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Othello Essays

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Othello is a twisted story that portrays betrayal that turns love into a murderous plot that is due to jealousy. This is the story of an African general in Vietnam who is tricked into suspecting his wife of adultery. It is regarded as a tragedy of sexual jealousy together with the exploration of racial prejudice. Othello is a military general who has been taking phase in many successes on his line of obligation however the truth of errors of fast judgment and his outsider repute in his society sabotage his relationship. The play begins on the grand scale of a navy romance of Othello and his wife Desdemona. These two characters Lago and Rodrigo argue in Venice. Lago is a soldier below Othello’s command of the region Rodrigo is paying him to be an undercover agent for Othello due to the truth he desires to Desdemona who is Othello’s lover. Lago is furious about the promotion of Othello and plans how to take revenge against normal Othello the region he manipulates Othello into believing that his spouse is unfaithful. This act of jealousy consumes him and figures out murdering his wife and moreover killing himself.

This story contrasts in which Othello is guaranteed and powerful, as an exterior in the world of combat and in his line of duty, together with the home occasions in which he is plenty masses tons less impenetrable about his relationship and is in an attribute to get manipulated easily. Iago feels solid apart and left to fill the feature of a navy feature that is ranked at the very backside of all the commissioned officers. This act makes Iago trip equally upset that the coveted job went to Cassio, who is regarded much less certified with the beneficial resource of Lago than he is. The incident devices the protagonist and antagonist on a collision that takes place before the play begins, when Othello chooses Cassio as lieutenant as a choice of Lago which makes him feel really degraded. He moreover later displays that he believes Cassio would have slept with his spouse in addition to suspecting that he moreover slept with Othello’s wife Iago feels doubly degraded due to the promotion that he believes was rightfully meant to be his and lastly goes to another man, and both men responsible for the slight may Cassio could be sleeping with Othello’s wife. The anxiety of the play rises as soon as the goal market meets Othello and realizes how Iagos’ layout will be. Othello and Desdemona’s declarations of love for every other, and Desdemonas willingness to be disowned by means of her father in actually being with Othello, supply up the stakes for the couple, and shifts the aim market to Othello’s side. . As Iago barring the scenario succeeds in his plot to get Cassio drunk, incite him to fight Rodrigo, and persuade Othello in furnace him. All this is done although performing that he is s friend to Cassio and that he loves him. Lago is a skilled manipulator and schemes the nature of contrasting with the relaxation of the others in the play who are all manipulated with the aid of skill of talent of the utilization of their personal trusting, handy natures, and their incapacity to see by way of his deceptions and how he used to it growing a conflict between them.

The conflicting forces of uniqueness represented through the potential of Othello, and evil acts carried out by way of the usage of way of Lago, come into direct contact when Othello kneels with Lago and pledges to take revenge. Othello suggests his belief in Lago by appointing him as his new lieutenant. Othello’s misplacement of trust and blindness to Iago’s applicable motivation increases comparable way tensions. . As Othello becomes increasingly deranged with jealousy, and starts refusing to listen to Desdemona’s explanations of her innocence, he becomes less a protagonist, and starts to figure more as a second antagonist, acting in to take part with Iago decisions. From this issue some factor Desdemona does or does to prove her innocence, fully proves her guilt in Othello’s eyes. Iago’s plot unfolds with a brutal inevitability. Othello shifts from believing Desdemona ought to in no way betray him, to annoying proof of her infidelity so he can time out justified in killing her. When Lago suggests Othello strangle Desdemona in bed which she claims to be allegedly unfaithful. Othello sees this as a better idea. Othello on the different hand loves his wife passionately, then once more than questioning her virtues as arguments in opposition to Iago’s accusations on the other hand rather sees this as an element to be all the more upset by using way of her alleged infidelity. Filled up with jealousy, Othello conspires with Iago to murder Cassio and in addition his layout to kill his accomplice Desdemona. Either his accomplice has been unfaithful and is mendacity to him, or his beloved, ‘honest’ buddy Iago have all been lying to him. Only after he kills Desdemona does Othello hit upon out that he believed and relied on the incorrect person. When he at closing realizes the mistake that he has carried out by the use of way of executing his companion after being deceived by way of the use of a pal that he trusted. This act consumes him and he kills himself, then again than living in a world the region honor and honesty have no charge (Vaughan, Virginia Mason and Kent Cartwright)

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The Reasons Iago Stayed Silent in Othello

In act 5 scene 2 of Othello, Iago had chosen to stay silent when confronted by Othello, after he was caught manipulating him into killing Desdemona. He had done this for various reasons which included keeping Othello and others thinking about his motives, having accomplished everything he had wanted to from the start, and the realization of what he had done and what consequences that lie ahead of him. Iago’s choice had helped Iago as it kept everyone, mainly Othello,...
2 Pages 1029 Words

The Peculiarities Of Iago's Speech in Othello

In William Shakespeare’s classic tragic play ‘Othello’, published in 1622, the dangers of illusion and deception develops in the play as Iago manipulates his appearances and works to fool Othello who has trouble differentiating between what appears to be true and what really is true. Iago adopts his preferable style of speech to conceive images in characters’ minds which are distant from reality. Throughout the play, every character views him as an “genuine” and “honorable” friend, who consistently gives valuable...
2 Pages 726 Words

Iago’s Underlying Motives: Homosexuality and its Role in Othello

Villainy is often born from jealousy, insecurity, and paranoia. Iago from Shakespeare’s Othello, though dubbed as motiveless, is no exception; what starts as an optimistic heterosexual romance ends as a tragedy brought about by homoerotic envy, competition, and fear of emasculation. The play is centered around a military environment, which puts emphasis on traditional indications of masculinity such as physical prowess and belligerent disposition. The military ranks also imply men’s superiority over women, thus making femininity a sign of weakness....
3 Pages 1528 Words

Othello': The Idea of Reality and Illusion

An individual’s self-perception varies based on what they believe is an illusion and what they believe is reality. In today’s society, this same idea is present when people interact with one another, as they may retain a different perception of what others think of them compared to what the blunt truth is. As a matter of fact, humans possess the potential to influence the behaviours and thoughts of others in a way that benefits themselves, and lets down those close...
2 Pages 1025 Words

The Different Sides of Iago in Othello

William Shakespeare is known throughout literature about his thoughts and ideas on the subjects of betrayal, death, and love. All three of these subjects can be found in Shakespeare’s piece of literature ​Othello. ​Although, the most dominant topic that I noticed in this piece of literature is jealousy. Jealousy can be seen as a central feeling shared between pretty much all of the characters in Shakespeare’s ​Othello. ​Throughout the history of literature, many literary critics consider Iago to be one...
5 Pages 2388 Words

Influence of Iago on Othello and Desdemona's Relations

Individuals discriminate for various reasons: dread, begrudge, the longing for power, or a need to disassociate themselves from others. They can, in this manner, utilize somebody’s skin pigment, a natural characteristic that cannot be modified, to communicate their scorn. Othello, in Shakespeare’s play Othello, is a joyfully hitched and broadly regarded general in the Venetian armed force in spite of his African legacy. He is from a land that Venetians think about outlandish and puzzling. Othello has had one of...
4 Pages 1946 Words

Othello': Illusion Or Reality

There is a fine line between illusion and ideals and reality and truth. This line is easily manipulated. Ideals give the individuals drive and allow them to set goals for themselves. These goals provide purpose to each individual and, consequently, allow each individual to achieve their own sense of personal happiness. Being pragmatic, on the other hand, gives individuals a chance to look at the task from all sides and allows them to identify what is achievable, it grounds their...
4 Pages 1625 Words

Othello's Male to Female Relationships in the Elizabethan Era

Male to female relationships is a common topic in literature. The women were known as supporting the men in their positions of higher authority and taking care of their family. Othello by Shakespeare is a great example of relationships. In the play, it shows the acts of love and hate for one another in the examples of Othello and Desdemona, Iago and Emilia, and Cassio and Bianca. The play “Othello” represents how women are treated in the Elizabethan Era. Women...
2 Pages 948 Words

Role Of Wife In Othello

Shakespeare’s Othello revolves its two central characters: Othello, a general in the Venetian army and a husband to Desdemona, and his treacherous friend, Iago. In Othello, the role of women is a prevalent theme that gets presented in a negative approach. Othello demonstrates different modes of containment are portrayed through restrictions on acts of violence and used to isolate women. The characters of Desdemona and Emilia demonstrate the treatment of what women had to go through in that time period....
3 Pages 1146 Words

The Undesirable Effects Of Envy And Jealousy In Othello

The jealous are troublesome to themselves and tormentous to others. They create a path of destruction detrimental to themselves and those closest to them. Envy has the power to overrule even the sanest of people. In William Shakespeares’ Othello, jealousy is a prime emotion felt by both Othello and Roderigo, leading them to be unquestionably obedient and suffer immensely. Ultimately, it is Othello who is affected the most by his own begrudging actions. The extreme envy felt by Othello and...
3 Pages 1481 Words

Theme Of Weakness Of Human Judgement In Othello

The fragility of the human judgement as affected by latent weakness within and external factors that are influential in disrupting the moral process of thinking is clearly demonstrated in Shakespeare’s “Othello”(c.1600). Judgement is the factor that provides the original conflict, acts as a vein, and runs through the text, resulting in chaotic events. The allegorical tale acts as a caution of how context and other external forces affects perception. The typical feature of a Shakespearean tragedy involve “Medias res” with...
2 Pages 923 Words

Villains in Williams Shakespeare's 'Othello' and John Webster's ‘The Duchess of Malfi’

The concept of tragedy within plays is to highlight the dramatic style of humanity, through our encounters with sorrow and terrible events. Specifically, in Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedies, this approach to tragedy was filled with dynamics based upon the characters of the plays actions. Often, the source of such tragedies stemmed from the conspiring roles of villains. The existence of villains is a term that has constantly become defined through labels in literary, historical and movie groups throughout history. Often...
4 Pages 1922 Words

Iago as an Antagonist in the Play Othello

“It takes 20 minutes to build a reputation and five minutes to destroy it”. “If that is thought about things will be done differently (Warren Buffet)”. Reputation is the general belief or opinion that most people may view about who you are. In certain situations, one’s identity can hold so much value that it may impede judgement and the decisions made. In the case of William Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello, reputation plays a significant role in representing how people manage...
3 Pages 1509 Words

Othello by William Shakespeare: Character Analysis

We are going to analyse Othello, Iago and Desdemona’s characters and how the web of lies engineered by Iago led to the demise of many characters. As Lee Jamieson has stated, Iago “is jealous of Cassio for obtaining the position of Lieutenant over him, jealous of Othello- believing he bedded his wife- and jealous of Othello’s position, despite his race.” At the beginning of the play we are introduced to Roderigo and Iago. Iago was an ensign in the Venetian...
2 Pages 820 Words

Iago's Importance and his Role as Othello’s Poisoner that Leads to his Downfall

At the start of the play the audience is introduced to Othello, and he presents himself as a man of honour and dignity he is called ‘valiant Othello’ symbolizing that he is a brave and courageous, but Iago speaks of Othello in a hasty manner, he calls him an ‘old black ram’ he describes him as ‘tupping your white ewe’ when he wakes up Brabantio with reports about Desdemona’s marriage with Othello. Othello starts to lose his confident and dishonour...
1 Page 586 Words

Othello: an Analysis of Iago

Shakespeare’s Othello is a tale of misplaced jealousy, deception, and tragedy. Iago, the main antagonist of the play, masterfully weaves a plan to bring down Othello, a general in the Venetian army and target of his manipulative schemes, by using his good reputation to mask his deceit and keep him close enough to Othello to maintain his trust until the very end. However, his arrogance and cowardice become his undoing, as even though he fulfills his goal to bring down...
3 Pages 1140 Words

Iago's Jealousy In Othello Essay

Jealousy has been around since the beginning of time. It starts when you are born. Jealousy comes from insecurity, bitterness and obsessive caring. It also comes from wanting something that belongs to someone else or wanting someone who is in a relationship with another person. Most of us have experienced jealousy at some point in our lives in some way or another. All jealousy is not negative. Jealousy that is kept at a minimum can help an individual’s life balance...
2 Pages 1075 Words

Othello: The Role of Iago in the Preventable and Tragic Murder

In Shakespeare’s Othello, it follows a Moorish general’s internal struggle with deciphering between right and wrong. He’s in love with a beautiful Venitain woman, Desdemona, daughter of the Senator. But all odds are stacked against him as his followers try to drive them apart. Eventually, Othello succumbs to all the rage and kills his wife because of an assumed affair between Desdemona and his partner Cassio. Then he kills himself because he realizes her innocence. In Shakespeare’s Othello, Shakespear does...
3 Pages 1212 Words

Manipulation in Othello: How does Iago Manipulate Othello and Others

Villains in literature play an important role in plot development. While villains initiate actions, they simultaneously illuminate the good qualities of heroes in the play. William Shakespeare’s play Othello is no exception. In Othello, Iago is a complex character that plays a major role in determining the events and fate of several characters in the play. He manages to deceive and manipulate them by gaining their trust and exploiting their weaknesses to fulfill his ambitions. Furthermore, his appalling pursuit of...
3 Pages 1326 Words

Othello: the Issues Iago Represents

Since the beginning of mankind, humans have craved power and the benefits that come with having it. Throughout history, social classes have been used to categorize how much power and influence people have. Generally, the three most common social classes have been upper class, middle class, and lower class. One’s social class was of great significance during the Elizabethan Era, when Shakespeare wrote Othello. At the time, people’s social classes were primarily determined by their wealth, skills, and birth (into...
2 Pages 683 Words

The Jealousy in Othello: Analysis of Iago Character

Jealousy in William Shakespeare’s Othello in the play Othello, resentfulness and prejudice are obvious themes from the beginning to the end. As the play slowly expands it is evident that jealousy is the cause of the most dramatic actions which takes part in the play. Iago feels jealous of Othello and tells Roderigo “I hate the Moor; and it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know not if’t be true. (Act 1 scene...
2 Pages 1023 Words

The Aspects of Iago Manipulations in Othello

How can one be so manipulative to the ones they call friends. Do factors such as greed, money, or even jealousy contribute to the bigger picture? In the Shakespearean play Othello, Iago sets out to manipulate everyone he comes in contact with to the point where it is hard for readers to figure out why he does what he does. Because Iago is a manipulator, he manipulates the rest of the characters throughout the play by preying on and triggering...
4 Pages 2021 Words

The Portrayal of Iago Character in the Play Othello

In spite of all that modern critics have said on “Tragedy”, the definition of tragedy in the “Poetics” still remains the best. Aristotle said that “Tragedy is a form of drama exciting the emotions of pity and fear”. Although “Othello” covers the definition of tragedy, given by Aristotle in his book “Poetics”, but it is entirely different from all other Shakespearean tragedies. The reason is, Heroine of play is more tragic then Hero. Tragic flaw is the error of judgement...
6 Pages 2638 Words

Deceptiveness in Othello as a Bright Example of Deceptiveness in Othello

W.H. Auden once aforementioned, “​There is more than meets the eye.​” suggesting that there could be a hidden or deeper meaning behind a person’s initial look. Lies, deceits and dishonesty is one of the foremost themes in Shakespeare’s play ​ ​Othello​. ​ The character of Iago isn’t any different from those deceptive individuals. Behind his facade of a trustworthy ensign and friend, Iago is multilayered, deceptive and a manipulative villain, concocting chaos and inflicting mishaps to other characters for revenge....
3 Pages 1195 Words

Othello: The Impact of Iago as the Disruptive Moral Other

Othello by William Shakespeare is set during the Elizabethan Period when women and people from other races were segregated and “Othered” due to their sex, race or skin colour. This was a time period when it was extremely rare to see a black man with power. Shakespeare placed Othello, a South African origin, into the high role of Duke of Venice to add more controversy into the storyline. Othello is in large demand by the Venetian government, as shown by...
1 Page 588 Words

The Peculiarities of Iago as a Character in Othello

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Envy is the tax which all distinction must pay”. Iago was a mere individual who had been revoked high position in favor of Cassio. The reason why this makes the whole play compelling is that this rejection led to a well-planned tragedy all the ways towards its ending. Although Iago is clever, his intelligence synergizes greatly with his deadly weapon composed of envy, pride, ego, and deceitfulness. In this paper not only will I identify...
2 Pages 937 Words

What about Max Iago and the Master of the Navel in Othello?

When thinking of what makes someone a master puppeteer, a reader might consider a master puppeteer to be is an expert who perfectly handles his marionettes through his presentation, thus causing happiness, sadness, destruction or the creation of something with just a flick of his wrist. Reading Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, it is very noticeable how manipulative Iago is. From his actions and behavior might even make the reader think of him as a puppeteer; however, his not a...
6 Pages 2532 Words

Othello and Iago’s Views and Values of Love, Appearance verses Reality and Racial Classes Conflict throughout the Play Othello

Firstly, love. To Othello, love needs passion and trust to maintain. As a black man, even if he was the general, falling in love with Desdemona goes against the traditional 16th century Venice notions. They fell in love just because of passion, with Desdemona disobeying her father and not considering the importance of filial obedience. “O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood!” shows how angry Brabantio, Desdemona’s father is when he found out Othello and Desdemona’s...
1 Page 597 Words

Relevance of Shakespeare's Plays for Younger Generations: Romeo and Juliet, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew

Shakespeare’s immense impact on the world of literature and language is still present today, over 400 years later. The themes, ideas, and messages across his works, still being relevant today, suggest he was not of an age, but in fact, for all time. Shakespeare transformed nouns into verbs, verbs to adjectives, and suffixes and prefixes were added to adjust the meaning of particular words. His invention of more than 1,700 words and phrases including bump, lonely, amazement and upstairs, makes...
2 Pages 1035 Words

Exploration of Madness and Jealousy in Shakespeare's Othello

Shakespeare explores the core themes of madness and jealousy in his tragedies, Hamlet and Othello, creating two similar yet immensely different protagonists. Despite their many shared distinctions, both plays prove successful in enabling the audience to interpret how lies and deceit lead to death and desperation. Shakespeare is able to perpetuate such impact through relationships. In Othello, Lago exploits the power of language to manipulate his family and friends and ruthlessly uses them his scheme of revenge. In Hamlet, the...
2 Pages 774 Words
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