Another man who throws insults at Othello is Brabantio. His insults were racist and hypocritical, as Othello had often been invited to Brabantio’s house, by he himself, to speak of his ecperiences. Brabantio threw insults at Othello saying he used witchcraft and drugs to secude Desdemona into his “cunning hell.” This mey show Othello as the victim to Brabantio, but Brabantio was once charmed by Othello, had loved him. By the end of the play, Othello is an accelerated persona, his anger and jealousy have complete control over him. He is driven mad by jealousy and his judgement is controlled by Iago and his own anger. Othello’s “ocular proof” is far from this, but the words of Iago who “told him what he thought, and told no more than what he found himself was apt and true.”
Othello is seen as a victim as he has remorse and is sorry for what he has done at the end of the play, once the status quo has been reinstated and the tragedy unfolded. He recaptures his lost faith and he knows his actions are unforgivable, “roast me in sulpur.” He realizes he had changed as he says “he that was Othello” when he is referning to the murdering of Desdemona. He wants to be remembered as the noble warrior Othello, who served the state and whose fault was loving too much, and who was naïve in love;
“Then you must speak.
Of one that loved not wisely, but too well.
Of one not easily jealous.”
It is in his final speech we feel sorry for the once hero. It is mirrored and highlighted by Iago’s unwillingness to admit his wrongs and to aid the others. He speaks in prose as he ofthen does when he is wrong or showing an evil side to him or plan.
“Demand me nothing.
What you know, you know.
From this time forth I will never speak word.”
Othello saw the murder if Desdemona as a sacrifice,
“yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.”
Iago allowed Othello to carry out this deed, knowing it to be a lie. For it was due to him that Othello’s mind had become to work the way it had. Othello had a part in his own downfall, although it would nevr have been sparked off had it not been for Iago. Iago saw the muder for the cruel heartless act it was. Iago took advantage of Othello’s tragic flaw. Iago’s scheming made Othello get jealous, “the green eyed monster.” Othello was naïve, and iago played on it, Othello fell victim to iago.
I believe it was iago who brought down Othello and made him a victim. Iago admits his plans of deception and how othello’s trusting nature and honesty will help him.
“the Moor is of a free and open nature
that thinks men honest that seem to be so
and will as tenderly be led by the nose
as asses are.”
If one can be blamed for loving someone, trusting them and seeing the best in people, then Othello is guilty and the villain. But this is not a fault. Othello is therefore the victim not the villain.
The play can tell us about how Shakespear viewed tragedy and tragic hero. The tragedy is about the downfall of one person, of noble birth. It depicts the most troubled part of his life. It ends with the death of the hero and is the story of their suffering in contrast to their previos happiness. The tragedy cannot just happen, but is always started by another man. In this case, Iago. The hero also contributes to his own downfall. Othello’s tragic flaw is jealousy and being too trusting. It is key in a tragedy that one feels sympathy for the hero at the end, otherwise Shakespeare has not succeeded in reinstating the hero’s status. The focus of the play is the struggle within the heor, shown through actions and in soliloquys. The play must leave the reader with the feeling that a great man has been lost.
Othello contributed to his own downfall, but it was all instigated by evil Iago. He used othello’s trusting nature for his own means. It is Iago’s fault do many lives were lost and that Othello felt the need to sacrifice Desdemona. Therefore, I think Othello was more sinned against than sinning and it was Iago who sinned against him most.
