In Othello, Shakespeare illustrates the dangers of jealousy through the belligerent actions of the characters. Jealousy can be incited by circumstantial proof, that can ruin lives. Shakespeare uses dramatic techniques to aid him in conveying his message.
Iago uses very clever methods of persuasion and manipulation aimed to use Othello’s hamartia against him, pointing out that “ “She (Desdemona) did deceive her father, marrying you,” so much so that Brabantio “thought ’twas witchcraft”. Through this, Iago is subtly raising the issues of Othello’s cultural differences with Desdemona; a root cause behind Othello’s insecurities with his wife – along with inadequacy due to race, degree of sophistication and age. As Iago prompts Othello to think the worst, his utterances are short and uneasy, revealing the beginning to his downfall, whilst Iago’s dialogue is at length highlighting his growing power of
Iago’s constant animalistic language shows that he views others as animals rather than people, thus, Iago dehumanizing the other characters. In Act One, scene one, Iago describes Othello as an “old black ram” (Shakespeare 1276). This description of Othello is comparing him to a ram, and such animalistic references show that Iago does not view Othello an equal. In his view of Othello as unhumanistic, Iago is most likely willing to treat him as an animal. The audience sees this treatment through his constant manipulations of Othello’s mind, planting seeds of jealousy. While talking to Brabantio, Iago also describes Othello and Desdemona’s relationship as animalistic. This furthers the idea that Iago views Othello as non-human, causing him to take inhumane actions upon him. He describes to Brabantio that “your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs” (Shakespeare 1277). This animalistic imagery shows that not only is Othello being dehumanized by Iago, but Desdemona is as well. Since both characters are not viewed as human to Iago, it shows that he is more willing to embark on manipulative acts upon them. His detachment towards the characters then drives him to do sinister deeds on to them, ultimately causing his downfall. Emilia, Iago’s own wife is another character to which he is detached from. In Act Five, scene two, Iago kills his wife for telling
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. The men in Othello mistrust the women and always quick to associate them with being deceptive and unfaithful.
Othello, being one of the main characters in ‘Othello’, had been tricked and deceived by Iago, Emilia’s husband. At one point in the story Othello and Iago had a conversation about Cassio and Desdemona in which Iago tells Othello ‘With her, on her; what you will.’ Othello soon went crazy and said ‘Lie with her! lie on her! We say lie on her, when they belie her. Lie with her! that 's fulsome.” Everything that Iago kept telling him kept building up anger in him until one day he had enough.
When it comes to the dangers of isolation, look to the people closest to you. Whether it be your best friends, family, business associates or whatnot. Then think about everything you do know. In the play Othello, it’s the people you are closest to that you actually don’t know even when you think you do.
Othello’s actions in this scene show is undeniable love for his wife, he knows that he could be killed or fired for expressing his feelings for Desdemona. Othello also trusts his second in command, Cassio, very much. He admires him very much and thinks of him as a brother. Othello has a close relationship with Iago, as well. He trusts him and believes the lies that he tells about Desdemona. In one scene, Iago tries to protect Othello from Brabantio, even though he is the one who told him that Desdemona and Othello married in the first place. He exclaims:
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
First of all, the first person Iago manipulates is Roderigo, his so-called “best friend”. Roderigo pays Iago to be his wingman and try to get Desdemona to be with Roderigo instead
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. In the opening act of the play, Iago and Roderigo wake Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, from his sleep, informing him of his daughter’s marriage to the Moor, Othello. Knowing of Brabantio’s prejudice towards Othello because of his race, Iago says, “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” (1.1.94-95). Iago feeds anger into Brabantio’s mind using
In the first act of the play, after Roderigo finds out that Othello married Desdemona, he carries out a dialogue with Iago about Iago’s discontentment with Othello, Roderigo comments, “What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,/ If he can carry it thus!” With this, Roderigo shows his feelings of jealousy for Othello, basically stating that luck was on Othello’s side in getting Desdemona, but it will probably not last very long. In addition to this, Roderigo gives Brabantio large sums of money to Iago in order to try to get Desdemona from Othello. In addition to Roderigo’s jealousy, Iago’s jealousy of Cassio cascades to the point where he begins to manipulate Othello to want to kill Cassio, which ends up leading to the death of Desdemona. In the beginning, Iago details how he was passed up for a promotion by Othello. He expresses his jealousy for Cassio when he says that Othello “already chose [his] officer” who he calls “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine” who “never set a squadron in the field.” Iago believes he should have gotten the promotion because he had more military experience and training. After he gets Cassio drunk and dismissed from service, he devises a plan to manipulate Othello into believing he is cheating with Desdemona in order that Cassio never gets his position again or even killed. Iago also hears a rumor that Othello slept with his
The scene between Iago and Desdemona indicates exactly what Iago will say to Othello in convincing him to believe Desdemona has committed adultery. This scene reflects the most serious matter of the play, which is when Othello lets his jealousy get the best of him and be swayed by lies to turn on his love. The play is dramatic and represents human nature in its ugliest form, highlighting envy, discrimination and
It is clear from the first scene that Roderigo is bitter towards Othello because Othello and Desdemona got married, because he also loves her and his jealousy is his motive throughout the entire play. After he saw that Othello and Desdemona were truly married, in a conversation with Iago, he stated "I will incontinently drown
Iago plan to destroy Othello evolves when he notices Desdemona's assertive behavior towards her father. Iago realizes this characteristic because Iago's wife, Emilia, is a cynical character that is similar to Desdemona's assertiveness. He is already accustomed to his own idea that women are objects because he is crude and disdainful towards his wife. In act II, scene I, Iago publicly questions Emilia's virtue and loyalty by Desdemona. "Sir, would she give you so much of her lips / As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, you'll have enough." (2.1.109-111), He humiliates his own wife with accusations without actual evidence. He views her as an unquiet woman that blocks his way. His close-mindness hinders his ability to view women as humans. similarly, to Emilia's character, Desdemona disputes with her father to leave with Othello.
Tragic heroes always meet their demise in the end. They have characteristics that result in their tragic deaths. In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Othello, the protagonist Othello exemplifies the characteristics of a tragic hero.