Othello - Theme - Lack of Self-Awareness
Theme – Lack of Self-Awareness
Definition of the theme and its development through the play:
* In Othello, characters not only deceive others, but deceive themselves. They lack self-awareness in that they fail to see or acknowledge their own flaws and weaknesses, and they never see themselves as completely as others perceive them. The truth is likely to destroy either their contentment or their perceptions of themselves
* This theme is mainly developed through the major characters of the play. They all employ this unconscious, protective self-delusion strategy that makes life possible. Through their susceptibility to Iago’s plotting, and the unfolding of their characters, their lack of self-awareness is demonstrated
Characters involved in highlighting this theme:
OTHELLO:
* He fails to acknowledge his most fatal flaw – jealousy. He cannot believe that he can be capable of such baseness, and makes all kinds of rationalisations and justifications for believing in Desdemona’s apparent infidelity
* His lack of self-awareness is due to his insecurities and lack of confidence in his relationship with Desdemona, which threatens his pride and honour
“I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And on the proof, there is no more but this:
Away at once with love or jealousy!”
His vulnerability is shown by his self-reassurance. He easily indulges in self-denial when jealousy is clearly overtaking him. He overestimates his self-control in a bid to satisfy his self-esteem.
* Deludes himself into believing that he act of murder is an act of objective judgement on Desdemona. He is the agent of ‘justice’ and it is an act to protect other men. This makes it possible for him to murder Desdemona
“Yet she must die, or else she’ll betray more men”
* “Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak
Of one that loves not wisely, but too well;
Of one not easily jealous but, being wrought,
Definition of the theme and its development through the play:
* In Othello, characters not only deceive others, but deceive themselves. They lack self-awareness in that they fail to see or acknowledge their own flaws and weaknesses, and they never see themselves as completely as others perceive them. The truth is likely to destroy either their contentment or their perceptions of themselves
* This theme is mainly developed through the major characters of the play. They all employ this unconscious, protective self-delusion strategy that makes life possible. Through their susceptibility to Iago’s plotting, and the unfolding of their characters, their lack of self-awareness is demonstrated
Characters involved in highlighting this theme:
OTHELLO:
* He fails to acknowledge his most fatal flaw – jealousy. He cannot believe that he can be capable of such baseness, and makes all kinds of rationalisations and justifications for believing in Desdemona’s apparent infidelity
* His lack of self-awareness is due to his insecurities and lack of confidence in his relationship with Desdemona, which threatens his pride and honour
“I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And on the proof, there is no more but this:
Away at once with love or jealousy!”
His vulnerability is shown by his self-reassurance. He easily indulges in self-denial when jealousy is clearly overtaking him. He overestimates his self-control in a bid to satisfy his self-esteem.
* Deludes himself into believing that he act of murder is an act of objective judgement on Desdemona. He is the agent of ‘justice’ and it is an act to protect other men. This makes it possible for him to murder Desdemona
“Yet she must die, or else she’ll betray more men”
* “Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice. Then must you speak
Of one that loves not wisely, but too well;
Of one not easily jealous but, being wrought,