The Tragedy of Othello - Essay Example

Prof: Othello Othello, a play by Shakespeare, portrays the tragedy regarding Othello, a well-respected General of Venice. The play depicts his downfall at the disposal of Lago’s manipulation. However, this actor does not appear to fit well as a noble protagonist because he seems to have more than the normal ‘tragic flow’ and is not necessarily the principal actor in the act. This essay presents the various characters in the play, depicting their traits and contribution to the overall tragedy that sees Othello murder Desdemona. Starting with the opening statements of the scenes of the play, Othello maintains distance from most of the action that is involved with him. Lago and Roderigo constantly use the words “him” or “he” throughout the first part of the play. When they finally start to specify whom they are referring to, they do so with nicknames that depict racism. Racial epithets used by the actors include “the thick lips” and the “Barbary horse.” Although the presence of Othello is there in the second scene of the play, he becomes vocal at the center of Act 1, scene III. Later, Othello is the last to arrive at Cyprus as depicted in Act II, scene I. He stands apart while Lago and Cassio engage in a discussion, in Act IV the first scene. He also assumes that Cassion has passed away when the Act V’s fight occurs. The status of Othello as an outsider may be why he appears to be an easy target for Lago. Although Othello stands as a racial and cultural outsider in Venice, his experience and skills as a leader and soldier are valuable to the state, and he serves as an important part of Venetian society. The senate and the duke demand Othello greatly, as evidenced by Cassio’s pronouncements that the senate “sent around three several quests” to search for him (I.ii.46). The Venetian government places sufficient trust in Othello to put him in complete political and martial command of Cyprus. Othello, during his dying moments, helps the people of Venetian to recall the “service” he gave to their state (V.ii.348). Those who regard Othello as their civic and social peer, such as Brabanzio and Desdemona, appear drawn to him because of his exotic characteristics. Othello admits and tells of his friendship with Brabanzio. He states, “Desdemona’s father loved me, oft invited me” (I.iii.127–129). The character manages to capture the attention of his peers using his speech. The Dukes respond to the speech he gives by describing how he captured the attention of Desdemona with the fables of adventure. Desdemona states “I think this fable would win my daughter as well” (I.iii.170). Lago Lago stands as the most atrocious villain in Shakespeare’s play. The character is fascinating because of his terrible habit: the utter lack of substantial impetus for his actions. In the first scene, Lago claims to be infuriated at Othello for having superseded him for the lieutenant position (I.i. 7–32). At scene III, Act I, Lago claims that Othello slept with Emilia, his wife. He states: “Othello has done my sheets his office” (I.iii.369–370). Lago reiterates this doubt at the end of Act II, scene I, elucidating that he desires Desdemona because he needs to revenge Othello. He states: “wife for wife” (II.i.286). Nonetheless, these claims do not give sufficient evidence as to why Lago hates Othello deeply. They do not also give a reason for his unwillingness or inability to express his true incentive, making his actions even more terrifying. He appears willing to initiate “revenge” on anybody, be it Desdemona, Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and even Emilia, his own wife, at the slightest incitement and enjoys the damage and pain he causes. Lago is habitually hilarious, particularly in his scenes with the imprudent Roderigo, which serve as Lago’s showcase of unscrupulous abilities. He appears as though he is winking at the audience when portrays his own skills. Audiences find themselves constantly on Lago’s side whenever he is with Roderigo, but the associations between Roderigo and Lago also depict a streak of fearfulness in Lago – a fearfulness that manifests itself in the final scene, as Lago murders his own wife (V.ii.231–242). The act of murder could have emanated from Lago’s overall abhorrence of women that he depicts. Some authors have posited that Lago’s true and fundamental motive for maltreating Othello is his homosexual desires for the general (Greenberg 179). Desdemona Desdemona is a more reasonable, well-rounded character than the much that criticism directed towards her suggest. Arguments that suggest Desdemona as stereotypically submissive and feeble ignore the authority and conviction of her initial speech. She says: “I do perceive here a divided duty” (I.iii.179–180). Desdemona also presents terse anger after Othello hits her. She immediately utters: “I do not deserve this” (IV.i.236). Similarly, critics who oppose that Desdemona is slightly weird when she rudely jokes with Lago in Act II, scene I, are quick to point out that the interpolation is either not authored by Shakespeare. It stands out as a mere impropriety ignores the fact that the character is sexual, young, and freshly married. She later displays similar objurgation, almost mischievous wittiness in Act II, scene iii, when she tries to encourage Othello to exonerate Cassio (Ackroyd the Tragedies). At times, Desdemona is submissive, most notably in her readiness to take credit for her own slaying. In reaction to Emilia’s question, “O, who has done this?” Desdemona’s final answer is, “Nobody, I myself” (V.ii.133–134). The play, further, portrays Desdemona conflictingly as self-modest, truthful wife and as an independent, bold personality. This conflicting depiction may be a deliberate move by the author to depict the manner in which Desdemona personally feels after shielding her marriage choice to her forebear in Act I, scene iii, and then almost instantaneously being taken to the position of shielding her faithfulness to her husband. She starts the play as a highly independent person, but she has to struggle with many odds to persuade Othello that she is not overly independent. Desdemona’s death – suffocation with a pillow and sheets in her wedding bed – is figurative: she is plainly executed beneath the strains put on her faithfulness (Calderwood 42). Sadly, Desdemona is seemingly aware of her looming death. She, and not Othello, requests Emilia to set her bed with her wedding sheets and bury her in them so that she can die. The last she is seen before she waking up to meet Othello beside her with murderous eyes, she voices a song she learned while with her mother’s maid: “She was in love” (IV.iii.27–30). As the audience, Desdemona appears helpless and can only look at her husband as he is compelled with jealousy. Desdemona forgives her husband beforehand – an act that may help Othello and the audience to exonerate him as well (Bhattacharyya 68). Conclusion This essay shows how Othello’s many negative attributes lead to his homicidal actions at the culmination of the play. This is a clear indication that Shakespeare does not regard him as the classical hero of the play. Lago’s dominance, on the other hand, invokes the feeling that the play should have been named ‘Lago.’ Even more, some critics have questioned whether Shakespeare wrote some of the lines included in the play. Overall, the author uses various styles to portray the character traits to the audience successfully to the point of making them imagine that the characters required their action at some point such as Desdemona’s act of forgiving her husband. Works Cited Ackroyd, Peter. A Brief Guide to William Shakespeare. Constable & Robinson, 2013. Print. Bhattacharyya, Jibesh. William Shakespeare’s Othello. Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 2006. Print. Calderwood, James L. Shakespeare & the Denial of Death. Univ of Massachusetts Press, 1987. Print. Greenberg, Mitchell. Canonical States, Canonical Stages: Oedipus, Othering, and Seventeenth-Century Drama. U of Minnesota Press, 1994. Print. Read More