...Othello Stefanie Hayward Ms. Estabrooks ENG3U May 11, 2015 Betrayal is one of the significant themes in the book Othello. Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Iago shows this betrayal in the book to many different characters. He shows this by being manipulative in making Othello believe that his wife is cheating on him, he’s a mastermind by being able to think of certain situations that would convince Othello that it was true and cunning by achieving his ultimate goal in making Othello believe his lies. The theme betrayal all started with Iago thinking that his wife Emilia was sleeping with Othello and with Othello promoting Cassio to lieutenant instead of Iago. Once both of these triggers happened Iago was out for Othello and was willing to do anything to get revenge. He was jealous that Othello chose not to promote him to lieutenant despite his merit. Iago says to Roderigo I know my price, I am worth no worse a place. But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, Evades them with a bombast circumstance .... And, in conclusion,... says he, “I have already chosen my officer.” (1.1.12-18) For Iago to achieve his goal he had to pretend that he was still loyal to Othello and was looking out for his best interest. By doing this Othello still trusted him. For Iago...
Words: 1460 - Pages: 6
...that continues to captivate audiences of Othello. Explore this statement with reference to one intense human relationship in the play In Shakespeare’s, Othello, it is the tragic downfall of the protagonist which intrigues audiences, exploring elements of the human condition through intricate human interactions. Utilizing the emotional depth of complex human relationships, Shakespeare discusses fundamental human characteristics in passion, desire and revenge, creating the primary drama of the play as audiences consider the relevant nature of Othello’s tragic downfall, as orchestrated by the duplicitous Iago. Othello’s tragic downfall captivates audiences through the intensity of his relationships with other characters. Within Othello, Shakespeare is able to involve the audience in the emotional conflict of the play, as the titular hero is manipulated by his symbiotic relationship with iago, leading to his self-destruction. Throughout the play, Iago relentlessly exploits Othello’s tragic flaw of absolutism through his devilish intellectual superiority, evoking a sense of sympathy as Iago is resolute in turning Othello’s power, reputation and relationships into chaos via human nature. Iago’s contempt for the “thick lips” subsequently leads to the revelation of his expedient and duplicitous character, as he feigns loyalty to the Moor only to, “serve his turn upon him” by “pouring pestilence into his hear”. Iago’s manipulation of Othello becomes a focal point of the play, as his...
Words: 586 - Pages: 3
... Emilia and Desdemona’s loyalty to their husbands In Shakespeare’s play Othello, we can see two important female characters who show love for their husbands with a focus on the issue of loyalty. Desdemona, the wife of the protagonist who is known as Othello, and Emilia, the wife of the antagonist Iago. Although they are both loyal to their husbands, we can contrast how both woman portray the theme loyalty. In Othello we can see how both woman want to satisfy their husbands. Desdemona is known for beauty, intelligence and caring personality. Throughout the play, Desdemona shows loyalty to her husband in many ways. In Act 1, Scene 3 Desdemona explains to her father that she owes him for giving her life and education. Now she is married to Othello. “My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty. To you I am bound for life and education. My life and education both do learn me how to respect you. You are the lord of duty. I am hither to your daughter. But here’s my husband. And so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess due to the moor my lord” (Shakespeare 1.3,182-191). Desdemona is clear that she will always be loyal to her husband. She explains her duty as a daughter and a wife. This shows us that she is loyal to her husband for eloping with him and going against her father. Secondly, In Act 4, Scene 2 Othello accuses Desdemona of not being faithful to him. He implies her as the devil and...
Words: 846 - Pages: 4
...The handkerchief is critical within the plot of Othello, Influencing and effecting various characters inside the play. The cloth symbolizes many different things such as love, power, virginity, marriage, visual evidence, and race to name only a few of the numerous meanings. In Othello, the cloth has both physical and typical understandings. Never in the play does a character imply any meaning to the cloth. In fact anything could be put in place of the handkerchief, yet the handkerchief matters. Despite the fact that the handkerchief can be extremely pointless in a few eyes. The handkerchief in Othello assumes an essential part in the story. In light of the fact that the handkerchief is fundamentally typical of Desdemona's...
Words: 966 - Pages: 4
...Othello Coursework Question 1: 'I took you for that cunning whore of Venice/ that married with Othello'. Looking again at Act 4 Scene 2 and Act 5 Scene 2 consider to what extent the presentation of Desdemona is that of a sufficiently convincing tragic heroine? William Shakespeare's ''Othello'' is a complex tragedy, with many conflicting desires, jealousy and memorable characters. As the audience, we are able to see the changes the characters face throughout the play. These differences can turn the entire play from romantic to a disastrous ending. The main female protagonist Desdemona lives through these changes in Shakespeare's ''Othello'', we as the audience are able to acknowledge her feelings and how she goes from a confident, brave young woman who doesn't think twice on what other's think about her and has the audacity to go against her father's wishes and marries the husband of her choice, Othello, to a broken betrayed and murdered girl. Throughout the play we are able to notice that Desdemona's character slowly breaks, her confidence begins to shatter as her husband begins to lose his trust towards her and slowly the audience is able to see their relationship disintegrate. Furthermore, the confidence she had from the beginning of the play is gone and replaced by the feelings of betrayal and lose of trust. Throughout the play she has been targeted by jealousy and tragic forces. I think Desdemona in some sense is a tragic heroine, looking at Shakespeare’s and Aristotle's...
Words: 1023 - Pages: 5
...Shakespeare’s play Othello really hits a trigger to a person’s perception on self, the ego. Man’s ego as we learn through Shakespeare leads to self destruction. In the play Othello we start the exposition leading to Iago, telling us his major role as a deceitful person. Iago has great swindling skills as he takes advantage of Rodrigo’s foolish pursuit for Desdemona. Roderigo is a minor character in the play Othello but turns out to be a useful ploy for Iago. Iago has plotted against Othello for promoting Cassio to the post of lieutenant instead of him. “Iago reassures Roderigo that he hates Othello.” Iago as talented as he is waits for the perfect timing to create Othello’s downfall. Othello is a major role in the play, he is the hero who falls ill to his own mind. In the exposition we learn that Othello and Desdemona have married. Iago takes this opportunity to advise Roderigo to spoil some of Othello’s pleasure in his marriage by rousing Desdemona’s father against Othello. Roderigo with the help of Iago calls out to Desdemona’s father they “cry out that he has been robbed by thieves.” Desdemona’s father, Brabanzio a Venetian senator plays a minor role in this play. Brabanzio along with Roderigo are used as a ploy for the beginning revenge of Othello by Iago. Iago and Roderigo play on Brabanzio’s fears. “Brabanzio begins to take what he hears seriously and decides to search for his daughter.” It’s very interesting how no one has any idea of Iago’s role in all the accusations...
Words: 928 - Pages: 4
...Othello In the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare, there is a wide variety of Criticism examples. One that is very distinct is Feminist Criticism. The time period in which “Othello” is set plays a key role in why the ladies where seen as lower than the male gender. Shakespeare makes it clear in all his scenes women were thought less of and seen as peasants bound by their husbands’ will. Two characters in this play, Emilia and Iago, show up an abundant amount of times confronted with the criticism at hand. The play shows Feminist Criticism by the way Iago manipulates Emilia, commands Emilia, and speaks towards her. “That which so often you did bid me steal. (Act3. Sc.3 Line 354)“ Emilia flirting toward Iago states. Iago in this scene has walked into a room Desdemona and Othello have just left from, but Emilia is still in the room. When he enters, she is quick to begin flirting with him, telling him she has a thing for him, a handkerchief, which Iago has been wanting for a while now. When learning what it is, he is quick to snatch it from her.” Good Wench! Give it me. (Act3. Sc.3 Line 359)” Iago takes power over the situation and Emilia has to be submissive and give him the handkerchief....
Words: 471 - Pages: 2
...Baker World Lit. Period 2 January 31, 2016 Othello Creative Writing Assignment If forced to change the ending of Othello, act 5 would be a happy ending. Initially, I had written a tragic story with most of the main characters dying in the end; however, my producer suggested a more appealing ending where the good characters, like Othello and Desdemona, live happily ever after. Therefore, act five of the play would be changed to a complete different story. In the opening of act 5, Rodrigo and Iago would still attempt to kill Cassio. This part of the play where Rodrigo ends up dying would stay the same because there has to be at least one death in the story. Iago would have still murdered him and wounded Iago in the leg without anyone knowing. Once Othello has heard the cries of Cassio screaming “murder, murder,” he then goes off to find his faithful wife, Desdemona, whom he plans to kill. On his way there Othello bumps into Emilia who sees the “green-eyed monster” with in. She then again tries to tell Othello that Desdemona is faithful and the affair between her and Cassio never existed. Othello finally mentions to Emilia about the handkerchief he say in the hands of Cassio. Emilia, shocked, tells Othello that she stole Desdemona’s beloved handkerchief and gave it to her husband, Iago. Furious and confused, Othello screams loud enough to wake the whole town, and storms into the bedroom where Desdemona sleeps. Othello screaming at Desdemona, acts her about the affair...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...Using your critical reading around the plays compare how Shakespeare presents the theme of perception in ‘Othello’ with wider references to ‘King Lear’ ‘Any man situated as Othello was would have been disturbed by Iago’s communication…’ (Kenneth Muir). The play Othello displays various distinguishable characters that appear misguided and possess a great lack of perception. I am going to explore the character Iago, who presents a cunning and devious character and address the distinct comparisons with the character Edmond in King Lear. I will also study the methods he uses in order to successfully manipulate and theoretically blind the other characters from the truth. Iago represents the antagonist of the play as the ensign of Othello. Iago is a character with very unique and perplexing characteristics. His actions depict a presentation of great evil yet his intentions are not completely understood. It is clear from the beginning of the play what the character of Iago was capable of with the inconsistency of his apparent loyalty. We first find him in the company of Roderigo informing the father of Desdemona that she is wedded to Othello. ‘I am one, sir that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.’ It is evident from the beginning of the play that Iago is a devious and scheming character who gains the trust of the other characters in order to manipulate them. Throughout the play it Shakespeare clearly attempts to enforce the amount...
Words: 431 - Pages: 2
...Iago’s Strategic Acts of Character Manipulation W.H. Auden once said, "There is more than meets the eye", suggesting that there may be a hidden or deeper meaning behind a person's initial appearance. Lies and deceits are common in society, and many individuals mask their true intentions with a veneer. In Shakespeare's play Othello, the character Iago is no different from those deceptive individuals. Behind his façade as a trustworthy ensign and friend, Iago is a multilayered, deceptive and manipulative villain, concocting chaos and causing mishaps to other characters for revenge. Iago uses his deft and astute strategic acts of manipulation to undermine each character’s weaknesses. He exploits Roderigo’s love for Desdemona, cajoles Cassio under the guise of friendship, and toys with Othello’s mind by playing on his self-doubt. Evidently, Iago manipulates the people around him by using their weaknesses: Roderigo’s naiveté, Cassio’s trusting nature, and Othello’s insecurity, against them. First of all, Iago uses Roderigo’s gullible and naive personality to his advantage. Roderigo’s obsession and lust for Desdemona renders him susceptible to Iago’s manipulation. This obsession causes him to unquestioningly believe anything Iago says in hopes of getting Desdemona. Initially, Iago dupes Roderigo of his fortune. He convinces him that the gold and jewels will be given to Desdemona as a proclamation of his love when in actuality, Iago plans to keep it for himself. Iago states: “Thus...
Words: 1399 - Pages: 6
... Analytical Essay Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, he wrote this masterpiece in 1603. The play mainly revolves around four central characters: Othello, the Moorish general in the Venetian army; his wife, Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio and his ancient, Iago. In this play, by not showing Othello at the beginning of the first scene, Shakespeare creates an uncomfortable feeling to the story. Furthermore, he foreshadows the conflicts to come later in the plot. One of the conflicts is Iago becoming the archetypal evil villain who ruins Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Iago manipulates Othello’s weakness his jealousy; Iago hates and does not respect women which is one of the main reason of his plan for revenge against Othello. Firstly, Iago knows how to observe people and uses human psychology to manipulate people’s minds. Iago manipulates Othello’s weaknesses which make Othello feels insecure. For example, after Cassio looks for help with Desdemona, Iago gets a golden chance to talk to Othello in private. Iago starts to plant the seed of jealousy in Othello concerning Desdemona and Cassio. Iago tells Othello to “beware …of jealousy” (III/III/l.195) which makes Othello nervous and start to suspect that Desdemona is cheating on him. Moreover, Iago warns Othello to “observe her well with Cassio.” (III/III/l.228) which causes Othello believes from the bottom of his heart that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. Furthermore, he tricks Othello into believing...
Words: 1432 - Pages: 6
...David Olsen Othello Essay Intro to Lit 4/14/12 Instructor: The Opinionator The handkerchief plays a central role in Shakespeare’s Othello. It was given to Othello by his mother, and then given to Desdemona by Othello. It may seem farfetched that something as simple as a handkerchief could make a person murder someone else, but when I look back at the story that is exactly happens. The handkerchief symbolizes the relationship and trust between Othello and Desdemona. This seemingly normal handkerchief has a very deep meaning to Othello, and when he finds out who has possession of it towards the end of the play he goes into a frenzy. The whole reason that the handkerchief becomes an object of evil and jealousy is because Iago uses it as a tool to persuade Othello that Cassio is seeing Desdemona. The whole circle of betrayal begins when Desdemona drops the handkerchief and Emilia picks it up. Iago had told Emilia to do so for quite some time. Once Emilia turns it over to Iago, he almost immediately goes to work in his evil ways. He plants the handkerchief in Cassio’s apartment. Cassio can’t figure out whose it is and takes it. Cassio ends up giving it to Bianca. Iago sets the second part of his plot into action when he talks to Othello later on when they are alone`. He tells Othello that he suspects Desdemona is being unfaithful to him with Cassio. Othello demands proof of the affair, and Iago informs him that he saw Cassio give the handkerchief...
Words: 514 - Pages: 3
...English essay: How does Browning and Shakespeare present jealousy in the poem 'the laboratory' and 'Othello' Jealousy is described as someone who is showing envy usually of someone because of their achievements or advantages, jealousy plays a major role in both Othello and the laboratory. throughout the both of them jealousy is used for destructive purposes only. as an audience we are led to feel that both jealousies are motivated not by hatred but by the passion for one another, crazy as that may seem. Shakespeare uses jealousy as a central theme throughout the play, without this aggressive and destructive emotion, there would be no solid plot. Shakespeare often refers to jealousy as a devouring emotion "Beware, my lord of jealousy! it is the green eyed monster which doth mock, the meat it feeds on" this fits extremely well with Iago's description of Othello being "beaten up with passion". This suggests exactly how strong Othello's monumental jealousy really is, once Othello becomes aware that his wife is unfaithful, Iago continues to feed his jealousy which causes Othello to indeed behave like a monster. however, its dramatic irony that Iago says this to Othello. the audience knows that Iago is perhaps the one "eaten up" with jealousy and Othello is none the wiser he holds; the form of personal and professional jealousy. The jealousy that is portrayed in 'Othello' is very similar to the one portrayed in Browning's poem The Laboratory, it explores the theme of relationship...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...1500-words (about 5–7-pages) essay that addresses one of the plays from the Drama Unit. A minimum of six citations, including the primary source and at least five secondary scholarly sources, is required for this assignment. Before you begin writing the essay, carefully read the guidelines for developing your paper topic that are given below. Review the research paper Grading Rubric to see how your submission will be graded. Gather all of your information, plan the direction of your essay, and organize your ideas by developing a one-page thesis statement, outline, draft, and bibliography for your research paper. Format the thesis statement and the outline in a single Word document using MLA, APA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program). You have the opportunity to receive helpful instructor feedback if you submit your thesis, outline, draft, and bibliography by the end of Module/Week 7. The research paper is due by the end of Module/Week 8, and should include a title page, thesis statement, and outline, followed by the research essay itself and your correctly documented sources page. Guidelines for Developing Your Paper Topic Chapters 40 and 41 provide helpful pointers for writing about plays and for developing research papers. Be sure to review both chapters thoroughly before you begin doing any further work for this assignment. Choose one of the prompts below to address in your paper: 1. Write an essay explaining how Sophocles’ Oedipus...
Words: 640 - Pages: 3
...Senoria Mitchell Timothy Crowley ENG 315 April 29, 2015 Essay 2: The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice William Shakespeare’s play entitled Othello contained many striking scenes that contributed to the play’s climax and its relevance as a whole. The climax was Othello killing his wife over his jealousy. Othello’s jealousy stemmed in part from his own insecurities and also from Iago continuing to plant more doubt in him. These things collectively caused Othello to murder his wife, Desdemona. To get Othello to the point of murdering someone he loved so dearly, Iago conjured up accusations of infidelity against Desdemona. Certain scenes play different roles in leading up to Desdemona’s death. This paper will discuss the scenes and prove that they directly lead to the death of Desdemona. In act 5 Scene 2, Othello commits murder against his wife Desdemona as part of a bond he made with Iago, the deal was that Iago would kill Cassio and then Othello in turn would have to murder Desdemona. In this scene, Othello has an intimate conversation with himself and then speaks to his wife when she awakes. With himself, he talks about how fair and pure she looks. She is beautiful and seemingly untainted to him he is hesitant to kill her. He talks to her about praying that Heaven have mercy on her soul for her sins. He does not want to kill her soul as well as her body. It is obvious that he does not want to do anything to hurt Desdemona at all, but he feels that it is his duty as an...
Words: 1095 - Pages: 5
