KPOthelloEssay

In __Othello__, Shakespeare explores various issues that are very common in people’s lives today and even hundreds of years ago. The characters’ traits are primary factors that built up the drama in the story. The era and setting of __Othello__ play a role in driving the characters to seek for power. Jealousy, lies, manipulation, and hatred are encountered as the characters search for supremacy. Iago’s egotistical perspective causes him to believe he should retain a higher status than “the Moor,” Othello. While in the hand, Othello “the Moor” who is looked down for his skin color, is a general of the military and is married to Desdemona a Venetian who came from a wealthy family. The actions that the characters take are very significant in shaping the tragedy that the book holds for the characters. __Othello’s subtle insecurity of his wife’s infidelity and Iago’s insecurity of having to be on the same social level as Othello led them to their downfall.__ Iago’s desire to have more power motivated him to deceive and use others’ weaknesses to benefit his actions in the latter. With his foxy character, he was able to easily get everyone’s trust and fall for his scheme. In the beginning of the play, Iago manages to take advantage of Roderigo’s desire to steal Desdemona from Othello. He used this chance to utilize Roderigo as one of his tools that can help him be evened with Othello. Iago’s persona in the story is portrayed as someone whom everyone can trust and respect. To his advantage, he simply manipulates other characters’ fates through his ambiguous words and actions. It is a surprise that no one ever catches him. Perhaps, because of the trust that the other characters have in him he is able to implant his seeds of evil in people’s minds. Other than his wife, Emilia who knows her husband’s lies, everyone else’s trust him, especially Othello, Emilia states “If he say so, may his pernicious soul/ Rot half a grain a day! He lies to th’ heart! (Shakespeare 241). If Emilia knew Iago’s wicked actions, Emilia would have done something because she has a very close relationship with Desdemona. The loyalty that Iago has showed Othello, earned him Othello’s trust and respect. Iago states, “He holds me well/ The better shall my purpose work on him.” (Shakespeare 53 & 55) With that he caught Othello by the throat. In other words Iago can scramble with Othello’s mind in any way he want to. Iago is the type of man that will take any vulnerable situation and turn it into his benefit. Iago’s selfish and grimy personality makes him find other means to achieve his goal. Iago’s way of perceiving life is that everything is a competition– there can be only one winner. “And nothing can or shall content my soul/ Till I am evened with him, wife for wife, / Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor/ At least into a jealousy so strong/ That judgment cannot cure…” (Shakespeare 79) Iago says. Iago’s insecurity of being lower than Othello a Moor who Iago believes that Iago should be the boss, help generates his wicked plot. Iago’s devious plan included breaking up the relationship of Othello and Desdemona, in order to obtain Cassio’s position as lieutenant. Following Iago’s plan, which was to make Othello believe that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio and to steal Cassio’s position, the scheme is finally laid out and is having an effect on the characters. Iago’s plan was successful because the involved characters’ deep feelings were nicely blended. Iago’s head works as if it’s a machine, different kinds of ways just keeps coming out. However his mind can only map the tactics, he can’t predict what is going to happen and how the characters are going to be distressed. Iago doesn’t make his official moves until he plants small lies in people’s head that will back up the situations he set up for his scheme. He talks ill of Desdemona to Othello, telling Othello that Desdemona is secretly seeing Cassio and that Cassio fancies Desdemona. Othello was easily shook because Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, once told Othello to be aware of Desdemona for if she was afraid to betray her own father, she won’t be afraid to betray Othello or any other men. Although Shakespeare vaguely revealed Othello’s tiny insecurity of being a Moor, the difference between Othello’s skin color and Cassio’s skin made Othello’s suspicious of Desdemona even stronger. When the handkerchief, which Othello’s father gave to Othello’s mother and Othello gave to Desdemona, was found in Cassio’s hand, Othello’s anger, jealousy, frustration, and anger built up. Othello tells Emilia, “By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ‘s hand!/ O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart/ And  me call what I intend to do/ A murder, which I thought a sacrifice!/ I saw the handkerchief!” (Shakespeare 240) Without background facts, Othello predetermined Desdemona’s death, as he cannot stand Desdemona’s unfaithfulness any longer. The handkerchief, which was purely given to Desdemona as a sign of love and care, turned into an evidence that drove Othello to kill Desdemona. Othello was very convinced that Desdemona was a whore and she has done him wrong. Othello states “That cannot say as much. This is a subtle whore,/ A closet lock and key of villainous secrets./ And yet she’ll kneel and pray. I have seen her do ‘t.” (Shakespeare 193) With the amount hatred pile up in Othello’s mind and heart, he did not flinch of categorizing Desdemona as a whore. It is astonishing how Othello’s love can turn into disgust with just an object, which Othello believed was the proof of Desdemona’s infidelities. His desire to keep Desdemona as his wife turned to a desire to kill Desdemona. I think because the two shared such a strong love, Othello would hate to see Desdemona with another man. He loved her so much that he wants to kill her. “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.” (Shakespeare 235) Othello’s inner frustration revealed his true identity. From a man’s point of view, I think his jealousy can be understandable but it is not logical, he who has dedicated his whole love to one woman who he thought betrayed him. Violence will not solve anything for violence will only cause pain to the killer. I believe Othello would not have resorted to killing Desdemona if he had only communicated more often. At the time when Iago mentioned Desdemona’s unfaithfulness to Othello, Othello should have spoken to Desdemona right away. Confrontations and better communication could have saved his relationship with Desdemona and Desdemona’s life. Othello doesn’t get to the point when he tries to communicate with Desdemona. However, when he asks Emilia a question, he gets his point right on. “Yes, you have seen Cassio and she together” (Shakespeare 193) As Othello asked Emilia a straightforward question concerning Desdemona. Instead of contacting Desdemona first of her supposed infidelity, Emilia was contacted, perhaps because Othello was afraid the answer he might get from Desdemona. The fact that the rumor involved Cassio who happened to be a white European like Desdemona, made Othello even more doubtful of his wife. Then later, when Othello had finally planned to kill Desdemona, Othello asked Desdemona a very direct and harsh question, “Are you not a strumpet?” (Shakespeare 199) From a man who has loved his woman whole heartedly, Iago’s hatred towards Desdemona was evident through his word choice. The insecurities Iago that he should have same social influence as Othello, and Othello believing that Desdemona is unfaithful to him, led them to their downfalls. All their actions that took place went down to drain because either one of them benefited from anything. Cassio did not die, instead Roderigo was killed by Iago, thus in the end Iago did not accomplish his goal. Othello’s insecurity of Desdemona’s supposed infidelities, led him to killing the innocent Desdemona, who he then found out that all his doubtful thoughts turned out to be all wrong. Othello became a murderer and so did Iago who killed his wife Emilia who was trying to tell everyone the truth behind Othello’s distrustful of Desdemona. Misconceptions and assumptions are things that can lead to people’s downfall. It was certainly Shakespeare’s tragedy with deaths and regrets.