One other soliloquy that is worth the tension is the nervous speech given by Othello himself as he approaches his bedside with his beloved wife resting. He comments on the beauty and simplicity of Desdemona, one of the factors to why he married her. These are significant moments in the whole play as it professes the love he has for her. This soliloquy has the significance in that it is the speech to where it shows the genuine love he has for her and why he is going to murder her.
Due to the circumstances of the play, the audience would have contrasting views on the character of Othello. Some would say he is a fool, a gullible man of extremes whose rage and anger led to the death of his wife. Some would even suggest that Othello is pathetic and looses his status as a ‘tragic hero’ when he has an epileptic fit. He may even redeem himself in his last speech. It now depends on whether Othello can be called a tragic hero due to his misjudging of his wife and the manipulation Iago has enforced on Othello. Othello’s irrationality and tendencies towards anger and rage brings against the idea. However, the audience will feel that he loved Desdemona too much, which is why he did what he did. Desdemona’s life was excluded because Othello’s jealousy and certainty of her cheating took the better of him, with full manipulation by Iago. Othello may seem, to the audience, as a gullible person but it may be that he just loved Desdemona with great affection that the thought of her cheating with Cassio was too much to bear. So when Iago planted this poisonous seed into his mind, it started growing bigger until it was, without a doubt that he was cheated on. This was enough to come up with the conclusion based on the handkerchief as well as evidence of her betrayal. However, Iago’s immense evil force and suspecting evidence overpowers Othello with his suspicions about Desdemona. Othello’s view of Desdemona, due to Iago’s meddling interference has changed drastically into a perception, which is far from the truth. Up to her death, Othello believes Desdemona is a strumpet, in other words, a prostitute, a whore. Probably in those days, a whore was a common word used by husbands although the audience may feel, in this case, a complete insult to the delicate Desdemona. Othello may be seen as gullible, but he has a sensitive side in his nature, which comes out when he is around Desdemona. The anger rages up inside him knowing and thinking about the assumed affair of his wife and Cassio. However, even until her premeditated death, he is seen to be highly reluctant, but wants to save her from her troubled soul and sins that she is embodied inside her. Before the killing of his wife, Othello had questioned Desdemona of her adultery and she fears for her life. ‘And yet I fear for you, for you’re fatal than when your eyes roll so. Why I should not fear I know not. Since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel fear.’ Desdemona reveals her fear of Othello and informs that she is guilty of nothing. Othello does not believe her, and kills her. This is what has become of Othello. His mind has become clouded by bad judgement due to Iago’s corrupt plans.
Othello continues to believe that Desdemona is a whore right up until after her death. After Desdemona’s death, Othello’s perceptions of his wife change once more when it is revealed that it was Iago who placed such destructive thoughts into his mind. This was notified by Emilia: ‘Disprove this villain if thou be’st a man, he says thou told’st him that his wife was false, I know thou didst not, thou’rt not such a villain, speak, for my heart is full.’ Iago is the mastermind behind all the conflicts. Othello realises Desdemona’s innocence. He cannot forgive himself for what he has done and so destroys his own life. ‘I kissed thee ere I killed thee, no way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss.’ These were his last words, as he dies. His death was a sign of how much he was easily manipulated and deceived by a man whom he entrusted his life.
Throughout the entire play, right from the very beginning, the audience would perceive Iago to be ingenious, clever, yet evil, although in the eyes of the other characters, he is perceived to be honest and trustworthy, but inside he is a sinister villain. Iago is able to manipulate the minds of various people in the play into performing actions that are advantageous to him. ‘Honest Iago’ is something that especially Othello, his soul enemy in the play, refers him to him many a time. This ‘Honest Iago’ is like a disguised wolf in the flock of sheep that is guilefully pounces on each victim. He is a selfish man who is intelligent enough to quickly see and seize opportunities for his own disloyal purposes. There are many opportunities in the play where Iago took a particular situation and exploits it for his own purposes. Iago, the protagonist is evil, yet, some people may say, fascinating as his methods of deception can only be played by a talented antagonist, in this case Iago. One method of deception he releases is by planting a ‘seed of poison’ into Othello’s mind, which is astounding, as he seems to do it with great ease. The astounding part is how he can make an experienced man of the world (although Othello is not experienced in the ways of women; a factor Iago plays upon him) believe a shallow and very unstable lie. He takes the risks perceptively, but by knowing of his other character’s whereabouts exactly, first. Iago does not merely seek retribution against Othello in one single step, but rather, he cautiously and cleverly manipulates several people to trap the Moor. Iago used Desdemona in his plot to bring about Othello’s downfall because of the fact that she had married a black man, and this supplies a truly racist nature from Iago. The fact that Othello is black gives a twist to the theme. His game of manipulating people has dire consequences and his ability to do this arises from his persistent lying and acting. Othello’s race has no real bearing on Iago’s plot, although he uses it whenever possible to undermine the Moor, denting his confidence and ego. Iago clearly acknowledges the nobility of Othello. He seeks the elimination of the man because he has offended him (without meaning to). The audience would figure, that during the course of the play, Iago uses people as if they were pawns and he positions them carefully, making moves that would finally corner Othello right where he wants him in the end. He uses Roderigo, he seeks inevitably for Desdemona’s love and affection, Michael Cassio (the man Othello appointed lieutenant instead of Iago) and his own beloved wife- Emilia. Iago tricks Othello into believing that his own wife is having an affair without any evidence. Othello is so caught up in his lies he refuses to believe Desdemona when she denies these accusations made upon her. Iago must be given credit by the audience as his diabolical powers that enable him to twist and bend the mind of his friends. Cassio and Roderigo were the other characters that foolishly believed every word of Iago’s evil mind. This makes them incredibly gullible like Othello. Othello is prepared to listen to Iago than his beloved wife. He believes Iago to be a person of ‘exceeding honesty, knows all qualities within human nature.’ This brings Othello to his death.
Iago’s primary goal was to get revenge on Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. Iago had to lie and manipulate numerous people greatly, and some times, he even had to improvise which the audience would sense his desperation in his ongoing plan. Largely, Iago exploited Roderigo. Iago’s realisation of Roderigo was that he had a weak and gullible mind that could be easily convinced to do anything as he was longing for Desdemona’s heart anyhow. In order to manipulate Roderigo, Iago had to respect had to repeat to Roderigo, ‘put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor…fill money in thy purse…make all the money thou canst.’ Iago is able to compensate for any undesired incident that is capable of ruining his plans. He sent Roderigo to kill Cassio when Othello sent him to do the deed. However, when its Roderigo that gets hurt, Iago stabs his so-called friend before Roderigo could say anything to implicate him. It is at the end of the play where Iago is discovered to be the villain. Iago’s disguise and slyness is evident in the play for he has successfully executed his revenge although he has paid the price of being caught.
To get his full revenge, it appears that Iago weaves his plan very slowly. He manipulates people as if they were chess pieces, and he prepares them carefully for the final checkmate. Iago is an evil genius to the spectators who has the ability to see little but important interactions between people. He is a deceiver and an excellent conman and does not fail to con even the most powerful man in Venice who knows that tricks of the world. In conclusion, Iago does not murder out if instinct but out of intellect.
Desdemona is an unbelievable character. She is depicted in the play as an ‘emblem of goodness’ rather than a plausible person. She radiates innocence that is found to be rare in Venetian society, as women are notoriously known to deceive their husbands. She is the daughter to Brabantio and wife to Othello. Those who should love and trust her most continuously distrust Desdemona. This was not apparent at the start of the play but as the course of Iago’s manipulation runs through the minds of his victims they toy with Desdemona’s feelings, especially her husband, Othello. The ‘seed of poison’ in Othello’s mind, planted by Iago, takes its toll on Desdemona and her husband ignores her pleas if innocence to the accusation of infidelity. Desdemona has much affection for Othello that she portrays in various parts of the play but the perfect scene was the line from the song that she graciously sang in front of Emilia. It represents Desdemona’s feelings towards Othello perfectly. She won’t blame him for the way he treated her. Even on her deathbed, Desdemona does not blame Othello for anything. In answer to Emilia’s question as to who killed her, Desdemona replies, ‘Nobody; I myself. Farewell. Command me to my kind lord. O farewell.’ Desdemona is no doubt seen as innocent throughout the play, but her innocence is brought about as a result of Iago taking advantage of her sweetness to poison Othello’s mind. As Iago goes deeper into his plans, the audience would feel great sympathy for Desdemona, as she is being falsely accused, yet passive about the sudden outburst by her husband.
If we compare the last few scenes with the first few scenes, Brabantio had said that Desdemona had a ‘quiet spirit’ but, when he questioned her about Othello, she stood up for herself with confidence and admitted the fact that she loved Othello’s in front of the segregation. This just proved that Brabantio didn’t know his daughter as well as he thought. Desdemona had deceived her father by running away from home to marry a ‘black man’ without permission. This would have been humiliating and quite degrading for a woman to do in the 16th century. Brabantio’s warning to Othello is ‘she has deceived her father, and may thee.’ This line should have straight away put doubts into ones mind, but the audience ignore it as they see Desdemona as being perfect. However, after Iago’s interrogation and manipulation of Desdemona’s affair, the words of Brabantio come back to haunt Othello: ‘she has deceived her father, and may thee.’ This confirmed his wife’s new character. Othello’s view of Desdemona may have changed due to the presence of an evil force, that being Iago, but Desdemona still loves her husband and claims she was true to him. The audience knows that, throughout the entire play, Desdemona had devoted herself to her husband and that she attempted to harm him physically, or mentally in any way. Her love and respect lasted up until the minute he kills her. However, others may argue that she is more than just am innocent victim of malice. She may seem to have different characteristics as in being a good friend to Michael Cassio. However, through the ordeal she goes through, the mistrust and disillusionment by Othello, the audience would only notice her innocence.
In my vision of the play, if Othello had been white then the plot development would have been much the same. Making Othello a black moor adds an element of spice to the tale and provides the audience with dramatic effect.
I feel a strong sense of admiration for Desdemona for enduring the abuse from her husband as words can hurt greatly. Iago is the same selfish person he started off with at the beginning of the play. Hoever, I felt he had no love in his heart, as he stabbed his wife, Emilia, as she turned away. Therefore, I conclude, that Shakespeare must have plenty of motives although one motive I think is important in the principle of this play. Those men just use women for their own worldly requirements. When they have finished with women, they throw them out: ‘Tis not a year or two shows us a man. They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; they eat us hungrily, and when they are full, they belch us.’ As the play winds to a close, the characters continue to show their own opinions on Othello. Many characters have changed their initial opinions because of Othello’s obvious attitude change, but I know that Iago is the only one of the characters that has kept the same mindscape, besides Desdemona. The disrespect that Desdemona acquires from Othello is blatant impertinence for his wife but she does not sway her love and devotion from him. She does feel, however, feel that she is at the lowest point she could possibly be at and the only way to go is up, because her lover has turned into a ‘beast’. The last act of the play allows the characters to express their last views of Othello, and how he has affected them. The night where he plans on killing Desdemona is an important scene because he still knows enough to ask if she has prayed to allow her to have a clean soul to comfort and ensure her arrival in Heaven. Desdemona always had faith in her husband until the bitter end and this gave no help to her life. I felt that Desdemona was incredibly passive to defend herself and the fearsome accusations made upon her.
The conclusion of the play signifies the end of the frustration for many characters.
The symbolism is that Othello, the noble black Moor, defender of the Venetian state, married the fair ever-lasting innocent Desdemona. Evil in the soul of Iago tries to destroy Othello and his earthly world, but he fails. Othello’s noble soul remains in tact, his love for Desdemona endures. He is not reduced to jealousy or hate. Desdemona is innocent of any crime. Since the play ended with sorrow, I close the play with the thought that Othello and Desdemona are reunited after death where evil cannot touch him, unlike the physical world that they briefly shared together.
Viji Pillai 11P English literature-Othello Cand no: 8384
