Significance of Othellos Military Association in Othello - Essay Example

of the of the of the Significance of Othello’s Military Association in Othello Othello’s association with military intensifies the themes of power struggle and romantic chivalry in the play Othello by William Shakespeare. In the expository lines of the first scene, Othello as described by Shakespeare evokes images of an exotic warrior who has won the heart of lovely Desdemona in a foreign land, which unconsciously reminds the readers/audiences of romantic chivalrous heroes. Also known as the Moor, he has all the characteristic elements of a romantic, chivalrous hero- a person of noble descent rising to importance as a military general in a foreign land on account of his services; and as lover and husband of one of the most beautiful women of Venice. Othello’s occupation balances his status or social position in the play with Desdemona. He falls in love with the daughter of a senator. Thus no other profession could have done justice to his character. It was his prestigious rank in the military that compelled Barbantio to accept him as his son-in-law. Othello is depicted as a true, honourable knight who is confident that his marriage with Desdemona would not prove him a wrongdoer. “My services which I have done the signiory/ Shall out-tongue his complaints.” (1.2.18-19) Such belief in his honesty, integrity, prestige and honour can only be found in a romantic chivalric hero that Othello was. “I must be found:/ My parts, my title and my perfect soul/ Shall manifest me rightly.”(1.2. 31-33) Desdemona’s father proclaimed that she: “... shunnd/ The wealthy curled darlings of our nation...” (1.2. 67-68) This points to the fact that Othello, despite of being a moor, became such a desirable man for the lovely Desdemona on account of his romantic chivalry that she gave up her world for him. In his essay Othello’s occupation: Shakespeare and the romance of chivalry, Mark Rose states: “Othello’s blackness is the index of a different orientation toward the chivalric figure.” (281) At the time when Shakespeare was writing Othello, Mark Rose argues that “Elizabethan culture was saturated with feudal idealism. In life and in art, chivalric themes were pervasive.” (278) Othello’s occupation in the military as contrasted to the other occupations related to trade and merchandizing, which were growing popular with the emergence of the bourgeois class in the late Elizabethan era, is therefore of significant importance. Each occupation is associated with certain characteristics; and thus association with military in Othello is directly related to romantic chivalry, which was still being fantasized during the Elizabethan era. The merits and achievements of military personnel are judged on different scales than in other professions- and in case of Othello, romantic chivalry is one such merit. In the opening scene, Iago scorns at Cassio who is promoted by Othello instead of him. His tone depicts the feudal mentality of that era. Mark Rose describes Iago’s speech as “...shot through with the language of commerce... [by] contrasting himself with Cassio, he dismissed the lieutenant as a mere accountant, a ‘debtor and creditor’ and a ‘counter-caster’. (1.1.28)” (282) Professional jealousy could not have been shown to take such an extreme level as in this case. What prompted Iago to take such revenge from Othello was the fact that he was expecting a promotion which was ultimately conferred upon Cassio. “Why, theres no remedy; tis the curse of service,/ Preferment goes by letter and affection,/ And not by old gradation...” (1.1. 35-37); and neither could the power struggle in the play have been better illustrated without Othello’s military association. The play would not have yielded the same depth of tragedy, had the occupation of Othello were different. His narratives of his past about the dangers he had faced and the adventures he had exude romantic chivalry about his character and it became a natural way to woo the lovely Desdemona. “She loved me for the dangers I had passd,/ And I loved her that she did pity them.”  (1.3.169-170) The way he married Desdemona is also reminiscent of a romantic knight in shining armour eloping with his fair lady. Othello is assigned an important mission on his wedding night which he willingly accepts, and his speech in the senate in reply to the accusations of Desdemona’s father are yet other symbols of the theme of Shakespeare’s romantic chivalry in Othello. His occupation is also directly linked with the balance of power in the play. As the structure of the play is based upon the power struggle between different forces, Othello’s occupation places him in the right setting of dealing with it. Othello is appointed by the Duke of Venice “...against the general enemy Ottoman.” (1.3. 51) The direct appointment by the Duke of Venice speaks volumes of the reputation of Othello and the trust that is placed in him for the welfare and safety of the entire nation. The conflict in this play arises from the power struggle between Iago and Cassio. According to Rose, “...the brutal power latent in the contradiction is used to drive a tragedy.” (283) Shakespeare placed each of his characters in a certain situation, so as to balance the shift of power. Iago poisoned the mind of Othello about the loyalty of Desdemona, when power was shifted to Cassio by Othello; while the seemingly powerful Othello gave in to a mere suspicion implanted by Iago about the loyalty of Desdemona. In this respect, he acts like an enraged romantic hero who is apparently cheated by his woman on account of which he commits her murder and brings about his own tragic fall. While Othello’s occupation makes him eligible to balance his social status with that of Desdemona and power-struggle between different agents in the play; at the same time, it heightens the contrast between his nature and Desdemona’s. This contrast is important to understand each character and the development of the story. Upon realizing his mistake, he tries to rectify his sin by taking his own life thus dying an honourable death. “He [Shakespeare] was, I think, still too deeply possessed by the absolute world of fidelity. He could write about the death of chivalry but he could not distance himself sufficiently from its imaginative claims to burlesque it.” (Rose, 288) Othello’s association with the military helped in developing the plot such that his professional expertise in the military services and his personal weakness in misjudging Desdemona could be played out. “Desdemona remains a miracle of fidelity to the end, and Othello, released from the demi-devil’s snares, dies reasserting his allegiance to his heroic self.” (Rose, 288) The play is constructed by laying down the grounds for two battles- one that is being anticipated by the approaching Turkish army and the other that is raging in the mind of Othello. Othello, being the chivalrous romantic hero is the commander of both the battlefields but he loses his personal battle. However, his tragic fall also becomes a moment of epiphany for him and he dies an honourable death. This asserts the fact that the theme of romantic chivalry is incomplete without honour and according to Mark Rose, “...honour might be regarded as a kind of religion, something worth dying for...” (282). Thus Othello died for honour, thus befitting the role of romantic chivalrous hero and became immortal with his honourable death. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. “Othello”. Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Edward Pechter. New York: Norton, 2004. 3-117. Print. Rose, Mark. “Othello’s Occupation: Shakespeare and the Romance of Chivalry”. Othello. Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Edward Pechter. New York: Norton, 2004. 275-89. Print. Read More