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his wife has cheated on him, to be in conflict with himself. He is in his bed with Desdemona and his contemplating whether if it is a good idea to kill her. “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.” (5.2.6) Othello is in great deal of confusion, but deciding whether to kill his own wife is just monstrous. It shows how a savage Othello is and if Shakespeare wanted him to act like this. Shakespeare did this to portray how black men probably are. He is stereotyping, that black men, who seem calm on the outside will go lunatic on their loved ones if they found out that their partners have been unfaithful. Yet again this shows that maybe “true love”, especially with a black male, cannot last because there will always be something or someone interfering to make the couples life like hell. Othello, though has a very minute left of decency in him when he notices that when he, “have plucked the/rose, /I [Othello] cannot give it vital growth again.”(5.2.12-15) Who does Othello think he is? God? Of course not! He cannot decide who lives and in this case the flower, which is being metaphorically compared to the beautiful Desdemona. This also proves how Othello was not drugged in anyway, but in complete consciousness of his dreadful thoughts. Going back to the idea about true love. Many believe that “true love” conquers everything, even death. Not in dear old Othello’s case. The marriage between Othello must have been a lie, because nobody in the right state of mind can kill the person they loved. It is therefore come to the conclusion that Othello did not really love Desdemona and that killing an innocent lady is very repulsive, preposterous and pernicious.
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Furthermore, the unwise Othello believes Iago’s tricky words, and he begins to assume that Cassio, his best friend, and lieutenant is having an affair with Desdemona. Othello and Iago have another discussion about Desdemona’s faithfulness. Iago tells him that he has seen his wife with Cassio, but Othello puts Iago to the test by wanting, “…ocular proof,”(3.3.357) and threatening to hurt Iago. Iago being very clever, talks about the spotted handkerchief. He says he saw, “…Cassio wipe his beard with.”(3.3.436) Othello, going completely against his initial eye proof, goes nuts. Othello, being a fool does not go and confront Cassio about this supposed affair. Cassio is Othello’s best companion and the two of them went “wooing” for Desdemona. In fact Cassio “went between us [Othello and Desdemona] very oft.”(3.3.99) Othello is very familiar with Cassio and all of a sudden he assumes by Iago’s suggestions that he is sleeping with his wife. Where did the trust between Othello and Cassio disappear? The answer is that Othello started to lose trust in Cassio once he was fired from his position because of the drunken brawl. Also, Othello is being very stubborn when Emilia tells him that Desdemona, “…be honest, chaste, and true, /There’s no man happy. The purest of their wives.”(4.2.16-17) He simply shrugs off what Emilia says and continues to believe that Desdemona is unfaithful. Thus, Othello is being a stubborn, and thick headed because he let Iago’s words get to him. A general like Othello should be strong mentally and physically and should not let Iago’s slander get to him. This is why Othello is not ought to have any commiseration from the audience.
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Lastly, Othello deserves no pity from the audience because he kills himself after he finds out the truth behind Iago’s plans and that really his wife was telling the truth about being a faithful partner. After strangling Desdemona to death, Emilia, Lodovico, Iago and the others come in to see what is all the commotion. Othello confesses that he, “…that killed her,”(5.2131) and that she died because of being unfaithful. Before Lodovico takes Othello to prison, he says one last thing to the small crowd:
Of one that loved not wisely, but too well;
Of one, not easily jealous but, being wrought,
Perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand
Like the base Indian threw a pearl away
Richer than all his tribe; of one whos subdued eyes (5.2.340-345).
In Othello’s final words he seems to be making an excuse for his appalling endeavor. Othello mentions how he loved Desdemona a lot but not in a smart way. And how he was caught up in the act. What kind of a noble character is this? In the beginning Othello admits that he has wed Brabantio’s daughter. In his final words he does not admit, but tries to provide a justification. As well as trying to explain his act, he kills himself at the end of his final words. Now for sure a “noble” character would not kill himself. Only a cowardice character would. However, some would argue that Othello killed himself because he wanted to be with his wife. First off, Desdemona did nothing wrong, so she is going to heaven, and Othello is going to meet the devil in
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hell. His actions still do not justify the deed. He killed himself because he could not live with the regret of killing his wife and by being tricked by Iago. He also could not bare the shame of going to jail. Hence, Othello could not think of any other alternative, but stabbing himself and ending his life.
In conclusion, the audience would be sighted in giving Othello no sympathy because he kills his love one, thoughtlessly believes Iago that his wife is braking the vows, and kills himself out of fear for the consequences. It is too bad that in the play Othello, many innocent characters like Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Roderigo die because of Iago’s deceptive nature. The lesson to be learned is that we must not trust anyone, unless they are true friends. This is what Othello failed to see and he and the others have paid a great price for their actions.
