In the
play Othello, the character of Othello has certain traits which make him seem
naive and unsophisticated compared to many other people. This is why Iago, to
get his just rewards uses him as a scapegoat. Iago told Roderigo, " O,sir,
content you. I follow him [Othello] to serve my turn upon him "(I, i lines
38-9). Iago is saying, he only follows Othello to a point, and upon reaching it
he will not follow him any longer. Iago has opened my eyes to see the real
meaning of deceit. No matter what, Iago will try to take advantage of Othello
any time and he will be easily lead to believe the lies of Iago. The Moor, as
many Venetians call him, is of strong character.
He is very proud and in control of every move throughout
the play. The control is not only of power but of the sense of his being who he
is, a great warrior. In Act I, Othello has a scuffle with Brabantio, who has
come to kill him, but before anything could happen Othello said, "Hold
your hands, both of you of my inclining and the rest.
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it without a
prompter" (I, ii, lines 80-3). The power shown here is quite
astounding. The nature of Othello's
character is of a dark man. Adark man, not only because he is black, but also
because his whole person is very mysterious. He is mysterious in that he
believes there is magic brewing everywhere. With this dark side he is also very
outgoing, and not very bright. He isn't observant and the schemes of
Iago work well on him. Though he doesn't reflect too much
on his past, except occasional ventures of wars fought, he does let his
emotions run his life. For all the
dangers and encounters he has been involved in, this man is still naive of the corruptness
of other individuals. Othello has a trusting nature in which he gives it all.
He put all his trust
in Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage
to Desdemona. This wasn't very bright of Othello, even if he wasn't trusting or
more corrupt he still wouldn't realize Iago was lying. Everyone considered Iago
as honest, and would be out of character for Othello to believe any different.
For example, Othello had told the Duke, "So please your grace, my ancient;
A man he is of honesty and trust. To his conveyance I assign my wife, With what
else
needful your good grace shall think, To be sent after
me" (I, iii, lines 284-8). The control over any situation is one Othello's
strong characteristics. Through the whole first act you can picture a man so
much power and natural leadership and when he changes you cannot believe it.
For example, when Lodovico had witnessed Othello hit
Desdemona, he said:
"Is this the
noble Moor whom our full Senate
Call all in all
sufficient? Is this the nature
Whom passion could
not shake? whose solid virtue
The shot of
accident nor dart of chance
could neither
graze nor pierce" (IV, i, lines 264-8)?
While Iago, being the honest man he is, answers:
"He's that he
is, I may not breathe my censure.
What he might be
(if, what he might, he is not)
I would to heaven
he were" (IV, i, lines 270-2).
Another place
where Shakespeare shows Othello taking control over a situation is when Cassio
and Montano are fighting after Roderigo antagonized him. These words Othello
said are important now, but they will be more important later when he is alone
with Desdemona in their bedroom. He will say:
"Now, by
heaven,
My blood begins my
safer guides to rule,
And passion,
having my best judgement collied,
Assays to lead the
way. If I once stir
Or do but lift
this arm, the best of you
Shall sink in my
rebuke" (II, iii, lines 203-8).
You must feel sorrow for Othello because with all the
power he has and the endless trust he gives, you try to reach out and show him
the truth. By having his ancient or friend, Honest Iago bring him thenews of
his wife's bad habits. Othello had no alternative but to believe him. If any
man was brought news of this type they would surely go off the deep end. Iago
not only told him but he told him in a way that it was hard not to believe. He
didn't tell a couple who
have been married for years, and who would know the likes
and dislikes of one another, but he told a newly wed couple. Othello didn't
really know Desdemona before they were married. Othello said, "She loved
me
for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she
did pity them"(I,iii, lines 166-7). This man had really fallen in love
with someone whose life was boring and needed adventure. Othello's origin also
inhibited him from understanding European women. He did see for himself the
deception of Desdemona toward her father and remembered the words he had said
to him:
"Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to
see:
She has deceived her father, and may
thee"
(I, iii, lines 286-7).
When Othello has been given information
from Iago in Act III scene iii, he cannot take any more so he asks Iago to
leave in which he does. Upon returning, Iago continues to enforce his previous
statements and Othello seems not bothered for he replies, "Fear not my
government" (III, iii, 256). With
all this there is no man who can withstand such news like the news that Iago
has given to Othello. Most of the men who are would do much worse than in the
case of Othello. This doesn't show jealousy, but when he is alone and has time
to contemplate the situation
and has seen the handkerchief in the
hands of Cassio, now is when his blood begins his safer guides to rule.
After realizing Othello had been
tricked into believing the lies of Iago.
He couldn't handle the anguish of knowing he had murder in jealousy rather for
justice. This devastation in Othello's character brought the strong warrior
back into the scene. Where he transformed into his own judge, jury, and
sentenced himself. He told the people around him in their letters to write of
him not in malice, then he said:
"Then you must speak of one that loved
not wisely but too well"
(V, ii, line 344).
After the speech was done he carried
out his sentence, took a knife and stabbed himself. He then said:
"I kissed thee ere I killed thee.
No way but this, Killing myself, to
die upon a kiss" (V, ii, line
359-60).
He then laid down on the bed and died
with dignity ( Stauffer 173).
Othello was jealous. He was told his wife was
cheating on him and he thought he was killing for justice. He even said he
loved not wisely but too well. When he did kill it was not very smart of him to
believe another man about something he should know more about. This play
introduced changes in Othello's character when these changes
evolved there was Iago lurking and
waiting for the chance to jump in and take advantage of Othello. This why my
belief of Othello is one of a man whose character is brought to light of a
horrible situation by a deceitful devil named Iago.
D.N. Aloysius
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