Pride In William Shakespeare's Othello
“The higher you climb, the heavier you fall” (Vietnamese Proverb). In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello is a man with many accomplishments. He does not care about what people think about him due to his race and lives a happy life. However, this pride is harmed and Othello does not know what to do. As a result, Othello’s pride ultimately leads to the demise of him and the people around him. Othello, despite being African, has huge success in the Venetian army which allows him to marry Desdemona. While Othello faces racism from other characters, the Duke and senators like Othello and tell Brabantio “if virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (I.iii.330-31). Despite facing hate from Brabantio,
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At first, Othello has a great relationship with Desdemona, full of joy, which allows him to have a lot of trust in Desdemona. However, once Othello hears about her possible affair, he ponders “why, why is this? Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy, to follow still the changes of the moon with fresh suspicions? … Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds” (III.iii.207-210, 283-84). Here, Othello does have trust for Desdemona, but because Iago has more of an influence due to Othello’s warrior past, as a result, he trusts Iago more than his own wife, who he loves dearly. This allows for Iago to relate to Othello more and expose the pride he has. As a result, Othello begins to question his masculinity. Iago finally reveals Othello’s insecurity, and Othello becomes paranoid. He wants to know the truth but cannot, and Othello wants to keep the token of his pride, Desdemona, but thinks she is “honest and think she is not … [her] name, that was fresh as Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black as mine own face” (III.iii.439-443). Othello becomes so paranoid and now feels insecure. As a result of Othello’s insecurity, he begins to compare himself to his race and begins to lose the pride that he has because he begins to think being African is terrible for his image. Which reveals that Othello’s pride was largely made up of being married to Desdemona, and now because he thinks he does not have it, he has nothing to show for being a high ranking official in the Venetian
At first, Othello has a great relationship with Desdemona, full of joy, which allows him to have a lot of trust in Desdemona. However, once Othello hears about her possible affair, he ponders “why, why is this? Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy, to follow still the changes of the moon with fresh suspicions? … Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds” (III.iii.207-210, 283-84). Here, Othello does have trust for Desdemona, but because Iago has more of an influence due to Othello’s warrior past, as a result, he trusts Iago more than his own wife, who he loves dearly. This allows for Iago to relate to Othello more and expose the pride he has. As a result, Othello begins to question his masculinity. Iago finally reveals Othello’s insecurity, and Othello becomes paranoid. He wants to know the truth but cannot, and Othello wants to keep the token of his pride, Desdemona, but thinks she is “honest and think she is not … [her] name, that was fresh as Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black as mine own face” (III.iii.439-443). Othello becomes so paranoid and now feels insecure. As a result of Othello’s insecurity, he begins to compare himself to his race and begins to lose the pride that he has because he begins to think being African is terrible for his image. Which reveals that Othello’s pride was largely made up of being married to Desdemona, and now because he thinks he does not have it, he has nothing to show for being a high ranking official in the Venetian