How Does Shakespeare Present The Dramatic Treatment Of Appearance And Reality In Othello

In Othello, Shakespeare presents the dramatic treatment of jealousy through the presence of an outsider. His hamartia of exceeding trust and hubris is exploited by Iago and his duplicity. The dangers of unbridled jealousy is revealed in Act 3 Scene 3, where we see the emergence of Othello’s downfall and degeneration as a character. This section holds great significance, as it highlights the dramatic turning point of the play and sets up the latter tragic events, thus proving its worth of critical study. This is presented through Othello’s rhetorical question concerning his marriage with Desdemona, stating “Why did I marry?” accentuating his insecurities and anxieties to Iago, who exploits a confused Othello, revealed in the latter’s use of
Shakespeare utilises the amoral character Iago, who is motivated by his evil motives, in order to manipulate others, resulting in them being blindly embodied in a façade and eventually being consolidated in their own downfall. The core of appearance and reality is foremost recognised through Iago’s dialogue “I am not what I am”, portraying the two face nature and the hidden identity within the character. The stark contrast between appearance and reality is evident through the deception that Desdemona is involved in an affair with lieutenant Cassio, thus allowing Iago to capitalise on Othello’s emotions, further aided by the latter’s status as an outsider and his hamartia of exceeding trust towards “Honest Iago”. This is conveyed through Iago’s botanical references “The Moor already changes with my poison… Dangerous conceits are in their natures poison”, revealing the fact that Iago’s conceits have started to consume the mind of characters with “seeds” of doubt planted in them, and thus emphasises the idea that evil is an intrinsic force of nature. The essence of appearance and reality is further explored through the motif of the symbolic handkerchief that Othello had presented to Desdemona as a symbol of love. However, as a result of the distorted perception of Othello, both he and Desdemona exhibit contradicting views towards it. While Desdemona values the handkerchief as a symbol of love, Othello sees it as an act of betrayal. The contradicting nature of appearance and reality is reinforced through Othello’s perspective of Iago and Desdemona, where Iago is viewed as “honest”, while in contrast, Desdemona is labelled as a “strumpet”. Hence, Shakespeare’s use of the difference between appearance and reality effectively exploits the world as in conflict, whereby characters are blindly led into