Shakespeare’s “Othello” is a whirlwind of a story as it follows the emotional roller-coaster of an army general in the midst of love. The role-character, Othello, is an articulate, passionate and intelligent African-American who finds himself unable to trust the love that he and his wife Desdemona have for one another. Although Othello seemed to many as the epitome of strength and confidence, every superman has their kryptonite. Othello was punctual, knew just the right words to say at the precise moment – he was a romantic warrior, and intellectually sound. Nevertheless, as the story unfolds, Othello’s confidence is slowly transformed by his betrayer, Iago, to reveal Othello’s deep insecurities, lack of ability to manage relational uncertainty …show more content…
Othello felt as though his marriage was at the climax: "If it were now to die, 'Twere now to be most happy, for I fear my soul hath her content so absolute, that not another comfort like to this, succeeds in unknown fate" (Shakespeare). He was victorious in both love and war, and the conqueror at his highest instant – but in the midst of such a relational high, Othello begins to question Desdemona’s love for him. Iago finds it quite simple to steer Othello into a prison of uncertainty by making him believe that his wife Desdemona loves another man. It is possible that Othello already felt that Desdemona’s love for him was too good to be true, so it comes by no surprise when Othello jumps to conclusions that Desdemona was cheating on him. Through a looking-glass of self-doubt, Othello sees his friend Cassio as the man most women, such as Desdemona, would want to marry – and therefore, as the man she would run to if her love for Othello was ever extinct. Due to his insecurities, Othello was anticipating this fantasy relationship to come to an end and for Desdemona to realize that she married the wrong …show more content…
One critic says “the Moorish general, although a noble figure, lacks the full capacity for self-knowledge and moral wisdom necessary to avert tragedy; thus he is the perfect victim of Iago's cynical intrigues” (LaBlanc) and that it was Othello’s inability to “attain an adequate intellectual awareness of his moral deficiencies” (LaBlanc) which drove him to kill Desdemona. Another claims “Othello's character as we first meet him is a somber, though seemingly self-confident one” (Jorgensen). Although Othello outwardly seemed confident, Iago caused a few simple words of suggestion and allusion that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio to be enough to expose his fears, wishes, and inclination to violence. Othello’s irrational actions proved that he was a man who could not stand uncertainty – it drove him to abolish all rationalization. Iago only had to lead Othello to the belief that he has been betrayed, and Othello does the rest, accusing, judging, and killing his dear wife,