Category: Othello

William Shakespeare’s Othello is a play that has been analyzed from various perspectives ranging from racism to the “green-eyed monster” of jealousy but the theme that seems the most inclusive of these themes is sexual insecurity. This quality is found in most of the main characters for real or imagined reasons and drives them to take extreme action, much as it does in real life.

In the lead-up to the passage to be analyzed, Iago has tried to turn Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, against Othello by letting him know his daughter is “making the beast with two backs” (Oth. 1.1) with the Moor. He does this to help his friend, Roderigo, ostensibly, but Iago’s motives are more complex than that. He is angry with Othello for choosing Cassio as his “ancient,” his lieutenant when he is more deserving. He hates the Moor because it is rumored that he that “twixt my sheets / He has done my office. I know not if’t be true, / But I for mere suspicion in that kind / Will do as if for surety” (Oth. 1.3). Even if that is not true, the rumor provides Iago with the motive and a plan to destroy Othello.

Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and outraged that she has given herself to another man, particularly a black man. He depends on Iago for the strength of character needed to prevent him from committing suicide and to take revenge on his rival instead. To get the younger man to the point, Iago has to stiffen his spine. He tells Roderigo to exercise self-control to place his love for himself over his love for her. Roderigo protests that he knows he is too much in love but does not have the “virtue” of changing that in himself. Iago answers:

Virtue! a fig! ‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus.

Our bodies are gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners;

so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme,

supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many,

either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry;

why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills.

If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise

another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would

conduct us to most preposterous conclusions:

But we have reason to cool our raging motions,

our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts;

whereof I take this, that you call love,

to be a sect or scion. (Oth. 1.3)

Iago believes that it is he determines who he is and what he does, that he tends to himself as he would a garden, planting nettles to strengthen his toxic, hurtful self or hyssop for more courage while weeding out thyme that might make his character more pleasing. He has the power to make himself corrigible and he asks Roderigo how it could be otherwise because if a man was subject to passion without the balancing factor of reason, he would be worse than an animal. For this reason, he mockingly calls Roderigo’s love for Desdemona a “sect or scion” (Oth. 1.3), a religion of the younger man’s own creation.

His speech is undermined by his metaphors. By using plants to illustrate his point he suggests that human behavior is organic and inevitable, that traits have to be planted and tended until they become full-grown at which point they take on a life of their own; and once a man’s character has been created only death can change it. In the context of the play, however, Iago’s credo takes on a threatening quality because it is by carefully cultivating ideas in Othello’s mind that he creates a nettle that will sting Desdemona to death at the end.

Almost as if he is rehearsing for his revenge on Othello, he implants the idea in Roderigo’s mind that to free himself from his obsession with Desdemona he must prepare for the day she leaves the Moor or at least notices Roderigo. “Put money in thy purse,” he says over and over, like a gardener planting a row of lettuce. Iago fully intends to “harvest” that lettuce for his own benefit but first Roderigo has to be distracted by other herbs so the gardener can complete his work.

Ironically, Iago overlooks the fact that his own passion is out of control, driving him to avenge himself on Othello by accusing Cassio, the new “ancient” of committing adultery with Desdemona. Cassio is the man in whom Iago seems more than a little interested, at least to judge by the account he gives of sleeping with Cassio one night while the other man dreamed of Desdemona:

In sleep I heard him say, “Sweet Desdemona,

Let us be wary, let us hide our loves”;

And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,

Cry, “O sweet creature!” and then kiss me hard,

As if he pluck’d up kisses by the roots,

That grew upon my lips; then laid his leg

Over my thigh, and sigh’d and kiss’d; (Oth. 2.3)

It is Iago’s sexual ambiguity, his preference for the company of men to the neglect of his wife, Emilia, that complicates his motives. Even his hatred for Othello is like that of a spurned lover. He is a man driven by desire, regardless of the claim he makes in his speech to Roderigo. In his case, reason has been pressed into the service of desire, and he does not see that when the two are combined, invariably it is a passion that leads the way.

Consciously or not, Iago realizes that Othello has the same fears as he has, and is just as susceptible to suggestion. When he implants the idea in Othello’s mind that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona, he plays on Othello’s insecurities that are only slightly greater than his own. The play does not say whether the marriage between Othello and Desdemona was consummated but does indicate that the general is not as comfortable in the boudoir as he is in an army tent. He is happiest when charming her with tales of battles and narrow escapes, and while she is willing to share that life with him, he can never be sure that it satisfies her. That fear added to his other insecurities such as his past, the color of his skin, his outsider status in Venice and the fact that he has little else to think about while in Cyprus, make Othello the ideal candidate for Iago’s schemes; but, as Iago discovers, as he sows, so shall he reap.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice. Washington DC: Folger Shakespeare Library, 2004.

Outline

• Introduction: In Othello, sexual insecurity drives characters to take extreme measures.
• 2^nd paragraph: In the lead-up to the passage analyzed, Iago helps Roderigo incriminate Othello by telling Desdemona’s father the two are “making the beast with two backs.” Iago seems to be helping a friend but his motives are mixed. Most of all he wants revenge.
• 3^rd paragraph: Roderigo loves Desdemona and is close to suicide now that she has given herself to the Moor. Iago tells him to use his self-control, that every man can make himself be what he wants. He is like a gardener creating himself by planting different seeds. Every man, Roderigo included, is able to balance his passion with reason.
• 4^th paragraph: Iago’s metaphors contradict him. However, he can implant ideas in other man’s minds, as he will with Othello.
• 5^th paragraph: Almost as if rehearsing, he plants the idea in Roderigo’s mind that he should make money for the day Desdemona turns her attention to him.
• 6^th paragraph: Iago fails to see that in his reason and passion have combined, with passion leading the way. His insecurities run deep. Although he is married to Emilia he prefers the company of men, Cassio in particular.
• 7^th paragraph: Iago and Othello have the same fears. Othello is more at home among men and in army tents than in the boudoir. Iago plays on those fears but in the end. he reaps what he has sowed.

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 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.

Comparing this publication in 1968 to the Shakespeare’s Othello written in 16th century, readers can understand that discrimination will lead to tragedy ends by focusing on characters, plot, settings and symbolism. Othello as a powerful Moor, just as the lonely android Rick Deckard is treated differently in his world. Both works look at discrimination as a force always present in humans’ culture. Discrimination has caused numerous tragedies, and it definitely will 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. Understanding how the imagery world suffered from illogical racist and spiciest will give hope for a future with less discrimination and more tolerance.

Despite the time gap that separates the play Othello and the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, there are good reasons to consider that both these literary works are discursively interconnected. The rationale behind this suggestion is quite apparent: both Shakespeare’s tragedy and Philip K. Dick’s novel are concerned with exploring the motif of dehumanization, which can be seen as yet another indication of humanity’s innate predisposition towards discrimination as one of society’s functional principles.

In Shakespeare’s play, the motif of discrimination is explored in conjunction with Othello’s dark skin color, something that caused the “noble Moore” to be treated with suspicion by other characters throughout the play. As Hogan has noted: “Everywhere he turns, Othello confronts racism. Its different faces or masks—not only enmity, disdain, abuse, but friendship, admiration, love—serve to make it more insistent, compelling, inexorable” (298).

Hogan’s suggestion, in this respect, reveals the subtle nature of Othello’s exposure to racism. After all, because of his history as an accomplished military leader, he had never been forced to deal with any direct mistreatment at the hands of the tragedy’s other characters. Moreover, the very fact that he was able to enjoy a good career in the Venetian army suggests that sixteenth century Venetian society had egalitarian aspects, at least in the racial sense of the word.

At the same time, however, there can be little doubt that the practice of racial stereotyping in the city-state of Venice was just as widespread as it is in twenty-first century America. For example, according to the play’s antagonist Iago: “These Moors are changeable in their wills: fill thy purse with money – the food that to him now is as luscious as locusts” (Shakespeare Act I, Scene I). It seems evident that Iago’s statement reflects one of the main racial prejudices regarding people of color: the implication that these individuals are both greedy and tempted to address life’s challenges in a highly irrational or impulsive manner.

Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that it was only the play’s evil-minded characters who tended to express racial arrogance. After all, despite having been presented as the embodiment of female virtuousness, the character of Desdemona appears to have been just as racially prejudiced as Iago and his cronies. For example, while striving to confront Othello’s suspicions, she could not come up with anything better than the suggestion that her husband was naturally predisposed towards anger and distrust by virtue of his racial affiliation: “You Moors are of so hot a nature that ev­ery little trifle moves you to anger and revenge” (Shakespeare Act IV, Scene I).

Therefore it seems quite clear that Othello did, in fact, suffer from discrimination based on race, even at the hands of those who did not consciously intend to treat him in a racially arrogant manner.

This situation can be partially explained by considering the fact that Shakespeare’s play as a whole radiates a strongly defined male chauvinistic ethos. As Deats argued: “The world of the play (Othello) certainly depicts a society that authorizes violence as a solution to problems, particularly those involving male honor and male shame” (34). This, however, does not necessarily mean that the author wanted to promote patriarchal values in any way. Quite to the contrary – Othello implies that the actual root of just about every evil within society has to do with the fact that, biologically speaking, people are nothing but “hairless primates” – hence their mental fixation on trying to achieve a dominant social status as something that has the value of a “thing in itself.”

This is exactly the reason why human societies have never ceased being innately stratified along the lines of class, race, and gender since the dawn of time. What this means is that, for as long as they remain “biological” (that is, endowed with physical bodies), individuals will always find an excuse to justify the discriminatory treatment of others.

This particular suggestion also underlies the main idea promoted by Dick throughout his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, thus pointing to the fact that it is indeed appropriate to analyze Dick’s twentieth century science fiction novel in conjunction with Shakespeare’s Othello. After all, as was the case with the racist mistreatment of Othello, there appears to have been no good reason for the novel’s android characters to be hunted down and “retired” (which is to say, killed).

That is, the reason for justifying the adoption of this policy in Dick’s dystopian society had very little rationale behind it: “Synthetic humans are distinguished from ‘real’ humans by a particular form of emotional insufficiency. While they usually do feel, they generally lack abilities to know and understand their feelings, feel in relation to others” (Greenblatt 42). This simply could not be otherwise, as the advocates of the Voigt-Kampff Empathy Test never even bothered to specify what the notion of “feeling” stands for in the first place.

Nevertheless, this did not cause them to give any second thoughts as to whether using the Voigt-Kampff Empathy Test to identify androids is socially appropriate, especially given the fact that those who tested positively and were identified as androids would be automatically declared “dangerous” and consequently found to be unworthy of living. In other words, the Test’s ultimate purpose as something that had value of its own was to serve the cause of people’s dehumanization: “For one thing, the emphatic faculty probably required an unimpaired group instinct; a solitary organism, such as a spider, would have no use for it… Evidently the humanoid robot constituted a solitary predator (such as a spider)” (Dick 12).

Therefore it makes sense to discuss the discriminatory social policy in Dick’s novel in terms of “speciesism” – the reason why androids have been outlawed on Earth is that they lacked what it takes to be classified as members of the species Homo sapiens.

It must be understood, of course, that the motif of “otherness,” explored in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is essentially Eurocentric. The reason for this is apparent: there is an undeniable parallel between how the futuristic society treats androids in Dick’s novel and the way in which European colonists used to treat “primeval savages” in Africa, the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand during the Age of Exploration.

Once a particular individual is classified as “not quite human”, his or her status ends up being reduced to that of a soulless commodity: “He (Rick Deckard)… had never felt any empathy on his own part toward the androids he killed… And he felt instinctively that he was right. Empathy toward an artificial construct? he asked himself. Something that only pretends to be alive?” (Dick 56). Concerning this aspect of the novel, Greenblatt came up with yet another enlightening observation: “In Androids… lack of affect implies the lack of humanity itself… Humanness is read as the foundational requirement for personhood by human societies… humanity’s synthetic others can be enslaved, tortured, and summarily executed because they are not people” (49).

This insight also helps to explain people’s veneration of animals in the novel’s dystopian future, which is a clearly fetishist practice intended to emphasize the higher social status of those who can afford owning “four-legged friends”: “In the novel, animals are treated as commodities rather than as part of living nature with whom humans share being. Thus, the relation becomes alienated and alienating” (Vint 118). It is evident that the author did not have to reach far in order to conceptualize such a future – the contemporary realities of living in the West correlate with the novel’s themes and motifs quite well (Alessio 65).

Thus the actual message conveyed by Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is that by setting standards for distinguishing between “humans” and “not quite humans,” the policy’s practitioners expose themselves: they are themselves not entirely human because their willingness to act in such a matter is reflective of their unconscious desire to impose their dominance on others – a clearly atavistic (animalistic) behavioral trait. It matters very little what kind of excuses people resort to while trying to justify their discriminatory treatment of other human beings.

The actual purpose of their preoccupation is always the same: to increase their chance to succeed in sexual mating, ensure access to nutrients, and win dominant status within an environmental niche. This is exactly the type of activity that monkeys preoccupy themselves with at all times. In other words, discrimination is always instituted for the sake of discrimination, with such factors as the color of one’s skin (Othello) or the person’s varying ability to experience the sensation of empathy (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) serving as nothing more than the practice’s formal excuses.

In light of the analytical insights gained here into what can be considered the actual significance of both literary masterpieces, it would be logical to confirm once again that there is indeed a strong discursive link between them. Specifically, Shakespeare’s tragedy and Dick’s novel both promote the idea that it is unjust to discriminate against people due to the unconventional aspects of their physical appearance or psychological makeup. Therefore, there is nothing odd about the lasting popularity of both these works. They both contain a number of valuable clues as to what should be done to ensure humanity’s continued improvement.

The main priority, in this regard, would be to abandon a positivist outlook on the formation of one’s existential self-identity. It is clear that both Othello and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? emanate a strongly humanist spirit – which is the best evidence that these two literary works do in fact interrelate. Because of this, there can be little doubt that Shakespeare’s play and Dick’s novel substantially contributed to promoting the cause of tolerance. This represents the main reason to recommend that these works should continue to be read by anyone interested in learning more about one of the most fundamental principles of how society functions.

Works Cited

Alessio, Dominic. “Redemption, ‘Race’, Religion, Reality, and the Far-Right: Science Fiction Film Adaptations of Philip Dick.” The Blade Runner Experience: The Legacy of a Science Fiction Classic, edited by Will Brooker, Wallflower Press, 2005, pp. 59-76.

Deats, Sara. “From Pedestal to Ditch: Violence Against Women in Shakespeare’s Othello.” The Aching Hearth: Family Violence in Life and Literature, edited by Sara Deats and Lagretta Lenker, Plenum Press, 1991, pp. 79-93.

Dick, Philip. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Ballantine Books, 2008.

Greenblatt, Jordana. “’More Human than Human’: ‘Flattening of Affect’, Synthetic Humans, and the Social Construction of Maleness.” English Studies in Canada, vol. 42, no. 1, 2016, pp. 41-63.

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

Shakespeare, William. Othello. Simon & Brown, 2014.

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

Introduction

At the time of contrasting and comparing the traits of Shakespeare’s Othello and Sophocles’ Oedipus, it is vital to recognize that it has to be through the means of varied theatrical activities. It has to be noted that many productions and interpretations have been issued concerning there plays as they look similar.

Even if two different writers wrote them, both Oedipus and Othello are great people; they end up meeting their downfall. They also have tragic traits as they eventually kill someone they love. This essay compares and contrasts Othello and Oedipus Rex characters(Shakespeare 16).

Prominence

The two actors, Othello and Oedipus, are presented with prominent character traits. Othello, in his rein, was highly respected general, whose service record could be regarded as impeccable in the Venetian troop. On the other hand, Oedipus was just a new appointed king in his community of Thebes, guided by Tiresias within the plot.

The two leaders in the two poems were all valued and honored by their subjects in their different territories, as is clear from the settings. The two characters had to overcome several obstacles in a manner that led many of their followers to respect and honor them, and their royal positions (Shakespeare 24 & 167)

Othello can be considered to be a black member of his society. Nevertheless, at the time of the Caucasian race, he was looked upon by society as very much superior as compared to other races. Though he was much respected and honored as a general, his people still at other times, he was down looked upon just as a human being (Smith 34). The illustration of such regard and expression can be seen in the opposition of Desdemona’s father.

Tragedy

When performing comparison of Othello and Oedipus, one should note on the similarity in their downfalls. In the process of fulfilling the definition of a term tragedy, the main actors have to lead their downfall. The same thing happens to the two actors; Rex Oedipus and Othello. Each one of them has some difficulties in telling what has been the truth in their leadership.

Looking at Othello, he can be considered as a person who can be easily cheated. His main mistake was trusting evil individuals and losing trust in his wife. He was just easily tricked by the masterminds of Lago, who had the minds of destroying him. They said, “They are loves I bear to you” (Dana 234), and he ended believing them. While when he was just about to kill his wife, he did not believe her when she said that “My lord, you know I love you” ( Dana 234).

After the realization of Othello that he as a king has some troubles in looking at the reality, he was misguided into believing that his own and real spouse has been engaging in extramarital affairs with one of his own trusted lieutenant named Cassio. Othello ended up killing Desdemona, and after getting to know the scheme of Lago, he ended up taking his own life, hence resulting in his downfall.

On the side of Oedipus, his past actions came back haunting him whenever he was. They led to his downfall. This fact proves that Othello is blind in his senses. This is because not only ones that Lago had deceived him, and he never opened his eyes to see what was happening. This shows that “He is not observant” (Bradley 23).

As is clear from Oedipus and Othello comparative essay, in contrast to what was happening to Othello’s present deeds, that led to his dismissal. “The protagonist of the tragedy is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes” (Brunner 176). Earlier before making a step of defeating the Sphinx, on his way, he met and killed a small group of individuals, forgetting that his predecessor, his father, King Laius was also in the group.

At the time he was summoned by the gods to find and ensure that the murderer is discovered and expelled, he gets to know through his own investigation that he was the victim who slew his own father and that one of his wives is his mother, as he married his mother by the name, Jocasta. “In his investigation although, he was faced with many difficulties in seeing the reality that the prophets provided” (Smith 75). This investigation might have led him to take his own life later.

Conclusion

The two of them had the same character as being prideful before the time came for their downfall. Both of them used to be men who had accomplished many extraordinary things. On top of that, they all had excellent leadership qualities empowered unto them by the Almighty if it can be concluded.

Firstly, analyzing Othello’s character, he can be considered as one who had upstanding citizenship qualities and was very much famous due to his military successes (Shakespeare 39). Somehow, he can be regarded as holding mystical traits. This can hold more water by looking at the fact that he just came from a foreign land that taught him adventure experience that thunderstruck the Venetian community. ( Shakespeare, 47-48).

Considering Oedipus Rex character,, we can conclude that he was also, to an extent, a renaissance person. Just like Othello, he was known because of his successes in the army; on the other hand, his genuine pride came from his position as a king of Thebes was happen to be wise and confident in his undertakings. Oedipus stated that “I Oedipus whom all men call the great.” (Sophocles line 7).

Every pride of an individual can be looked upon as a catalyst, of an early stage of a downfall, which might happen in different ways. We can see that, being a pride individual, he killed his wife on the reason that she was not loyal to him at all. In the same connection, the pride, one of the traits of Oedipus, did not let the killers of Laius go undiscovered. All these led to their downfall.

Works Cited

Bradley A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy. London: MacMillan and Co., 1919. Shakespeare Online. 2009.

Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Ed. David Bevington. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 6th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 912. Print.

Smith, Shawn. Love, Pity, and Deception In Othello. Papers on Language & Literature 44.1 (2008): 3-51, 49. Master FILE Premier. EBSCOhost. Tarrant County College Library Database, Texas.

Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. X.J. Kennedy, and Dana Gioia . 6th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 860. Print.

Dana, Gioia. Literature An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry Drama and Writing 6th Ed. New York: X.Y Kennedy.

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

It has always been questionable whether there is a difference between love and passion. Moreover, psychologists tend to question whether passion love has a positive influence on the well-being of an individual (Reynaud et al. 261).

Passion is often referred to as the inability to control the flow of the emotions and react adequately to the actions of the ‘loved’ one. However, different kinds of passion might lead to positive and negative outcomes (Vallerand, 34).

The love is filled with care and respect for the loved person (Moseley par. 21). Consequently, I believe that differences between passion and love have a tendency to exist, as passion is the uncontrolled actions to show affection, and love is the act of the understanding of the behavior of the loved one.

The analysis of the behavior of Othello from Othello by Shakespeare, Angela, and Vicario brothers from Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Marquez help underline my understanding of love and passion and emphasize that passion is hard to understand regarding the reflection of the emotions.

Shakespeare has a tendency to portray feelings such as love and passion realistically and display the tragedy, which surrounds both of these feelings in the plays such as Twelfth Night (Schalkwyk 99). It is evident that the tragedy of love is also portrayed in Othello.

Firstly, it is apparent that Othello’s love turned into a passion, and his jealousy ruined the pure feeling. According to the plot, Othello murders Desdemona and understands the cruelty of this act in the end (Shakespeare 23). In this case, passion is the fundamental driver of his actions, as he is unable to control his rage and emotional arousal.

Othello’s emotional instability emphasizes the difference between passion and love tend to exist, as the passion drives Othello to commit the murder without evaluating the possible future consequences. In this instance, it is evident that the loving person cannot kill someone he/she loves due to jealousy.

As for the Iago, his actions are also driven by passion, and Iago determines Othello’s disgraceful actions and makes Othello a tragic character. This example reveals that passion is the feeling that it is hard to control and understand, as the actions of the person are defined by the instant emotional arousal.

In the book, Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Marquez, the complicated relationships between the Vicario brothers and Angela, and Angela and Bayardo are displayed. Firstly, the relationship between Angela and her twin brothers has to be discussed. It might seem that the actions of the brothers are driven by love and care for the sister.

However, their passion for the wealth and the restoration of the honor of the family cannot be unnoticed (Pelayo 113). It could be said that these aspects are substantial drivers of their actions. In the end, the passion for the maintenance of the social status outweighs the significance of their sister’s feelings. Their positive intentions cannot be controlled and have negative consequences on their lives. In this instance, they do not love their sister, as they care more for the honor of the family.

In turn, as for the relationship between Angela and Bayardo, Angela does not experience any romantic feelings to Bayardo at first, but after that, she starts to feel love for the man. However, her obsession leads to mistakes, and she devotes a significant share of her free time to writing letters to Bayardo. Bayardo also does not love Angela, but he is scared of spending the rest of his life alone, and these aspects underline the necessity of marriage in this case (Pelayo 113).

However, in the end, Angela’s letters cause Bayardo to return, but his intentions are entirely different, as he does not have any romantic feelings for Angela. It could be said that the fuss, which was generated by the brothers, was the primary creator of the tragic love, as they try to solve the problem cruelly without considering the opinions of the others.

In conclusion, the difference has a tendency to exist, as passion and love have the same nature of origin but different intentions. The analysis of the examples such as Othello and Desdemona, Vicario Brothers and Angela, and, Angela and Bayardo help see the difference between these two feelings.

The passion is hard to understand and maintain, and it might be a reason for the negative consequences. Nonetheless, it was revealed that some other motives might exist, which determine the reasons, as a passion has different origins.

Works Cited

Moseley, Alexander. n.d. Philosophy of Love. n.d. Web.

Pelayo, Ruben. Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001. Print.

Reynaud, Michel, Laurent Karila, Lisa Blecha, and Amine Benyamina. “Is Love Passion an Additive Disorder?” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 36.5 (2010): 261-267. Print.

Schalkwyk, David. “Is Love an Emotion? Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Anthony and Cleopatra.” Symploke 18.1/2 (2011): 99. Print.

Shakespeare, William. Othello. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

Vallerand, Robert. The Psychology of Passion: A Dualistic Model. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015. Print.

Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are often represented as noble characters who suffer disaster and who are not to blame because of their naivety. At the same time, the brilliance of the tragedy is confined to the flaws of the characters which prevents them from making the right decision. Othello is also in front of the choice whether to trust his wife or listen to his ill-famed tempter. Othello, therefore, is a tragic hero who confronts the strong force of his jealousy and excess trustfulness.

The rapid development of the actions in Shakespeare’s play reveals Othello’s gradual fall from grace as a result of his growing jealousy. At the end of the play, Othello’s realizes that his naivety and lack of confidences in his wife’ innocence and fidelity. The hero attempts to receive one more change to redeem and suffers because of the inevitability of the outcomes of his personal weaknesses.

Othello is a tragic hero whose nobleness and naivety prevents him from making the right decisions. The protagonist, therefore, is a soldierly character who belongs to a primitive race and is guided by emotions rather than by his mind. Although his has a jealous and passionate nature, Othello rejects his impulsivity: “… Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them. – Good signior, you shall more command with years than with your weapons” (Shakespeare 20).

By pronouncing these phrases, one can call Othello as a wise personality whose nobleness and grace makes him reasonable and impassionate. At a glance, Othello meet al the requirements of a noble figure. He takes the noble position of the General of the Republic of Venice and he is always aware of the responsibilities he takes.

Despite these words, the hero is soon eager to take revenge on his wife for reasons that would have never been counted as a proof by a reasonable and sensible mind. Placing faith in Iago, whom he considers to be committed to the highest moral values, Othello makes an error brining him to fall.

The wrong decisions made of Othello are due to the flaws in his character. The hero suffers tremendously because of his ill-famed nature and impossibility to resist his primitive impulses. The downfall of Othello lies in his extreme disposition to jealousy and excess confidence in Iago’s honesty. He overtly accepts Iago’s false statements as the truth leading to disaster of the self. Being extremely disposed to deception, he is furious about the facts he learn from Iago and acts immediately, with no delay and little reflection.

Othelo’s simple way of thinking, as well as his extreme hatred to wife differs completely from the noble and wise statements at the end of the play: “She’s gone; I am abus’d, and my relief must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage, that we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites.” (Shakespeare 112). Being under the influence of the Ancient, the protagonist fails to believe in his wife’s words and, because of the wrong choice, he commits the inevitable.

Regarding Othello’s actions described in the play, the hero’s mind, as represented by the poet, is very primitive and simple. He rarely delves into deep reflections concerning his deeds and actions. Therefore, when emotions ignite his imagination, it confuses his intellect. Despite his dignity and faith in honesty and honor, he has absolute trust where there is no place for hesitation. Similarly, other feelings he experiences are also absolute.

If he loves, it should be all absorbing, just like other emotions, such as jealousy, passion, and respect. Because of his primitive and one-side nature, the hero is absolutely sure that he has the right to take the position of a judge and punish his wife for betrayal. This major fault, therefore, lies in misplacing confidence in his companion Iago who is extremely villainous. Because of the simple nature, Othello is incapable of conceiving the intrigue around him.

As a result, the hero is overwhelmed with emotion s and hatred and neglects the values and honors in which he previously believed. In this respect, the play provides an picture of Othello’s suffering and the shifts occurred to the perception of the surrounding world: “…let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night; for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand” (Shakespeare 157).

Any signs of reason and wisdom disappear as soon as Othello is obsessed with taking revenge on Desdemona’s betrayal. Accepting the seen for the truth, Othello puts all doubts aside and suffocates his wife.

Being completely fired with the jealousy and passion, Othello later realizes that the murder he committed is not justified. At the end of the play, he realizes that his strong dependence on Iago’s false honesty and authority prevented him from making personal judgment and decisions.

Realizing that all moral values her believes in were lost and, therefore, Othello is sure that death is the punishment he deserves for his villainous actions: “…you must speak of one that loved not wisely, but too well, of one not easily jealous, but being wrought….one whose hand…threw a pearl away rich than all his tribe…” (Shakespeare 234).

Learning the truth, Othello once again reveals his primitive and noble character. His sincerity and naivety ruins him and distracts him from the noble path, which is the main tragedy of the play. On the one hand, Othello’s absolute trust in fidelity, honesty, and love makes him a gracious character. However, failure to listen to his own mind prevents him from doing the right decisions in his life. On the other hand, Iago is a strong villainous force that takes advantage of the hero’s naïve and primitive nature to generate chaos and dishonesty.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that Othello is a classical tragic hero who fails to resist his primitive and jealous nature. He fails to trust to the self and is trapped within the Iago’s intrigues.

Being disposed to the Ancient’s influence, the hero fails to discover the truth and relieve his mind from hatred and fury. As a result, his falls from grace and his utmost feeling of honesty. With no reflection and judgment, Othello commits murder because he believes that his acts are those of a noble man. Desdemona, therefore, must die in not to betray other man.

At the end of the novel Othello realizes that his hasty actions are not justified. Guided by a splash of emotions, the hero neglects other opinions and puts his fate in the hands of his ill-famed companion. Overall, Shakespeare’s play provides an insight in the tragic events leading to redemption and reconciliation. At the same time, the story is a bright example of events that teach people be more reliant on personal opinion.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Othello. US: Plain Label Books, 1968. Print.

A tragedy drama is a drama that covers the events of human achievement and suffering as a result of the protagonist’s decisions at one time or another. The leaders are more likely to become victims of other people who intend to manipulate their power and good leadership skills. Although many critics consider Othello a perverted form of tragedy, it belongs to the classic tragedy as it comprises the Aristotelian tragedy’s characteristics. The other personage, Bianca, is another subject to a discussion. She was a prostitute which made her personality doubtful, especially in regard to her actions. Despite her shady character, she was not responsible for her downfalls in life because she was a victim of circumstances.

Shakespeare’s Othello can be referred to as a tragedy for several reasons. Primarily, Aristotle’s tragedy has several specific characteristics, including the presence of a fatal error, the admission of the error, and the epiphany, in which people imagine various ways to avoid undesirable consequences. To be classified as an Aristotelian tragedy, a film or story must be complex and include a situation in which a respectable person suffers a complete reversal of fortunes due to a fatal mistake and the discovery of it. The tragic hero suffers as much from his actions as from those of his fellows. In addition, the tragedy consists of floral elements, because it tells about good and evil and shows how they lead a person to despair. Hence, the mentioned play corresponds with most of these characteristics, which makes it a true Aristotle’s drama.

Apart from the abovementioned elements, Aristotle’s tragedy normally discloses the most heinous problems such as racial prejudice. Racism is a prominent theme in William Shakespeare’s Othello. It depicts European society’s attitude toward racial, ethnic, and linguistic differences. In Europe, white people were the majority, and all other races were considered inferior and unimportant. Rodrigo and Iago disparage Othello’s apparent race in the first scene, calling him “Thick Lips” and “Barbary Horse,” among other things (Othello 1.1.72). Most of the time, biased characters refer to Othello as an ugly creature: “turn thy complexion there, Patience, thou young and rose-lipped cherubin, Ay, there look grim as hell” (Othello 4.2.72-74). In other words, they used racist language to label Othello as an outsider and as less human and thus less deserving of respect. This prejudice appears to have been internalized by Othello.

Ever since the drama Othello, the Moor from Venice, Shakespeare portrayed Othello in many ways as a tragic hero and, in many cases, led to his failure. Othello is a great and noble man of high status who turns tragic as Shakespeare portrays him. He serves as the commanding general of the army in Venice, and then becomes the governor of Cyprus. The main character has an increasingly successful career, and his life seems flawless until he gets into trouble. Othello is overwhelmed by his pride and arrogance, which makes him vulnerable when it comes to correcting mistakes. From the study of this traditional tragic hero, it is clear that his disappearance is due to the presence of his arch-enemy Iago. It was also certain individual factors that destroy his success, such as self-pride and other social changes in the country.

Bianca’s character could be compared to Rodrigo because both were besotted by someone who did not respond enough to their advances, and neither of them quickly realized when they had been cheated. Yet, they believed that true love would eventually be returned to them. She was a prostitute; however, her profession did not determine her as a negligible person. Instead, she was rather a plaintive figure due to Cassio and Iago’s attempts to use her for ill purposes.

Moreover, she was a victim of circumstances because other people contributed to her jealousy. Bianca was first depicted in act 3, scene 3, where Iago disclosed that Desdemona gave Othello a handkerchief as an expression of her love, and he would lose it in Cassio’s lodgings. After discovering it in the next scene, Cassio admired how the handkerchief was crafted and asked Bianca to copy it for him. Bianca, already angry at Cassio for his evident negligence in their relationship, supposed that it was a gift from another woman; yet she complied with his request. Even after a talk with Cassio, who she was deeply in love with, she said: Bianca says, “I must be circumstanced” (Othello 3.4.232). This proves that her surroundings were ill-mannered, and she was hapless in that situation.

In addition, Bianca was exposed to terrible attitudes from her clients. For instance, Iago stated that Cassio mistreated her as well as did her potential husbands: ’tis the strumpet’s plague/ To beguile many and be beguiled by one” (Othello 4.1.115-116). Hence, Bianca realized that everybody around merely misused her and that Cassio’s request for a handkerchief made her vulnerable. Even after Cassio was assaulted, she still rushed to help him, while Iago accused her of all the misfortunes.

To summarize, despite that some people claimed Shakespeare’s Othello to be a distorted version of the tragedy, Shakespeare used the means of the classic Aristotle’s tragedy to develop his play. In addition, even though the protagonist had a very high rank and many other pleasures in life, he was exposed to jealousy and racial discrimination. The other character Bianca was ill-used and became a victim of circumstances. Her mishaps were not due to her infamous profession, but rather because of the people surrounding her. Therefore, Bianca could only be sympathized with since she was clearly betrayed by Cassio.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of OTHELLO, the Moor of Venice. Edited by Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine, Simon & Schuster, 2017.

Shakespeare, William. “Othello: The Moor of Venice.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 8th ed. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Boston: Pearson, 2016. 962-1060. Print.

In his essay “Othello,” Ed. Michelle Lee concentrates upon different approaches to studying Othello and the contexts in which the play is interpreted; in this connection, he considers some of the approaches by different authors.

He starts by briefly retelling the main events of Othello and proceeds to state that modern critics’ main concern is about the subjects of race and gender in their analyses of the play. He also believes that “the drama is studied by them within the contexts of early modern colonialist and patriarchal discourse.” (3). Here Ed. Michelle Lee tells about Elise Marks’ drawing attention to the uniqueness of Shakespeare’s Moor as demonstrated by several notable productions of the drama. He also explains her thoughts towards the demands of an actor playing the role of Othello. The next approach to Othello considered by the author belongs to Annie Loomba: she also investigates the drama taking into account the realities of European colonialism. At the same time, she underscores the work’s status as the product of a long tradition of racialist discourse. Sarah Deats’ approach is similar to hers. Then Ed. Michelle Lee goes on by saying that Emily C. Bartels concentrates upon Othello’s “attempts to adapt himself to Venetian society through his own testimony.” (1)

Touching upon female characters, Ed. Michelle Lee provides Edward Pechter’s claiming that Desdemona and her lady-in-waiting, Emilia, are both rendered as passive and subdued victims of male violence.

The next passage contains Ed. Michelle Lee’s consideration of several broader aspects of the drama: its overall thematic content, language, generic status. Here he provides Thomas Betteridge’s associating evident concerns with misogyny and racism in Othello. He illustrates the redundancy of language as a central theme in the play, using Iago’s figure as an example.

Ed. Michelle Lee insists on contemporary critics’ tendency to categorize Othello as a domestic tragedy “while acknowledging the political and socio-cultural components of the doomed union between Othello and Desdemona.” (3). In this connection, the author provides Pamela K. Jensen’s suggestion that in Othello, Shakespeare presented the confrontation of private and public spheres. According to her, the drama renders the world of Renaissance Venice “put into the private domestic sphere of Othello and Desdemona.” (2). Then Ed. Michelle Lee goes on by describing another topic of academic interest in recent years: “Shakespeare’s creating a sophisticated religious category in Othello.” (3). Here, he takes into consideration Richard Mallette’s, Richard Wilson’s, and R. Chris Hassel’s points towards definite religious symbols and allegory in the play.

In conclusion, Ed. Michelle Lee informs that “the intense psychological intrigue between the characters of the play has established Othello as a mainstay of modern Shakespearian theatrical production.” (3). He gives some information concerning staging the drama in different periods of time and the impressions it would cause.

Lee’s analysis of different approaches to studying Othello shows that it is generally considered as a domestic tragedy, containing the subjects of race, gender, and male violence. It represents the world of Renaissance Venice and includes the allegorical religious category. It is the most remarkable of Shakespeare’s plays.

Works Cited

Bartels, Emily C. Othello on Trial. New York: Palgran Macmillan, 2004.

Jensen, Male K. This is Venice: Politics in Shakespeare’s Othello. Lanham, MD.: Rowman & Litttlefield Publishers, 1996.

Michelle Lee Ed. Shakespearian Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 2006.

Introduction

The essay is a critical examination of the character of Iago in the play Othello written by Shakespeare. In literature there is always a direct link between characterization and theme development. Othello deemed to be written in 1603 revolves around four main characters; Iago Othello, Desdemona wife to a Moorish general, Cassio and the general.

The themes of the play are honesty, love, misrepresentation, self knowledge, magic, racism, oppression, pride, appearance and reality, revenge, betrayal and jealousy. For instance, in case of honesty Iago is termed “honest” racism is depicted when Othello is termed “the black with thick lips.”

Most of Shakespeare readers have painted Iago to be the most heinous and villain character of all time. He is capable of manipulating those around him propelling him to achieve his desires. For this reason, he is a character that is most loved to hate. Additionally he is the most purely malevolent character engaging in most wrongdoings.

To under stand the characters of Iago, it would be rational to clearly define the term character; in literature it has been thought of as the attributed or characteristics given to subjects used in a play, poem, novels, playwrights as well as other literature by the author to help pass across or communicate certain themes.

Iago characters

It is ironical that Iago is referred to as honest person. A closer examination of his deeds and motives paint him another character. However, majority of other characters are not yet aware of his deceitful and selfish character. Due to this almost all characters are in a crisis of determining who and who not to trust.

Most trust the wrong person, Iago which lead to downfall of various characters. For instance Othello said “…my ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife” (Shakespeare 199) in reference to Iago.

It is worth mentioning here that it is this attributes that he possessed that made him successful in manipulating other characters painting him to be a strong and compelling character. Through it, he is capable of convincing Othello that his wife Emilia had and a fair. This was accomplished by him taking a handkerchief using it as evidence. It is worth noting that being a solder and always siding with Othello, Iago turns out to be a trusted advisor to Othello.

From the on set of the play, Iago complains that Cassio unfairly was promoted instead of him, due to this he plans to make both Cassio and Othello pay for this. He proclaimed himself to be an honest and trustworthy person, “Touch me not so near. / I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth / than it should do offense to Michael Cassio; Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth / shall nothing wrong him.” (Shakespeare 263).Thus everything he said seemed to be thought to be nothing but the truth.

Another major character that makes audiences love to hate him is being vengeful. It is apparent from the onset of the play that intends to revenge against anybody for instance Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Emilia among others. He seems to gain pleasure when others are undergoing pain as well as damage as results of his actions.

He first made Othello believe that his wife Desdemona had a love affair with Cassio. Iago did this by manipulating his wife (Emilia) wittily to take a handkerchief given to Desdemona by Othello, once in his possession; he told Othello that he had seen it being possessed by Cassio.

To prove things beyond doubt, with great skill, he arranged a conversation between Cassio and Bianca and carefully position Othello so that he thinks Cassio is discussing his wife. Additionally, in Act I, Scene III “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father and may thee.” (Shakespeare 194) Warns Brabantino, this statement is used by Iago to remind Othello that his wife’s father said she might betray him.

Additionally, his manipulative characteristic is depicted when convinced Roderigo a friend to side with him. Iago uses his deceitful and treacherous character in making the later hold the opinion that after making Othello go, he will win the affection of Desdemona, Othello’s wife only when he supports his plans which he did not decline.

It is no doubt that Iago is a jealous individual. This coupled with the fact that he has desire for fellow men make him hate women. This can this be attributed to the fact that he killed his own wife. Additionally, he is not happy considering the fact that he is passed in ranks. For this he carries a heavy heart and promises to revenge which he eventually did.

This was accomplished when he plan a fight between his ally Roderigo and Cassio; he took the chance to kill Cassio on the basis that the victim double crossed his friend. The character of jealous is what mainly drove him to be vengeful.

Iago can also be as not being very creative. Although he managed to put on a face of ‘honesty’ he failed to change tact when things seemed work against him. His downfall can be attributed to sticking to his plans despite the fact that it was obvious that he was not capable of seeing his own destruction and if he could see, it seemed that he just ignored it “Dull not device by coldness and delay” (Shakespeare 231).

Iago is also seen to be a funny character. In this scene, Iago can be said to have winked at the audiences while revealing his wits, skills and knowledge of manipulation. Lastly and more importantly, although Iago looked to be scheming person who is not a coward, towards the end of the play, he is seen as being a coward. Killing his wife manifests this.

Conclusion

From the review of the character of Iago in the play Othello by Shakespeare, it is evident that he is the one character that ‘successfully’ plays the villain and most of the audiences and readers would love to hate him. Among the characters that clearly define Iago are; he is vengeful jealous, funny, ‘honest’, manipulative, coward and lacks creativity.

For instance he failed seeing his own downfall and change tact, he went an extra mile making others suffer or completely damaged. Using his deceitful skills he destroys the relationship between Othello and his wife, kills Cassio for his own selfish interest, and kills his wife. It is definitely through him that we Shakespeare manages to bring out various themes such as revenge, jealous and betrayal.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Four Tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. New York: Bantam Books, 1988. Print.

Video Version

Introduction

Using literary devices is one of the most significant parts of understanding literature. Authors of literature writings employ literary devices, including symbolism, themes, characterization, plot, and allegory, to ensure that their intended messages reach the audience. With such devices, the writers make their literary works exciting and engaging for the readers while internalizing the message’s intention. Even though the authors work on different articles depending on their specialty, their use of literary tools implicates the same. For instance, the use of symbols in William Shakespeare’s Othello is a play. Still, it employs the same form of symbolism as Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock to signify different life phenomena. This paper aims to compare the aspects of symbolism in Othello and The Rape of the Lock.

Discussion

First, Pope uses the character Queen of Spleen and her female servants in The Rape of the Lock to signify hysteria, and melancholy, among other emotional turbulences. Pope’s sexism is fully displayed in Queen of Spleen’s portrayal, implying that women are uniquely susceptible to these mood disorders. Besides, the Ill Nature and Affectation, the Queen’s servants, are both metaphors that speak to women’s emotional makeup. “Here stood Ill-nature Ill-nature like an ancient Maid, Her wrinkled form in Black and White array’d; array’d” (Pope 4.25-30). How affectation echoes the poem’s primary argument about appearance vs truth is noteworthy. It was believed, throughout Pope’s lifetime, that emotional and psychological disorders originated in the spleen, the organ responsible for purifying the blood. Most of the time, these conditions were written off as “feminine worries” and utilized as evidence of a person’s untrustworthiness.

On the other hand, in Act V, Desdemona performs a song, “Willow,” about a woman her boyfriend deceives as she prepares for bed. Barbary, her mother’s maid, taught her the song; like the woman in the music, she too met an untimely end, and like the woman in the song, she sang her last song as she passed. “She was in love, and he she lov’d proved mad, / And did forsake her: she had a song of ‘willow” (Shakespeare 4.3.27-30). Men and women are both portrayed as unfaithful in the song’s lyrics. Desdemona’s singing of the song elicits questions from Emilia regarding adultery because it seems to indicate a mournful and resigned acceptance of her estrangement from Othello’s love.

Another symbolic comparison between the two pieces is the Lock and the Handkerchief. The lock in the poem “The Rape of the Lock” is more than just a coiled strand of Belinda’s hair. The lock becomes a metaphor for security, authority, and worth. The state of her hair determines Belinda’s value and limited influence in society as a woman. Canto, one of the most influential figures in Augustan era aesthetics and a master of the legendary ballad, says, ” Oh hadst thou, Cruel ! been content to seize Hairs less in sight, or any Hairs but these ! “(Pope 4.175-78). These remarks explicitly connect the lock to Belinda’s lack of maturity and, by extension, her potential marital prospects.

On the contrary, the handkerchief in Shakespeare’s Play implies different things depending on the holder. To Desdemona, the handkerchief means love since it was her first present from her husband, Othello. “I am glad I have found this napkin… This was her first remembrance from the Moor…My wayward husband hath a hundred times.. ” (Shakespeare 3.3. 297-300). However, to Iago, the piece of cloth means Desdemona’s virtue, and he makes Othello believe the same. The handkerchief means loyalty Othello had to his mother. He tells Desdemona a 200-year-old Sibyl wove it from sacred worms and mummies’ pure hearts. The white handkerchief’s strawberry pattern (painted with virgins’ blood) implies virginity and fidelity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, literary devices are important in literature. Authors can effectively communicate their intended message to their target audience with such devices. However, readers may require the extra mile of comprehension to understand some of the authors’ literary tools, including symbolism.

Works Cited

Pope, ALEXANDER. The rape of the lock and other major writings. Penguin UK, 2011.

Shakespeare, William. The Oxford Shakespeare: Othello: The moor of Venice. Oxford University Press, 2008.

This essay discusses the play Othello by William Shakespeare. Characters such as Desdemona, Brabantio, and Othello are analyzed in terms of racism and ignorance. Besides, the paper expounds on racism, discrimination, and attitude towards black skin in Europe during the era of this play. In addition, the treatise discusses the irony of Othello’s greatness as a general but being deceived by Iago.

Across the play, it is clear that the character Othello is often called by other characters funny names depicting racism and discrimination based on his dark skin. For instance, the father of Desdemona; Brabantio cannot stand the imagination of Othello being an item with his daughter. He is seriously enraged on finding out that Othello had been dating his daughter behind his back. Different from the other characters who call Othello racist names behind his back, Brabantio frequently refer to him as a “moor” (Shakespeare 1.2.88) on his face.

This is a racist reference to Othello’s dark skin link to North African Arabs. Often, Brabantio uses terms such as” sooty bosom” (Shakespeare 1.2.89) when talking to Othello who is his subject as the Senator of Venice city. Such comments are meant to make Othello understand the hierarchy ladder of control and authority. In my opinion, despite the visible dislike Brabantio has for Othello, these racist onslaughts are influenced by Iago.

Constantly, Iago dwells on Othello’s race when discussing his relationship with Desdemonia to Brabantio. Iago asserts, “Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (Shakespeare 1.1.97).

Skin color being a serious issue in this society, Brabantio cannot believe that his daughter could fall for such a sooty dark-skinned man. He thinks that Othello must have charmed her with a magic spell and witchcraft to have her in his arms. Without Iago’s influence on his views, Brabantio would not be so mean to Othello. Instead, he would practice racism on the fine solder only because of race difference.

In the early 17^th century, in England, race dictated the role allocation in the society. The term moor was symbolically used by the whites to show disapproval for a character of undesirable traits (Julius 20). Despite the spirited writings depicting black people as equal to white people, Shakespeare’s writings were criticized.

It would be unimaginable for a Negro to claim royal birth. Blacks were considered outcast blood that is not worthy to stand in the courts of Venetian. They represented the opposite of ego, pride, cynicism, and amorality. Racist slurs were hurled at them in every slightest opportunity irrespective of the class (Julius 23). Despite Othello’s vast experience in military and holding a coveted post of a general, Brabantio refer to him as a moor (Shakespeare 1.2.88).

Reflectively, this gives an impression of a lesser human being who cannot be granted the same privileges and freedom of choice. Iago incites rejection in Othello’s love life. Since Othello is dark-skinned, the society is against his marriage to the daughter of the senator of Venice. Iago says, “Even now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (Shakespeare 1.1.97).

In role allocation, the white were the masters and blacks their servants. Some roles were reserved for the white supremacy. When in authority, whites were arrogant and insensitive when interacting with the blacks. With every slight opportunity, a white person would exercise authority and superiority. Openly, Brabantio calls Othello a sooty bosom (Shakespeare 1.2.89).

Being amoral being, Iago interestingly use this trait to manipulate his ways throughout the play. He is delighted in his own cunning. Besides, he is adoptive to every situation and can align himself to assume any form a situation might need. In company of any character, he is coarse, bluff, and genial. Moreover, the characters in the play prefer his easy solutions to every problem and he pretend to have best interest on Othello at heart. Though everyone is above him professionally and socially, he interacts without any ego.

For instance, in the fight between Roderigo and Cassio which he instigates, Iago tells Cassio, “I should rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio. Yet I persuade myself, to speak the truth” (Shakespeare 2.1.80). He later convinces Othello to replace Cassio in the army for gross misconduct. This move is meant to win Othello’s trust and favor and facilitation of his scheme to replace Cassio as a lieutenant.

His goodness to Othello only serves his personal interests .Iago’s pride is of sly vindictiveness. In line 280, of scene 1 in act 2, Iago justify his hate and for Othello and is determined to cunningly revenge for a “twint my sheets…done my office” (Shakespeare 2.1.88). In pretence of loyalty, he vividly plots to break Othello’s marriage by vowing that, “till I am evened with him wife for wife” (Shakespeare 2.1.88).His vengeance insight is declared on Othello for what he presumes as a trodden pride.

In summary, the play Othello is captivating and presents racism as it was. The character Othello is gullible and easily manipulated by Iago who is below his class. Brabantio cannot approve Othello’s marriage to his daughter since he is dark-skinned. Generally, in the times of Shakespeare the blacks were despised as inferior being irrespective of their position in the society.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, W. Othello. Cambridge: Plain Label Books, 1968. Print.

Julius, L. Othello. New York: Turtleback Books, 1998. Print.