Desdemona’s farther seems to think that Othello used witch craft to charm his daughter because Desdemona would not have wanted Othello because he is black ‘ judge me the world if ‘tis not gross incense that thou hast practised on her with foul charms, abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals that weakens motion’. This illustrates that just because Othello is black, Brabantio assumes that Othello used witch craft to deduce his daughter.
Iago first starts his planning to destroy Othello’s world as it is when he talks to the audience. This is called dramatic irony. ‘I am not what I am’. Iago is telling the audience that he is not what he is seems to be to Othello and the others but yet a different person.
In act 3 scene 3 Iago first starts to plant ideas of Desdemona cheating in to Othello’s mind and just simple messing with his mind. He uses many different ways to do this. Iago dose not have a strong enough motive for the things he carries out. Iago first plants the first idea when Othello and Iago both see Cassio and Desdemona talking. Also as Othello and Iago walk over towards Desdemona, Cassio walks away. ’Ha! I like not that’. This displays that Iago is trying to imply that something suspicious is happening between Cassio and Desdemona But when really Cassio is asking Desdemona to ask for this job back.
Even though Iago implies that Desdemona is a cheat, Othello is still not convinced.’ Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, chaos is come again’. This displays that Othello still trusts Desdemona and that things he will always love her. Also it illustrates that Othello is confident that Desdemona is not a cheater. Iago uses reverse psychology to suggest that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. ‘Men should be what they seem; or those that not, would they might seem none!’ Iago is implying that Cassio could be deceiving Othello of being an honest man and that Othello shouldn’t trust Cassio. This is a sign of jealously for Iago because he wanted a promotion of Othello’s lieutenant but Cassio got the job.
Iago give the impression that jealousy would affect him in an evil way.’ It is my nature’s plague to spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy shapes faults that are not’. This illustrates that Iago is telling Othello to be aware of Cassio but not to let his jealousy affect him. Even though deep down Iago desires Othello to fall for the impression that Desdemona is cheating on him. Iago claims that Cassio is trying to steal Desdemona from Othello. ‘Robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed’. This shows that Iago is saying that Desdemona is Othello’s property and Cassio’s going to steal her from her which is, another way that Iago uses to put things in Othello’s mind.
Iago tells Othello to keep a eye on Cassio and Desdemona. ‘Observe her well with Cassio; wear your eyes thus: not jealous nor secure’. This demonstrates that Iago is again using reverse psychology to make Othello look out that there is nothing thing going on with Cassio and Desdemona. Iago uses the fact that Othello is different from the other people in Venice to make Othello think.’ I know our county disposition well; in Venice they do let heaven see the pranks they dare not share show there husbands; their best conscience is not to leave’t undone, but keep’t unknown. This illustrates that Iago is informing Othello that all women in Venice cheat on their husbands. Othello believes Iago because he is not from around there and Iago plays on that.
Also, Iago twists the story about there marriage.’ She did deceive her farther, marrying you’ this is slight proof that Desdemona could be cheating Othello because she lied to her father about getting married to Othello and she could be carrying out the same on Othello. Othello then starts to have his doubts. ‘She’s gone. I am abused’. Othello starts to believe that Desdemona is cheating on him because of the marriage and he starts to blame himself.
Iago then warns Othello about jealously. ‘O beware, my load, of jealousy it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feds on’. Iago is telling Othello that he should be cautious of jealousy because it feds on you until you are at your lowest.
Desdemona has a handkerchief that Othello gave her as his first gift to her, its Othello’s first sign of love towards Desdemona. After Iago planting thoughts in to Othello’s head, when Othello sees Desdemona there is tension between them.’ Why do you speak so faintly?’ this is giving the impression that Desdemona is picking up the tension and is trying to work out what’s wrong. When Othello and Desdemona leave the room the handkerchief drops and Emilia (Desdemona’s first lady) picks it up and give it to Iago. When the handkerchief is drop the audience can tell that something big is going too explained from this as Emilia picks it up and hands it to Iago. Emilia doses not what she done or why but the audience know, this is called Dramatic irony. Shakespeare added in dramatic irony to make it more exciting.
In Act four Othello is torn between believing Iago or not. In this Act Iago puts in a great deal work to make Othello to believe him about Desdemona. Also Othello starts to become physically sick with all the confusion and lies. Though out this scene Othello stops talking out of Iambic pentater which shows that this whole obsession is changing him. At the beginning Iago starts to inform Othello how it’s ok for a woman to be naked in the same bed of another man.’ Or to be naked with her friend in bed an hour or more, not meaning any harm. This confuses Othello because it dose not seem right for this, but because he is a foreigner he starts to believe Iago.
Othello has a mental break down after Iago tells him this and has a fit. ‘He falls in a trance’. This displays that this obsession is making othello physically sick, as well as mentally. In addition, it shows that he can not control his illness anymore and it’s a sign of weakness. Before he married Desdemona he used to be able to control it. Later Iago persuades Othello to hide why Iago talks to Cassio about Desdemona but really he would be talking Bianca.
The audience can tell that Iago is planning something devious in this scene.’ He shall smile, Othello shall go mad;’. This shows that Iago will do anything just to get at Othello. As Iago is talking to Cassio, Othello is watching. He can see Cassio laughing. ‘Look how he laughs already’. Although Othello believes that it is Desdemona they are talking about, they are talking about Bianca and he becomes incredibly angry. As they are talking Bianca walks in and Othello see the handkerchief for the first time, this is real evidence for Othello to prove to him that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio .’By heaven that should be my handkerchief’. By this Othello is realising that this is truth even thought Iago asked Bianca to steal it from Desdemona.
Othello’s speech becomes less confident and has a lot of pauses in. At first Othello’s speech was very flowing but now he has a lot of pauses because of this obsession with Desdemona. ‘thou said’st-O it comes’er my memory’. This is showing how Othello is slowly breaking down from a powerful man who was always in control into a man who can barely speak anymore. By him breaking down this leaves him Vulnerable to threats and changes his state of mind; this leaves him in two minds.
By this Point Othello is convinced that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio, So he plots away to kill her in revenge.’ Get me some poison, Iago, this night’ .This shows the anger Iago has caused just by lying to Othello. Also how Othello trust Iago that he is telling the truth about the affair. Othello starts to take action to Desdemona by calling her a ‘Devil’ and then he ‘Strikes her’. This is displaying how much anger he has built up towards her.
In Act 5 Othello kills Desdemona. Othello first explains to Desdemona how he feels and what she has put him though, and he says how he ‘will not shed her blood’ because he dose not want to scar her. He then kisses her which wakes her up. Othello then tells Desdemona to pray tonight, meaning that he wants her to confess her sins so that she goes to heaven, this shows that he has some respect towards her. Othello smothers Desdemona, Emilia comes rushing in and asks Othello what he is doing, but Othello tells her it’s to late Desdemona’s dead.
With her last breath Desdemona tells Emilia that she killed herself and Othello did not kill her, this shows that she still loves Othello and dose not want him to get in to trouble. After Othello Kills Desdemona his speech returns to eloquent speech this is showing that now that he’s got his revenge he is back to his usual self. From this revenge Othello has done he fells together now showing that he is no longer in two minds and is fully in control.
After Othello Explains to Emilia why he killed her and how he saw Cassio with the handkerchief. Emilia then realized how Iago asked her to give him the handkerchief. With this Iago walks in and Emilia confronts Iago , of how he told Othello that Desdemona. ’He says thou told’st him that is wife was false’. Iago then explains how he was just simply telling Othello what he thought. Emilia then is shouting at Iago because she knows that he has done this on purpose. Iago then threatens to kill Emilia because she is not obeying so Iago Then Kills Her.
Othello has a final speech where he speaks about how he feels guilty.’ One not jealous but, being wrought’. This is showing how he as realised that killing Desdemona was wrong because she was innocent and he is feeling guilty. Othello then kills him self, this is how he see himself as ‘redeeming him self’ because he as taken Desdemona life so he will take his own.
Othello is Destroyed mentally and physically by many different reasons. One of the main reason is the way Iago twists and turns the truth in to may different ways also how everyone trusts him helped him to. But also Othello is an outsider so it was easy for him to get caught up in the truth because he didn’t know any better.
