Category: Othello

Introduction: The Paradox of Crime

Along with Romeo and Juliet, Othello is one of the most famous plays by Shakespeare. It has been analyzed a countless number of times. However, the relationships between Iago and Othello have not been discussed well enough. Some believe that the two are another gullibility-meets-treachery problem, others see romantic innuendoes in their relationships. However, it seems that the striking contrast between the two characters means more than just the fight between good and evil. With the help of relationships between Iago and Othello, Shakespeare conveyed the idea that good and evil have to coexist for the sake of the world balance. Because the balance between the good (Othello) and the evil (Iago) is never broken, both characters are responsible for the tragic ending, each of them contributing to the development of the plot.

Fighting for Their Lives: Iago and Othello as Warriors

Weirdly enough, Othello and Iago are most often considered as a victim and a traitor; however, their relationships as the participants of military actions are mentioned ridiculously rarely. At the very beginning, Iago states clearly that he has taken part in a number of battles; and, even though his record is doubtlessly spotless, there can be no doubt that he has done a good job as a warrior, most of the time teaming up with Othello:

And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof

At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds

Christian and heathen, must be be-lee’d and calm’d

By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,

He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And I–God bless the mark!–his Moorship’s ancient. (Shakespeare 860)

Therefore, it can be considered that the dynamics between Othello and Iago as military men are rather complex While Othello represents the very idea of military honor and honesty, Iago shows the readers a different side of military life full of cunning and intrigues. While the two have a strikingly different attitude towards the idea of military life, they yet somehow manage to show two sides of being a military man.

From War Service to Peaceful Life: Iago and Othello as Family Men

Not only in the battlefield, but also in the realm of peaceful family life Iago and Othello seem to complete each other perfectly well. There can be no doubt that Othello is portrayed as an honest, true and caring husband. Everything that this character says to his wife is shot through with love and respect for her virtues:

“Perdition catch my soul,

But do I love thee! And when I love thee not,

Chaos comes again” (Shakespeare 930).

Iago, on the other hand, makes the readers consider the bonds of matrimony exactly as a painful burden. In contrast to Othello, Iago is portrayed as a selfish and insensitive husband who could not care less of what his wife thinks or needs. In fact, at some point, Emilia confesses that Iago even made her steal things:

“My wayward husband hath a hundred times

Woo’d me to steal it” (Shakespeare 935).

In addition, both ago and Emilia are constantly snapping at each other, which makes their relationships even more down-to-earth compared to the spiritual bonds between Othello and Desdemona:

EMILIA

Do not you chide; I have a thing for you.

IAGO

A thing for me? it is a common thing–

EMILIA

Ha!

IAGO

To have a foolish wife. (Shakespeare 915)

Therefore, in contrast to Othello, whose relationships with Desdemona are built on purity and mutual trust, Iago and his wife clearly have neither trust nor respect for each other. However, considering the ways in which the two treat their wives, one might notice that they actually represent two sides of typical relationships. It is hardly possible that a couple will always stay happy and satisfied; there will inevitably come a moment when the two starts arguing.

Which is even more obvious, such moments are crucial for the relationships, because they make the latter even stronger, as well as the husband and the wife resistant to conflicts and prone to misunderstandings. After all, it is worth keeping in mind that Othello’s tragedy stemmed from his lack of experience in solving conflicts. Only because he did not know how to react to the slander, he immediately jumped to conclusions and felt the urge to kill his bellowed one. That said, it is clear that in their marital relationships, Iago and Othello seem to be the representations of two sides of what being a husband means. Hence the duality of the characters comes.

Standing in Front of the Jury: Murder for Revenge Versus… Murder for Revenge

As it has been mentioned above, the two characters represent the two aspects of love, the poetic idea of purity (Othello) and its more down-to-earth, cunning and treacherous aspect of love. Furthermore, the two can also be viewed as murderers, each in his own way.

On the one hand, the concept of murder as a result of a passionate rage is introduced by Othello. Iago, however, turns the idea of murder into a series of cunning manipulations. Therefore, they help view the concept of murder as both a hideous crime and a surge of passion. The two sides of the murder concept are one of the most obvious interpretations of Iago–Othello duality.

The Intriguing and the Nonsensical: Against the Idea of Implied Innuendoes

One of the most recent and obviously most controversial interpretations of the relationships between Othello and Iago presupposes assuming that there is more than friendship between the two (Saunders). To be more exact, it is considered that there might be erotic tension between Othello and Iago:

“Iago. My lord, you know I love you.

Othello. I think thou dost” (Shakespeare 930–931).

However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Iago’s devotion towards Othello is based on hatred rather than love:

The Moor already changes with my poisons,

Which at the first are scarce found to distaste (Shakespeare 936)

Therefore, in the example above, one can see that the closest the two get to erotic relationships are having Iago plotting Othello’s downfall. Perhaps, Iago’s passion about leading Othello to his defeat might stem from the fact that Iago might have felt attraction towards Othello while they were taking part in military actions and further on felt betrayed when Othello fell in love with Desdemona (Christophides). However, the fact that Iago pursues selfish interests and wants to seize the power and wealth proves the supposition above wrong:

IAGO. I know not that, but such a handkerchief-

I am sure it was your wife’s–did I to-day

See Cassio wipe his beard with. (Shakespeare 938)

Therefore, the given argument is hardly valid and must have been influenced by the recent surge in the introduction of homosexual characters into mass media. Though the given process is hardly noticeable, it still takes place, and the fight for the rights of homosexuals makes people reconsider the fundamental literary works where the ides of such kind might have been overlooked. Hence the temptation to read more than the author actually intended into a certain work appears. Anyway, it seems that there are no obvious hints dropped at the possibility of erotic relationships between Iago and Othello (Omer and Da Verona).

Conclusion: The Perfect Alliance and What It Ensued

Despite the difference between the two characters, Othello and Iago are inseparable. Since Othello falls for Iago’s tricks, their relationships never change; doomed from the very start, the idea of vice coexisting with virtue finally wore out its welcome.

Works Cited

Christophides, Robert M. “Iago and Equivocation: The Seduction and Damnation of Othello.” Early Modern Literary Studies 15.1 (2010): 1–4. Print.

Omer, Haim and Marcello Da Verona. “Doctor Iago’s Treatment of Othello.” American Journal of Psychotherapy 45.1 (1991): 99–112. Print.

Saunders, Ben. “Iago’s Clyster: Purgation, Anality, and the Civilizing Process.” Shakespeare Quarterly 55.2 (2004): 148–176. Print.

Shakespeare, William. “Othello, the Moor of Venice.” Literature and the Writing Process (9^th ed.). Ed. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, Robert W. Funk and Linda S. Coleman. London, UK: Longman. 2011. 889–940. Print.

Introduction

The character of Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello can, at first glance, be described as inconsistent. His main motive appears to be revenge against imaginary and perceived slights. At the same time, his explanations and motivations, as voiced by his soliloquies throughout the play, appear to be contradictory to one another.

Discussion

For example, at first he despises the Moor for being too honest, and then he accuses him of cheating and trickery, which does not mesh with his earlier assessment of the Moor’s character. Such examples are present throughout the entire play. If anything, Iago appears to be consistent at being inconsistent, thus meaning that the true motives behind his actions are not directly revealed and can be only inferred from what he says and does.

When it comes to deception, Iago is an excellent judge of character. He is capable of highlighting strengths and weaknesses and is capable of capitalizing on them for his own ends. Besides Othello, Iago managed to deceive Cassio and Roderigo. Iago is considered by others to be a honest man with a soldiery personality. Both Cassio and Roderigo fall for it and view his words as truthful. Then, he manipulates the two using their love for Desdemona while using stereotypes of behavior to justify his logic and portray others in an unfavorable light. The greatest evil in the play, the catalyst for the tragedy to unfold, appears to be “the Devil,” the avatar of which can be seen in Iago. It seems that he does what he does for entertainment, ruining peoples’ lives in the process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Iago cannot be compared to modern-day antiheroes, because those characters have the word “hero” in it. Their motivations are ultimately good, to some degree. There is not a shred of redeeming qualities in Iago.

Othello is a play written in the 19th-Century, but its central ideas are still very relevant to today’s audience. People in the modern world can learn very many things from Shakespeare’s ideas. The play talks about racism, jealousy, war, and love. All these elements are very common in today’s society.

Many countries still have cases of racism target at marginalized groups of people, while others experience civil wars among their populations. Worse still, many other countries are in fierce battles with other nations. Jealousy and love are also very common habits in every society. Therefore, despite the temporal difference, Othello is still very relevant to today’s audience and this paper proves this significance.

The paper demonstrates the relevance of Othello to the contemporary audience by highlighting the existence of the major issues Shakespeare addresses in this play. Therefore, today’s audience will benefit from Othello since it reminds them of the evils they commit, especially when dealing with other people.

Racism exists today as much as it existed in the 19th–Century. Many people isolate others just because of their different colors. In South Africa, for example, the white government denied the blacks fundamental rights that other citizens enjoyed. Worse still, there have been cases where football fans have thrown bananas at black players, implying that there is no difference between them and monkeys. Almost similar cases happen in Othello.

Notably, Iago and Roderigo hate Othello because of his complexion. They refer to him using racially discriminative names such as “the Moor” (Shakespeare Act I line 39) and “an old black ram” (92). Therefore, just as Shakespeare wanted to enlighten his audience about the dangers of racism, today’s audience can also benefit from this knowledge by reading or watching the play.

The play can also help eradicate Jealousy from today’s audience. The society has both people with health behaviors and those with severe practices. However, none of them can be exclusively good or bad. Therefore, society must have people who are jealous of their neighbors’ or friends’ achievements. In Othello, Jealousy is the overriding theme. Almost all the characters feel jealous of others at one point in the story.

For example, Roderigo is jealous of Othello because the woman he loves, Desdemona, is in love with Othello. He hires Iago to do everything possible to make her stop loving Othello and fall in love with Roderigo. Iago comes up with a plan to divide Othello, his wife and Cassio.

The story he concocts makes Othello epileptic, a situation that makes Iago refer to him as not suitable for his job (Shakespeare Act 4 scene 1). Jealous also makes Othello kill Desdemona only to realize later that Iago had just made up the story. Therefore, today’s audience will learn that jealousy is dangerous.

The play can also teach today’s audience to stop being impulsive in making decisions. Often, people make impulsive decisions due to obsessions with some things in life. Such decisions mostly end up causing regrets rather than the desired expectations. In the play, many characters make impulsive decisions (that end up tragically) to satisfy their selfish intentions.

For example, Roderigo hires Iago to do all he can to help him have Desdemona without thinking about what might happen in case they fail: “That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse” (Shakespeare Act I line 2). Othello also makes an impulsive decision when he kills his wife on mere suspicion. He later regrets killing her when he realizes that she was not an infidel. Hence, today’s audience will learn to be patient and make a keen analysis of situations before making decisions.

In summary, the themes in Othello are very relevant to today’s audience. Shakespeare addresses racism, jealousy, consequences of impulsive decisions, war, and love. All these issues are common in the contemporary world. This work has explored possible lessons today’s audience can learn from the jealous, impulsiveness, and racism among Shakespeare’s characters.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moore of Venice n.d. Web.

Shakespeare’s Othello is a complex character who acts as the central figure of the play. He has numerous qualities that might characterize him as a good or a bad person. However, it is still possible to view Othello as a hero but a tragic one. This type of protagonist usually misbehaves because of poor judgment or erroneous conclusions. At the same time, he/she accepts responsibility for these actions and is ready to be punished. The same idea applies to Othello, who has the qualities of a true hero. He is a famous noble general recognized by his people, government, and army. His greatness comes from his contribution to his country’s development and safety. All past actions characterize Othello as a hero with numerous positive qualities.

Moreover, he is a loving husband and cannot imagine his life without Desdemona. However, his downfall as a tragic hero is also linked to this strong feeling. Usually, passionate love is viewed as one of the essential qualities of true heroes, and it became a great tragedy for Othello. His evilest acts were performed because of the unfortunate mistake and Iago’s envious personality. It means that all features of a villain Othello acquires because of the activity of other people, while his only sin is the inability to recognize others’ lies and trust his wife till the end, which results in Desdemona’s death. However, Othello remains a tragic hero as he calls himself a murderer and realizes the tragedy of his actions: “I kiss’d thee ere I kill’d thee: no way but this; / Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” Moreover, people around are astonished by his actions and the noble nature of Othello’s soul. In such a way, it is possible to say that Othello cannot be viewed as a villain. He is a tragic hero who suffered from his actions.

Written by William Shakespeare, Othello is a fascinating story, whose setting is on a street in the provincial capital of Veneto, Venice. Shakespeare has employed one of the literature elements by using major characters like, Othello, a hero and the head of armies, Desdemona, Othello’s covert wife, Michael Cassio, Othello’s deputy, Lago, ranked below the lieutenant, among others. Following Cassio’s promotion by Othello, Lago has not been in his terms because, according to him, he deserved the promotion.

He declares his hate to his boss, Othello, and secretly manipulates a way of bringing Cassio down from that rank. Cassio later gets the demotion! This story is rich in lessons for all people, but Shakespeare seems to have dedicated it to lawyers. In his works, Shakespeare likens Lago to a lawyer. Shakespeare wanted them to learn that manipulation, as expounded below, is a vice, and ought to appear nowhere in their services to people.

Othello’s secret wife, known to be more than a friend, is compassionate enough to assist in whichever situation one is in, provided she is able to. Lago’s plan to have Cassio demoted succeeds. Cassio is demoted, not because he has offended anybody, neither is it based on his job performance.

However, he is demoted anyway! Lago is a fox, whose words seem well organised and sensitive as if they are true, but hardly are they. “This is a key Lago tactic. One of the ways he is so successful at controlling others is by leveraging their positive qualities to serve his own ends” (Maslanka October 7, 2010). Lago intentionally approaches Othello’s wife and owing to her sympathetic attribute, he convinces her that if she raises Cassio’s issue of demotion before her husband, he (Cassio), will be restored.

This happens, a case that induces questions to Othello, who wants to know why his wife should be the one talking on behalf of Cassio. He imagines an underway relationship between the two, a situation that forces him to kill his wife. In this case, Lago is responsible for the death of the innocent Desdemona, because of his manipulative trait. It is a lesson to lawyers who bear the same character that whatever they do, will affect them at some point.

In addition, the issue of rationality, as portrayed by many lawyers, is quite sensitive. They ought to apply it with a lot if vigilance. Many people, driven by their ill motives, end up creating stories that favour them on the expense of others. Lago has been tirelessly looking for a promotion, which he never gets. He approaches Othello and raises the issue of the unfaithfulness of Desdemona. He posits that she has been having affairs with Cassio, though it is a lie.

Othello accepts the lie, even without consulting his wife to confirm the validity of the act, showing how rational he is. He ends up depriving her of her life even after others like Emilia rise to support Desdemona’s faithfulness. Shakespeare is addressing the lawyers who, based on invalid excuses from their clients, end up applying the trait of rationality wrongly. They ought to investigate matters first, before declaring sentences to those claimed guilty by others.

Moreover, Lawyers ought to be wise when tackling the subject of promotion or demotion of employees. A demotion can carry with it productive results. It can also be a disaster to them.

From the story, it stands out clear that if Lago were offered the promotion, instead of Cassio, the death of Desdemona would not have occurred. Othello, who is now likened to a lawyer, ought to have considered the possible repercussions of Cassio’s promotion. If this were the case, he would have realised its effects on others like Lago and probably conflicts therein, as it was evident.

In conclusion, though Shakespeare is dead and forgotten, he speaks volumes today through his works. Othello is a story, whose lessons form the basis of arguments for lawyers, not only of today, but also of generations to come. For the upcoming lawyers, Othello is a recommendable book, which can equip them with the knowledge that, they need a good deal of vigilance when interacting with their clients, failure to which they will suffer the consequences.

Works Cited

Maslanka, Michael. “What Can Lawyers Learn From ‘Othello’?” Web.

Introduction

Othello has often been considered, by far, the most romantic of Shakespearean heroes. This romanticism probably stems from the thrill, the excitement associated with his life as the most trusted and respected general in Venice- a life predominated by wars and adventures. His reference in the play as the “lascivious moor” (Act 1, Scene 1) portrays him as belonging to a strange and enticing world. There is an element of mystery in his declarations in the play- “…I fetch my life and being/ From men of royal siege;” (Act 1, Scene 2) which adds a new dimension to his romanticism.

Background

Othello is not merely a romantic figure, he is also a person highly romantic in nature, and that reflects in his love for “…a maid so tender, fair, and happy” (Act1, Scene2) as Desdemona. However, his love for the fair lady doesn’t find approval with Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, an influential Venetian, who arrives with his officers to confront Othello. Lines 60-82 of Act 1 Scene 2 revolve around this confrontation between Othello and Brabantio. This passage is in the form of a dialogue between the two characters in the play.

Analysis

In the particular scene, Othello seems to be very much in control of the situation despite Brabantio drawing up swords. Through his words, “Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them” (Act1, Scene2), he successfully silences the night-brawl between his attendants and that of the Senator. He addresses the Senator as the “Good signor” out of respect adding that he will command Othello more “with years” (i.e. with his seniority and experience) as befits him than with his weapons.

The above speech of Othello sheds some light on his character as the calm and dignified Shakespearean hero. The single line considered to be Shakespeare’s miracle, ”Keep up your bright swords …weapon” (Act1, Scene2) expresses his immense self-control. He exudes incredible restraint in his speech and actions which may be attributed to the romanticism inherent in his nature.

Glimpses of this aspect of Othello’s character reappears in Act 2, Scene 3 where he endeavors to provide some explanation for the brawl between Montano and Cassio. “Now, by heaven, / My blood begins my safer guides to rule, / And passion, having my best judgment collied, /Assays to lead the way” (Act 2, Scene 3). His self-control becomes all the more admirable to us in the light of the realization that it is not applied when it is most required which could have prevented the tragedy. Apart from being a person who exercises immense self-control, Othello also comes across as an extremely noble character as is evident in his manner of speech. His nobility of thought and expression makes his suffering all the more heart-rending.

However, the above lines present Brabantio in direct contrast to Othello. Brabantio, mortified at losing his daughter to a “Moor”, execrates him as “…thou foul thief” (Act 2, Scene 3). He accuses Othello of winning Desdemona’s affection under the spell of magic and drugs. This particular speech of Brabantio (lines 62-82) evokes the issue of racism that is intricately interwoven with the main plot. Brabantio believes that had it not been for the effect of drugs, Desdemona would have never “run from her garage to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou” (Act1 lines 71-72).

He assumes that Desdemona must have married Othello under some kind of enchantment because Othello is black. All the superior qualities of Othello which he previously admired are suppressed as the Senator gives in to the racial feelings. Magic is a theme that recurs throughout the play and the association of magic with the Africans is stereotyped.

The discussion of the above lines cannot be complete without a reference to the Shakespearean language. An interesting feature of the Shakespearean language is the use of words. Like “Hamlet”, “Othello” is also built upon the power of words. Archaic words like ‘thou’, ‘thee’ meaning ‘you’ recur throughout the play and are easy to comprehend. However, the old English word ‘guardage’ used in Brabantio’s speech which means ‘guardianship’ may be a bit difficult to comprehend.

Again, the powerful language employed in “Othello” often dupes the readers into believing what is not. This is exactly what happens in the lines “Keep up…weapons” (line 63) which portray Othello as one conveying a depth of personality, intelligence, and cultivation which is contrary to what the readers perceive of him so far. “Othello” is rich in memorable figures of speech and this passage is no exception. Alliteration is used in the words “she shunned” and inversion is used in “Damned as thou art” (line 63).

Conclusion

Last but not the least, this passage is remarkable as an example of Shakespeare’s use of irony. The above lines portray Othello as a victim of prejudice. However, he commits the most heinous act of prejudice in the play by forejudging his pure, innocent wife as an abominable whore who deserves nothing but death.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Othello-Moor of Venice. Auckland: ABPL Press, 2003.

The article under consideration is called Humiliation of Iago (Othello) and is written by Zender. The article is dedicated to discussing the veritable motives of Iago who wants to separate the beloved. The author provides different hypotheses concerning the real reasons for his hatred and cruelty and attempt to find the answers within the play interaction, including slightest details. The value of the work consists in its unconventional approach to the play analysis.

The main purpose of the article is to discover the reasons of Iago’s reluctance to accept his true nature and live in a real world instead of advancing his enigma and mystery throughout the play. In order to identify the actual reasons for Iago’s hatred to Desdemona and Othello, the author makes use of his own approach in analyzing the play through the prism of motives, plots, themes, and character nuances to.

The researcher also resorts to discourse analysis to understand how the plot is interconnected with Iago’s behavior and attitude to other characters of the play.

In the first paragraph, Zender investigates Iago’s attitude to women, particular his limited treatment of those. In particular, the article makes reference to Shakespeare’s other plays to explain Iago’s immaturity in expressing his affection for Desdemona and Emilia. In particular, the author emphasizes that Iago’s immaturity is revealed through lack of verbal fluency.

Hence, by comparing Othello with such plays as As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, or Twelfth Night, Zender intends to prove that the male protagonists’ intentions are also disclosed through the maturation of his affection through expression of inability to speak.

As a result of play analysis, the author concludes that it is the power of language that is vital in rendering the transition from romantic themes to tragic events. The role of language, thus, is narrowed to its ability to distinguish various social statuses and, therefore, the play highlights the existing inequality between social groups.

Another role of the language lies in revealing Iago’s inability to reconcile meaning and words. According to the author, the language gap serves as an excuse for Iago to behave naturally because he repudiates the existing reality and desire to be understood.

In the next paragraph, the author’s deliberations on the limits and nature of language leads him to the idea that Iago’s deconstructionism and anger are driven by the evil, which he considers to be an alternative form of love expression. In the article, Zender provides a comparison’s of Iago’s expression of affection and Othello’s one to notice that their languages are completely different. As a result, the article reveals that an immature language triggers Iago’s anger and inadequacy toward other heroes of the play.

In the final part of the article, Zender reflects on Iago’s willing to act rather than to speak. In particular, the article explains why Iago is reluctant to use natural language instead preferring silence to it. According to author, silence is the only means for Iago to equal with Othello and Desdemona who are able to express their affection through language. Therefore, murder is the only method to survive in the world that Iago creates for himself.

In conclusion, all three parts of the article under consideration provide explanations for true motives of Iago’s behavior. In particular, the author manages to consistently present the reasons for his inability to use “natural” language. It should be stressed that the article is of great value for further research of Shakespeare’s play because it has successfully managed to reveal other dimensions of character analysis through the specifics of language and verbal means of love expression.

Introduction

It is a simple truth that individuals have preferences with regard to all creatures on this planet–including our fellow human beings. Sexism and racism are the two most common forms in human culture. Nowadays, with the invention of creative technology AI (artificial intelligence), a new form of discrimination—speciesism comes to the world. Philip K. Dick, in his science fiction novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, discusses the issue of AI in an imaginary world. By comparing this publication in 1968 to Shakespeare’s Othello, written in the 16th century from characters, plot, settings, and imagery, readers can understand that discrimination will lead to tragedy ends. Othello as a powerful Moor, just as the lonely android Rick Deckard being treated differently in his world. It looks like discrimination is always in humans’ culture. It had caused numerous tragedies, and it definitely would cause more in the future. Although it is difficult to achieve the absolute equity in the world, at least racism is no longer a problem in the world of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I believe that there will be a more equitable world in the future.

Brief Summaries

Shakespearean Othello and Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep are two different stories, with centuries of evolution and development separating them. One is a poetic tragedy set in 16th century Venice, while the other is a science fiction novel set in the far future. Othello is a tragedy of a man who perceives himself as an “honorable murderer.” He tried to assimilate into a culture foreign to himself and pursue his love of a woman, only for him to fall to plots, schemes, machinations, as well as various racist innuendos and undertones that slowly warped his perception of himself, Desdemona, and the relationship between them. The hero is both similar and different to Greek tragedies in that he possesses a fatal flaw, but is not portrayed as a victim of circumstance and fate. Instead, in many ways, Othello is the engineer of his own destruction. He kills his beloved Desdemona and then ends his own life, succumbing to his weaknesses as well as the influence of a corrupt society around them (Shakespeare).

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is an exploratory tale, in which the main hero of the story struggles to find his own empathy and humanity, as he is set up to carry out a daunting task of killing off Nexus-6 androids (Dick). They are remarkably human-like, to the point that it takes an elaborate test in order to determine whether a person is a human or an android. The story begets the rhetorical question of whether life is determined by the capacity for emotion, the humanness of existence, or the capability for self-perception and conscience. As the story goes on, the Nexus-6 androids become increasingly more humanized, depicted to have motivations, thoughts, emotions, and a persistent will to live (Dick). This goes against what Rick Deckard has thought about the androids. After going through one murder after another, the hero discovers a newfound empathy for even the creatures perceived as “inferior,” which causes him to risk his life to rescue a frog, which turned out to be robotic in the end.

Connotations of Racism and Formalist Denial

Formalism was a popular style of literature analysis throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, which reviewed and presented the story outside of its philosophical, political, and geographical context, focusing on literary devices, tropes, and the overall plot of the story. It was an attempt at making literature analysis into a rigorous academic discipline. While not without merits, this effort also robbed the analysts of any perspectives outside of the immediate story, disconnected the writing from the author, and created a diluted picture of portrayed reality because of it.

Until recently, the subject of racism was often ignored or not addressed as a part of the literature analysis. In the 18th and 19th centuries, racism was never really perceived as a bad thing by the majority of the white reading audience, so the racist connotations of Othello were largely ignored in favor of emotion and drama. The formalist discussion of the story was typically focused on the politics, the subject of lies and betrayal, and on whether or not Othello could be considered a poetic work of art. Shakespeare violated many of the existing canons of the genre by shifting away from the uniformity of time and place while following the actions of the main hero, which made some critics perceive Othello as a novel.

The formalist analysis of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep repeats the same mistake, as it focuses on the plot devices and tropes presented in the story. As such, comparisons are often made between Dick’s novel and various other pieces of literature, where inanimate objects are given the capacity for empathy and human emotion. Androids are perceived through the human capability to empathize with them and grant them qualities similar to humans, both in behaviors and appearance. Due to the story’s plot revolving around the extermination of sentient beings, formalist analysis cannot ignore the fact that racism and speciesism are present in the story, but the true causes of it remain buried beneath. The analysis of literary techniques separates the story from its author and reviews it as an independent construct, making any allusions to the time in which it was written, lost to time.

Criticism of Discrimination and Racism in Othello and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Literature analysis underwent significant changes in the 1970s-1980s, as formalism slowly fell out of favor, replaced by various other kinds of analysis that took into account the personality of the writer, the historical realities in which the story was written in, and the existence and the influence of racial, species and gender biases present at the time. All of these factors are present in Othello and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, giving them more depth, as they provide new insights on how the people perceived and still perceive certain aspects of discrimination. The key issues of discrimination addressed and demonstrated by Shakespeare and Dick are as follows:

• Racism and speciesism based on perceptions of the superiority of one race or species over another.
• Internalization of racist perceptions towards oneself.
• Sexism and objectification of women.
• Discrimination based on the capacity for emotion.
• Android and animal rights.

Racism and speciesism are, perhaps, some of the easiest subjects for a modern reader to spot. Both Othello and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep feature numerous examples of personalized and institutionalized racism towards the representatives of oppressed minorities. In Othello, it is the main hero – a moor, who faces discrimination based on his appearance and race. Although a man of intelligence, courage, and virtue, the race card is used against him by Desdemona’s father, Iago, and many of Venice’s nobles who look down on him for being black (Hogan 298). In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, androids are discriminated against in many ways. The most obvious example is the “retirement” procedure, which is the institutionalized murder of beings that are not considered human, thus devoid of feelings such as love or fear (Alessio 61).

Internalization of racism towards oneself and “fitting into the mold” is presented in Othello. As the character tries to fit in with the white society in order to prove himself worthy of Desdemona’s hand, people who think less of him because of his race constantly surround him (Hogan 300). Desdemona’s father opposes Othello’s advances, whereas other contenders for the woman’s hand describe the brave and virtuous military general through the prism of racist stereotypes. In time, this treatment gets through to Othello, as he often laments about being a moor, and begins to fit the mold of an overly emotional, violent barbarian everyone perceives him to be. This culminates in his murder of Desdemona, followed by suicide.

Sexism and objectification of women are amply presented in both stories. Othello was written during times when a woman was seen as an object of sexual desire as well as a living representation of family honor. Othello’s feelings and thoughts are often presented as lustful and anxious to claim Desdemona for himself, and the ultimate motivation to kill her stemmed from the perception that someone else got a hold of her first. In addition, Desdemona was viewed by her parents and family as an asset. They were planning to use her to get Othello to defend Venice against the Turks (Deats 33). In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the objectification of women takes a new form – female androids are specifically made to pleasure male hosts, work as prostitutes, and perform menial tasks. The fact that these women are androids and not human only adds another layer of discrimination against them (Alessio 60).

One of the deeper and less noticeable discrimination trends presented in both stories. The concept of discrimination based on emotion is present in white culture. Women and “lesser races” are typically presented as overly emotional, whereas certain Asian races are presented as emotionless (Greenblatt 42). What defines a superior race (according to belief) is a balance between emotion and rationality. Historically, the capacity for emotion was used to justify various atrocities against “lesser races.” Africans (just like women) were perceived as overly emotional, thus incapable of governing themselves, which invited the yoke of the white civilization. Japanese felt the brunt of discrimination during the war between Japan and the USA, both domestically and abroad. Being portrayed as emotionless and evil made it alright to kill them. Othello eventually succumbs to emotions enforced upon him, which causes him to kill Desdemona. In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the connection between the capacity for emotion and status as a living being is more obvious – the lack of emotion and empathy is used as a reason to kill with impunity.

The last subject of discrimination covered in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is the subject of discrimination against animals. It is connected with the issue of emotion. In his writings, Dick makes a statement that the capacity for emotion should not be used criteria for discrimination and trampling upon another’s livelihood (Vint 113). This argument works for androids in his tale but is not extrapolated towards animals, which were brought to near-extinction by the last nuclear war. One of the major reasons why animals are used as food and experimental material in our society is because the animals are stated to not have the capacity for a full spectrum of human emotion. If the moral lesson presented in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is applicable to robots, it can also be applied to animal rights.

Conclusion

Perceptions of literature change over time, based on the stage of evolution of the society. As seen in Othello and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the people now understand the hidden connotations and threats of discrimination, which were either ignored or undervalued in the past. The overall growth in empathy, as well as the emergence of different kinds of literature analysis, focused on historical context, give hope for the future with less discrimination and more tolerance and equality.

Works Cited

Alessio, Dominic. “Redemption, ‘Race,’ Religion, Reality, and the Far-Right: Science Fiction Film Adaptations of Philip K. Dick.” The Blade Runner Experience: The Legacy of a Science Fiction Classic, edited by Will Brooker, Wallflower Press, 2005, pp. 59-75.

Deats, Sara Munson. “Domestic Violence.” The Aching Hearth: Family Violence in Life and Literature, edited by Sara Munson Deats and Lagretta Tallent Lenker, Plenum Press, 1991, pp. 79-93.

Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Web.

Greenblatt, Jordana. “More Human than Human: Flattening of Affect, Synthetic Humans, and the Social Construction of Maleness.” ESC, vol. 42, no. 1-2, 2016, pp. 41-63.

Hogan, Patrick C. “Othello, Racism, and Despair.” CLA Journal, vol. 41, no. 4, 1998, pp. 431-451.

Shakespeare, William. Othello: The Moor of Venice. Web.

Ving, Sherryl. “Speciesism and Species Being in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” Mosaic: A Journal for Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, vol. 40, no. 1, 2007, pp. 111-126.

Many critiques of Shakespeare’s play Othello tend to suggest and thus agree that Othello as a character is intelligent, proud, and strong but also naïve. They summarily agree that the play is all about honesty and trust and the cunning and witting nature of Iago who manipulates the trust and honesty of various characters in the play. Othello is such one character who falls into Iago’s web.

Othello is an integral part of the Venetian civic society. His skills as a soldier and leader are necessary and valuable to the state of Venice. His background history shows that he has been a soldier since he was seven years old. However, he is a cultural and racial outsider in Venice. As such, the Venetian natives refer to him not by his name, but by various symbolic names like “the moor”, “the thick lips” and “an old black ram,” amongst others. These nicknames are set to introduce to us the native origin of Othello and the way the native Venetians view him as a person (Jack D, 1992, p. 119).

Moreover, Othello is an honest young man, and his skills are highly sought by the senate as projected by Cassio’s comments that “the senate has sent about three several quests, to search you out.” This shows that the Duke and the government of Venice trust Othello enough to entrust him with full martial and political command of Cyprus. Othello on his part admits that for nearly the whole of his life, he has been doing war with his hands, faithfully serving the state and this is what his life is made of as seen in the lines, “For since these arms of mine had seven years. Pith, till now, some nine moors wasted, they have used their dearest action in the tented field- and little of this great world. Can I speak, more than pertains to fears of broils, and battle?” (William J. M. 1984, p. 142).

Othello sometimes also allows himself to feel his status as an outsider thus he is self-conscious and defensive about his difference from other Venetians. He thus sometimes protests about his conduct as shown especially when he apologizes about his speech even after being eloquent in Act 1. scene iii. He says: “Rude am I in my speech, and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.” Perhaps it can be argued that this feeling of foreignness makes Othello more dependent on the natives, even as he tries to be on good terms with them, hence allowing Iago to spin him into his deceitful web (William J. M. 1984, p. 151).

In addition, Othello being an honest man believes that everyone is honest. He in this way believes that Iago is an honest man and trusts him to an extent that, he leaves him with his wife and entrusts him to take care of his wife through the voyage to Cyprus. Othello says “So please your grace, my ancient, a man he is of honesty and trust, to his conveyance I assign my wife…” This marks the beginning of Othello’s misplaced trust in his hand man – Iago.

Iago on the other hand, being his master’s hand man, has come to know his master’s characters, passion to serve the venation state, and his love for Desdemona. Iago being shrewd sets out to use Othello’s weaknesses to the best of his manipulative abilities. He has planned revenge on Othello because Othello promoted Cassio to the position of lieutenant instead of him. He employs deceit and the needs of various other characters like Cassio (Need to have his Lieutenant job back) and Roderigo (Need to achieve Desdemona’s love) to achieve and administer his revenge on Othello. In addition, Iago knows that he has gained the full confidence of Othello as his friend (Jack D, 1992, p. 118).

To Iago, His friendship and trust from Othello are confirmed by Othello himself in his utterances like “O, that’s an honest fellow”, and “I know thou is full of love and honesty” and utterances from other characters like Cassio “You advise me well.” This serves but to encourage Iago of Othello’s and other characters’ naivety and he takes full advantage of this naivety to build Othello’s jealousy and mistrust of his wife Desdemona. On his part, Othello fails to see that Iago is an evil conning and wicked person until the bitter end after he has tragically killed his faithfully and most adoring wife.

Perhaps we can also argue that Brobantio’s accusations on Othello about his color and origin and his ability to genuinely make Desdemona love him without using charms punctured Othello’s belief that Desdemona truly loved him. Othello’s uncertainty of Desdemona’s love is heightened when Iago constantly pumps into his head infidelity thoughts until Othello’s trust in Desdemona is worn out. After “honest Iago” had said and shown that Desdemona is unfaithful to Othello, his killing Desdemona is justifiable and true.

Iago, knowing the nature of Othello’s work (General in the Venetian Army) and the call of Othello by the duke to attend to the impeding from the Ottoman Turks, knows well that Othello will not have enough time to stay with his newly wedded wife and get to know her better, leave alone the chance to consummate his marriage. Iago, therefore, sets out to exploit this situation to his full advantage. Iago accompanies Othello to Cyprus and backs Home. He takes this chance to explain to Othello that while he was away and busy attending to the matters of the state, Cassio and Desdemona might have been busy having an affair behind Othello’s back. Indeed, this appears to be the truth when Othello comes home and Cassio who had been talking to Desdemona hastily retreats. When Othello seeks to know from Iago whether it is Cassio that he has seen retreating on their approach, Iago answers that “Cassio my lord? No, sure I can not think it, that he would steal away so guilty – like seeing you coming.” With these words, Iago plants the seed of mistrust in Othello and at the same time, makes himself, the chief adviser of Othello (Virginia M. V, & Kent C, 1992, p. 129).

Moreover, it can be argued that the role Othello plays when wooing Desdemona is to him not substantial. He is uncomfortable with the role Desdemona played in their relationship and eventual marriage. After his mind has been poisoned by Iago, Othello doubts his wife’s love and instead starts to think that Desdemona might have married him to spite her father Brabantio. The fact that Desdemona fell in love with the battling war stories, Othello told, and thus falling in love with Othello “a moor” as even he believes, makes him doubt Desdemona’s love.

Desdemona on the other hand is a gentle, humble, and outgoing woman. When Cassio approaches him and requests him to talk to her husband, Desdemona agrees because she simply wants to help a friend. When Othello comes home, after being deceived that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair, he immediately believes Iago when Desdemona pleads with him to restore Cassio beck to his lieutenant position. The hurting and pain Othello feels after this conversation is symbolically shown when he claims that he has a headache and wishes to be left alone. This misplaced trust in Iago, and the belief that Iago is honestly helping him, kill all the trust Othello had in Desdemona and its place, increase the anger and hate towards his wife (Virginia M. V, & Kent C, 1992, p. 127).

Othello instead of questioning Iago’s allegation on Desdemona and his true intentions falls prey to Iago’s trick and allows himself to be overtaken by jealousy. As the play advances, Othello’s passion and love are transformed into a deep hatred for Desdemona. This jealousy is what leads to Othello killing his adoring and faithful wife l and later after realizing that, he has been deceived, to his suicide. Though this jealous plays the central role in Othello’s undoing, it can be argued that his racial background and his doubt about the genuineness “a white ewe” can give to “an old black ram” leads to his doubting the genuineness of Desdemona’s love. These thoughts make Othello easy prey to Iago’s, wits and hence also leads to his eventual downfall (Jack D, 1992, p. 121).

On the other hand, Iago is possessed with the thoughts of revenge. His true motivation, though not vividly explained, ranges from revenging because he suspects Othello slept with his wife Emilia to his being denied the position of lieutenant, a position he believes should have been his and not Cassio’s. He claims that he is the person suitable for the position of lieutenant basing on the recommendations of three senators and sees Cassio as unqualified and too simple. Iago claims that he has been robbed reputation, a thing which does not make any one rich if he steals it. Iago is thus determined to have his revenge no matter what the cost or who falls into his trap (William J. M. 1984, p. 157).

Iago also outwits Othello Cassio, Roderigo, Desdemona, and even his wife. His supreme deceit and cunning powers give him a measured advantage in his plot to revenge. Like any other character in the play, Othello falls head on to Iago’s cunning powers. Othello fails to see that Iago is a wolf in a sheep skin. Iago himself says (though to the audience) that “when devils will the blackest sins puts on, they do suggest first with heavenly shows, as I do now.” Othello completely fails to see this till the end when he can not change and undo what loss has been done. Othello’s naivety and misplace trust in Iago, makes Iago’s trap an easy job and leads to Othello’s eventual undoing (Virginia M. V & Kent C, 1992, p. 127).

Moreover, Iago uses Cassio to play the integral role as the source of jealousy eminent through out the play. Cassio is personified as a loyal man who is dutiful and attentive to his boss Othello as well as loyal and trusting to Iago to the extent that, he refers to Iago as “honest Iago.” This reference is important to Iago as he toys with cassio and uses him to make Othello believe That his wife Desdemona is capable of loving another (Jason C. 2005, p. 172 ).

In conclusion, it can be argued that Othello’s jealous is caused majorly because, he his blind to his wife’s love ways to him as compared to others in general and his mind being poisoned by Iago. His doubting his true role in wooing his wife and his being uncomfortable about Desdemona’s role in their marriage weakens his trust in his wife. Lastly, Iago is simply too outwitting and cunning to Othello for him to realize that he is being ensnared. All the above factors lead to Othello’s eventual dramatic downfall.

References

1. Jason Cangialosi (2005). Envy and Honour in shakespeare’s Othello. South Atlantic Review. south Atlantic modern language association press. Pages 172:174.
2. Jack D. Amico ( 1992). The Moor in English Renaissance Drama. South Atlantic Review. south Atlantic modern language association. Pages 118:121
3. Virginia Mason Vaughan, Kent Catwright (1992). Othello new perspective. Fairleigh University press. pp.127 -143.
4. William Jerry Maclean (1984). Othello Scorned. The Racial Thought Of John Quing Adams. Journal Of The Early Republic. University Of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 143 – 160.
5. Barbara Everet (1961). Reflection on the sentuimentalists. Othello Critical Quaterly. 1467 87055. doi.10.1111/j. pages 127- 139.

Introduction

Othello, The moor of Venice is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. The play has been considered as one of his greatest works as a poet. Sophocles is the author of Oedipus play, which has enjoyed audience and support from other scholars. The plays are similar in tragic downfall of main characters. The essay will focus in explaining why downfall of Othello was self inflicted, while that of Oedipus was work of the gods. Notably, downfall represents suffering and death of main characters and their loved ones.

Othello

In Othello, the downfall of Othello is engineered by Iago. Othello’s downfall is self inflicted, since he chooses to trust Iago over other people around him. Iago is determined to destroy relationship of Desdemona and Othello and begins by getting closer to Othello. Iago accepts bribe from Roderigo and promises him that he will succeed in destroying the love between Desdemona and Othello.

Iago plans a fight between Cassio and Brabanzio, as a way of destroying relationship of Cassio and Othello. Othello falls into Iago’s trap and sacks Cassio. Iago assumes Cassio’s position and continues his plot of destroying Othello. Iago further accuses Desdemona of having an affair with Cassio. The plot is done tactfully and succeeds in destroying Othello (Jones, 1971).

Iago demands Emilia to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief, which is later planted in Cassio’s bedroom. Since Othello trusts Iago, he believes in his lies of having found Desdemona in a compromising situation with Cassio. As a matter of fact, Iago corrupts Othello’s mind when he makes him listen to a fake conversation between Cassio and Desdemona.

The downfall of Othello was self inflicted because Emilia and Iago were his employees. When Othello finds Desdemona’s planted handkerchief in Cassio’s room, he feels betrayed and becomes angry. Othello takes Desdemona to his bedroom and accuses her of having an affair with Cassio.

Othello says that illicit relationship between Desdemona and Cassio, was the reason why Desdemona had pleaded with him to reinstate Cassio’s job. Despite the fact that Desdemona denies all accusations, Othello fails to believe her. Othello kills Desdemona for having been unfaithful to him. According to Othello, Desdemona’s betrayal could only be paid for with her own life (Jones, 1971).

Death of Desdemona was the beginning of downfall of Othello. Othello contributed to his own downfall, since he accepted advice from people who worked for him. For example, Othello failed to believe his wife when she said that she was not unfaithful. On the other hand, he trusted Iago without knowing his hidden agenda.

When Emilia revealed that Desdemona’s handkerchief had been planted in Cassio’s room, Othello was devastated. Iago is accorded justice in the end, but succeeds in destroying relationship of Desdemona and Othello. Othello was to be prosecuted at Venetian State for killing Desdemona. Graziano and Lodovico attempt to take Othello to court, but he cannot bear the burden of having killed his wife.

He laments for having not listened to Desdemona before killing her. Othello curses the actions of Iago and Emilia, which have deprived him off his wife and freedom. Othello kills himself, since he blames himself for having fallen into ill plot engineered by Iago. The properties of Othello are given to Cassio who also assumes position that had been held by Othello (Bate and Rasmussen, 2009)

The downfall of Othello is evidenced by death of his wife, loss of property and his own death. Othello killed Desdemona thereby causing his own downfall. Othello murdered Desdemona because he could not forgive her betrayal. However, he failed to consider validity of accusations made by Iago.

He failed to compose his emotions and brutally murdered Desdemona. Further, action of murdering his wife can be interpreted as cruelty and ill treatment of women by society. Othello was cruel and refused to listen to pleas of his wife and killed her. He was vengeful and refused to forgive Desdemona for the alleged betrayal. Othello attempted to strike Iago after learning the truth, which showed his vengefulness and lack of composure.

After the murder of Desdemona, Othello was to be taken to Venetian State for prosecution. In this regard, his action of killing his wife would cost him his freedom. Othello became emotional and could not forgive himself for killing his wife. He killed himself because of guilt of having treated his wife brutally. His regrets of not having listened to Desdemona, further portray his irrationality. In the end, Othello destroys his own life and that of his wife.

Further loss was after his death, when his property was seized and given to Cassio. The downfall of Othello was self inflicted since he could have prevented it. For example, if he had not believed in deceitful information from Iago, he would not have killed Desdemona. On the other hand, if he had listened to his wife, he would not have killed her. Further, he would have prevented his own death and opted to go to court. If Othello had not died, he could not have lost all his property to Cassio (Bate and Rasmussen, 2009).

Oedipus

As opposed to Othello’s downfall, Oedipus’s downfall was works of the gods. When Oedipus was born, it was prophesied that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother. The downfall of Oedipus is rooted in this prophesy as will be outlined. Notably, prophets were seen as messengers who conveyed information of gods to people.

The father of Oedipus was the king and his mother was the queen, when Oedipus was born. After the prophet said that young Oedipus would kill the king and would sleep with the Queen, his parents opted to kill him. The queen ordered a servant to kill the baby and throw him away in the forest. The servant was not strong enough and opted to abandon him in a place that was far away from home. In this regard, downfall of Oedipus that began after his birth was works of gods.

Parents of Oedipus opted to kill him so as prevent injustice, which was works of gods. The servant opted to abandon Oedipus in a place that was far away from home, as a way of preventing prophesied doom from happening. Oedipus grew up in a place that was far away from home, but gods brought him back to accomplish his mission. Oedipus unknowingly killed his father and ended up marrying his mother (Brunner, 2000).

After, Oedipus learnt that he had killed his father and married his mother he became devastated and ordered for his exile. The reason why the downfall of Oedipus was works of the gods was because he did not have control over what he had done, since he did not know his real parents.

Notably, decision to have the killer of father of Oedipus exiled was made by the gods. In this regard, Oedipus was a victim of circumstances and did not cause his downfall. He plucked out his eyes and Queen Jocasta killed herself. Oedipus obliged to decision of gods and was sent to exile, where he later died (Foster, 2003).

Polynieces and Etiocles were the sons of Oedipus and fought with each other after death of Oedipus, because they wanted to become the king. They fought and ended up killing each other. Antigone and Ismene were daughters of Oedipus. Creon was the brother of Jocasta.

Creon ordered that bodies of Polynieces and Etiocles should not to be buried in Thebes. Antigone, violated rules of Creon and went ahead to bury her brother. Creon ordered for his exhumation but Antigone buried him again. Creon ordered for arrest of Antigone, but a prophet advised that she should be released.

When Creon and Hermon went to release her, they found that Antigone had killed herself. Creon and his son, Hermon confronted each other. Hermon accidentally stabbed himself and died. Creon carried the body of his son back to the palace. Eurydice, the wife of Creon heard the news about her son and killed herself. The tragedy ended with Creon wishing for his own death (Potter, 2002).

The downfall of Oedipus was eminent and was felt by many characters. The tragedy in Oedipus of Sophocles was manipulated by gods and cannot be attributed to role played by the main character. Notably, all children of Oedipus and his family members perished in Oedipus’s downfall.

Oedipus could not have done anything to prevent his downfall. Prophesy of doom made after his birth, depicts manipulation of gods in fateful downfall of Oedipus. Despite the fact that Jocasta and her servant attempted to prevent a tragedy, downfall of Oedipus still occurred. In this regard, downfall of Oedipus can be interpreted as being inevitable and not self inflicted.

Jocasta and father of Oedipus attempted to manipulate works of gods, but failed. The servant who abandoned Oedipus for death failed to change plan of gods. Despite traumatizing experience of Oedipus, he still grew up and killed his father and slept with his mother. Notably, Oedipus was not aware that a man he had killed was his father and that he had married his mother. When he learnt of what he had done, he was helpless and plucked out his eyes before going to exile (Ian, 2007).

Conclusion

Othello and Oedipus are plays based on tragedy. There is a similarity in that main characters of both plays died in the end. However, the nature in which they died was different.

Further, the extent of downfall in the two plays is different. In Othello, the main character inflicted his suffering and downfall to a great extent. Othello could have prevented his downfall in many ways. Othello was the key cause of his downfall. On the other hand, Oedipus had nothing to change. His downfall had been designed by fate which is interpreted as works of gods.

As a matter of fact, many characters in Oedipus tried to prevent downfall and tragedy to a great extent. Gods were seen as being powerful and influential. For example, Oedipus obeyed gods order by going to exile. Creon respected message from gods and went to release Antigone. Downfall of Oedipus runs from time of his birth until after his death. On the other hand, downfall of Othello began after he trusted other people more than his wife and failed to control his emotions.

References

Bate, J., & Rasmussen, E. (2009). Othello. Basingstoke: Macmillan press.

Brunner, M. (2000). King Oedipus Retried. London: Rosenberger & Krausz publishers.

Foster, C. (2003). How to Read Literature Like a Professor. New York: Harper Collins press.

Ian, J. (2007). Sophocles: Oedipus The King. Virginia: Richer Resources Publications.

Jones, E. (1971). Othello’s Countrymen. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press.

Potter, L. (2002). Othello: Shakespeare in performance. Manchester: Manchester University Press.