The Dramatic Flaw Of Jealousy In Shakespeare's Othello
The play Othello, written by William Shakespeare was written the 16th century during the Elizabethan era. Othello is an amazing character. He enjoyed success in the warfare, which gave him the reputation as one of Venice’s best generals. Although he has great success in the battlefield, he has a dramatic flaw that causes a downfall in his life. The dramatic flaw is jealousy. This was brought on by a simple persuasion of Iago, the antagonist of the play. Even though Iago used manipulation to get Othello jealous, it was Othello views his own racial identity and his lack of confidence in himself that allows Iago to persuade him that Desdemona is cheating on him. Othello was misguided by his jealousy which led him through a path of constant questioning
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of his wife and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play we see him sink `deeper and deeper which eventually leads him to kill his loved one. In Othello racism is the main theme/focus and according to Nicole Smith, “the early exchange among Roderigo, Iago, and Brabantio about the alleged love between Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona, and Othello, the black Moor, alludes the degree to which race will become an important motif and influence on the development of the plot” (ARTICLE). I agree with Nicole Smith because signs of racism were shown in the beginning of the story especially when Brabantio (desdemona’s father) finds out his daughter has married a black guy. The dialog of the men in “Othello” reveal that they don't view Othello as a human being but rather a beast. Shakespeare’s Othello is described as a “Barbary horse” (I i, 120) by Iago, and he blends up Brabantio’s rage, anxiety and the will to take action by stating that Desdemona and Othello “are now making the beast with two backs” (I i,125) referring to camels.This early conceptualization of Othello by Shakespeare is that of a man whose only characteristic important in the eyes of others is his race, affects all of the relationships and actions that take place in the play, including, ultimately, how Othello comes to view himself. In the beginning of the play note that the reader has not been introduced to Othello directly but instead through the lens of Iago who’s is unreliable and malicious. Iago makes sure that Brabantio and the reader view Othello as a threat who must be dealt with. In the beginning of the play Othello is said to have stolen brabantio’s daughter, desdemona. Iago goes to confront brabantio and tell him of this news saying that “ Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise, I say!” (I i, 97-101) Iago uses racist mumbles when he awakes brabantio with the news that his daughter ( a white girl) has eloped with Othello (a black man). Iago even calls Othello an “old black ram” in which he refers to the elizabethan notions that black men have an animal-like characteristic. Iago describes Othello like this to manipulate the reader into thinking Othello as an animal who is out of control. Iago also calls Othello “the devil” playing on the idea at that time that black man were evil and that the devil shapes shift into black man; “the reference to animal imagery is crucial, for it reinforces the idea that Othello is nothing more than an animal that will bring savage ruin upon Brabantio and his family” (Smith 3). Eventually, Other criticize Othello because of his race; most called him the “moor” instead of using his first name. This leads to Othello viewing his race as a bad thing; and he further proves this by saying “ tis gone. Arise black vengeance, from the hollow hell”(III iii, 3) by saying so, Othello himself relates blackness with something negative (vengeance). This negative is also what drives him to be manipulated so easy by Iago and thus killing his loved one. Even when Othello is about to kill desdemona he refuses to “... shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster”(V ii, 402-12) as Othello is about to kill desdemona, he is for some reason preoccupied with Desdemona’s white skin, which he compares to snow. He also thinks of her as a statue. This only again shows how Othello really felt.It shows that even Othello believed the white skin is more important than black skin, thus again demostrating the view that Othello has on his own skin color. When Othello kills Desdemona and confirms it with emilia, “ Twas I killed her” (V ii, 159) he imposes a racist stereotype that black men are savages and dangerous, Emilia also responds by saying “ O, the more angel she, and you the blacker the devil”(V ii, 161) explaining that desdemona was angel and Othello a “blacker devil” associating being black with the devil. This not only demonstrate the presence of racism but it also shows how racism has influences that action that take place in Othello. Furthermore, at this point, it’s clear that Othello has embodied the racist ideas that were common in the 16th century.
When Othello realizes that he had been manipulated and killed his wife (desdemona) for no reason he says “..perplexed in extreme; of one whose hands, like the base judean, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, Albeit unused to the melting mood, drop tears as fast as the arabian trees their medicinal gum(V ii, 402 ) Othello imagines h is just like an indian who “threw a pearl away” without knowing its true value. What's intriguing about the passage is that Othello supports the notion among Elizabethans that black africans and indians are “base” ( uncivilized) and summarizes accounts of europeans encounters with native americans and how europeans traded worthless beads for precious gems and gold thus agreeing with the idea that natives we to ignorant ro know the true value of anything. Othello talks of this matter in this passage to compare with the experiences he has undergone. Basically saying that Othello is the native and desdemona is the pearl. Its also important to notice how Othello compares desdemona to a pearl because it's a white gem commonly associated with purity. Thus again bringing up racism. As stated By Nicole smith “ The treatment of race in Shakespeare’s Othello is masterful. Building upon the motifs and images established in the earliest lines of the play, Shakespeare deftly portrays how a man can be defined and judged based solely on his race and not on any of his personal abilities or merits.”
(ARTICLE). In conclusion, race is Othello affects affects all of the relationships and actions that take place in the play, including, ultimately, how Othello comes to view himself. Through the constant bashing of everyone in the play Othello comes to accept the ideas the are against which leads him to committing great sin such as killing his loved one. Race changed Othello's point of view of himself but it also made him weaker and easier to be manipulated by Iago. Just as nicole smith says “The outcome, of course, is among the most tragic in all plays by Shakespeare. Othello ultimately kills himself because it is the only way that he can recapture his honor and dignity. He has been utterly reduced by other's’ perceptions and treatment of him” ( ARTICLE).
of his wife and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play we see him sink `deeper and deeper which eventually leads him to kill his loved one. In Othello racism is the main theme/focus and according to Nicole Smith, “the early exchange among Roderigo, Iago, and Brabantio about the alleged love between Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona, and Othello, the black Moor, alludes the degree to which race will become an important motif and influence on the development of the plot” (ARTICLE). I agree with Nicole Smith because signs of racism were shown in the beginning of the story especially when Brabantio (desdemona’s father) finds out his daughter has married a black guy. The dialog of the men in “Othello” reveal that they don't view Othello as a human being but rather a beast. Shakespeare’s Othello is described as a “Barbary horse” (I i, 120) by Iago, and he blends up Brabantio’s rage, anxiety and the will to take action by stating that Desdemona and Othello “are now making the beast with two backs” (I i,125) referring to camels.This early conceptualization of Othello by Shakespeare is that of a man whose only characteristic important in the eyes of others is his race, affects all of the relationships and actions that take place in the play, including, ultimately, how Othello comes to view himself. In the beginning of the play note that the reader has not been introduced to Othello directly but instead through the lens of Iago who’s is unreliable and malicious. Iago makes sure that Brabantio and the reader view Othello as a threat who must be dealt with. In the beginning of the play Othello is said to have stolen brabantio’s daughter, desdemona. Iago goes to confront brabantio and tell him of this news saying that “ Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise, I say!” (I i, 97-101) Iago uses racist mumbles when he awakes brabantio with the news that his daughter ( a white girl) has eloped with Othello (a black man). Iago even calls Othello an “old black ram” in which he refers to the elizabethan notions that black men have an animal-like characteristic. Iago describes Othello like this to manipulate the reader into thinking Othello as an animal who is out of control. Iago also calls Othello “the devil” playing on the idea at that time that black man were evil and that the devil shapes shift into black man; “the reference to animal imagery is crucial, for it reinforces the idea that Othello is nothing more than an animal that will bring savage ruin upon Brabantio and his family” (Smith 3). Eventually, Other criticize Othello because of his race; most called him the “moor” instead of using his first name. This leads to Othello viewing his race as a bad thing; and he further proves this by saying “ tis gone. Arise black vengeance, from the hollow hell”(III iii, 3) by saying so, Othello himself relates blackness with something negative (vengeance). This negative is also what drives him to be manipulated so easy by Iago and thus killing his loved one. Even when Othello is about to kill desdemona he refuses to “... shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster”(V ii, 402-12) as Othello is about to kill desdemona, he is for some reason preoccupied with Desdemona’s white skin, which he compares to snow. He also thinks of her as a statue. This only again shows how Othello really felt.It shows that even Othello believed the white skin is more important than black skin, thus again demostrating the view that Othello has on his own skin color. When Othello kills Desdemona and confirms it with emilia, “ Twas I killed her” (V ii, 159) he imposes a racist stereotype that black men are savages and dangerous, Emilia also responds by saying “ O, the more angel she, and you the blacker the devil”(V ii, 161) explaining that desdemona was angel and Othello a “blacker devil” associating being black with the devil. This not only demonstrate the presence of racism but it also shows how racism has influences that action that take place in Othello. Furthermore, at this point, it’s clear that Othello has embodied the racist ideas that were common in the 16th century.
When Othello realizes that he had been manipulated and killed his wife (desdemona) for no reason he says “..perplexed in extreme; of one whose hands, like the base judean, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, Albeit unused to the melting mood, drop tears as fast as the arabian trees their medicinal gum(V ii, 402 ) Othello imagines h is just like an indian who “threw a pearl away” without knowing its true value. What's intriguing about the passage is that Othello supports the notion among Elizabethans that black africans and indians are “base” ( uncivilized) and summarizes accounts of europeans encounters with native americans and how europeans traded worthless beads for precious gems and gold thus agreeing with the idea that natives we to ignorant ro know the true value of anything. Othello talks of this matter in this passage to compare with the experiences he has undergone. Basically saying that Othello is the native and desdemona is the pearl. Its also important to notice how Othello compares desdemona to a pearl because it's a white gem commonly associated with purity. Thus again bringing up racism. As stated By Nicole smith “ The treatment of race in Shakespeare’s Othello is masterful. Building upon the motifs and images established in the earliest lines of the play, Shakespeare deftly portrays how a man can be defined and judged based solely on his race and not on any of his personal abilities or merits.”
(ARTICLE). In conclusion, race is Othello affects affects all of the relationships and actions that take place in the play, including, ultimately, how Othello comes to view himself. Through the constant bashing of everyone in the play Othello comes to accept the ideas the are against which leads him to committing great sin such as killing his loved one. Race changed Othello's point of view of himself but it also made him weaker and easier to be manipulated by Iago. Just as nicole smith says “The outcome, of course, is among the most tragic in all plays by Shakespeare. Othello ultimately kills himself because it is the only way that he can recapture his honor and dignity. He has been utterly reduced by other's’ perceptions and treatment of him” ( ARTICLE).