Preview

Comparing Othello And Hamlet

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
981 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Comparing Othello And Hamlet
The plays Othello and Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, have many similarities and differences. Two main characters Iago, of Othello, and Hamlet, of Hamlet, can be compared and contrasted through characterization. Characterization is the represention of characteristics or motives of a character. Both characters have different character traits which make them truly different from one another, but their ending resolutions are remarkably the same.
In Othello, Iago is a very manipulative and cunning character. Iago's entire scheme begins when Cassio is given the position that Iago wanted. Iago then comes up with numerous ideas and plots to steal the position he feels he most deserves. Iago deceis, steals, and kills to gain that position.
…show more content…

Iago's manipulative plot led to the death of many characters in the play. Desdemona died because her husband did not believe that she was being loyal to him

ter Iago proclaimed that she was cheating on Othello. Emilia, Iago's wife, died because she revealed Iago's plot. Roderigo died because he was used and manipulated by Iago. And finally Othello died because he was tricked, by Iago, into believing things

thout any known proof. In Hamlet, Hamlet's vengenance for his father's murderer led him to kill Laertes. Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, dies after she accidentally drinks a poisoned glass. After Hamlet sees Gertrude has died, he forces Claudius to drink the

emaining poison. Hamlet dies after he is told by the dieing Laertas that the sword was poisoned and Hamlet has only thirty minutes to live. In both plays each characters motives, actions and characteristic traits had equal and similair results, death.

In Shakespeare's plays he often creates a straight forward atmosphere in which the reader can differentiate from good and evil. He shows this characteristic through his characters in the way they act and their motives. For example Hamlet's actions


You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The deaths in which Hamlet played a part or had knowledge of helped him realize suicide was not the easy way to go. Hamlet stabbed Polonius through a curtain while he was arguing with his mother. Hamlet sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with a letter to the King of England, stating that whomever is holding this letter is to be executed, both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are beheaded. Claudius and Laertes was planning to kill Hamlet in a duel with rapiers. Laertes rapier had poison on the tip of the sword. Hamlet killed Laertes in the duel. Laertes dropped his sword in a scuffle with Hamlet. Hamlet picked up the sword and stabbed Laertes with his own poisonous sword. Laertes told Hamlet that the sword was poisonous and that Claudius planned on killing him with poisonous wine. Laertes had already stabbed Hamlet with the sword giving Hamlet a short amount of time left to live. Gertrude got ahold of the poisonous wine and drank it, killing her. Claudius tried to stop her but he was to late. Laertes dies from the poison soaked rapier. Hamlet walks up to Claudius, makes him drink the poisonous wine and then stabs him with Laertes’ poisonous sword. Hamlet then talks to Horatio; “Horatio I’m as good as dead”(5.2.349). Notify Fortinbras that he is now in charge of the kingdom and to tell him everything that happened. Hamlet's thinking regarding suicide changed throughout the play as he…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Iago was very devil he lied to Othello so Othello’s' could leave his wife Desdemona. Othello tells Desdemona that she cheated, but she didn't.all that happened because of othello’s lies . his lies were kind powerful and believable. Othello was wise, but iago tried to make him look stupid by making lies about his wife Desdemona. Iago tried every kind trick to make Othello give divorce to his wife, but what Othello did was more than divorce which leaded Iago to a bad ending. Iago brought big conflict between Othello and…

    • 92 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    He knows now that he must kill Claudius in order to free his father. At one point, Hamlet has the chance to kill Claudius while he is praying, but then realizes such an act would send him to heaven not hell. Throughout the play Hamlet acts all crazy and distraught, worrying everyone around him. While Hamlet is talking to his mother Gertrude, he hears someone behind the mirror and shoots. It turns out that the person behind the mirror was not Claudius, but Polonius. This causes Ophelia to turn crazy and ultimately kill herself In the river. With Laertes seeking revenge, him and Claudius come up with a plan to kill Hamlet. Their plan is to challenge Hamlet to a fencing match, and poison the drink in which Hamlet will drink of. Laertes, for back up, puts poison on the tip of a sword so that if he was to land any hit on Hamlet, he would die. However, the plan goes wrong and Gertrude drinks the poison. Then Laertes gets stabbed with the poisoned sword, along with Claudius. Hamlet also makes Claudius drink of the poison then says, “Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee” (1724). Hamlet goes on to drink the poison. In the end Hamlet sacrificed his life in order to save his fathers life from hell and give Claudius what he had coming to…

    • 1447 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago vs Krogstad

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Throughout the play, Iago constantly fuels Othello 's suspicions until his jealousy and mistrust for his wife grow to the point that he finally kills her and himself.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hamlets father was killed by his Uncle Claudius due to jealousy of the kingdom. Claudius poisoned his brother while he was sleeping in the garden. Hamlet finds out his father was murdered by meeting is ghost in the yard of the kingdom. Hamlet decides to plan out his revenge by first acting like he has gone mad because of his father’s death. He breaks his loves heart in the process but doesn’t stop his revenge. He orders for a play to be presented to the royal court, including his uncle and his mother. This play is supposed to simulate his fathers death and he wants to see how the king reacts to the play. This is where he realizes that the ghost was telling the truth. Claudius then figures out that Hamlet has been suspicious and decides to send him to England to be killed. While speaking to his mother, Hamlet hears someone spying on them and kills his loves father, Polonius. This was the beginning of the tragedy. Hamlet has a moment to kill Claudius before he leaves for England but questions himself and his actions. He then leaves only to return after finding a letter of his execution and being “attacked” by pirates. Claudius and Polonius’s son, Laertes, have come up with a plan to kill Hamlet when he arrives. They are going to challenge him in a fencing battle with poison at the end of the sword. If this plan fails, they will have poisoned wine for Hamlet to drink.…

    • 781 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Horatio And Hamlet Foils

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The different characters with various characteristics make the play with more color and plots. In the play there are several foils exist within the characters which are interesting to look into. Hamlet and Horatio, Hamlet and Fortinbras, Hamlet and Claudius and Hamlet and Laertes are all have more or less some qualities that are opposite.…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shortly after, Iago's wife tries to reveal the truth to Othello. In midst of explanation, Iago kills his wife and flees the scene.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Within Hamlet the themes of death, disease, and decay are spread throughout the entire play. All are mentioned by Hamlet, the apparition and Horatio. All are described in great detail. These motifs reflect many of the characters inner struggles and views on life.…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago is a cruel and evil man who uses ways to ruin Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Othello appointed Cassio, to be his lieutenant. Iago was mad when he heard about it, he believes that he should be the one for the position since he knows more. This started off with his jealousy of Cassio. When Othello and Desdemona got married without letting anyone knowing, Iago begins to plot his plan. He used Roderigo to help him throughout the process of his plan to bring down Cassio. He then told Othello lies to ruin his own relationship. He also use Bianca as his part of the plan. Iago got people into thinking he was a nice honest guy, but he uses other people's jealousy and gullibleness for his own benefit.…

    • 749 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ghost In Hamlet

    • 1324 Words
    • 6 Pages

    During her funeral procession Laertes and Hamlet react similarly when they both jump into her grave and declare their love for Ophelia (enotes). Afterward, Hamlet asks for forgiveness for killing Polonius and Laertes pretends to accept it. But Laertes still determined to avenge his father’s death agrees with Claudius to have a sword duel with Hamlet in which Laertes blade has been covered with a poison that will kill Hamlet with just a slight nick to the skin. Both men are nicked with the poisoned blade. As Laertes lies dying he has a moral enlightenment “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor thine on me!” (5.2.337-339) and tells Hamlet of the deceit and plot that the king had created. At the same time the queen who has no idea of what Claudius had plotted drank from a poisoned challis that contained poison also meant for Hamlet. She falls down but warns Hamlet of the poison and then dies. Without hesitation Hamlet stabs the king and forces him to drink the poison. The revenge at this point seems bittersweet.…

    • 1324 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago is not to blame for the deaths of Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, and Emilia because there is no hard evidence that pins him to the crimes. Iago himself did not kill anyone himself so his hands are clean and it would be unjustly to put the blame on him. Not only did Iago not kill anybody but he did not forcly make somebody kill someone else, all Iago did was give his opinion say what he thought. Iago himself even said to his wife,”I told him what I thought, and told no more. That what he found himself was apt and true.” In this instant Iago is referring to Othello and the the death of Desdemona. Othello is the guilty one for strangling his wife because he acted on his accord and was forced by nobody to do so. The only thing that Iago is guilty of is caring for his friend too much…

    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago was the master of manipulation. Iago’s fearlessness and over-confidence while he manipulates people causes him to make mistakes that lead him to his death. As he carried traits of psychopaths with no remorse, he was obsessive towards other people’s lives, relentless on his actions, bold in his choices, and a genius in his efforts to manipulate and deceive the other characters—particularly Othello. His unclear motivations derived from the will to play on each team and play them like puppets. It all began with poor Roderigo who just wanted to win over the heart of sweet Desdemona and when he…

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare's Othello is indeed a story of tragedy. Iago's evil schemes throughout the play cause much grief and pity on the side of Othello. Iago manipulates Othello's innocence, naivety and trust to cause Othello to become jealous over the thought of his newly wedded wife cheating on him. Othello's fall from grace leads him to eventually murder his own wife, and once Iago's plan has been exposed by Emilia, Iago murders his own wife and Othello commits suicide. It is the deaths of the innocent, bold, daring women – Emilia and Desdemona, along with our beloved tragic hero, Othello which causes a "catharsis of emotions" because of our first impressions of these characters as "pure and…

    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the play, Iago makes the reasons, for why he is carrying out this evil plan, clear to us. He tells us that he does it all not only because he is jealous, of Cassio being promoted above him and he suspects "the Moor" slept with his wife, but he also does these treacherous deeds for as he says "my sport and profit". These are the reasons why from the beginning of the play Iago intends to end Othello's and Desdemona's marriage whilst trying to make Othello suffer as much as possible.…

    • 1751 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Although Iago appears to be the primary reason for Othello’s downfall, it is actually a combination of Othello putting his trust in the wrong person due to male pride, Othello’s lack of confidence in Desdemona’s love for him because of racial insecurities, and his jealousy that was easily conjured through Iago’s tactic of exploiting weaknesses.…

    • 1457 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays