Othello Essay

Choose a play in which a character is seen to change significantly over the course of the play. Explain the change and show to what extent you find it credible.

Shakespeare's 'Othello' is a tragedy based around the Moor Othello - who is cruelly manipulated by his ensign Iago from a noble general into a murderous husband. The themes of this play include love, jealousy and evil. This essay will examine how the man Othello changes significantly throughout the play and how credible his change is to the audience.

At the beginning of the play, Othello is regarded as a noble and kind general, through Shakespeare's effective characterisation. Othello's military skill and respect is established as the Duke greets him by saying ' Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you/Against the general enemy Ottoman.' The repeated references to him as 'valiant' highlights his position and status within the army as a brave man, as well as how much the powerful Duke respects him. It gives us an insight into what a good a leader Othello is and makes us question what such a strong, commanding leader's flaw might be. Shakespeare's solid characterisation of Othello in Act One sets him up for his downfall throughout the rest of the play. This therefore make's his change more credible, as we know what his personality was like before Iago's manipulation takes hold.

Othello's transformation from noble general to murderous husband is portrayed by Shakespeare's use of dialogue and the symbolism of the handkerchief, in Act Three, Scene Three. Iago has persuaded Othello that Desdemona is in love with Cassio (a soldier, recently appointed as Othello’s second in command), using the handkerchief as proof of her adultery. Once Othello sees Cassio with the handkerchief, he vows 'let her rot and perish, and be damned tonight,/for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone'. Since Othello gave the handkerchief to Desdemona as a first gift, the handkerchief functions as a token of his love and her faithfulness however, Iago knows that, for Othello, the handkerchief now symbolizes Desdemona's infidelity. The fact that such a small object has such enormous weight in the play testifies to the jealous mind, and the way that small incidents can build up into "proof" of love or betrayal. This highlights his change as Othello used to think of Desdemona as his 'fair warrior' but now that Iago has begun his deceit, Othello has become so engrossed in the idea that Desdemona is having an affair, that he has become distraught with emotion. He no longer thinks of what his actions might lead to and is completely out of control, wanting Desdemona dead, rotting in hell as a punishment for what she has done and plans to kill her that night. The symbol of the lost handkerchief symbolises their lost love and clearly shows how through Shakespeare's use of symbolism illustrates Othello's change. His downfall is credible as the audience know that Othello is being tricked by Iago and would not normally want to hurt Desdemona, but that Iago's manipulation has left Othello with no choice and set us up for the climax of the tragedy.

At the climax of the play we see another change in Othello, a feeling of remorse through the use of dramatic irony. Emilia reveals that Iago deceived and manipulated Othello, and that Desdemona was actually innocent. Othello is filled with sorrow and in his final speech cries:
'Of one that loved not wisely, but too well;
Of one, not easily jealous, but being wrought
.....
to die upon a kiss'
Othello is driven to kill due to his own shortcomings; and although his beautiful language and his remorse at the end of this scene make him seem noble again, Othello still denies the flaws in himself that have led him to this end. He asks to be remembered with fairness as the one who loved too much and was tricked into extreme jealousy. Othello's farewell to Desdemona is a return to his former eloquence, though it is also a farewell to his own peace and his life. By linking kissing and killing, Othello is suggesting he cannot live without Desdemona. This dénouement brings together the tragedy and illustrates Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony as all this time the audience knew of Iago's plan. This makes Othello's change all the more convincing as the audience have seen how Iago has tricked Othello and Iago was definitely the catalyst for Desdemona's death and Othello's jealous rages.

To conclude, Othello undergoes a change from dignified general, to murderous husband, to a broken man through Shakespeare's use of characterisation, dialogue, symbolism and dramatic irony. This leaves the audience with a feeling of catharsis, a feeling of relief but at the same time feeling as though they have learned something about human nature. This makes his change credible as it highlights how Othello is human; his flaws and errors make him a compelling tragic figure and his more noble aspects also make him sympathetic. Although Iago steals most of the spotlight during the play, in the end, the tragedy is Othello's; it is his pain, foolishness, and misfortune which makes this drama so compelling and credible.