Appearances and assumptions in Shakespeare's Othello
Appearances and assumptions in Shakespeare's Othello Brian Lockyer In Othello, William Shakespeare focuses a lot on the theme of appearance versus reality. Othello, along with other characters in the play, depend on their eyes, and with that they jump to big assumptions. There are many times in the play where there is concealed uncertainty, meaning the character assumes that what their eyes tell them is everything, hence, Looks can be very deceiving. Iago's reputation plays a very key role in the play. Everyone assumes Iago is an honest man. "O, that's an honest fellow ", "You advise me well ........ Goodnight honest Iago ""that's an honest fellow ""I know thou'rt full of love and honesty ". Iago has everyone fooled into believing that he is a dignified honest man. Without this reputation of being honest he could never get Othello to believe that Desdemona was cheating on him. Othello would have probably killed him if he didn't have the reputation of being an honest man. Iago knew that a significant man like Othello could not have ignored the prospect that his wife was cheating on him. Nobody suspects that Iago is a deceitful man and that he would scheme and plan to destroy the characters of Othello, Cassio and Desdemona in such a cunning and cruel way. Iago uses his reputation, as well as the insecurities of Othello, to allow him to manipulate and
All About Iago
Period 2 Othello Character Analysis Essay All About Iago In Shakespeare's Othello, Shakespeare develops Iago's character using events in the play, other character's opinions and Iago's voice. Iago's character seems untrustworthy from the start of the play, although other characters believe him to be honest. Shakespeare builds Iago's character by giving the reader the knowledge of Iago's manipulation and motifs. Many characters in the play believe Iago to be honest. Othello states many times that Iago is honest, for example in Act I Scene 3, Othello says "Honest Iago, / My Desdemona must I leave to thee: / I prithee, let thy wife attend on her". Othello trusts Iago enough to leave his wife to Emilia, who he only knows through Iago. Cassio even thinks Iago to be honest. He says "Good night, honest Iago" (2.3.335), in his drunken state after proclaiming his love to Iago. Iago is not only considered honest by other characters. He is also perceived as vulgar at times. Brabrantio asks "What profane wretch art thou?" (1.1.113), when Iago makes a sexual comment regarding Desdemona and Othello. Iago says vulgar things and knows exactly how he is perceived. He is manipulative with his words, tricking others into believing what he wants them to believe about him and the other characters. Iago even knows that others see him as an honest man, he knows exactly what he can do with
How do we know that Othello and Desdemonas relationship Is ruined at the beginning of the play?
How do we know that Othello and Desdemona's relationship Is ruined at the beginning of the play? Shakespeare sets the opening of "Othello" at night and when Iago and Roderigo was talking about Othello's marriage with Desdemona, Iago plans to bring Othello's downfall, and since Roderigo, who is in love with Desdemona, manipulates Roderigo to thinking he will have Desdemona if he works with him. Shakespeare also makes good use of dramatic irony in the play since the audience knows about Iago's plan to destroy Othello. Along with this, the audience also knows that Iago is really crooked and the dishonest one. The audience knows all of Iago's schemes and lies. This is also dramatic irony because Iago is in no way honest, he has been and continues to lie to Othello throughout the play; however, Othello has not yet figured that out. Shakespeare presents Iago as a villainous person and has him as the main role in destroying Othello and Desdemona's relationship. The reason for Iagos hatred for Othello is because (in his soliloquy), Iago tells us of his suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia: "And it is thought abroad that `twixt my sheets He has done my office." At this point we start to become more aware of his jealous nature and suspect that it may be based mostly on his paranoid mind. Not only does he believe that Othello has slept with his wife he also
How does Shakespeare create an effective villain through his presentation of Iago in the soliloquies?
How does Shakespeare create an effective villain through his presentation of Iago in the soliloquies? Over 400 years ago, the theatre was one of the most popular and novel forms of entertainment around. The leading role model here was William Shakespeare, with his 40 plays that captivated audiences the length and breadth of 16th and 17th century England. His plays are divided into three different genres: Comedy, Tragedy and History. In the era that Shakespeare's plays started to earn the recognition we now see he deserved, tragedies were seen as the more popular with plays like Titus Andronicus and King Lear. One of his more famous tragedies was "Othello," the tragic story of a young, valiant and well respected Moor, who is driven to suicide as a result of the exploitation of his fatal flaw. In this case, it is his jealousy of his wife Desdemona supposedly sleeping with Cassio. In this essay I will be analysing the villain in the play, Iago, and his soliloquies, the numerous solo speeches to the audience. These establish Iago as the main villain and allow him to reveal his inner most thoughts. Even today many people still enjoy re-enactments of Shakespeare's plays, either on stage or through television or films. This is because many of the themes Shakespeare based his plays on, relate to many modern day events. In his first soliloquy, it is the first time the audience sees
How does Act 1, Scene 1 of Othello prepare you for the rest of the play
Othello Essay GCSE English How Does Act 1, Scene 1 of Othello prepare the audience for the rest of the play? The play opens with two characters in mid-conversation, shrouded in darkness, in the middle of the night. They are out in the streets of Venice talking about a betrayal of trust between them. This immediately grabs the audience's attention and sets the theme for the rest of the play. The characters involved are Iago and Roderigo and this argument lets us know straight away that they are untrustworthy and we should expect to see more of this during the play. Roderigo is complaining to Iago about his behaviour after Roderigo has given him money. We do not know why he has given him money at this point which makes the audience want to find out more. One of the lines in the beginning of this scene is "Thou toldst me thou did hold him in hate" We do not know that it is Othello they are discussing at this point. Iago begins to tell Roderigo of his hatred for the Moor (Othello). He has been passed over for promotion and feels betrayed and let down. Othello has given the job of Lieutenant to a Florentine (Michael Cassio) and has given Iago the lesser position of Ancient. Roderigo is infatuated with the beautiful Desdemona and is madly jealous after learning that Othello is secretly marrying Desdemona. Iago is full of spite and jealousy because he has lost the promotion to
Is Iago The Perfect Villain?
Othello Essay 'Is Iago the perfect villain?' Few Shakespearian villains radiate evilness and jealously quite as much as Iago, the unbeknown nemesis of the play's title character, Othello. In other plays written by the bard of Avon the villains can come across as one-dimensional- weak, personified by a flaw in their genetic make-up or unattainable ambition yet Iago is a far more complex and compelling character. True, he has the power to both betray and murder those he once worked alongside, but Iago isn't the complete cold-blooded murderer in the same sense of Macbeth or King Claudius from Hamlet. True, he meticulously plans the death of Cassio but he plans it to be by hands of Rodrigo, his puppet. In the end opportunity presents itself to Iago and he seizes the moment to stab Cassio in the back but the blow fails to kill him. Iago also reveals a moral conscience through his three soliloquy's which I will explore in more detail later. In short Iago is like no other of Shakespeare's villains which makes him an utterly compelling and absorbing character. And like the other characters in the play, Iago delights in absorbing us, the viewer... The tragedy of Othello was believed to have been first performed in the early 1600's and is one of Shakespeare's more famous plays. The play is also rich in historical context and features the Moorish race heavily, leading many to believe
Women in 'Othello' In Shakespeare's tragic play 'Othello' various issues are explored, such as the role of women.
Women in 'Othello' In Shakespeare's tragic play 'Othello' various issues are explored, such as the role of women. The three women, Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca, are used in order to develop and express both the playwright's views on women, and also the social context at that time. The women in the play lack identity, as all three women are linked with male characters; Desdemona is Othello's wife, Emilia is Iago's wife, and Bianca is Cassio's mistress. During this time and within Venetian society, men were seen as the more powerful and dominant race and women are considered to be lacking in intellect. Desdemona is symbolic as innocence and naivety throughout the play, due to the fact that she is unaware of what is happening around her, blaming Othello's behaviour on state matters, which is shown when she states that "If haply you my father do suspect/An instrument of this your calling back/Lay not your blame on me". This quotation shows that her poignant evidence is used to rationalise Othello's actions, and shows Desdemona is ignorant of the truth. She is very loyal to Othello as she takes both physical and mental abuse, forgiving Othello for what he has done due to stress of his work as a general. Desdemona also has sympathy towards others, which is shown when she vows to help Cassio's cause, which ironically makes her own situation worse. Othello accuses Desdemona of
Othello essay: soliloquies
Othello essay Many people will argue that soliloquies are outmoded, embarrassing and a thing of the past. They hold this idea because they believe audiences want to see more action rather than talk. However, I disagree and believe that soliloquies are important dramatic devices which are important in making any kind of drama successful. In this essay I will discuss both arguments with reference to the play Othello. Modern day children are brought up into seeing lots of visual drama and action and are used to responding to entertainment rather than thought. Contrasted with soliloquies in the past, modern day audiences are use to seeing close up images and a change of music to show the thoughts and mood of the characters. However, in the past the characters would express their views and thoughts directly to the audience via soliloquies. This one reason why many people argue, that soliloquies are outmoded. Many people also argue that the theatre in Elizabethan England was for people of different age groups and backgrounds and that in the modern society, theatres are only for the intelligent and less broad people who will respond to the dramas and enjoy coming to the theatre. Some people believe that soliloquies force audience into being complicit with a character. For example, Iago. The audience will be uncomfortable with his intentions and his plotting of evil. However, I
Iago acts like a villain in this play. He uses racism as a way to hurt Othello. He also plots against Othello throughout the play.
Essay by Katy Brown 10 lt A typical villain is someone who purposefully hurts somebody else to help their selves to get what they want. They scheme and use others to get what they want. You would know if someone was a villain because they would be creeping around on stage. They build up to their plan by getting others to be upset or by telling different people made up stories which are all connected to the villain's scheme. The atmosphere is uneasy when the villain is around, especially if the audience knows something which the actors don't. In the first scene, Shakespeare would want to introduce the villain by making it noticeable that the person is a villain. Shakespeare would try also to make the villain sound innocent whereas, not true to their self. Shakespeare starts off the play with Iago and Roderigo arguing, on line 7, when Roderigo says 'Thou told'st me thou dud'st told him in thy hate." Iago must have lied to Roderigo and told him that he did not hate Othello. But he does hate him or Roderigo would never have said this. Iago uses 'Love, honest and soul' a lot in this scene. But he does not mean any of these words, he might use these words to sounds innocent and that he cares but really, he doesn't. The audience knows what Iago's personality is really like. Iago might use these words to make him sound superior to everyone else.
How does Shakespeare explore the theme of loyalty in Othello?
Essay: How does Shakespeare explore the theme of loyalty in "Othello"? During the play, Shakespeare explores many forms of loyalty: loyalty between friends, colleagues and lovers, loyalty to family and to the state. Set in Venice during the Jacobean Period, some people think that "Othello" was written for James I as a warning against dishonest and disloyal advisors. To be loyal, you must be at once trustworthy and trusting. Many characters in "Othello" are either trustworthy or trusting but few possess both of these desirable qualities. Iago is the character who shows least signs of loyalty in the play. Shakespeare shows us that Iago is dishonest and disloyal in the most blatant of ways. One of the clearest signs is when Iago himself says "I am not what I am" Act 1 Scene 1, Line 66. This is a misquote from the bible and shows that Iago is proud of being duplicative and pays no heed to God. By the end of his second soliloquy, Iago has managed to convince himself that both Othello and Cassio have slept with his wife: "twixt my sheets, he's done my office..."Iago of Othello, Act 1 Scene 3, Lines 369-370, "for I fear Cassio with my night-cap too" Iago, Act 2 Scene 1, Line 288. Whether or not Iago has a capacity to be trusting is not clear in the play, however his untrustworthiness would counterbalance any signs of his ability to trust others. Although he believes Othello has
