Essay On Self Destruction In Othello

Humans often destruct themselves as a result of the stress they experience from an intense self-conflict or multiple self-conflicts. This stress with-in themselves is caused by a struggle in their confidence and self identity as a person. William Shakespeare brings this idea of self-destruction and self identity to reality using his play Othello. In this narrative the preeminent character faces the challenge of being a black male who becomes a high ranking military official in the army during a 16th century Italy. Even though the senate entrusts him with a powerful position, he still struggles with his self identity as a leader, a husband, and as a black man. The racism and prejudice of 16th century Italy aimed at Othello compromises his sense of self.
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Emilia is also furious at Othello for having her killed as she was one of her only friends. When Othello kills Desdemona, he enacts a racist stereotype, that black men are violent, savage, and to be feared. This idea is then pinpointed by Emilia to make Othello feel guilty. This is also when Emilia who is a friend of Desdemona’s says Desdemona was an angel to othello to make him regrets killing Desdemona even more. Shakespeare uses death to bring out a realization that a character is being blind from. This blindness also affects the people around Othello, but it also intensifies this idea that James R Aubrey as he says. “Other critics have suggested that the English in the early 1600s still thought of blacks much as though they were monsters” (pg. 77) As a reader we think of Iago as the monster in the play but later we see othello turn himself into a monster. This turn of events is shocking to watch as Othello is manipulated so easily by Iago Iago ignites this main persona to the theme of racism Romeo and Juliet and now one family thinks of the other family as