Analysing Othellos Character - Essay Example

Analysing Othello’s Character Introduction Othello, alongside King Lear, Macbeth, and Hamlet,is recognised by numerous intellectuals as one of the ‘great’ tragedies of Shakespeare, one that adheres to a conventional tragic design, outlining the champion’s decline and consolidating features of nobility with decisions or actions that result in unavoidable misery. Nevertheless, Othello, too, is one of the most emotionally and psychologically gripping plays of Shakespeare (Farabee 2009). The force with which the overwhelming chain of episodes unfolds builds an exhilarating atmosphere of frenzied mayhem that ensnares audiences nearly as much as it steers the characters, especially of Othello. However, Othello has created nearly as much debate as it has recognition. Despite of the plot’s clear-cut action, the development of Othello’s character and Shakespeare’s depiction of complicated themes head towards a very intricate play that generates several social, moral, and artistic issues. Although a number of scholars refer to Othello as the most gallant tragic protagonist of Shakespeare, others label him the opposite. The most important role of Iago ignites some of this contention, according to Bloom and Heims (2008), because it is difficult to view the decisions and actions of Othello separate of the persistent wickedness of Iago. The plot’s domestic emphasis also creates a degree of serious anxiety. Some propose that the transition of Othello from public episodes to the bedroom’s privacy weakens the tragic extent of the play and challenges the vital assurance of renewed social order that normally balances the fall of greatness at the conclusion of the more public plays of Shakespeare (Meader 1954). Hence, literary issues surround the essence of tragedy as it is played out in Othello and the uniformity between the actions and aims of the characters. Moral issues focus on the depiction of righteousness and wickedness, and social issues emerge from the play’s presentation of justice, violence, and race. The Major Actions and Aims of Othello Othello is a successful leader and a man with remarkable compassion. After he commits an incurable mistake or strings of errors, believing Iago and murdering his wife Desdemona because of speculative jealousy, he realises and admits the terrible nature of what he has committed. Macaulay (2005) argues that if audiences see Othello as profoundly blemished or imperfect—deceived and selfish about his genuine aims for murdering his wife instead of clearly vulnerable to the wicked Iago’s wicked suggestions because of his frank, naive personality, then they might feel contempt for Othello and experience difficulty in seeing his ruin as tragic. The truthfulness and sincerity of Othello are excellently showed in his willingness to answer publicly any accusations linked to his secret marriage. Othello even greets the unavoidable public debate as a means to regain harmony between his public and private lives, disrupted by the escape with Desdemona. A conscientious man, he is aware that he will forbid his marriage to hinder his public obligations, a pledge that undoubtedly will bear a degree of importance before the Senate asking Othello as a warrior: “But that I love the gentle Desdemona/ I would not my unhoused free condition/ Put into circumscription and confine/ For the sea’s worth” (Altman 2010, 135). After he good-naturedly and diplomatically endures the racial affronts of the furious Brabantio, Othello displays a noble and poised self-justification before the Senate, convinced of Venetian justice and his blamelessness in any disgraceful action. Due to the truthful character and sincere aim of Othello, it may be said that his declaration of guilt before the Senate is one of the major actions that lead to his tragic downfall. The feeling of Othello that the father of Desdemona ‘loved’ him should be viewed as real, and even though Brabantio definitely did not imagine Othello as his future son-in-law, the frank Moor may be pardoned for misunderstanding the kindliness and courtesy given by a Venetian senator (Altman 2010) to an unusual guest. The feelings of Desdemona for Othello did not emanate from a juvenile, abrupt passion but advanced by extents, driven by sympathy for the misery and perils of Othello rather than by physical fascination. Othello was attracted to the kind-heartedness and thoughtfulness of Desdemona instead to her physical beauty, and he responded to her feelings just when tempted by her. Once wedded, the dependable Moor will not let his private obligations to impede his public responsibilities, and he is ready to abandon his wife for the period of the Turkish mission, the momentous decision to go with him on the journey being independent of Desdemona (Woodman 2002). Othello afterward dispels the evident concerns of the Senate by publicly denying any urge to “please the palate of [his] appetite, /Nor to comply with heat,” (Hall 1999, 91) the immature influences in him being obsolete at his grown-up times. With his public and private obligations firmly divided, the war’s ‘serious and great business’ (Hall 1999, 91) will not be overlooked with Othello and Desdemona together. However, Othello’s naive character, candidness, truthfulness, alongside his conscientious role as a military leader and alongside his sense of timidity as a visitor in Venice, makes him very susceptible. In truth, the weak point stemming from the clash between his social role and his character is merely passing the time to be taken advantage by the greed and resentment of a witty opportunist (Altman 2010). Hence, the second major decision of Othello to believe Iago rather than his wife. The naivety of Othello to the shameless and disdainful, demeaning manner of Iago is apparent from the beginning, just like the general’s reliance on his flag in a sensible way. As claimed by scholars, the maturing Moor seems to endure a poor vision and on several instances has to depend on the guidance of Iago. Iago assisted Othello in seeing the advancing Cassio and other officials, and when Brabantio turns up to seize Othello, Iago immediately saw the peril (Sadowski 2003). The defective eyesight of Othello, evidently, heightens his emotional reliance on Iago, eventually putting additional pain into mocks like “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see”, and “Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio” (Sadowski 2003, 171). According to Bloom and Heims (2008), the representation of the eye in Othello’s paradoxical firmness on the visual evidence of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, as it to stress that the Moor can merely see, specifically, recognise, what Iago tells him to perceive. Since people have a tendency to perceive others in accordance with the standards identified by their specific vigour of character, thus Othello uses his norms of truthfulness and just relations with everybody else, with absolutely tragic outcomes. Othello, as a man of morality and values, responds with fury and virtuous resentment whenever a moral standard he personally conforms to is breached or insulted, and he insists for justice, specifically, proper amends from those who violated the norm (Farabee 2009). Thus, the third major act of Othello is that when he discovers his officials responsible for bringing about an unbecoming drunken scuffle, his response is initially emotional, “My blood begins my safer guides to rule/ And passion, having my best judgement collied, /Assays to lead the way” (Sadowski 2003, 171), before he responds in a quite proper manner by reducing the rank of Cassio in an obvious move toward justice. Nevertheless, the key premise whose supposed defiance brings about not only virtuous fury but a deep psychological predicament and a ‘radical and irreversible metamorphosis’ (Sadowski 2003, 171) of the character of Othello is the faithfulness of the wife to her husband. It is the core essence of this premise alongside the character of Othello that makes up the fatal force of his problem. Scholars have attempted to clarify the response of Othello to his wife’s alleged unfaithfulness in terms of his ‘rejection of sexuality’ and ‘repressed sexual feelings,’(Sadowski 2003, 171) which inside him assume the banished form of killing, and with regard to Othello’s ‘neurotic misogyny,’ emanating from his ‘contempt for maternal femininity’, attitudes typical of the males in a customary patriarchal culture (Sadowski 2003, 171). The jealousy of Othello seems to be even simpler to inflame than normal due to the existence of other factors such as his obvious immaturity in the intimate, private life, being an outcast, race, and so on, which all influence the sense of uncertainty of Othello and weaken his self-esteem as a man (Meader 1954), forcing him to make the decisions and actions that will ultimately lead to his tragic demise. The Self-Perception of Othello and his Reaction to Other Characters Othello displays an evident fondness for assertives. Assertives, in the speech acts field, embody the mindset or perceptions of the speaker, his/her worldview. The fondness of Othello for assertives in the First Act shows the poise and sensibility that numerous scholars have discerned in the character of Othello (Skura 2008). For instance, when informed that a furious Brabantio is hunting him to deal with him the defiance of his daughter, Othello displays an emotionless stance. Instead of saying an expressive showing his sentiments or anxieties, he says otherwise, in an assertive way: “Not I. I must be found. My parts, my title, and my perfect soul Shall manifest me rightly” (Altman 2010, 33). This statement from Othello suggests his knowledge of the significance of appearance and his conviction that his own exterior will manifest a connection between the outside and the inside (Macaulay 2005). In this expression, Othello presents himself as an individual of absolute confidence not just in himself but as well as in how other people view him. Othello does not react expressively to the accusations that he has employed sorcery to attract Desdemona but confines himself to plain statements: “I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter,” “I have married her” (Woodman 2002, 17). The illustration of Othello of ‘taking away’ notably reduces the fact that he has taken for granted social norms. He embodies his deed with frank truthfulness in order to make his deed sound unflawed. The talent of Othello to stand for incidents in terms sympathetic to his own plight accounts for a great deal of his ability to control and influence others (Macaulay 2005). He concludes this specific dialogue with his major statement: “I won his daughter” (Bloom 1987, 71). This assertion is obviously a self-conceit, furthermore a self-conceit that is used to defend what he has committed. Additionally, Othello supports the case in favour of him through a comprehensive account to make Desdemona appear to be the one mainly accountable for the incidents that occurred between them. This account can definitely be viewed as tactical on the part of Othello because it also reduces the truth that Othello has disregarded social norms. The story exposes much more about the speaker, regarding how he embodies himself and how he embodies others, especially his wife Desdemona (Macaulay 2005). In Othello’s point of view, he first embodies himself plainly as a person who narrates tales of his life for Brabantio. Even though Brabantio is the anticipated listener, Desdemona, listening in the narration of Othello, becomes an unanticipated second listener. Othello looks at the attention of Desdemona and afterwards agree to narrate stories to her too. Othello subsequently embodies the reaction of Desdemona to his narrations, which concludes not just in the actual scene of kissing but as well as to the winding cue from Desdemona that she would like to be courted by a gentleman who had undergone what the Moor had undergone (Macaulay 2005). Othello ends his story with the statement “Upon this hint I spake” (Bloom 1987, 43). In this story of victory and courtship, Othello places himself as a dormant catalyst. He is able to attract Desdemona simply because she is fascinated with his tales. The pride of Othello in attracting Desdemona arises because she has requested him, instead of the other way around. Othello repeats this soon after in the play: “For she had eyes, and chose me” (Hall 1999, 87). His story works both as a self-conceit and as a point he gives to Brabantio. Othello never embodies himself as aggressively wooing Venetian women and hence as a menace to the institution that he works for. This is compatible with the idea that Othello has merely carried of Desdemona, instead of courting her and secretly marrying her. The factual blackness of the Moor and the error of his action are removed by his quite brilliant embodying of incidents (Macaulay 2005). The influence of Othello as a storyteller is dominant. Othello is successfully capable of embodying reality as he wants it to be, and as he wants others to see it. The narrative courting of Othello can be relevantly evaluated against that of Iago. Iago, listening to Othello’s narration to the Venetian Senators and the Duke, shows to Roderigo a tainted account of Desdemona’s affection for the Moor and the Moor’s style of courting Desdemona (Woodman 2002, 39): “Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies. To love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed.” Iago’s depiction of Desdemona and Othello is dishonoured: Othello is a deceiver, whereas Desdemona is a fool who has trusted his deceptions. He cannot visualise the fact that the affection of Desdemona cannot be maintained by stories alone. It may be argued that Iago is merely telling Roderigo things he wishes to hear, but the severe pessimism with which he makes his remarks shows sincere bitterness (Macaulay 2005). Iago makes use of exaggeration and reiterations to propose the lack of authority of Othello as a lover and as a narrator. Comparing Othello’s Self-Depiction with Others’ Perception of Him Every time Othello talks and acts in the initial section of the play, he effectively displays this aura of being ‘adequate’; he is a born leader, noble, and self-confident. His initial statement, extolling Iago’s control in restraining aggression, shows a mature hesitance to provoke the condition: “’Tis better as it is” (Woodman 2002, 9). Self-assured that his ‘labours’ for the Venetian state will overrule the resentment of Brabantio against him, he is not anxious to be located by the furious father. He is certain that his innate abilities, his social standing, and his unblemished principles will all defend him. A perceptive scholar of Shakespeare, Samuel Johnson, reacted to Othello as high-minded, simple, and trusting, limitless in his self-esteem, and Coleridge referred to him as “noble, generous, open-hearted; unsuspicious and unsuspecting” (Hall 1999, 85). Bradley argued, “This character is so noble... and his sufferings are so heart-rending, that he stirs, I believe, in most readers a passion of mingled love and pity which they feel for no other hero in Shakespeare” (Hall 1999, 85). He certainly exaggerates the character of Othello. His interest is not rooted in a thorough examination of individual theatrical points of view or dialogues given outside the awareness of Othello; it is shaped on the Moor’s self-depiction. Since Iago is an occasionally unreliable storyteller, audiences interpret what he utters with vigilance. However, he is a perceptive evaluator of personality, and hence audiences cannot completely disregard his judgement on Othello’s technique of selecting his lieutenant: “But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, Evades them with a bombast circumstance” (Hall 1999, 85). Thorough analysis of Othello’s dialogues shows that they are double-edged. In the breadth of Othello’s speeches, it can be heard the hint of noble, mature self-confidence; yet it can also be discerned a hint of pride (Hassel 2001). This blueprint of dignity restrained by self-conceit can be observed all over the play. Audiences feel sorry for Othello’s dreadful grief in Act 4, scene 2 when he feels deceived by his wife who has turned out to be the core essence of his existence: “The fountain from the which my current runs/ Or else dries up” (Hassel 2001, 43). And still this dignified misery is demeaned by his look of injured pride at turning into “The fixed figure for the time of scorn/ To point his slow and moving finger at” (Hall 1999, 86). His unconditional, fervent recognition of what has gone astray, in “But yet the pity of it, Iago” (Hall 1999, 86), conflicts also with the minor cruelty of an intimidated pride as he snarls, “I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me!” (Hall 1999, 86) Othello realises the enormous gravity of murdering Desdemona when he proclaims, “Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse/ Of sun and moon” (Hall 1996, 86). But he can transition from this position into overemotional cruelty, as he pleads (Hassel 2001, 43): Whip me, ye devils, From the possession of this heavenly sight!... Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire! Bradley justifies the violent behaviour of Othello in Act 4, arguing that the champion “sees everything blurred through a mist of blood and tears” yet that “his grandeur remains almost undiminished” (Hall 1999, 87). Majority of modern-day spectators, seeing Othello’s violence, embarrassing prying, vicious promises of revenge, and hurting of Desdemona in the Venetian delegation, are not likely to idealise the hero in this manner. Othello, in his jealous fury, completely opposes the remark of Iago to Roderigo that “base men being in love have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to them” (Bloom 2008, 214). Bradley, yet again, interprets Othello literally, believing that he murders Desdemona not in hatred, but as a performance of justice. His observation directly resounds the statement of Othello to Desdemona, “[Thou] makst me call what I intend to do/ A murder, which I thought a sacrifice” (Meader 1954, 197), when he argues, “The deed he is bound to do is no murder, but a sacrifice” (Skura 2008, 299). He discovers ‘infinite grief’ in the hero but is unsuccessful in discerning the justification of injured ego, an argument of self-sacrifice that indicates fake, in the Moor’s “she must die; else she’ll betray more men” (Skura 2008, 299). However, to see him only as the egoistic man could be too limited. Othello stays an intricate combination of the ‘dignified’ champion and the self-misleading egoist focused on his ‘reputable status.’ Character Parallelisms and Contrasts Othello and Desdemona, such as Romeo and Juliet, originate not from history, but myth. Othello conveys to the marriage blackness and passion. Othello, similar to Tamburlaine, is as gallant as the heroic knights in Mediterranean love stories (Skura 2008). The initial scenes resemble Orlando Furioso of Ariosto, even though their primary reference is the freely similar play of Robert Greene, Orlando Furioso. In the rendition of Greene, the bad character simply misleads Orlando into believing he is deceived, and all ends joyfully. The play of Greene is one of the surprisingly humorous references of Othello, but it starts as clean, exaggerated theatrical love story that influenced Shakespeare (Skura 2008). For instance, the justification of Othello of his marriage to the Senate and to Iago resembles the early-episode proposal of Orlando for Angelica, where he delivers a speech in the presence of the noble kings. Othello, although a product of monarchs, is a Moor and an outcast previously charged of witchcraft and kidnapping, who has run off with the Venetian Senator’s daughter. Orlando, even though ‘descended from the royal house of France’ (Skura 2008, 299), is a simple French hero among great monarchs contending for the love of Angelica, the great King of Africa’s daughter. The Herculean custom insults great infatuation as well as praising it; both plots have a position in the Western literary tradition. Orlando Furioso of Greene is merely one of numerous humorous perspectives in the practice which represent the Herculean champion as a make-believe weakling or a great hero (Woodman 2002). The Hercules myths detach humorous, tragic, and grand points of view, yet Shakespeare, in real Elizabethan tradition, merges them. Othello has constantly appeared the strangest of all the tragedies of Shakespeare due to this conflict, and the Plautine wit of the initial acts of Othello has frequently been examined (Woodman 2002). Iago, even before he brings up racial concerns, depicts Othello as ‘loving his own pride and purposes’ (Skura 2008, 300), or a Plautine Braggadocio. Iago claims, the “bombast circumstance/ Horribly stuffed with epithets of war” (Skura 2008, 300) of Othello reveals how self-deceived and gullible he is. Plautine humour vanishes but the excessiveness of Othello resounds the Braggadoccios of Shakespeare: “If it were now to die, / ‘Twere now to be most happy; for I fear / My soul hath her content so absolute / That not another comfort like to this / Succeeds in unknown fate” (Skura 2008, 30). Ultimately, alongside suggestions of Brutus and the Albanese, the final portion of the play goes back to Orlando Furioso once more, and alongside the bigger Herculean practice of epic folly and guilt (Skura 2008). When Othello recovers his good sense and realises his terrible error, he renews his initial image of the moral base of the world. Regardless how melodramatic his suicide, they exalt him into the complex Western imaginations that stress on epic passion, love, and great courage. Conclusions Intellectual exploration and analysis of Othello are immense and diverse. At times two standpoints greatly conflicts with each other; at times one point of view restores other as historical understanding progresses or as cultural outlooks and social norms develop and alter. The discussion here mentions a number of primary lines of discussion with an aim of promoting critical analysis of Othello’s character. A number of continuing issues about Shakespearean scholarship have difficult resolutions. When a reader tries to understand the character of Othello, how important is it to take into account his historical background, how important is it to enforce his/her contemporary mindset on a very old literary work, and how probable is it to evade or discount either one of the conflicting points of view? These issues bring about the streams of debate and analysis of Othello. References Altman, Joel. The Improbability of Othello: Rhetorical Anthropology and Shakespearean Selfhood. University of Chicago Press, 2010. Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare’s Othello. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. Bloom, Harold & Neil Heims. Othello. New York: Blooms Literary Criticism, 2008. Farabee, Darlene. “Othello,” Shakespeare Bulletin 27.4 (2009): 637+ Hall, Joan. Othello: A Guide to Play. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. Hassel, R. Chris Jr. “Intercession, Detraction and Just Judgment in Othello,” Comparative Drama 35.1 (2001): 43+ Macaulay, Marcia. “When Chaos is Come Again: Narrative and Narrative Analysis in Othello,” Style 39.3 (2005): 259+ Meader, William. Courtship in Shakespeare: Its Relation to the Tradition of Courtly Love. New York: King’s Crown Press, 1954, Sadowski, Piotr. Dynamism of Character in Shakespeare’s Mature Tragedies. Newark, DE: University of Delaware Press, 2003. Skura, Meredith Anne. “Reading Othello’s Skin: Contexts and Pretexts,” Philological Quarterly 87.3-4 (2008): 299+ Woodman, Thomas. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Orient Longman, 2002.   Read More