Othello Isolation Essay

1577 Words7 Pages
Conflict within and between characters is an important component of any text. In the following texts, I will look at isolation as a result of the conflict in the characters lives. The four texts, Othello by William Shakespeare, The Social Network directed by David Fincher, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinder all relate to these points. The main character in Shakespeare’s play deals with isolation and conflict within himself. Othello was a General of the Venetian Army yet an older man of Moorish descent. He was conflicted within himself due to being self-conscious about his age and race. These insecurities resulted from suspicions that his wife Desdemona was having an affair with his Lieutenant Michael Cassio. From the lines in Act 3, Scene 3, “Haply for I am black” line 265 and “or for I am declin’d Into the vale of years” line 267-268. The audience can see he internalises his insecurities, because he is unsure about what caused his wife's ‘infidelity’. The conflict within…show more content…
This is because other characters discriminated against him, referring to Othello as black or the Moor i.e. Act 1, Scene 3 Iago: “I hate the Moor”. The use of racist language indicates Othello’s isolation as he is not accepted by his peers and society. And also because of Othello’s role as general, he became more isolated from people who were truly his friends, like Desdemona and Cassio, and more dependent on the manipulative Iago. "Honest- ay, honest." ... "I think thou dost; and for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty and weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath..." Act 3 Scene 3. From this quote the audience sees Othello trust Iago as he thinks before he speaks , therefore is an honest person. We later realise that his faith in Iago was uncalled for as it resulted in
Show More
Related

  • Uniformity In Brave New World

    3573 Words  | 15 Pages

    Brave New World and Equus and are both texts portraying societies that do not tolerate the individual; they demand spiritual uniformity. Similarly, T.S Eliot's poetry depicts spiritual desolation: of a Europe projected into turmoil after WWI. People could not reconcile their thoughts to a benign God that would allow mass slaughter. Brave New World is set in a dystopian future at approximately 2542 A.D. After a cataclysmic war, the society created is devoid of suffering to the extent that it has become

    Read More

More about Othello Isolation Essay

Open Document