona is ‘’too gentle and too passive’’ while Bradley (1905)
From the Victorian Era to the latter half of the nineteenth century, two authors in particular have penned plays worthy of comparison. In the play “Othello,” a maiden marries for love; however she becomes victim of her murderous lover. On the other hand, in the play “Trifles,” the abusive husband falls victim to downtrodden wife. Both Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Glaspell’s “Trifles” present the theme of patriarchal dominance through female characters who exemplify submission, victimization, and veiled
Character Analysis Iago is without a doubt the most complicated character in Othello. He is evil, manipulative, ruthless, vengeful, and dangerously ambitious. The audience is originally introduced to Iago in the first scene of the play. He talks about his jealousy for Othello’s position as Lieutenant General, and discusses with a comrade, Roderigo, the reasons why he is better suited for the job than Othello. The audience is alerted that Iago may not be what he seems when he simply announces, “I
is William Shakespeare’s most elaborate evil villain. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago plays a masterful role in the destruction of all the major characters, truly making him one of the most infamous evil villains. His cruel, coldhearted manipulation is primarily directed towards the innocent; this exploitation of the good by evil ultimately causes the downfall of Roderigo, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello. Iago’s ability to understand human nature makes him evil because he uses his knowledge