...Since before the Renaissance, writers have introduced numerous characters that's actions have been driven by revenge. This evil drive in the characters more often than not result in the downfall of that character. Two examples of roles that suffer a collapse due to revenge are Iago from Shakespeare's "Othello" and Grendel's mother from "Beowulf." Though the motives behind each of these characters' revenge differ, both Iago and Grendel's mother shows the outcomes of seeking revenge. Iago is a prime example of someone who let revenge control his entire life. In Shakespeare's "Othello," Iago sought revenge against Othello when Othello gave a promotion to Michael Cassio rather than to Iago (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 14-17). Iago was a prominent person...
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...Hamlet and Othello both experience different flaws that they struggle with. Hamlet is betrayed by Claudius when he found out that Claudius killed his father for the throne. Throughout the play, Hamlet attempts to avenge his father’s death, but he is struggles to act out his wishes. In Othello, Iago expresses his hatred of Othello for deciding to choose Cassio to be his Lieutenant and not him. Furious, Iago plans to deceive Othello by making him believe his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. By suggesting to Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are lovers, he gets mad with jealousy and Iago gets promoted. To finish his plan for revenge, Iago uses Desdemona’s handkerchief to make Othello believe her wife is truly unfaithful. Throughout the play, Hamlet...
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...play was Othello which is the second most popular Shakespeare play. Othello is a tragedy written by Shakespeare between 1601 and 1604. The main character of this play is Othello who is frame by Iago to believe that his wife Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Othello is a Moorish general in the service of Venice. He was blinded by Iago to seek revenge against his wife and his lieutenant. The theme revenge is portrayed throughout the whole play. Such evil act is plotted and executed by the character Iago. He is focused on destroying Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant and does not care who will get hurt in the process of his vengeance. Iago main target was Othello; he was determined to take revenge against Othello by using numerous characters throughout the play. The first target was Barbantino Desdemona father followed by, Roderigo, Cassio and his wife Emilia. Revenge was the driven force that drove Iago to plot and carefully executes the tragic that ended with Othello and Desdemona life. Revenge is an unceasing theme throughout the play Othello. Iago’s character was seeking revenge against Othello. He is determined to fulfill his plans despite of who will get hurt or involve. Iago vengeance is a result of Othello Overseen him for promotion and instead his promotes Cassio to lieutenant. Such promotion is the driven force behind Iago malicious revenge and hate towards Othello. Iago has dedicated many years of service and loyalty to Othello. When Cassio...
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...In what ways does Shakespeare explore human weakness in Othello? Shakespeare explores human weakness in his playwrite “Othello” through themes of power, jealousy, love, seduction, and as in most of his plays, through tragedy with murder or suicide. He also explores human weakness through tales of betrayal, revenge, evil, and racial discrimination. He uses his characters to show varying characteristics of each and how they fit into a complex existence. With the play opening with Iago’s discussion about why Cassio was selected as lieutenant, Shakespeare presents to the audience the human weakness of the plays sequential plot, jealousy and destruction. Human weakness is a fact of life, with Shakespeare employing dramatic technique such as tone in order to convey to the audience human vulnerability. Through Iago, who is the only one that speaks to the audience, Shakespeare highlights societal issues such as the struggle for power and superiority. Iago speaks to the audience with bitterness, with deceit and evil, and his explaning his plot, describing his plan of action as a web in which he will catch a fly, highlights his lusting for revenge through deception. Furthermore Shakespeares foreshadowing technique throughtout the play with Iago speaking to the audience, and his choice of words suggesting to the audience that its going to be a fight to the bitter end, one that will end in tragedy, the death of Desdemona from Othello’s raging jealousy that he cannot bear “Or failing...
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...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 that...
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...In the play Othello, Iago creates a plot against most characters after his close friend Othello appoints Cassio as a lieutenant instead of himself. This creates a spiral of emotions leading Iago to become very manipulative and hurting most if not all the main characters in the play. Iago's belief in hurting those who have done him wrong and have made him jealous with revenge, resulting in him ruining the trust of relationships between characters. As a result of this, Iago has ruined the relationships of Desdemona and Brabantio, and Desdemona and Othello. Iago’s belief in revenge leads him to wreck Othello and Desdemona's relationship. Iago depicts jealousy as a "green-eyed monster which dock mock the meat it feeds on" when speaking to Othello about Desdemona cheating (III.iii.195-199). By referring to jealousy as a "green eyed monster", Iago is describing jealousy as evil, and it causes...
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...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 but through jealousy, the speaker of the poem is full of anger and wants revenge, for...
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...complex, but in Act I, Scene I, where he describes his disgust at being overlooked for Othello's lieutenant, we can see that a primary motivation for Iago's skillful manipulations was revenge and anger; revenge for Cassio replacing him, anger that Othello overlooked him. Thus it can be seen that Iago's manipulations are driven by a basic desire to avenge those who hurt him but also to gain what he believes is his, indeed Iago's suggestion that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair earns Iago Othello's trust and the position as his lieutenant in Act III, Scene III. However being made lieutenant only satisfies his pride, his continuing with his plan to discredit Desdemona shows us that it is not enough for Iago to have what he believes is his, he must punish Othello for overlooking him in the first place by making Othello disbelieve and destroy his virtuous wife... Iago is pragmatic. We see this in the manner in which he uses opportunity to aid his plan to hurt Cassio and Othello. When Iago realizes Cassio's admiration of Desdemona, he immediately formulates a plan to use this to make Othello suspect adultery. Though Iago appears to have the goal of misery for Othello and Cassio, he does not appear to have a specific detailed plan, he continually refers to using insights he makes about Cassio, Othello, Roderigo and Desdemona to further his plan in his asides in the play. Iago's pragmatism is also evident in his use...
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...Othello “The Moor” vs. “Honest” Iago Characters within a story are meant to have their own tale, just as the characters in one’s lives have their own stories of how they came to be. William Shakespeare, the modern father of the Drama, understood this concept all too well when developing his complex, yet relatable characters. In his master works Othello, each character has their socially impacting story line with their own effect on the overall plotline that help shape the complex Venetian society in which the play is set. With their friendship at the root of evil deeds, Othello and Iago help define the writing in the play: love for one self before that of a friend. With Othello’s honest friendship, and Iago’s piercing betrayal, they help mold the storyline told in this Venetian world. With his triumph on the battlefield, Othello is sought after by Dukes and Senator, and well admired and respected within the Venetian community. He is considered an outsider from his peers, and the community based on his African descent. All the success came at the price of Othello spending his childhood under slavery, then joining the military at a young age in order to gain his presence within society. Shakespeare exemplifies this quality by showing a separation from the other characters, and usually referring to Othello in racial slurs such as “the Moor”, and references to his exotic body such as “the thick-lips” and “black.” All these strategies amplify the feeling throughout the play that...
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...great role in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello. Most of the irony in the play relates to the main villain in the play, Iago, who is motivated by his jealousy. Iago is jealous of Othello’s military success and Cassio being promoted to Othello’s lieutenant position instead of himself. Iago plans to take revenge against Othello by manipulating Cassio and Desdemona, who is Othello’s wife. Iago is a well respected character in the play, so he would not be suspected to be the culprit. He tries to fake an affair between Cassio and Desdemona that would surely be tragic for Othello. The...
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...the Shakespearean tragedy “Othello” written by William Shakespeare, the themes that’s being portrayed are honour and gender, through the play the audience if captivated by the characters choices and motives through the play. With the characters choices they help to make the play more understandable as the audience can recognise the tragic hero in both the plays. The relationships between men and women in Othello are remarked as lesser then men. Iago often refers to his wife as a prostitute - "A house wife that by selling her desires, Buys herself bread and clothes (iv.i.95)” showing what type of relationship women and men had during the late 16th century. Women were generally considered obedient, respectful, kind and warm. They were never outspoken nor were they meant to, for it could be seen as a lack of loyalty. When Othello accused Desdemona of cheating on him, he found himself in a position that he didn't want to face with. Othello was emasculated with the thought of a woman disobeying him. Men were easily manipulated into thinking the worst of woman because they were certain it would never happen. However, when the slightest things start to be pointed out the characters start to over analyse. Woman were not on the same level as men; men talked down to woman, they didn’t see them as equals nor think that they should be treated like one. This relates to Othello and Desdemona’s relationship – she “betrayed” their marriage by cheating so when Othello found out he reacted by saying...
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...after going for the win and losing is similar to what Oedipus from Sophocles’s Oedipus the King and Othello from Shakespeare’s Othello the Moor must think after they have lost everything they once had even though they didn’t have to. Oedipus the King, born royal, runs away from his prophecy to Thebes, his new land, where he completes what the prophecy had in mind. Othello the Moor, a general, questions his wife, Desdemona, after an evil man manipulates his mind. Though both authors use irony and a tragic hero to move their audiences, Sophocles uses those elements to stress the role of fate, while Shakespeare uses them to demonstrate the importance of personal choice. Both Oedipus and Othello are tragic heroes, and the downfall of each moves the audience. Both heroes are blinded by their emotions. Oedipus was blind to his prophecy that he never realized that he actually married his mother and killed his father. He thought that he could run away from it, and got mad at anyone who suggested that he already reached the destination. For example, when Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is the cause of Thebe’s plague, Oedipus says to him, “Your infantile riddles! Your damned abracadabra!” (Sophocles 24). He is basically getting angry because he believes that Teiresias is threatening his power. Similarly, Othello is blinded by his trust in Iago that he falls for all of his tricks. Othello becomes envious and Iago uses this to his advantage. All of Iago’s tricks eventually lead to Othello’s...
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...the characters in the Shakespearian play, Othello. The thin piece of silk, bordered by strawberries, is especially important to Othello as well as being the turning point in the play during Act III. The handkerchief is a symbol of love, of a person, of power, and of revenge. The handkerchief plays an important role in the lives of both Othello and Desdemona. The piece of silk was Othello’s first gift to Desdemona and she treasures it dearly because it’s a symbol of Othello’s love. She is truly upset when she finds out it has gone missing and will soon find out that this will lead to the tragic event of her death in Act V. The silk handkerchief “spotted with strawberries” is meant to be seen as bloodstains left on the sheets of a bed on a virgin’s wedding night thus representing a guarantee of virginity (III. iii. 426). The small token of Othello’s love is supposed to be seen as Desdemona and Othello’s wedding bed sheets and as visual proof of their love and marriage. However to Othello it means something different. The handkerchief is extremely important to Othello because it was his mother’s and he tells Desdemona, “She, dying, gave it to me; And bid me, when my fate would have me wive, to give it her” (III. iv. 64). The handkerchief later in the play symbolizes Desdemona as a whole to him. More specifically it represents Desdemona’s chastity and faith to Othello. However, the physical reality of the handkerchief is different. Othello tells Desdemona that the handkerchief was...
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...collective.Yet, a characters mental state is not so black and white and it would be an injustice simply label a character as “insane” or “sane”, especially when it comes to more intricate, and developed works of theatrical art, such as one of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedies The Tragedy of Othello. Within the tale of Othello, the main driving force of the plot and sole conductor of Othello’s suicide by the end...
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...individuals, it seems only obvious that Shakespeare who is renowned for his exploration of universal themes chooses to explore the determents of these desires for the individuals and their relationships in his play Othello. The strive to acquire or retain authority and control is explored through the dynamics between the main male characters- Othello and Iago. Shakespeare initially employs binary characterization of these two, Iago depicted as power- hungry and the personification of evil with a strong hatred towards Othello. This characterisation is established early in the play when Iago states to Roderigo...
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