The Character of Othello Essay - 609 Words

The Character of Othello As the play progresses, Othello’s character goes through many changes which happen as a result of him falling victim to Iago’s evil schemes. At first he is introduced as an army general who is respected for what he does but still discriminated against for being black. Othello is a victim to racism throughout the play. He is often referred to as â€Å"the Moor† even by his beloved Desdemona and is also called by more offensive terms. Iago uses animal imagery in referring to Othello as an â€Å"old black ram†. The use of animal imagery degrades Othello and use of the word â€Å"black† implies that black people were thought to be as low as animals. Emilia also calls Othello â€Å"the†¦show more content†¦He decides to put doubt in Othello’s mind with regards to Desdemona and â€Å"undo her credit with the Moor†. He tells Othello to â€Å"beware of jealousy† and â€Å"the green eyed monster† and echoes Brabantio’s words of Desdemona having â€Å"deceived her father† and in order to make sure his ‘poison’ has sunk in he repeatedly says that he fears he has upset Othello’s mood. â€Å"I see this hath a little dashed your spirits†, â€Å"I ‘fait h, I fear it has† and â€Å"My lord I see you’re moved†. In doing so Othello’s character starts to change for the worse. Moreover, Iago sins against Desdemona and Cassio by degrading them in Othello’s eye and as he does so he hurts Othello. Iago says that in sleep he heard Cassio say â€Å"Sweet Desdemona let us be wary, let us hide our love† and states that Cassio â€Å"laid his leg over his thigh and sighed, and kissed, and then cried ‘Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor’†. This causes Othello to be overrun with jealousy and anger and to no longer think clearly. He makes a savage threat against Desdemona saying he will â€Å"tear her all to pieces† and he tells Iago to let him hear him say â€Å"that Cassio’s not alive†. Othello is now under the complete influence of Iago and his emotions. His anger is overwhelming him and his feelings for Desdemona have almost vanished as he plans to kill her, â€Å"let her rot and perish, and be damned tonight, for she shall not live†. Iago thenShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis : Othello 1255 Words   |  6 PagesPavle Burazor Ms. Ã…  kiljević ENG3U1 06-Jan-2015 Character Flaws in Othello The play Othello bears great similarity to that of the Greek myth of Sisyphus, the king of Ephyra; where Sisyphus was sentenced to forever push a boulder up a hill. This makes resemblances the climb to a climax and the fall, with three main characters, each pushing a boulder up a hill; Othello one of trust, Iago one of manipulation and Roderigo pushing one of foolishness. When they finally reach the top of the hill it beginsRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Othello1235 Words   |  5 PagesOthello is not just about one tragedy but several tragedies of suffering and injustice. The play ends in fatalities and heartbreak from the consequences of jealousy and racism. Othello is a well-respected military man who does not let race stand in the way of earning his reputable status and attention of beautiful Desdemona. But, when the seed of jealous is planted, Othello becomes easily manipulated into believing false accusations because of his own personal insecurities. He becomes a menace toRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1555 Words   |  7 Pagesinherent weakness lies in his linguistic capabilities, the very same capabilities Othello uses to win over Desdemona, and to defend himself during his trial in front of the duke. In Smith’s reading, Othello only reverts to his barbarian state when experiencing extreme pressure, as he lacks the other means to express the futility of what is felt, which results in violence. However, when a closer look is taken at what Othello knows about the culture he has tried to hard to assimilate to, it can be seenRead MoreOthello Character Analysis905 Words   |  4 Pages1. Throughout the drama, â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello†, Iago successfully manipulates Cassio various times. In the writing, Shakespeare creates Iago’s plan to demote Cassio from being Othello’s lieutenant, the role Iago dreamt of, by tricking Cassio to get drunk so that he will raise chaos and result in Cassio being demoted. This worked out f or Iago when Cassio accepts Iago’s encouraging words and began to drink heavily, this would result in Cassio ultimately fighting and stabbing Montano in a drunkenRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mediterranean Sea of Jealousy Harriet Williams delves into the waters of jealousy and deceit in Oliver Parker’s Othello. Adapting Shakespeare for the screen can be problematic, as Oliver Parker discovered with his 1995 directing debut, Othello. I sat down with Oliver Parker, to discuss the challenge of portraying the actions of a noble Moor who brutally sacrifices his beloved wife over a strategically placed handkerchief. The characterisation of Iago, whose evil maneuverings create an irrevocableRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1562 Words   |  7 PagesCompare the roles and functions of the female characters in Othello. Othello by William Shakespeare is set in 16th century Renaissance Venice before transitioning to the island of Cyprus. It follows the relationship between the black Venetian general and â€Å"valiant Moor† Othello and his new wife Desdemona, the daughter of an important Venetian senator. Throughout the play, we encounter three main female characters; Cassio’s mistress Bianca, Othello’s wife Desdemona as well as her maid and Iago wifeRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1678 Words   |  7 Pagesmasterpieces and tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet caused a remarkable turning point in English literature as whole, and English drama in particular.His play Othellois one of his unforgettable tragedies. The play of Othello is the finest example of Shakespeare’s poetic and narrative style. Thus, Shakespeare is known as the most influential dramatist whose tragedies found the way to interact with the audience.Shakespeareâ€⠄¢s Othello is about jealousy, revenge and deceptionRead MoreOthello Character Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s Othello Character Discussion Katie Olszewski Othello is a playwright by William Shakespeare. In Othello, a black man named Othello has married the daughter of a Venetian government official, Desdemona. After their marriage Othello is sent to Cyprus to battle the Turks. Fortunately for, the Turks were drowned at sea and no battle took place. Iago was Othello’s flag carrier and thought that his rank should be higher. So Iago plotted to ruin Othello’s life and it startedRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1241 Words   |  5 PagesOthello, a play written in the setting of Venice City during a period of war between Venice and Turkey in the 16 century is one of the numerous William Shakespeare’s plays. Othello a middle-aged black moor who is also a general in the defense forces marries Desdemona, a white aristocratic lady against the wishes of her father. Their love, however, does not have the happily ever after ending due to the manipulations, deceptions, and scheming of Iago who is driven by revenge and selfi sh ambitions.Read MoreOthello Character Analysis1378 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello† like most of his plays is about the premature death of a character who may or may not be considered a tragic hero. Othello, the Moor of Venice, follows him, his wife Desdemona, Cassio, and the main protagonist Iago through a series of unfortunate events that are supposed to be about jealousy between coveting a boss’s wife and a job promotion. The story turns to Iago when he turns into a commanding force that dishevels every character in the play. This is all done