ipl-logo

Power Of Revenge In Othello

956 Words4 Pages

Envy and deceit are catalysts for revenge. William Shakespeare idolized Geoffrey Chaucer and allowed him to influence his plays and poems. All of his works were written in a poetic language. In the tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare uses characterization and external conflict to create Iago’s deceptive, vengeful, and envious motives. Using the characters’ relationships against them, the play reveals the power of deception and misinformation to destroy trust and loyalty. Othello was published in the early sixteenth century. Commedia dell’arte, a popular comedy in Italian theatres, persuaded Shakespeare’s motives when writing Othello. Shakespeare writes this play with a “disturbing, tragic ending, not the traditional romantic tragedy that has puzzled …show more content…

Pride, greed, and lust drove Iago to poisoning Desdemona 's father and eventually ruining the marriage between Desdemona and Othello. In his play, he approach the problems the world faces in a comedic manner. People let greed and lust persuade them to do crazy things. Othello and Iago are foil characters in Othello. Iago let his vengeful ways and deceitful motives alter his decisions while Othello appears in the opening acts as the very personification of self control”(Harbage). The two characters are meant to balance each other out, but Iago gets too deep in Othello’s head, leaving him susceptible to lash out. Shakespeare wants to bring attention to the fact that no matter how hard one tries, the darkness creeps on eventually and wins. By this point in the play, all the character’s true colors have been shown. “Othello is forced to recognize that he lives in a tragic world, and he pays the price” which causes him to have his tragic downfall(Harbage). Othello saw the good in people, until his peers lied to him and betrayed him. Shakespeare is trying to saw to watch who you put your trust in, for not everyone is who they

Show More
Related

  • Revenge In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1124 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses revenge to push Hamlet’s actions along through the story, so Hamlet can get to his result of killing Claudius. “The Cask of Amontillado” uses revenge to push each event along in the story to further develop the plot. In “The Sin of Madame Phloi,” revenge is what changes the direction of the story to find a resolution to the main problem. Overall, revenge is the tool and a theme used in stories to help push the plot forward and develop the

    Read More

  • Theme Of Cruelty In Othello

    556 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the case of Shakespeare’s Othello, cruelty serves as the main source of motivation in Iago’s wicked plan. To illustrate, Iago begins the story by complaining to

    Read More

  • Consequences In The Great Gatsby

    1771 Words  | 8 Pages

    Othello, one of the main characters in the play is a very trusting person causing him to be easily manipulated by others. Iago, a flag bearer and a friend to Othello uses his trustworthy persona against him to get revenge on him for not giving him the job as lieutenant. One of his manipulation tactics is to tell Othello that his wife is having an affair with a man named Cassio. In the play, Iago begins to talk to Othello about his proof that his wife is actually cheating on him by telling him, that Desdemona gave a handkerchief to Cassio, in which Othello gave to her that was passed on by his parents. Othello was not happy about that which ultimately lead Othello to be disrespectful towards Desdemona by hitting her, constantly calling her a whore and later killing her for thinking that she was cheating on him with Cassio (Shakespeare 1603).

    Read More

  • Duality And Paradoxes In Othello

    962 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, he uses duality and paradoxes to reveal parts of human nature that people wish to ignore. Othello is about a man named Othello who marries above his station and wrestles with his insecurities as the antagonist, Iago, uses them and his own reputation for candor as mean to enact his revenge for Othello’s alleged affair with his wife, Emelia. Iago embodies the paradox of a truthful man who uses his honesty to manipulate people, which contradicts a core human idea that honest people are the most righteous or virtuous. Iago earns his reputation for trustworthiness by being honest in the face of consequences and when it suits his own gain.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Gatsby And Othello

    1837 Words  | 8 Pages

    Iago contributes to the tragic downfall of Othello, playing him like a fiddle. The human nature of Iago manipulates the trust

    Read More

  • How Does Iago Use Jealousy In Othello

    881 Words  | 4 Pages

    Othello, the play’s antagonist, Iago, is consumed with jealousy towards the protagonist, Othello, and vows to get revenge on Othello by making him become consumed with jealousy like he is. Jealousy is a powerful emotion that ultimately consumes Iago who devises a plan that turns Othello from a great man to a man destroyed by jealousy. Iago is a character filled with jealousy towards Othello. Othello gave a job promotion to someone else over Iago, and there is a rumor that Othello is having an affair with Iago’s wife, Emilia.

    Read More

  • Betrayal In Othello

    1477 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the play Othello, by William Shakespeare we are introduced to Othello who is the protagonist and faces a lot of obstacles, one of them being betrayal. Throughout the whole play we witness betrayal from many of the characters through their irrational behavior and actions. However the biggest betrayal we see is from Iago, who is the antagonist, in other words, the villain of the play. Iago plans on having his revenge and betraying Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Rodrigo and even his wife, Emilia. Betrayal is wrong and something that can’t be forgiven, at the end betrayal breaks friendships as well as lives and trust which never works out well in the end.

    Read More

  • Example Of Mistrust In Othello

    773 Words  | 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s Othello the two main characters are Iago and Othello. The entire story centers around Iago 's plan to achieve revenge on Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. Throughout the story Iago tries to convince Othello that his wife Desdemona has cheated on him with his lieutenant Cassio. Iago’s plan is successfully and easily executed. Othello is tricked into believing that desdemona has been unfaithful and in the end he kills her.

    Read More

  • Jealousy Quotes In Othello

    759 Words  | 4 Pages

    The tragedy of Othello written by William Shakespeare presents the main character Othello as a respectable, honorable, and dignified man. However, because of his insecurities and good nature he is easily taken advantage of and manipulated by his alleged friends. Shakespeare is known for his exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, revenge, and jealousy. Jealousy is an underlying theme throughout the tragedy and has been represented by many of the main characters, such as Iago, Roderigo, and Othello. The topic of jealousy will ultimately lead to the demise of many characters throughout the tragedy.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Dishonesty In Othello

    750 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.

    Read More

  • Othello Act 3 Scene 3 Analysis

    982 Words  | 4 Pages

    Iago’s powerfully disruptive insinuations torment Othello to fall precipitously into his intricate trap, believing in the prospect of Cassio and Desdemona’s fictitious affair. Through the use of linguistic techniques such as elliptical speech, subservient vocative choices and a hesitant tone, Iago is able to construct artful innuendoes to deceive and manipulate Othello. Supplementary to linguistic techniques, dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony reinforces Iago’s role as a two-faced villain, who is making a pretence of being Othello’s loyal ensign. Eventually, Iago’s villainy nature sows a seed of doubt in Othello that germinates into the murder of Desdemona. Through the characterisation of Iago as a notorious villain, Shakespeare is able to hold Iago’s actions accountable for the play’s tragic downfall, establishing a sense of powerlessness amongst the

    Read More

  • Effects Of Jealousy In Othello

    621 Words  | 3 Pages

    Jealousy is often the catalyst for revenge. Shakespeare’s Othello displays

    Read More

  • Iago's Influence On Othello

    436 Words  | 2 Pages

    Iago is a unique and complicated character. He is intelligent in that he is able to manipulate people and events in his favour, which he thrives on throughout the play, classifying him as the antagonist of the play. Driven by jealousy and hatred, Iago plots against Othello to destroy his character and reputation. Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. As a result, he devises to use other people to obtain what he desires by influencing the characters in the play to suit his plan.

    Read More

  • How Does Jealousy Lead To Othello's Downfall

    970 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Othello, it is jealousy that ultimately leads to the downfall of three characters, Roderigo, Othello and Iago. " O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green eyed monster" (III.iii.163). Although, Othello is not the only play where William Shakespeare has made jealousy a central motivator. He did it in Macbeth also. Jealousy has many faces between these two plays and in both they lead to the downfall of characters.

    Read More

  • Vengeance In Shakespeare's Othello

    444 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vengeance, a theme constantly portrayed in theatre, history, film, and book and one of the most compelling themes to any story. Revenge is one of if not the most primary theme in the Shakespearean tragedy, Othello. The entire story revolves around this central theme as every character is tied to each other in some way through retribution. How revenge is drawn into the story is through the eyes of the two characters Iago and Roderigo, and later Othello himself. Every character is tied to revenge and strives to reach their goals through it.

    Read More

More about Power Of Revenge In Othello

Open Document