There are many racist remarks throughout the play, “Moor” being the most prominent. At the start Othello seems reluctant to address it, “soft phrase of peace”, Othello has done “seven years’ pith”. His time in battle has matured him into a well-spoken individual, “My very noble and approved good masters”, this shows the level of respect he has for others. In the beginning the audience become emotionally attached to Othello, he’s confronted with racial prejudice by jealous individuals, and yet he confronts it gracefully. Roderigo is perturbed that Brabantio rejects any approval of him marrying his Daughter, and with Othello being with Desdemona “It is silliness to live, when to live is torment”, it further enhances his aggravation. Iago’s jealousy and anger stems from Othello’s judgments when choosing a lieutenant and the fact that he thinks Othello has cuckolded him. Both these disputes exist because of Othello’s actions, but are confronted with racial hatred. Othello is constantly bombarded with racial slurs, which takes its toll towards the end. Othello realises, maybe, he isn’t worthy of Desdemona’s love and in effect causes him to become confused and dazed.
Desdemona had become a victim of Othello’s downfall, jealousy. Othello already had some suspicions concerning Desdemona due to their different racial background. He is torn between his love and “Honest Iago”. He yearns for affection and when this affection is troubled he begins to question his relationship with Desdemona, Act 3 Scene 3 is when his troubled mind begins to emerge “If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself; I’ll not believe it”. He desperately needs Desdemona’s love but the very thought of deception grows like a disease in his mind.
When we first encounter Othello he freely expresses his emotions, “I love the gentle Desdemona”, showing no regard for the racial prejudice that exists. He has reached the highest peak in his life, marrying Desdemona. He’s not a troubled man, he doesn’t expect trouble to plague him. In effect he’s a simple man, only doing what is required of him. The trust and respect he has accumulated keeps him afloat “My services which I have done the signiory Shall out-tongue his complaints”, the virtues in Othello have become a pleasing factor resulting in equal respect being shown back to him, apart from the isolated references to Othello’s colour. The term ‘Ignorance is bliss’ comes to mind when thinking of Othello, up until Act 3 Scene 3 Othello hasn’t been bombarded with Iago’s scheming ways, and so, has no reason to be questioning his love, but the thoughts were never implanted by Iago, but were rather dormant, always in Othello’s mind but never triggered, until Iago started to tap at this unforgotten idea, breaking the shackles that once tamed this ‘beast’.
Once it’s been released, it starts to consume his mind, bit by bit. “When Cassio left my wife. What didst not like?” From this point Othello becomes a victim of Iago’s mind games and due to Othello being too trustworthy to Iago always referring Iago to “Honest Iago” the bond he shares with him is almost unbreakable. This cocktail of emotions in Othello becomes too unbearable, the trust of Iago, with the Love of Desdemona becomes a juggling act, and with the added emotion of Jealousy it all becomes too much for Othello.
Iago’s plan is now in full effect and Othello’s transformation begins both physically and mentally, as he develops a headache from the overwhelming knowledge being outlined to him “I have a pain upon my forehead here”. The information he’s just been told is so damaging that it even has a physical effect on him, desperately trying to fight back his emotions from Desdemona. At this point Iago just serves as a catalyst, speeding up the process of decay off Othello’s mind. Feeding lies to Othello, the change becomes ever more unbearable for him “One of this kind is Cassio, In sleep I heard him say, ‘Sweet Desdemona’” In such a short amount of time, from professing his Love for Desdemona, even going so far as to say “When I love thee not, Chaos is come again” which Othello is professing that if he stops loving Desdemona then Chaos would rid the world, which is a bold statement to make, where the audience thinks nothing could stop this man from loving Desdemona. But within the same scene, the very same person who claimed that Chaos would come if his love stopped quotes “I’ll tear her all to pieces!” This shows the power and influence Iago has over Othello; he can change him drastically without much effort or evidence and the change is permanent “Your mind perhaps may change” “Never, Iago”, the manipulation was all too easy for Iago, and now he has accomplished what he intended which was to become lieutenant “Now art thou my lieutenant”. Now Iago retreats back into the shadows only to watch how Othello shatters his jelly-like, unstable mind. Over the course of the remaining play Othello see’s no recovery from this, he’s fixated on Desdemona’s cheating ways and the pure innocent Desdemona has no idea why Othello is acting differently, only adding fuel to the fire when Othello asks for the handkerchief, but Desdemona trying to change the topic to Cassio’s reinstatement, it only infuriates Othello further as Cassio is the reason of his suffering and with Desdemona talking about him it gives him more reason to hate, “Zounds” and storms off. Further acts of physical occurances begin to plague Othello once more, with him falling into a trance, it evidently shows the sheer amount of jealousy that has overtaken his life. He loathes Desdemona but needs her love. This battle of the mind becomes unhealthy for him, “ Is’t possible? – Confess? Handerkerchief? O devil!” Even the way Othello speaks has changed, usually speaking in verse, now his speech mimics his anger. Othello has almost taken on the role off Iago, scheming behind Desdemona’s back, plotting against her, the same Jealousy that consumed Iago has taken over Othello, in a more aggressive fashion. Intense love delves into intense hate. “How shall I murder him, Iago?” Othello, you could say, is under the spell of Iago, he listens to him in every instance, as the audience reading this, it becomes shocking at how far Othello has changed, at the start of the play Othello, judging by his kindness to others, it would seem as he would never kill outside of battle. Now he’s becoming just as devious as Iago. Which leads to the inevitable death of the last women he will love.
Othello’s character is a victim of foul-play. From being a courteous person to a rampaging “ram”. Othello is the perfect example of what deceit and lies can do to one without a mentally strong mind, his intense love for Desdemona is so deep that he can’t fathom a life without a perfect relationship with her, one little idea and it destroys him, he thinks because of his race he may not be worthy of her, so tries desperately to cling onto to the one thing he treasures most. But insecurities in himself become his ultimate downfall. “Of one not easily jealous but, being wrought”.
