Later in the play Othello murders Desdemona but in my essay I am going to looking at who is more responsible for Desdemona's death.
Firstly there is Emila. Emila is Desdemona's right hand woman and also her best friend. The reasons for Emila being held responsible for Desdemona’s death are firstly, Emila gives a handkerchief, that belongs to Desdemona, to her husband Iago. This handkerchief was a wedding present to Desdemona from her husband Othello; the handkerchief earlier belonged to Othello's mother.
However, in her defence, Emila was the person who found Desdemona dead and called for help. Secondly Emila had to give the handkerchief to her husband Iago even if she did not want to because in the days of the Renaissance period a woman had to do exactly what their husband asked them to do without question. Another reason is that Emilas husband Iago later put the handkerchief that Emila gave him in Cassio’s bedroom without Emila being aware of this.
Secondly there is Brabantio. Brabantio is Desdemona's father.
The reason Brabantio should be held responsible for Desdemona's death is that firstly, Brabantio did not look after Desdemona while her husband
Othello was at war. Therefore Desdemona had to go with Othello. Secondly Brabantio had said to Othello
‘Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:
She has deceived her father and may thee’.
This could have played on Othello mind maybe Othello not to trust Desdemona.
There are no reasons against Brabantio being held responsible for Desdemona's death.
Then there is Othello. Othello is Desdemona's husband,
Othello is the person who physically killed Desdemona but there is a reason as to why Othello could not be held responsible for Desdemona's death. The reason is that Othello is easily persuaded and Iago was telling Othello all sorts of thing to make Othello believe that Desdemona was having an affair. We can see this in Iago’s soliloquy in act 1 scene 3
‘After some time, to abuse Othello's ear
That he is too familiar with his wife,’
We can also see that Othello trusted Iago because he tells Iago to watch Desdemona. This means that he trusted what Iago reported back to him. We can see this in act 3 scene 3 Othello says to Iago
‘If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, Iago.’
However, Othello married Desdemona out of love so he should of trusted her not to cheat on him and to question her about the accusations first.
Next there is Iago. Iago is Othello's friend who appears to have bisexual tendencies and is in love with both Desdemona and Othello. There is evidence that Iago has bisexual tendencies in act 1 scene 1 when he says
‘I am not what I am.’
There is also evidence that Iago is in love with both Desdemona and Othello firstly in act 2 scene 1 when he talks of Desdemona saying
‘Now, I do love her too,
Not out of absolute lust’
Then in act 3 scene 3 Iago says
‘My lord, you know I love you’
The reasons for Iago being held responsible for Desdemona's death are; firstly Iago is the person who comes up with the plan to put the handkerchief in Cassios room. Secondly Iago put the handkerchief in Cassios room making Othello believe that Cassio was having an affair with Desdemona.
The reasons why Iago couldn’t be held responsible for Desdemona's death are; firstly Iago is in lust with Desdemona and didn’t physically kill her.
Secondly Iago shows signs of schizophrenia, which means he has different personalities and is not aware of it. This also means that Iago could be doing something and not realise he is doing it.
Cassio can also be questioned. Cassio is Othello's best friend. Iago is jealous of Cassio.
The reasons Cassio can be held responsible for the death of Desdemona are, firstly Cassio was spending a lot of time with Desdemona although he knew that he was not allowed to.
Secondly Cassio knew that Desdemona was disobeying Othello by being with him, therefore he was helping her to disobey her husband.
The reason against Cassio being held for the responsibility of Desdemona's death is that Cassio was an innocent victim of an evil plan that incriminated him.
There is also Roderigo.
The reasons for Roderigo being held responsible for the death of Desdemona are, firstly Roderigo listened to Iago and trusted every word he said. There is evidence of this in act 1 scene 1 when Roderigo says
‘That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if strings were thine shouldst know of this’
Secondly Roderigo tried to kill Cassio.
Also, you might say that Desdemona is responsible for her own death.
The reasons for Desdemona being held responsible for her own death is, firstly she did not listen to Othello; her husband and also she did not listen to her father. Secondly Desdemona was far too independent for a
woman in the renaissance times and Desdemona trusted people far to easily. Another reason is that Desdemona liked to flirt with other men; this may have lessened the trust in Othello’s and Desdemona's marriage.
In my own personal opinion I feel that Othello is to blame for Desdemona's death. I think this because Othello did not give Desdemona enough freedom to do what she wanted to do; this was encouraging Desdemona to go behind Othello's back. Othello knew Desdemona well enough before they got married to know that Desdemona was a very
independent woman and needed her space and I feel that Othello was stupid to think that he could change the way Desdemona was.
Also Othello must of and should of trusted Desdemona before they get married because trust is the key to a good relationship and to marriage. I feel that it was clear that in the beginning of William Shakespeare’s play Othello that Othello loved Desdemona but towards the end of the play he had been influenced and had trusted to may people other than his wife making him not trust the woman he loved any more.
