Othello
Othello, a Moor, serves as a general and commander of the Venetian armed forces and later becomes the governor of Cyprus. He secretly marries Desdemona, which triggers Iago's animosity when Othello promotes Cassio. Othello subsequently demotes Cassio, believing him responsible for initiating a drunken brawl. Gradually, Othello falls prey to Iago's scheming and, convinced of Desdemona's infidelity, smothers her. Upon realizing her innocence, he takes his own life.
Othello is a dignified and commanding figure, highly esteemed in his military career. At the play's outset, he experiences significant success and everything appears to be in his favor. Desdemona chooses him over her other Venetian suitors, and he successfully defends against Brabantio's accusations of coercion and abduction. The Duke of Venice and the Venetian senators appoint him to lead the forces defending Cyprus against the Turks. Upon arriving in Cyprus, Othello learns that a tempest has eradicated the Turkish threat. In Cyprus, Othello and Desdemona display their affection more openly and less formally than in Venice. They celebrate their marriage, and even the disruption caused by Cassio and Montano's brawl doesn't shake Othello's confidence and composure. Reflecting the archetype of the strong, heroic leader, he declares, "He that stirs next to carve for his own rage / Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion" (II.iii.164-165). He is decisive and authoritative, ready to act without hesitation. However, Othello's self-assurance wanes as Iago begins to manipulate his thoughts, insinuating an affair between Desdemona and Cassio.
Initially, Othello dismisses the notion that his wife's grace, charm, and beauty could incite his jealousy, asserting, "she had eyes and chose me" (III.iii.189). But Iago's "medicine" (IV.i.46) soon takes effect, causing Othello to doubt Desdemona's continued love for him. When Iago suggests that Desdemona has already deceived her father and Othello, the Moor starts believing her betrayal is inevitable, considering his skin color, older age, and lack of refined manners (III.iii.263-268). He begins to act as if her unfaithfulness is a foregone conclusion, lamenting that "Othello's occupation is gone" (III.iii.357).
Iago stirs Othello into a jealous frenzy through numerous insinuations. However, it appears that the handkerchief—the one Othello originally gave to Desdemona as a token of love—is what finally drives Othello over the edge. Iago persuades Othello that the innocently dropped handkerchief was actually given to Cassio (who then passes it to Bianca) by Desdemona. Othello fixates on this piece of cloth as damning physical evidence during his confrontation with his wife. He references it repeatedly before killing Desdemona: "That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee, / Thou gav'st to Cassio" (V.ii.48-49); "By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's hand" (V.ii.62); and again, "I saw the handkerchief" (V.ii.66). Despite Desdemona’s continuous denials of giving the handkerchief to Cassio, suggesting he might have found it somewhere, her protests are in vain.
Ultimately, Othello is so convinced by Iago's deception that he murders his wife in their bed. The most obvious reason for this act is the one Othello gives to Emilia, stated repeatedly in response to her persistent questioning, immediately after he has smothered Desdemona: "She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore"; "She was false as water"; "Cassio did top her" (V.ii.133; 135; 137). Othello believes Desdemona has betrayed him and their marriage, leading to her death.
Yet, some argue that Othello's motives are more profound, suggesting he killed Desdemona because she violated Venetian societal norms by marrying a Moor. Advocates of this perspective claim that Othello is accepted by Venetian society as long as he remains an external element. Barbantio and the Venetian senators are eager to benefit from his strength and military expertise, but when Othello integrates into their society through his marriage to Desdemona, his presence becomes disruptive. In his final speech, Othello asks to be remembered as "one that lov'd not wisely but too well" (V.ii.345). Is the object of that love Desdemona or Venice? Perhaps Othello never ceases to see himself as a soldier with the primary mission of safeguarding Venetian society. His last act—his own suicide—might be seen as a service to Venice, reflected in the language he uses to preface it. He instructs those around him to recount events exactly as they occurred,
And say besides, that in Aleppo once,
Where a malignant and turban'd Turk
Beat a Venetian and traduc'd the state,
I took by the throat the circumcised dog
And smote him—thus.
(V.ii.353-357)
The final word of this speech is punctuated by the sound of Othello's knife plunging into his chest, fatally wounding him.
In his final speech, Othello reflects on his life for future generations, describing himself as "one that loved not wisely but too well" (V.ii.345). However, from our perspective, Othello's self-evaluation misses the mark. He sees himself as an accomplished and worldly man, both in his own eyes and in the view of Venetian society. Not only has he gained extensive experience as a military leader, but he is also adept at sharing these experiences with others. Defending himself against Brabantio's accusations before the Duke, Othello recounts his initial interactions with Brabantio's daughter:
It was my hint to speak—such was my process;
And of the Cannibals that each other eat,
The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads
(Do grow) beneath their shoulders. These things to hear
Would Desdemona seriously incline:
But still the house affairs would draw her thence;
Which ever as she could with haste dispatch,
She'd come again, and with a greedy ear
Devour up my discourse.
(I.iii.142-150)
Even in Othello's brief, summarized mentions of the tales that form the foundation of his life, reputation, and social standing, there is a sense of wonder; we can almost hear the word "Anthropophagi" resonating from Othello's lips and picture those exotic beings with heads beneath their shoulders. In Act I, Othello seems assured of his own value. However, by the play's final act, Othello is utterly bewildered by what Desdemona's perceived infidelity implies about him as her husband. He struggles internally as he prepares to smother Desdemona in the play's climactic scene:
It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!
It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood;
Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
And smooth as monumental alabaster.
Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.
Put out the light, and then put out the light:
If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
I can again thy former light restore,
(V.ii.1-9)
The turmoil Othello experiences at this moment is beyond his or our complete comprehension. Here, we witness Othello justifying Desdemona's murder as a means to preserve her honor, indicating that he has conflated her identity as his victim with his own role as both victim and perpetrator.
What stands out about Othello and partly explains his drastic fall from heroic leader to savage beast is how easily he is manipulated by Iago into self-destruction. Othello believes he understands Iago, but it is Iago who truly understands his superior and knows exactly how to manipulate him. For instance, Iago is aware that Othello's self-assured demeanor relies heavily on his esteemed reputation in Venetian society. Although this reputation is built on numerous military achievements, it can be tarnished. Additionally, Iago knows that Othello, who has spent most of his life on the battlefield, feels insecure in civil society and in his role as the governor of Cyprus. Ultimately, Othello is an outsider, a mercenary for Venice, wary of threats and suspicious of those who accept him, especially if his standing or esteem in their eyes changes.
There are two main interpretations of Othello's character that have emerged among students and critics: one that views him as virtuous, strong, and trusting; and another that sees him as guilty of self-idealization and excessive pride. Both perspectives are supported by the transformation in Othello's behavior. Initially, he is portrayed as a strong, confident character using typical heroic language. However, as he succumbs to jealousy and rage, he begins to resemble Iago, adopting the villain's animalistic and diabolical imagery. Critics who consider Othello essentially noble argue that this shift illustrates an innocent hero falling victim to Iago's schemes and being corrupted by his evil. On the other hand, some argue that Iago's actions merely expose Othello's inherent savagery, causing his noble facade to crumble. The first interpretation places most, if not all, of the responsibility for Othello's downfall on Iago, while the second places a significant portion of the blame on Othello himself.
Expert Q&A
Explain the lines from Othello, Act 2 Scene 3: "Now by Heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule, And passion,......Assays to lead the way."
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
In these lines, Othello expresses that his anger is overtaking his self-control and better judgment, causing his passion to lead his actions. He is upset because Cassio, his right-hand man, failed his duty during the watch, which disrupted Othello's honeymoon and injured Montano. Othello demands to know who started the fight, emphasizing the seriousness of the public brawl.
Othello is most upset that he and his wife have been disrupted on their honeymoon night. He has yet to consummate his marriage with his new bride. Also, his newly-appointed right-hand man, Cassio, fails in his duty regarding a basic assignment: the watch. This obviously makes Othello look bad, especially since Montano, the governor of the island, is injured on his watch.
The monologue is aimed square at Cassio, especially the end. According to "Shakespeare Made Easy," a line-by-line translation is as follows:
"Now by heaven, my self-control begins to be overcome by my anger, and my best judgement is darkened by my passions. By God, if I so much as move or raise my arm, the bravest men among you shall fall before my rebuke. Tell me how this terrible brawl began and who started it, and whoever is convicted of this offense--even if he were my own brother--shall lose my support. What do you think you are doing carrying on a personal and private quarrel in public in a town that is stirred up from war, the people's hearts still full of fear? It's monstrous. Iago, who started this fight?"
In terms of what the words mean, these lines mean something like "I swear that I'm getting really angry. My blood (anger) is overruling my common sense, my passion is starting to lead me (tell me what to do).
The lines you mention are spoken by Othello to Iago, Montano and Cassio. The reason that Othello is so angry is because the three guys, along with Roderigo, have been fighting. Othello can't get answers about why the fight started and he is getting annoyed. So he is starting to tell them to tell him the truth already because he's getting mad.
In Othello, what quotes highlight Othello's nobility and power?
2 Educator Answers
Quick answer:
Quotes that highlight Othello's nobility and power include his calm response to Brabantio in Act 1, Scene 2, where he refuses to draw his sword and opts for dialogue: "Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the rest...". Additionally, in Act 2, Scene 3, Othello chastises others for fighting: "Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this?". Lastly, his acknowledgment of his royal lineage and esteemed military service further underscores his noble character.
In Shakespeare's Othello, many characters refer to the titular role as a noble person. This helps to establish his noble attitude, which is also upheld by his own words and actions.
In act 1, scene 2, Brabantio confronts Othello on the street. Brabantio believes Othello has stolen his daughter: but in reality, Desdemona is in love with Othello, and the two have chosen to be together. During this confrontation on the street, everyone draws their sword except Othello. Though he is a skilled fighter and could hold his own, he knows that fighting will solve nothing, and he would rather use his words to explain the situation to the duke.
Othello. Hold your hands,
Both you of my inclining, and the rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter. Where will you that I go
To answer this your charge?Brabantio. To prison, till fit time
Of law and course of direct session
Call thee to answer.Othello. What if I do obey?
How may the duke be therewith satisfied,
Whose messengers are here about my side,
Upon some present business of the state
To bring me to him?First Officer. 'Tis true, most worthy signior;
The duke's in council and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent for.
Othello demonstrates his noble attitude again in act 2, scene 3, when he chastises the other men for drinking and fighting.
Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this?
Are we turn'd Turks, and to ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?
For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl:
He that stirs next to carve for his own rage
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.
Silence that dreadful bell: it frights the isle
From her propriety. What is the matter, masters?
At this point, the friendship between Othello and Cassio is established, and we know that Othello chose Cassio for the promotion over Iago. When Othello learns that Cassio started the brawl, Othello must put aside his friendship in order to be an impartial leader.
Othello. I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee
But never more be officer of mine.
[Re-enter DESDEMONA, attended]
Look, if my gentle love be not raised up!
I'll make thee an example.Desdemona. What's the matter?
Othello. All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed.
Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your surgeon:
Lead him off.
Othello dismisses Cassio and says he will attend to Montano himself. This demonstrates his noble attitude. Although we hear of Othello's feats in battle and strength as an officer, we never see him draw his sword.
In Othello, Othello is light years ahead of his time in terms of his character being noble. Could a former slave, pagan, black Moor be made general of a white, Christian city-state's armed forces? I think not. As a black man nearly twice her age, could he be allowed to marry the young Senator's only daughter? Again, I think not. The very fact that the character makes it to the stage and is presented, against all odds, as a fine general and a good husband in Act I is incredibly noble.
Secondly, tragic heroes are, by definition, noble. According to Aristotle, nobility is that the first mark of a tragic hero. Enotes says:
(According to) Aristotle's Poetics it is imperative that the tragic hero be noble.
Othello is very noble in Act I, but he reverts from it as the play goes on. After Othello testifies of his love for Desdemona before the Senate, the Duke says:
This means that if he had a daughter (and maybe he does), Othello would win her over and he, her father, would consent to the marriage. That's how noble Othello is: he can woo the maids and their fathers of high rank.
Even Othello's sworn enemy, the man who vows revenge against him for having relations with his own wife, Iago, thinks he is noble in Act II:
The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,
And I dare think he'll prove to Desdemona
A most dear husband.
But, in Act III, Othello begins to loose his nobility to jealousy. Desdemona admits that although Othello is jealous, he is noble:
but my noble Moor
Is true of mind and made of no such baseness
As jealous creatures are, it were enough
To put him to ill thinking.
Even Lodovico says that Othello was noble (in Act I) but now, in Act III, is no longer such:
Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate
Call all in all sufficient? Is this the nature
Whom passion could not shake? whose solid virtue
The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,
Could neither graze nor pierce?
Iago responds, "He is much changed."
Overall, Othello begins noble, but jealousy corrupts him and he dies a victim of Iago's deception and his own titanic passions.
What quote from Othello shows his easy manipulation?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
A quote from Othello that shows his easy manipulation is when Othello reacts to Iago's suggestion: "Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm?" This demonstrates Othello's gullibility as he readily believes Iago's insinuations about Desdemona and Cassio, reflecting his susceptibility to Iago's deceit without seeking further proof.
In the opening scene of the fourth act of Othello is a four-line quote that shows how easily Othello is manipulated. The scene opens as follows:
Iago Will you think so?
Othello Think so, Iago?
Iago To kiss in private?
Othello An unauthorized kiss!
Iago Or to be naked with her friend in bed
An hour or more, not meaning any harm?
Othello Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm?
It is hypocrisy against the devil.
They that mean virtuously, and yet do so,
The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven.
In these four lines Othello shows himself to be incredibly gullible, or worse than gullible. He actually believes Iago's assertion that Desdemona and Cassio have been spending time together in bed naked and the possibility that they might have no desire or intention of engaging in sexual intercourse. Iago seems to be intimating that this is the sort of thing that is customary in the Venetian high society of which Othello, a complete outsider, is ignorant.
Othello seems like someone who is trying to be broad-minded and urbane but cannot help expressing his very strict conservative beliefs about proper conduct. Othello, being a Moor, probably has had an education based on the Koran, which teaches rigid laws of human behavior. A married woman who committed adultery in the Muslim world could be stoned to death.
Iago seems to be enjoying himself in this opening scene. In addition to his
other motives for destroying Othello's happiness, Iago may just enjoy deceiving
and manipulating people, seeing how far he can go. Iago is cunning. Cunning
people are not necessarily wise and rarely creative but more often parasitical.
They cannot create anything but have to exploit others. Like Cassius in
Julius Caesar, they are "very dangerous."
What quotes reveal Othello's low self-esteem?
1 Educator Answer
Quick answer:
Othello's low self-esteem in Shakespeare's "Othello" is revealed through various quotes. He speaks of his "weak merits" (Act 3, Scene 3), expressing doubts about his worthiness of Desdemona's love, and doubts his racial identity, conversational skills and age. He eventually feels he cannot maintain his status as a general, stating "Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!" (Act 3). By Act 5, Scene 2, his self-esteem is so degraded he declares, "That's he that was Othello: here I am," indicating he has lost his identity.
Initially, Othello is a pretty self-confident character. He's absolutely certain that he's the finest soldier in Venice and that, in the shape of Desdemona, he has a loyal, loving wife. Yet after Iago gets to work on him as part of his dastardly plot, Othello becomes riven with self-doubt and insecurity. When alone in Act III Scene iii, Othello's soliloquy reveals his fragile state of mind:
Haply, for I am black/And have not those soft parts of conversation/That chamberers have, or for I am declined/Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much—/She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief/Must be to loathe her.
Thanks to Iago, Othello's now got it into his head that Desdemona's been cheating on him with Cassio. Othello starts to wonder if it's because he's black and lacks the witty conversation and polished social graces of courtiers like Cassio. But Iago hasn't simply managed to turn Othello against Desdemona, he's even undermined this exceptional general's confidence in his abilities as a soldier:
I had been happy if the general camp,/Pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body,/So I had nothing known. Oh, now forever/Farewell the tranquil mind! Farewell content! Farewell the plumèd troops and the big wars/That makes ambition virtue! Oh, farewell! ... Farewell! Othello’s occupation’s gone. (Act III Scene iii)d
Othello is saying that he wouldn't care if Desdemona had cheated on him with all the soldiers in camp, just so long as he didn't know about it. But now that he knows of her infidelity—or thinks he does—he can no longer be an effective general. Bit by bit, Iago's sly machinations are stripping away each layer of Othello's identity, leaving him jealous, insecure, and vulnerable.
I am not valiant neither,/But ever puny whipster gets my sword./But why should honor outlive honesty?/Let it go all. (Act V Scene ii)
After the full details of Iago's wicked plan have finally been revealed by Emilia, Othello curses and runs at him, but Iago stabs Emilia to death before running off. Yet Othello does not give chase; that honor goes to Montano, the "puny whipster" who just grabbed Othello's sword without asking. That simply wouldn't have happened at the start of the play, when Othello was brimful of confidence and self-esteem. Yet now he's been reduced to a pathetic shadow of his former self, his honorable reputation utterly destroyed. Othello has given up the ghost; he no longer cares.
Othello's self-assessment of "loving not wisely but too well."
4 Educator Answers
Summary:
Othello's self-assessment of "loving not wisely but too well" suggests that he recognizes his excessive and imprudent love for Desdemona. His intense passion blinds him to reality, leading to jealousy and ultimately tragic consequences. This reflection highlights his understanding of his own flaws and the role they played in the tragedy.
Explain Othello's statement: "I loved not wisely but too well."
Othello's reference to the fact that he "loved not wisely but too well" can be considered in his relationships with others as well as Desdemona.
Othello is cruelly played and betrayed by Iago. Throughout the play he has never questioned the loyalty of Iago and has relied heavily on information and judgements from Iago to frame his social and political decisions. He dismisses Cassio upon the testimony of Iago (admittedly supported by the drunken Cassio) and is convinced of his wife's infidelity.
Othello needed to be in a position to trust and delegate to those around him: this would have been vital for him to rise to the military position he had. Unfortunately he had placed too much faith in Iago, and in his own judgement and allowed Iago to play on his weaknesses and, ultimately, destroy his life.
Explain Othello's statement: "I loved not wisely but too well."
I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak
Of one that lov'd not wisely but too well;
Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought,
Perplex'd in the extreme. . . .
These are Othello's last words, before he commits suicide. He seems to have regained his senses and returned to the eloquence of Act I, when he was not under the spell of Iago or his jealousy. He shows a calmness here, despite what he has done and is about to do.
We can all agree that Othello did not "love wisely." He worked himself up into such a jealous rage that he suffered seizures. He placed so much stock in the magic handkerchief (in material possessions) that he reified his wife (she too became a possession). He set her up to fail in the marriage.
The debate comes around the second half of the line, in the words "but too well." Did Othello really love Desdemona "too well"? Or did he love himself "too well"? The object or indirect object is not stated. I tend to believe the latter, that he never loved her but loved the status she afforded him. He, like Cassio, loved his repuation above all. I believe that he is trying to somehow justify his own self-delusion.
Explain Othello's statement: "I loved not wisely but too well."
Othello loves not wisely and not well. In fact, I don't think he loves women at all. Rather, he loves his status as a male and Desdemona as a status symbol. So says famed author and critic Salman Rushdie from (The New Yorker, July 2001):
“Othello doesn't love Desdemona. . . . He says he does, but it can't be true. Because if he loves her, the murder makes no sense. For me, Desdemona is Othello's trophy wife, his most valuable and status-giving possession, the physical proof of his risen standing in a white man's world. You see? He loves that about her, but not her. . . . Desdemona's death is an "honor killing." She didn't have to be guilty; the accusation was enough. The attack on her virtue was incompatible with Othello's honor. She's not even a person to him. He has reified her. She's his Oscar-Barbie statuette. His doll.”
Othello's farewell speech in Act V is emotion-filled pathos. He's playing to his audience here, more concerned about his legacy than he is about his responsibility in the murder of his wife. His monologue sounds eerily similar to his defense against Brabantio in Act I. There, he played to the sympathy of the Duke and the reader. His suicide in Act V is handled the same way. His words are all focused on himself, and he fails to honor the deaths of the two females his joins in his bed of death. Even in death, the men steal the show in Othello.
Is it fair or accurate to characterize Othello as "loving not wisely, but too well"?
Just before he commits suicide, Othello describes himself, with an obvious eye to posterity, as someone who "lov'd not wisely but too well." Although Othello claims to want any future history of his "unlucky deeds" to speak of him as he is, he nonetheless tries to put across his side of the story in his self-description as someone who loved "not wisely but too well."
Let us examine the first of Othello's claims, that he "lov'd not wisely." On the whole, it seems to be perfectly true. There was nothing remotely wise in the way that Othello worked himself up into a fit of jealous rage over accusations against Desdemona that weren't even true.
Allowing himself to be manipulated by Iago, Othello falsely believed that his wife had been cheating on him and, as a consequence, wrecked his marriage and murdered his wife. There was certainly no wisdom to Othello's love, such as it was. If anything, Othello regarded Desdemona as more of a possession than a wife to be loved, cherished, and adored.
This leads us on to Othello's second claim, that he loved too well. Unlike the first claim, this appears to be entirely self-serving. If he's referring, as seems to be the case, to his love for Desdemona, then it's difficult to see how his actions towards her—wrongly accusing her of adultery and smothering her to death—can possibly constitute love of any kind, "too well" or otherwise.
On the other hand, one could argue that Othello's actions suggest, if anything, that he loved himself too well; that he was so pumped up with pride and self-regard that he became an easy target for Iago's diabolical manipulation. If Othello is indeed referring to himself in this regard, then there's more than a ring of truth about what he's saying.
Othello's religion and potential conversion to Christianity
2 Educator Answers
Summary:
Othello, initially a Muslim Moor, has converted to Christianity, as suggested by his baptism and his disdain for Turks. Critic Ian Doescher argues that the play's setting post-Muslim control in Sicily and Othello's role against the Turkish fleet further support his Christian identity. However, his pagan ancestry resurfaces in moments of despair, indicating a lingering connection to his pre-Christian beliefs.
What is Othello's religion and did he convert to Christianity from another religion?
And then for her
To win the Moor, were't to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemed sin...
(2.3.342-44)
There's Iago, in Act 2, Scene 3, telling us that Othello has indeed been baptised. And yet, as a Moor, it seems highly unlikely that Othello could have been born a Christian, as Moors were Muslim and circumcised. Othello has been converted to Christianity, as his own words seem to suggest a little later in the play:
"For Christian shame put by this
barbarous brawl!"
"Are we turned Turks?"
So the logical conclusion to draw seems to be that Othello was a Muslim and is now converted to Christianity.
Critic Ian Doescher, however, seems to have a different view:
...[it] depends on when the play is set. Muslims had control in Sicily in the middle 1400s, and therefore if the play is set before that time we may be prone to believe that Othello is a Muslim. It is likely, though, the play is meant to be set after Muslim control in Sicily. One reason is that Shakespeare's source for the play is an Italian play called "Heccatommithi," published in 1565, well after the Muslim control.
Also, considering that Othello is fighting the Turkish fleet, it seems more likely that he is Christian, as he is fighting for the Christian cause against the Muslims. Finally, if the play is indeed set after the 1400s, it is unlikely that a Muslim would be allowed a position of nobility in a Christian society, especially one that had recently rid themselves of Muslim control.
Othello is still, then, most probably a Christian. And, as David Basch has written, Othello's name even seems to confirm that he is indeed a Christian - it may even be a name he assumed at baptism:
Here again, Othello's name would confirm this since, as Florence Amit has noted, the name means in Hebrew "his sign of God," a "sign" which scripture identifies circumcision (a sign in the flesh). This name link to circumcision is clearly pertinent since Othello's circumcision plays a central part in the words Othello uses in his final speech before thrusting his sword into himself, "I took the circumcised dog and smote him THUS."
What was Othello's religion?
I guess you meant to ask the question as it reads now. Othello is a Christian fighting for Christians. He does not for a moment identify with the Muslim Turks that threaten Venice, his home of choice. However, when he speaks of the magic quality of the handkerchief he has given Desdemona, he inadvertently falls into ancient pre-Christian beliefs. As his despair increases, his pagan ancestry claims him. This can be seen in his speech about killing Desdemona as a sacrifice, and even in the way he chooses to take his own life. He once killed a Turk in the same way, so one might conclude that his chosen manner of death stands for the symbolic killing of the Turk that he doesn't seem to have succeeded in expelling from his innermost nature.
Othello's changing language in Act 3 and its reflection of Iago's influence
2 Educator Answers
Summary:
In Act 3 of Othello, Othello's language shifts from confident and eloquent to fragmented and chaotic, reflecting Iago's manipulative influence. This change signifies Othello's growing jealousy and insecurity, as Iago's insinuations erode his trust in Desdemona and his own self-assurance.
How does Othello's language change in Act 3?
Act 3 of Othello is pivotal for the development of the play as a tragedy. This is the place in the drama when Othello finally starts to internalize the lies and deceit that Iago has been spreading against Desdemona. Iago is a master of language, using innuendo and insinuation to turn Othello against his wife. Indeed, he doesn't need to say much to create and heighten Othello's suspicions. In scene 3, for example, the most important in the whole act, Iago's casual response to Cassio's sudden departure is entirely characteristic:
"Ha! I like not that."
Later on in the scene, Iago stirs the pot even more, but again without explicitly accusing Cassio of cuckolding Othello with Desdemona:
"I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty-like."
This is a classic use of irony by Iago. He appears, as is his wont, all sweetly reasonable and nonjudgemental, but we all know what he's really up to.
As Othello increasingly starts to fall under Iago's malevolent spell, his language changes as he is becoming ever more intemperate and expressing his growing insecurity and lack of trust. Othello's confidence has been so undermined by the drip feed of Iago's subtle slander that he's almost starting to resent himself:
“O, that the slave had forty thousand lives! One is too poor, too weak for my revenge.”
Othello doesn't simply want to avenge his honor by destroying Cassio; he's also going to carry out revenge upon a society which disrespects his race.
Act 3 is also crucial in the development not just of the play, but of Othello's character. Prior to this moment he's been a thoroughly honest man. But since Iago has been sowing seeds of doubt for so long, he's now starting to lie and conceal his true feelings. He claims not to be coming under the spell of the "green-eyed monster" but it is as clear to us as it is to Iago that his jealousy is beginning to take root deep within his tortured soul. The explosion of hatred and anger cannot be far away:
"Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell!Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throneTo tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,For ’tis of aspics' tongues!"
How does Othello's language in act 3, scene 3 of Othello mirror Iago's language?
In lines 115-121, Othello asks questions of Iago, Iago repeats the question in an effort to clarify what Othello wants, and then Othello asks the same question again. This repetitive moment is the incident which shifts Othello's language to begin mirroring Iago's. This is important because as Iago repeats each question, he is doing so in order to cast doubt. Othello's second ask of each question is in an effort to reaffirm Othello's stance. Previous to this moment, Othello trusted his wife in spite of Iago's suggestions. After this moment, Othello degenerates into an envious, self-conscious schoolboy. These lines are direct examples of the mirroring of language.
If we could characterize Iago's language so far, it is direct when he speaks to the audience alone in a monologue. In those moments, he reveals his intentions. When he speaks with other characters, it is cunning and sneaky. He reveals little and he lets few people know what his real intentions are. He leads other characters to believe something that actually is not true.
Othello says to Iago:
And for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty
And weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath,(135)
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more;
For such things in a false disloyal knave
Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just
They're close dilations, working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.
In these lines, Othello suggests something without saying it outright. He is telling Iago that Iago is not being truthful with him. However, he is not accusing Othello. Othello is speaking generally about mankind, not Iago. There is a shift from line 136-137 in which Othello makes this move.
Later in the scene, Iago has played with Othello's mind enough that Othello is struggling with sleep, and with trusting his wife. Othello tells Iago what a terrible mess Iago made of Othello's mind. Throughout the rest of the scene, Othello uses direct language and it even grows rather vulgar like Iago will use when he is alone on stage reporting to the audience the next terrible turn he will make. These are Othello's last words:
Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her!
Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw,
To furnish me with some swift means of death
For the fair devil.
These sound much like the planning words that Iago will share when alone in front of the audience.
Othello as a Tragic Hero
4 Educator Answers
Summary:
Othello is considered a tragic hero in Shakespeare's play due to his high status, noble qualities, and a fatal flaw—jealousy. He is a respected military leader, but his insecurity and gullibility allow Iago to manipulate him into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. This leads to the tragic downfall, as Othello murders Desdemona and subsequently himself. The play elicits catharsis, as audiences sympathize with Othello's internal struggle and eventual realization of his mistakes, fulfilling Aristotle's tragic hero criteria.
In Othello, why is Othello considered a "tragic hero"?
In the broadest sense, all plays (and literature) fall into two categories: comedy or tragedy. A play doesn't have to be laugh-out-loud funny or funny at all to be a comedy. It merely has to have a happy ending. A happy ending means, most broadly, that nobody dies.
A tragedy is a play with an unhappy ending in which sympathetic people die or are very badly harmed. In the largest sense, Othello is a tragedy because so many good people end up dead.
The play also has many of the hallmarks of Aristotle's definition of a tragedy: it has a high-status protagonist who has a fatal character flaw and comes to a bad end. The play also elicits catharsis, or a strong emotional response, from audiences.
The high-status protagonist is Othello, a successful and respected military leader. This protagonist has a fatal flaw: Othello, because he is Black and middle-aged, is insecure about Desdemona's love for him. This fatal flaw is his undoing and leads to multiple deaths following the many deaths orchestrated by Iago. Iago is able to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdemona is having an affair and killing her. Having realized his mistake too late, Othello then kills himself.
Especially in the scenes at the end in which Othello kills Desdemona and later himself, not asking for pity and saying he "loved not wisely, but too well," audiences are deeply emotionally moved by the intensity of the action and the words of both characters. We care about these figures, sorrow at their needless deaths, and experience a sense of emotional release as the play ends.
How does Othello portray the aspects of a tragic hero in the introductory paragraph?
When considering an introductory paragraph, think about your intention.
- You want the reader to be interested and intrigued enough to read on.
- You want the purpose of your essay to be clear by the time your introductory paragraph is finished.
- You need to state your well-planned thesis statement
In your introductory paragraph then, you should state what is required to be a tragic hero, most importantly, that fatal flaw that all tragic heroes possess.
Othello's jealousy will be his downfall. He has established himself in venetian society and is well-respected for his achievements on the battlefield. As much as he shows his confidence and pride, he is always conscious of his background - always needing to reassure himself and others, that he has earned his place in Venice.This is why he thinks he has found an ally in Iago
Iago is most honest
Hence, when writing your introductory paragraph consider Othello's rise and fall from grace:
From a place of honor, the hero has fallen through some tragic flaw. In this case, the fatal flaw is jealousy, the “green-eyed monster.”
You could begin your essay something like this:
Every tragic hero has a promising future before some fatal flaw in his (or her) character obsesses and envelops all his actions. Othello is no exception to this and we are introduced to a genuine character who is determined to prove his worth as a husband and noble soldier by speaking of his exploits. He
will a round unvarnished tale deliver
to prove his mettle. Unfortunately, his position is tenuous as he is easily misled when circumstance convinces him. He is so affected by honor and reputation that Iago's 'seed of doubt' - Desdemona did indeed 'betray' her father by marrying Othello- is enough to set the plot and begin Othello's dark descent.
Remember that your thesis statement needs to conclude this paragraph:
Conflicting emotions, suspicious natures and feelings of betrayal lead to the ultimate - revenge. The tragic hero, full of promise, certainly falls victim to his own failings and uncertainties in his inevitable destruction.
Is Shakespeare's "Othello" a tragedy and Othello a tragic hero as per Aristotle's definition? Provide three reasons for each.
I will discuss in the following post reasons one could make either argument about the play as a tragedy and Othello as a tragic hero by Aristotle’s definitions.
Reasons that the play qualifies as an Aristotelian tragedy:
- The strong reliance on Peripety; the play begins with a happy marriage between Othello and Desdemona, yet ends with the dissolution of trust and the latter’s murder.
- The catharsis at the end of the play when Othello kills Desdemona, which is the culmination of the growing discord and mistrust.
- The reliance on pity; Othello is pitiable because of Iago’s masterful manipulation. The dramatic irony present in knowing Iago’s tricks and seeing Othello fall for them as the audience inspires pity for Othello.
Reasons that the play does not qualify as an Aristotelian tragedy:
- Shakespeare’s absent set descriptions and sparse stage directions means the play lacks the spectacle Aristotle defines as one of the elements of tragedy.
- Iago lacks a believable personality as a jealous person, which violates one of Aristotle’s comments on a good tragic character.
- One could argue that the pity inspired in the audience doesn’t occur because Othello so easily falls for Iago’s tricks, and when Othello murders his wife, the audience is angry at his actions and wants to see his downfall.
Reasons Othello is a tragic hero:
- Othello’s hamartia is his lack of confidence in himself; he so readily believes Iago’s lies because he worries that a young, beautiful woman like Desdemona could never love a non-white man such as himself. One could also argue that this hamartia is actually jealousy.
- His reversal of fortune is that he loses both his wife, his friends, and his own life in rapid succession.
- Othello realizes that he is responsible for his downfall, prompting him to commit suicide.
Reasons Othello is not a tragic hero:
- Othello does not demonstrate an excessive pride or hubris. Instead, Othello seems to have to opposite problem deep down.
- One could argue that he certainly deserves death for murdering his wife via smothering, which goes against Aristotle’s definition of the tragic hero.
- One could also argue that Othello is certainly responsible for his lack of confidence or jealousy, and if he did not have these flaws, then he wouldn’t have been susceptible to Iago’s manipulation. This contradicts Aristotle’s view that the hamartia is not the fault of the hero himself.
How does one begin an essay on Othello and its tragic hero?
I think that one distinct starting point in writing about the tragic hero that Othello is might be to talk about his downfall. Part of what makes Othello so tragic is because his greatness and sense of awe could not offset his own insecurity. Shakespeare's genius is to construct a character that could appear to represent so much to so many on the outside, only to be plagued with internal demons that lead to his downfall. A great warrior, a self- made man, and one who represents some of the very best qualities is beset with insecurity and doubt about who he is and what he deserves. He is a warrior in a setting of politicians. He is a man of color in a world where he is the most visible of minorities. He is an outsider who has made it within the inner circle.
Running through all of these dynamics is the fact that Othello is insecure. He finds it difficult that someone like him would be where he is. He cannot fathom that someone like Desdemona would choose someone like him, seen in moments such as when he says, "she had eyes and chose me." It is within this small sliver of insecurity that Iago strikes. He magnifies the fatal flaw within Othello. I think that being able to discuss how Othello's sense of greatness is offset by his insecurities might be a very good starting point in terms of exploring the tragic condition of Shakespeare's protagonist.
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