Othello Essay

Othello Essay “Othello is responsible for his own downfall.”
To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Othello’s downfall is a result of his many flaws being played upon by Shakespeare’s most unforgiving, infamous villain; Iago. Accordingly, it is a combination of Iago’s efforts and cunning traps as well as Othello’s jealous, irrational nature that ultimately lead to Othello’s downfall. Othello’s blind trust and faith in Iago allows Iago to easily set moral traps designed to weaken Othello as a person. These manipulate his mind to the brink of insanity and in turn negatively overshadow Othello’s thought process, and given that Othello allowed this to happen, shows how Othello plays a part in his own downfall. Using Othello and the characters around him to his advantage, Iago manipulates Othello’s jealousy, insecurities, reckless behaviour and self-doubt to amplify the damage done by his own traps, thus proving that it is a combination of actions and decisions made by Othello and Iago, and the many characters around them that is ultimately responsible for Othello’s downfall. It is important to understand Iago’s character and his motives in order to understand his actions, likewise with so many Shakespearean characters. Iago is an arrogant, jealous character; “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” acting out of pure spite and hatred for Othello; “I hate the Moor.” This line is juxtaposed to "My Lord you know I love you" which Iago repeats multiple times throughout the out course of the play virtually personifying Iago's treachery, evil, and malcontent. Iago is the epitome of evil, and is undoubtedly the most amoral, pernicious Shakespearean villain, proven through the scene where Iago kills his own wife as she unmasks his true character. From the start of the text, we learn Cassio has taken the position of lieutenant under Othello’s command, the position that Iago had lusted for, and it is this concept that drives Iago to destroy Othello; "To get his place and to plume up my will in double knavery. How? How? Let's see. After some time, to abuse Othello's ear that he is too familiar with his wife...". The jealousy and rage presented through the character evidently consumes him and revenge soon becomes his motivation for setting the numerous traps that acted as catalysts to Othello’s downfall; "I follow him to serve my turn upon him." However, like many Shakespearean tragedies, jealousy, is not restricted to the evil. Othello’s downfall is a direct result of his own jealousy, insecurities, recklessness and self-doubt being manipulated by Iago. Iago, being the cunning and manipulative character he is, has appeared as a friend to Othello, a trustworthy, loyal friend, winning his trust and faith proven through Othello’s dialogue in which he addresses Iago as “honest Iago” and the numerous scenes where he is seen to confide in him. The concept of jealousy is one that even the villain acknowledges and uses to his advantage; “Jealousy: it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” Iago, knowing of the power of Jealousy and the insecurities of Othello, proceeds to set multiple traps which chip away at Othello’s usual noble and honourable character to leave behind a fragile, hateful, jealous and violent entity. However, were it not for the power of Othello’s own jealously, his reckless actions and his insecurities; “Haply for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation… she’s gone, I am abused, and my relief must be to loathe her”, Iago’s traps would not have nearly as much effect as it had had on Othello and the greater community. As Iago festers lie after lie on Othello in full knowledge of the effect it has on him; “The Moor already changes with my poison”, he successfully reduces Othello into a suddenly vengeful, and destructive man, who demonstrates his malicious intentions in the lines “I’ll tear her all to pieces!” Furthermore, as Iago’s traps take its effect on Othello, the violent and reckless nature of him come to light; “I will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil” and it is this proclivity that effectively amplifies the damages dealt by Iago’s traps ultimately demonstrating how Othello is responsible for his own downfall and in turn showing how the responsibility of Othello's downfall lies on both Iago and Othello. Iago's intentions were, as stated previously, a result of Cassio receiving the position of lieutenant in Othello's army. In a soliloquy, Iago's intentions of evil do not only affect Othello, but Cassio too; "I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip, abuse him to the moor in the rank garb". In the same soliloquy, he discusses his intentions with Othello; "Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me” which further extends to his decision to ridicule and manipulate Othello to the point of insanity; "For making him egregiously an ass, and practising upon his peace and quiet even to madness." Here we see a clear example of Iago's destructive nature, and an insight of what goes on in his mind and what his true intentions are. At large his plans are malicious and detrimental, quite easily the reason for Othello's downfall, however, as Othello is constantly falling into Iago's traps, it is therefore their combined actions that result to his downfall. In addition, Othello's wife Desdemona unknowingly played a part in Othello's downfall. By begging Othello to reinstate Cassio as lieutenant; "Pray you let Cassio be received again." Desdemona’s words fall on suspicious ears and given Othello's current altered mental state, her pleas that aim to help Cassio would almost definitely confirm Othello's suspicions of his wife's treachery. Othello's rushed response from here on leads to a series of events that outline his downfall, including the deaths of many characters. "Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men." As Othello speaks these words, he prepares to kill his wife, Desdemona, symbolising not only the extent of which Iago’s treachery has affected him, but the beginning of the ultimate downfall of a once noble captain. Furthermore, as news of Othello’s murderous deed reaches the ears of those in a higher authority, Othello is stripped of his position as captain; “Your power and your command is taken off,” further implicating his downfall. As Othello soon comes to realise the lying ways of his “honest Iago”, the third and final symbol of the tragic downfall of Othello reveals itself as his suicide, “Killing myself, to die upon a kiss” once and for all ending the unnatural, blinding, manipulative spell Iago had laid upon Othello and the life of a once honourable captain. As Othello prepares to commit suicide, he acknowledges that his blind trust and love for Iago ultimately played a part in his own destruction; “Of one that loved not wisely but too well” and it is at this moment that he himself recognises his own downfall is a result of Iago’s treachery and his own actions. The series of events that led up to this unfortunate situation shows how it was not solely Othello who is responsible for his downfall, but rather the combination of actions taken by Othello, Iago and the characters around him that resulted in the eventual downfall of a once great man.

As authenticated in the paragraphs above, it is a combination of characters who share responsibility for Othello’s downfall. At large it is Iago who plans the downfall of Othello, however his traps and plans would not have succeeded were it not for Othello's own reckless actions, his insecurities, jealousy and self doubt. In conjunction to this, the additional input of other characters such as Othello's own wife, Desdemona, aided Iago in his quest to poison Othello's mind and as result, dictated the downfall of Othello. As such, it is not Othello who is solely responsible for his downfall, but a combination of actions taken by Othello, Iago, and other characters which are responsible for his downfall. Naturally, the power of the traps set by Iago would not have had as much effect on Othello were it not for his insecurities, jealousy, self-doubt and reckless actions that amplified the effect of said traps concluding that Othello plays a part in his own downfall, thus proving that Othello's downfall is a result of the combined actions of himself, Iago and the other characters that surround them.