Othello - William Shakespeare

For those who have not yet studied Othello:
To summarise the main story line, it is of a man who feels he is forced into killing the woman he loves. When he later finds out the truth, he finds the urge to kill himself.
The story is also based around ethical factors. The man, Othello, is a Moor, meaning from Asia. Any normal Moor at the time would be considered abnormal or dirty but Othello was treated differently because he was a soldier in the Venetian army.

I have just studied Othello at school for my GCSE's. Personally i found the text really difficult and would not have managed on my own. However i feel the more mature reader will enjoy this book since i had a rather enthusiastic english teacher on the play. The book is about ethical issues and love. It was written at a time where the circumstances would have been unusual. I feel it is important to know the background about the book before reading or studying. I wrote an essay which focused on the most important points on the play

For those who have already studied Othello...or for those of interest
Below is the essay which i achieved an A* at GCSE:

“Explore how Othello’s destruction is reflected in his language and outline the possible reasons for the way he deteriorates from noble General to deluded murderer”

Othello is a General in the Venetian Army and he is very valuable to the Venetian Government because he effectively defends their interests. He is respected as a noble and brave military leader in the army and in society. He has had many years of experience as a soldier and the state appreciates his services.

At the time of the play, in the sixteenth century, Venice was very cosmopolitan so it would not have been unusual for it to have a black military leader. It was a republic where the wealthier merchant classes controlled the state, buying powerful military forces to protect their colonial exploits. Venice gives power to Othello but it doesn’t give him status so he is seen as a foreign outsider in society, which leaves him vulnerable. At the opening of the play, he has just married Desdemona and Brabantio - Desdemona’s father- is greeting this as a scandal. He is outraged but the state feels that Othello hasn’t really done anything wrong and they still respect him as a soldier.

The speech in Act 1 Scene 3, lines 127 to 169, is one of the first main speeches by Othello in the play. In the opening line Othello says, “Her father loved me, oft invited me,” which is a clever way to begin a speech because Othello is telling the Duke that Brabantio did like Othello once and enjoyed his company as much as Desdemona did.

Othello uses powerful and dramatic language in this speech. For example, “Of hair-breadth scapes i’th’imminent deadly breach.” From this line you can tell that Othello has a calm and confident state of mind because he is using imagery and telling his stories. You could argue that Othello is only comfortable when telling his stories and uses them to be accepted by people. In this speech he explains how he came to meet Desdemona and how their relationship began with her interest in his adventures.

Othello’s use of the words, “She’d come again, and with a greedy ear devour up my discourse,” demonstrates that Othello is confident in thinking that Desdemona enjoyed his tales. He also uses imagery here in the phrase, “greedy ear devour up my discourse.” In this quote he says that Desdemona was listening to his stories and eager to hear more.

Othello’s use of repetition in, “She swore, in faith, ‘twas strange, ‘twas passing strange, ‘twas pitiful, ‘twas wondrous pitiful,” demonstrates that his state of mind is calm and he is confident. His attitudes towards Desdemona are that he holds her in high regard and clearly respects her.

Othello knew Desdemona was interested in him when he says, “bade me, if I had a friend that loved her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, and that would woo her.” His attitudes towards Desdemona are admiration and love and he wants everyone else to know this. Othello also says that, “she loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them.” This quote suggests that Desdemona only loves Othello because of his adventures as a General and that he only loves her because she felt sorry for them. Without Othello’s travels “by flood and field,” he and Desdemona would probably not be together. You could argue that Desdemona loves the hero soldier and that she doesn’t love him for who he really is.

Othello insists that the Duke and Brabantio hear Desdemona speak, “Here comes the lady: let her witness it,” which suggests to the audience that Othello respects Desdemona and is confident that she will agree with his account. This is very different to how he treats Desdemona later in the play when he doesn’t listen to her and won’t hear Cassio’s side of the story.

You could argue that Othello’s speech in Act 1 Scene 3 is pre-planned because it uses very descriptive imagery which some people may argue is too good to just have been made up on the spot, “Wherein of antres vast and deserts idle.” He said earlier in the play that he is rude in his speech, “Rude am I in my speech,” but this is obviously not true because he says this speech very well, so perhaps he is just being modest or trying to convince them that his speech isn’t pre-planned.

The speech in Act 3 Scene 3, lines 260 to 281, is a soliloquy said by Othello. In the opening line he says, “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty.” He is referring to Iago as “honest,” which the audience knows is false so this is an example of dramatic irony. You could argue that this is Othello’s downfall because he is too trusting and believes that Iago is truly honest when he is anything but this.

Othello’s use of falconry imagery, “If I do prove her haggard, though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings, I’d whistle her off down the wind to prey at fortune,” demonstrates that he sees Desdemona as, “prey.” This suggests that he regards husbands as having power over their wives in marriage. A “haggard,” is a wild, untrained hawk, and Othello says that if Desdemona is this he will set her free, “whistle her off,” and untie the “jesses,” which are the straps tied around the hawk’s legs. He will then “let her down the wind, to prey at fortune,” which means he will let her go to look after herself.

Othello says, “Haply for I am black,” which suggests that Othello is feeling insecure about himself. He wonders whether Desdemona has had an affair with a white man because she prefers white men to black. He is trying to think of reasons for why Desdemona would have an affair with Cassio.

A few lines later he says, “She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief must be to loathe her.” This demonstrates that Othello is feeling hurt and upset but his emotions turn to hatred when he says, “loathe her.” Othello has believed Iago’s words straight away before he has even spoken to Desdemona, which would make the audience think he doesn’t trust her. This could also be perceived as Othello knowing he is foreign in society and thinking Desdemona would rather be with a white Italian man than him.

In Act 3 Scene 3, Othello says, “O curse of marriage, that we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites,” which emphasizes the fact that Othello feels that he owns Desdemona, “call these delicate creatures ours.” His state of mind is becoming more troubled as he says, “and not their appetites,” which tells the audience he thinks Desdemona has an appetite for other men. After this he uses animal imagery in, “I had rather be a toad,” which indicates that his language is changing to using Iago’s language, as he uses lots of animal imagery, as his jealousy is growing.

Othello’s use of, “Even then this forkèd plague is fated to us when we do quicken,” proves that Othello believes the mark of deceived husbands is already destined to happen to men before they are born. This emphasises the fact that Othello believes Iago’s words and there is no doubt in his mind that Desdemona has deceived him.

In Act 4 Scene 1, lines 35 to 41, Othello’s state of mind goes out of control, “Lie with her? Lie on her? We say lie on her when they belie her.” This demonstrates how much Iago’s manipulation has affected Othello. He finds the thought of Cassio and Desdemona together revolting and swears, “Zounds, that’s fulsome!” Othello’s language has become chaotic, showing signs of madness.

The structure of his speech is fragmented, “Handkerchief-confessions-handkerchief!,​” which highlights the fact that Othello is feeling confused and tormented by Iago’s false accusations. Othello is also angry with Cassio, “To confess and be hanged for his labour,” which clarifies that Iago has convinced Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with him.

At the end of this speech, Othello falls into a trance as he is having an epileptic fit, which proves that everything has become too much for him. Iago has manipulated his mind and knows exactly where his weak points are. Even though Othello is a tough and powerful General, his fit shows how deeply insecure he is. Some audiences may feel their sympathy increase for Othello at this point in the play but others may feel he is insanely possessive towards women.

In Act 5 Scene 2, lines 1 to 22, Othello is back to using his language from Act 1, “It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul: let me not name it to you, you chaste stars.” Othello repeats the word “cause,” three times. This could be because he is trying to convince himself that killing Desdemona will be “justice.” It could also be Othello wishing to protect “more men” and restore moral order.

Othello’s use of, “Yet I’ll not shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,” proves that he still respects her beauty but she has betrayed him so, “she must die.” He uses imagery again, “I know not where is that Promethean heat.” “Promethean heat,” is the fire that in Greek mythology Prometheus stole from the gods and used it to give life to mortals. Othello is saying that he can’t use this on Desdemona. He could be saying this imagery because he can’t bring himself to face the reality of his own role, the living woman before him and his intended act, so he finds symbols for each in an attempt to idealise his situation.

Towards the end of this speech, Othello is almost persuaded not to kill Desdemona because of her beauty, “O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade justice to break her sword.” Othello is clearly feeling uneasy about killing her and doesn’t really want to because he knows he will love her afterwards, “love thee after.” At this stage in the play he still hasn’t listened to her or questioned Cassio yet he is still set on killing her. The audience would find this irrational and may think that Othello has brought on his confusion himself because he hasn’t been straight with Cassio or believed Desdemona. Othello may not have spoken to Cassio because he couldn’t bear the thought of him admitting his affair with Desdemona to him.

One of the reasons why Iago so easily persuades Othello could be because Othello is insecure about his relationship with Desdemona and he knows he is a foreign man in society so he could have already feared she would look for someone else after a while. When Iago said Desdemona was having an affair, this could have been what Othello had foreseen which is why he would believe it more easily.

Alternatively you could argue that Othello was too naïve which is why he was so quick to believe what Iago said. He is also too trusting towards Iago but you could argue this is not his fault because Iago has a reputation for being honest and is seen as “honest,” by a lot of people in the play. For example, Cassio says, “Good night, honest Iago.” Roderigo is one of the only people who calls Iago anything different from honest, when he is dying, “O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!,” which has a dramatic effect.

It could be said that Othello can only cope with living as a soldier and that he can’t handle real life because he has had more experience at fighting in wars than in relationships. This is why he is so quick to believe Iago because he thinks Iago knows more than him about women. At the beginning of the play Othello says, “I find in hardness, and do undertake, these present wars against the Ottomites. Most humbly, therefore, bending to your state, I crave fit disposition for my wife.” This quote demonstrates that Othello puts war first and Desdemona second, which proves he is more comfortable and used to the soldier lifestyle.

You could argue Othello is so easily persuaded by Iago because he doesn’t fully trust Desdemona and is reminded of what Brabantio said, “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may thee.” Iago is also fully aware of Othello’s weaknesses such as having no self confidence, “I am to blame,” and he uses this to his advantage. For example, “In sleep I heard him say, ‘Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves.’” You could also argue that Iago’s clever manipulation alone was enough for Othello to be so easily persuaded.

Othello says, “And sold to slavery: of my redemption thence,” which indicates to the audience that Othello is an ex-slave. You could argue that this is why Othello is so easily persuaded by Iago because Iago’s manipulation reminds him of when he was a slave and tortured, but this time he is being tortured by Iago. This could be why he ends up having an epileptic fit as he can’t handle feeling hurt and tortured by Iago’s accusations of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio and this reminds him of how he felt as a slave.

You could argue that Desdemona trying to convince Othello that Cassio should have his job back and talking about Cassio a lot persuades Othello so easily to believe she is having an affair with him because this would increase Othello’s suspicions about her. For example, “Why, then, tomorrow night, or Tuesday morn, on Tuesday noon, or night; on Wednesday morn.” Desdemona’s continued nagging would make Othello believe Iago’s lies even more so you could argue she has made Othello suspect her of having an affair with Cassio herself.

In conclusion, by the end of the play Othello has deteriorated from noble General to deluded murderer and stabs himself, “I kissed thee ere I killed thee: no way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss.”