othello as a tragedy

summary

William Shakespeare’s play Othello, the Moor of Venice concerns the downfall of Othello who
was a Moorish General and can be considered a tragedy. The main character who is the hero in
the drama faces trouble at the end of the play when he kills his wife suspecting her of being
unfaithful. The play is full of suspense and contains the theme of jealousy, intrigue, suspense,
and murder creating a great tragedy as per Aristotle's order. According to Aristotle, three main
things constitute a tragic drama such as hamartia, which is the tragic flaw in the character that
faces the downfall. The other one is catharsis in which the emotions of the audience change in a
manner that makes them learn a lesson from the drama. The third ingredient is anagnorisis,
which involves the revelation of some facts that were never realized before to the character
considered as the hero. Othello is a tragic hero since he fulfills all the three requirements offered
by Aristotle since he is initially a person possessing noble status but later falls to a shameful one.
This happens because he has the quality of hamartia leading him to suffer shame at the end of
the drama. Again, Othello’s plot has catharsis experience at the climax of the drama as the play
ends. The anagnorisis is experienced when Othello comes to realize the evil in Iago and that his
wife is innocent. He is very powerful at first, and no one thinks that his life can end tragically, as
it happens during the conclusion. Therefore, it is right to argue that Othello is a tragic drama
considering the changing life of the main character from a highly regarded man to a shameful
one.

Outline

Introduction

The play Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy with Othello as the tragic hero.

A tragic hero must be a man of high status and later face downfall.

Othello, the Moor fits the definition of Aristotle’s tragic hero.

He is highly respected by the senators of Venice State and the citizens

He has heroic qualities such as courage, dignity, religious ties, sound judgment, and practice of
self-control

His downfall is caused by his flaws

Another distinct quality of a tragic hero according to Aristotle is that the cause of the downfall
must result from flaws of his character

Othello’s jealousy is one of his weaknesses

Othello kills his wife, but the audience still has pity on Othello after he realizes his wife is
innocent

The play does not end in a happy mood

Another important element of tragedy Othello is the revelation of facts related to the tragic hero
or anagnorisis.

Othello discovers that Iago lied to him of Desdemona’s unfaithful.

The audience is aware of Desdemona's innocence yet her husband is not.

Conclusion

The features of tragic dramas include hamartia, catharsis, and anagnorisis.

Othello is the tragic hero since the play satisfies all the qualifications for tragedy as defined by
Aristotle.

“Othello, the Moor of Venice" can be considered as a Shakespeare's tragedy in which Othello
serves as the tragic hero according to Aristotle. A tragic hero according to the Greek Philosopher,
Aristotle, must be a person occupying a prestigious estate, Prince, or nobleman, possess a tragic
flaw besides having some judgmental skills, and falls from a high state to a low one (Dewar-
Watson 12). By using the criteria suggested by Aristotle, it is possible to determine whether
Othello, the Moor acts as a tragic hero or not. Othello is a tragic hero since he is a respected man
at the begging enjoying power and honor but later faces downfall when he murders his wife
suspecting her of being unfaithful.

Othello who is a Moor completely fits the definition given by Aristotle of a tragic hero. For one to
qualify he must possess qualities such as being a person of a high state, face downfall and
become unhappy, and his downfall must be contributed by his tragic flaws (Kennedy & Gioia,
856). In the play, Othello is a Moor from Africa of noble birth who serves at the highest rank in
the military as the Cyprus Governor-General. He commands nobility, is confident, and very
strong besides being highly respected by people of the Venice State. For instance, the treatment
he gets from the senators is special such as the time when he enters a room where leaders are
discussing the state matters. In fact, one member of the sitting senators exclaims, “here comes
the Barantio and the Valiant Moor (Shakespeare and Opzoomer Act 1 Scene 3). This statement
shows that he receives a lot of respect from other leaders and thus can be considered a tragic
hero. In addition, his demonstration of confident reaction especially when Barbantio accuses
him of engaging in witchcraft activities is proof that he is the hero of the land as defined by
Aristotle. Again, he is a man with an African stature that commands respect from the people and
senators of Venice since he is described as tall and dark. For instance, in Shakespeare and
Opzoomer Act 1 scene 2, the governor of Cyprus named Montano awaits for Othello's ship to
arrive after an intense storm in the Sea. He calls him brave Othello a character that commands
complete respect and honor from leaders and citizens of the state (38). Othello is a man that
commands high honor from everybody including soldiers and his people that call him "captain" a
word that refers to a commander or a soldier of troops. He possesses a lot of knowledge and
skills since he started his military career at a young age of seven years. By the time he is a grown
up man he is very experienced and capable of leading the troops to any battle. This one quality
makes him feel great and enjoy privileges although they do not last long due to his weakness of
reacting with rage. The other characteristics that earn him high honor include courage, dignity,
religious ties, sound judgment, and practice of self-control according to the play (Bradley 66).
However, towards the play end Othello loses his self-control qualities when he commits a
terrible murder crime that irritates everybody. He enjoys some power and happiness especially
when the play begins but later falls to become a murderer hated by people.

Another distinct quality of a tragic hero according to Aristotle is that the cause of the downfall
must result from flaws of his character and his way of making judgment leading to failure.
Othello’s jealousy is one of his weaknesses besides believing the lies told by villain Iago that
Desdemona is unfaithful to him. He cannot imagine that his wife can love another man and
becomes extremely angry such that he cannot control his actions leading to violence. Othello
should investigate the accusation concerning the accused but believes all the lies and murders
Desdemona and later himself. His behavior that seems quite impulsive makes him react violently
instead of trying to find out whether the stories told about his wife are true or not. Iago is aware
of the moor's weaknesses and uses them to cause his downfall as he states "The Moor is of a
free and open nature… And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are" (Shakespeare and
Opzoomer 1.3. 379). It is therefore; right to argue that Othello fits well in the description of a
tragic hero by Aristotle since his downfall results from his hamartia or tragic flaws. In addition, an
actual tragedy according to Aristotle contains a purgation, which can leave the audience with a
feeling of justification and uplift at the end. However, the purgation does not need to be positive
as Kenedy and Gioia (857) ague. For instance, in Othello's case, the audience may not feel happy
and excited with the play's ending since almost all the main characters die. However, they may
feel justified by the punishment in the villain thus the play transforms the emotions of the
audience at it ends. According to Aristotle, a play must have the capability to arouse the
audience feelings of fear and pity and later give them a conclusion, which satisfies them. In
Othello, the audience pities Othello, Iago, and Desdemona but still feels fear for the couple that
was enjoying a happy marriage before the conflicts set in. The worst fears come when Othello
kills his wife, but the audience still has pity on Othello after he realizes his wife is innocent, stabs
himself, and dies. The play does not end in a happy mood, but the punishment of Iago gives it a
dramatic closure. One primary purpose of a tragedy is dramatizing the weaknesses, failure, and
the despair of human beings and how they can improve their character through character
analysis. Shakespeare has accomplished all the requirement of a tragic hero to bring a feeling of
pity and fear to the audience.
Another important element of tragedy according to Aristotle found in Othello is the revelation of
facts related to the tragic hero referred to as anagnorisis. This may include the transformation of
individuals from ignorance to knowing which may create friends or enemies (MacFarlane 367).
There some things that the audience is aware of but the characters such as Othello do not know
until at the end of the drama. Anagnorisis is realized towards the play end when Othello
discovers that Iago made a trap and lied to him that Desdemona is unfaithful. However, it is
already too late since he has committed an irreversible act of killing his wife. When he realizes
that he acted with haste and that Desdemona is innocent, he commits suicide and the play ends
in a sad mood. It is unbelievable that such a respectable and powerful man can behave in a
manner that irritates everyone in the state. The wife of Iago, Emilia cries in bitterness exclaiming
Desdemona’s innocence after the Moor kills his wife “Moor she was chaste…” (Shakespeare and
Opzoomer 5.2.258). At this moment, Othello realizes Iago’s lies and cries before ending his life
since he cannot forgive himself for the crime he has committed. Revealing the identity of
characters, which were unknown, is also an important element of anagnorisis as defined by
Aristotle. The tragic hero in Othello experiences this at the end of the play by knowing the real
character of his wife and Iago, but it is too late. When the revelation is made, Shakespeare's
drama climaxes as Othello faces the reality of the crime he has committed due to his hasty
decisions. The audience has a climactic moment as it discovers the truth as Herzel put it that "a
special kind of double vision comes into play" (498). The audience witnesses actions that have
terrible effects although the agent is not aware of it. The audience is aware of Desdemona's
innocence yet her husband, Othello is not. In this case, Othello's anagnorisis as the play ends is
quite poignant.

According to Aristotle, there are three features of tragic dramas, which include hamartia,
catharsis, and anagnorisis. All these have been depicted fully in Shakespeare's play that
highlights the rise and downfall of Othello. Deceit and jealousy contribute to his tragic failure,
the death of the couple, and Iago's punishment. Othello is a tragic drama and the main
character, Othello is the tragic hero since the play satisfies all the qualifications for tragedy as
defined by Aristotle. The main themes portrayed include intrigue, jealousy, faithfulness,
remorse, death, and betrayal. The drama teaches the audience to be careful when handling
difficult situations especially after receiving devastating news. If Othello investigated the issue
regarding Desmodemona he could have discovered that Iago was lying. The death of his wife
becomes his final blow and he realizes that he is no longer the powerful and respected man. At
this point, he is very weak and cannot control his actions and his life ends tragically. Considering
all the happenings in the play especially to its main character, Othello, the moor of Venice
qualifies to be a tragic drama.
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Race and Discrimination in 'Othello' by William Shakespeare

The Issue of Race

People discriminate for many different reasons: fear, envy, the desire for power, or a need to
disassociate themselves from others. They can, thus, use someone's skin color (an innate trait
that cannot be altered) to express their hatred.

Othello, in Shakespeare’s play Othello, is a happily married and widely respected general in the
Venetian army despite his African heritage. In the beginning of the story, Othello has not, as yet,
experienced discrimination. However, Iago succeeds in bringing about the ruin of Othello and his
wife Desdemona by revealing to Othello the existence of racist ideas and convincing him that he
must act out against the individuals supposedly harboring racist-fueled resentment.

Through Iago’s manipulation of Othello and others, his claim comes to pass. In the end, people
use the color of Othello's skin to condemn his erratic behavior. And by his believing that racism
exists, Othello also creates it.

Othello's Background

Othello is an African prince, born into privilege and royalty. He claims, “I fetch my life and
being/From men of royal siege.” (III.iii. 21-22). He left his native homeland and his life of
guaranteed luxury to live among white Europeans and be free of the innate obligations of
royalty. In his new home, his only obligations are to people he himself has chosen to serve: the
Venetian government and his wife Desdemona. Even in this position as general, Othello still
experiences freedom since he can retire at his leisure, and he tells Iago:

But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused free condition

Put into circumscription and confine

For the sea’s worth (I.ii.27-28).

This statement suggests that if he had not met Desdemona, Othello would have continued to
live life in a “free condition” without matrimonial commitments that “put into circumscription
and confine” his freedom.

Othello delights in and experiences the ultimate freedom to do as he pleases. He is free to make
the choices that ultimately affect his life, and enjoys his self-made position. The color of his skin
has not prevented him from achieving a high rank in society and exercising the power and
freedom such a position entails.

A Plot Rooted in Jealousy

These achievements have earned Othello the respect and admiration of those around him with
the exception of a resentful few, including Iago and Roderigo. Iago hates Othello because he
appointed the inexperienced Cassio as his lieutenant instead of Iago, who instead became his
“ancient.” Iago enacts his revenge upon Othello by manipulating Roderigo, who desires Othello’s
wife Desdemona. Roderigo expresses his jealousy by calling Othello racial slurs: “What a full
fortune does the thick-lips owe/If he can carry ‘t thus!” (I.i.65-66). Both men plot to bring an end
to Othello’s marriage by telling Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, that Othello kidnapped her.

They succeed in angering her father when they bring up the subject of race. Iago says to
Brabantio, “An old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe” (I.i.87-88). With this saying, Iago and
Roderigo hint that Othello and Desdemona’s future children will be half-breeds who will become
the ridicule of society and bring shame upon Brabantio. They continue by saying, “You’ll have
your daughter covered with a Barbary/Horse; you’ll have your nephews neigh to you; you’ll have
coursers for cousins and gennets for germans” (I.i.110-12).

Is Racism Fabricated?

Afraid that such events would jeopardize his position as senator, Brabantio accuses Othello of
kidnapping and bewitching his daughter in a desperate attempt to retain his own power and
honor in the eyes of society. In his defense, Othello points out that in the past Brabantio “lov’d
me; oft invited me” (I.iii.128), showing that Brabantio was not racist and did not discriminate
against Othello until Iago's interference made him feel it was in his best political interests to do
so.
Desdemona acquits Othello of any wrongdoing, and the Duke says to Brabantio: “If virtue no
delighted beauty lack/Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (I.iii.288-89). The Duke tells
Brabantio that he should not put importance on Othello’s skin color, but on his virtuous deeds
and nature instead.

Othello Starts to Believe That Racism Exists

Othello, himself, is unaware of any existing racism or of the power of such thoughtless hatred.
He declares, “My parts, my title and my perfect soul/Shall manifest me rightly” (I.ii.31-32). He
does not believe that discrimination can determine his guilt. At first, this notion of universal
equality works against Iago’s claims that Desdemona is cheating on Othello because of his skin
color. Othello confidently declares, “Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw/The smallest
fear or doubt of her revolt/For she had eyes, and chose me” (III.iii.187-89).

However, he goes on to say, “And yet, how nature erring from itself—” (III.iii.228). This indicates
that, perhaps deep down, Othello believes that it is in Desdemona’s inherent nature to favor
men of her own race. Iago draws upon Othello's doubt and says, “Her will, recoiling to her better
judgment/May fall to match you with her country forms/and happily repent” (III.iii.226-28). By
saying this, Iago implies that Desdemona compares Othello with other white Venetian men and
regrets her marriage. Persuaded by Iago's words, Othello starts to believe that Desdemona is
cheating on him because he is black.

Left alone with these thoughts, Othello states “I’ld whistle her off and let her down the wind/To
prey at fortune (III.iii.263-64). His words suggest that if Desdemona was proven false, he would
cast her out of his household. However, after he brings up the issue of his own race and
recognizes how he is different from the rest of society, Othello lashes out in anger at
Desdemona, the scapegoat for his overpowering sense of self-loathing:

Haply, for I am black

And have not those soft parts of conversation

That chamberers have, or for I am declin’d

Into the vale of years (yet that’s not much)

She’s gone. I am abus’d: and my relief

Must be to loathe her (III.iii.264-69)

Othello does not just criticize Desdemona for her infidelity nor condemns her for her sins, but
he, in a way, justifies her actions by assuming that his own race-related weaknesses motivated
her to have an affair with another man. This quote shows a change in Othello. He begins to hate
Desdemona because he now believes that she cheated on him because of his race. He will not
be content with just throwing her out, but is now consumed with loathing because he believes
her cheating and discrimination has caused him to feel pain and inferiority.

Othello's Character Comes Into Question

As Iago continues to supply Othello with 'proof' of Desdemona’s supposed infidelity, Othello is
further consumed with rage and jealousy. When Lodovico comes to deliver a letter to Othello,
Desdemona makes a comment which Othello assumes is about her other lover, and he slaps her.
Lodovico is shocked at this rash behavior, which is so out of character, and tells Othello: “My
lord, this would not be believ’d in Venice/Though I should swear I saw ‘t; ‘til very much”
(IV.i.225-26). He goes on to question Othello’s reputation after such an act, saying:

Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate

Call all in all sufficient? Is this the nature

Whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue

The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,

Could neither graze nor pierce? (IV.i.245-49)

Othello becomes even more rash when he calls Desdemona a whore, and Emilia, Iago’s wife,
exclaims: “Here’s a change indeed!” (IV.ii.107). However, it is not until Othello commits the
ultimate crime that his skin color is held against him. They condemn his race because they
struggle to find a meaning for this sudden and seemingly unprovoked action.

Murder

When Othello murders his wife, it forces those who formerly respected and admired him, and
those who held him to be equal on all levels, to use his skin color to explain his great misdeeds.
For example, Emilia calls him a “blacker devil!” (IV.ii.132). On the topic of Desdemona’s supposed
infidelity, Emilia states that Desdemona was true and “was too fond of her most filthy bargain”
(IV.iii.157), contemptuously referring to Othello in racist terms. His race is now recognized and
being utilized by those who Othello alienated through his irrational actions. If he had not been
prompted through jealousy and his own sense of self-loathing, Othello would continue to have
been regarded in high esteem by the rest of society.

Conclusion

Othello had previously lived a life free of racial discrimination, except for those few who envied
and resented him, or feared he would sabotage their powers. These few used his race as a
means of bringing about his destruction. For the rest of society, he was considered a noble and
virtuous general, and his color was of little consequence. However, when Othello committed
atrocious crimes because of his unfounded jealousy, those who had previously believed him to
be admirable and good condemned him, not by criticing his character, but by criticizing his
distinguishing racial characteristic: his color.

-------------------------------------

The Character of Othello

Introduction: As Swinburne has stated, Othello was the noblest man of man’s making. T.S Eliot,
however, spoke unfavorably of him. The contentions on his character go on. However, he was a
man of great stature and virtues despite his weakness, jealousy. Most of the critics have much
contemplated on his character, because Othello is a complex character.

Bradley Versus Leavis: The contrasted viewpoints regarding Othello are further elaborated by
Bradley and Leaves. Bradley takes Othello to be entirely blameless; he has to explain why any
one should hate him so much as to destroy him. Unlike Leavis, he places the complexity of the
play in Iago’s character. To Leavis, studying the inner reaches of Iago’s mind is purely a waste of
time. Iago is simply a subordinate and a necessary piece of mechanism of the play and not more
than that. Othello’s tragedy, to Leavis, is essentially caused by hi sown short comings – by his
egotism and by his love for Desdemona which is merely sensual and possessive and doesn’t not
extend to any real knowledge of who and what is it that he is loving. To him, Othello’s habit of
self-idealization, his simple heroic way of seeing himself in wide perspective, served him well
enough in martial adventure, but could not fit him for the reciprocity of marriage, so that the
tragedy is inherent in Othello-Desdemona’s relationship. When things go wrong and cracks build
up, Othello’s weaknesses reveal to us which cause his catastrophe.

Othello’s Egotism and the role of Iago: Leavis takes an unfavorable view of Othello’s character.
He is an egoist. According to his view, we see it in his callous treatment of Brabantio. Othello’s
life has not been such as to allow him the luxury of fine discrimination and subtle consideration.
He is unable to understand the typicality of human beings. He has lived in an atmosphere of war
where second consideration or even a little wink of eye may cause the death of a soldier. So this
life creates egoists. And Othello’s egotism is intense enough for Iago to plan his intrigue quite
successfully. Bradley has quite a fantastic treatment of this theme and is closer to the heart of
the play, because having this perspective of the play is to erase the emotional impact of the play.
Bradley knows that the tragedy lie in the assassination of love by non-love. Iago was destroyed
by the power he attacked, the power of love: and he was destroyed by it because he couldn’t
understand it and he couldn’t understand it because it was not in him.

Othello – a romantic character: The oppressive and fatal atmosphere of the play is only
agreeable by the character of Othello who is romantic. The credibility and success of the play is
closely connected with this character. Othello describes himself as: … One not easily jealous, but
being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme.

The description is perfectly just. His tragedy lies in this. His whole nature was indisposed to
jealousy and he was unusually open to deception. His racial temperament has its share in his
tragedy. His wanderings in the vast desserts, his stories war and his exploits, his experiences of
slavery and his participations in the war and battles make him the most romantic figure among
Shakespeare’s heroes. He is not only a romantic figure, his whole nature is romantic. He doesn’t
have the meditative and speculative imagination of Hamlet, but is more poetic than him when
we observe him making his most famous speeches throughout the play.

NaeemOthello’s Shortcomings: The romantic element is not the only cause of his catastrophe;
his own shortcomings and susceptibility to deception play even a stronger role in his destruction.
Hesitation and lack of initiative is impossible to him and he is in the habit of instant and on the
spot-decisions as a result of his prolonged association with the warfare. He is not observant and
is quite incapable of introspection. Emotion excites his imagination and possesses great
openness and truthfulness of nature. He has little experience of the corrupt products of civilized
life and is ignorant of European women. He is, by nature, the most vehement passionate when
jealousy aroused in him. He is a man of self-control, but such aspects of his personality as
jealousy and credulity shake this mountainous quality of the great general.

Othello’s Trust in Iago: Othello’s suspicion of Desdemona and the consequent suffering seems
more pitiful when we find that Shakespeare depicts Iago as trustful and through in his trust.
However, when Iago starts working on him, Othello questions him and wants a proof, though his
believe in Desdemona’s fidelity has been shaken and shattered by Iago’s repeated attacks. But
Iago has completely possessed Othello’s mind and he puts entire confidence in the honesty of
Iago. Othello has even been convinced of Iago’s knowledge and wisdom of human relations and
personalities and their nature. The whole picture painted by Iago and the warning from
Desdemona’s father repeated by Iago makes Othello full of suspicious and facilitates him to be
confided in by him. To Othello, it is only Iago, in the whole scenario of the relation game, who is
completely faithful to him and who can be trusted in this. But at the same time, Iago is,
ironically, the destroyer of Othello-Desdemona Relationship.

Othello’s Self-Destruction: Iago’s part in Othello’s tragedy must not be over-emphasized arrested
for the Othello’s tragic end. He doesn’t destroy Othello, but merely awakens some latent traits
and suspicions in him through which he may effect his own destruction. There are evils
functioning in the world, but it is man who must avoid being trapped by them. Before Iago
provokes his passions, he means to corrupt his mind which may ultimately contribute to his self-
destruction. Othello is easily taken in confidence by others. He loved Cassio, but his confidence
in him was betrayed. He loved Desdemona and his love in her was also seemingly betrayed by
her. Iago’s first insinuation in Othello’s mind was jealousy and his warning, O, beware, my Lord,
of jealousy. The poisonous suggestion from which jealousy actually springs up in the mind of
Othello to cause his destruction.

--------------------------

The definition of a Machiavelli villain is an antagonist that has the characteristics of a prince
described in Machiavelli’s book The Prince. In Shakespeare's play, Othello the main antagonist,
Iago, is a perfect example of a Machiavelli villain because he is secretive, manipulative, and
completely lacks morals.

Iago was a very secretive man during the events of the play. None of the other characters fully
knew what his plan was until the very end of the play. They all referred to him as “Honest Iago,”
the man who couldn't do anything wrong. This loyalty stayed until the very last scene, Act V
Scene II, when Othello tells Emilia about her husband’s accusations, and she repeats “My
husband?” in disbelief. These secrets made it so nobody in their right mind would blame him for
any wrong doing.

His plan also completely revolved around manipulation. Othello’s reality was manipulated to
make the affair seem real. Iago’s form of manipulation is truly evil because it tears down
everything the person knows, and replaces it with what he wants. It makes other people ruin
themselves, or do the evil for him. In the end, Iago’s highly effective manipulation has Othello
calling his new, loving wife a “whore” and “strumpet.” The reason this makes him a true villain is
because nobody can directly pin anything on him, it looks like someone else did it.

Last of Iago doesn’t have any morals of empathy. The whole play he is ruining the lives of four
different characters, and doesn’t seem to show any remorse about it. Something that really
shows this is how he treats his wife. When Cassio is complimenting Emilia, Iago tells him “Sir,
would she give you so much of her lips as of her tongue she oft bestows on me, you’ll have
enough,” in Act II Scene I. If he doesn’t treat the woman he is supposed to love right, he won’t
for anyone. The lack of morals allows him to anything he wants, and with the skills above he
can’t be caught. All of which make him a perfect villain.

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Iago’s character

Unique Villain: Iago is a unique villain of Shakespeare. He has two faces – the apparent one and
the real one .There’s nothing like him in the whole English literature. He is even a greater
Mephistopheles. Mephistopheles in Dr. Faustus uses his satanic powers demonstratively and
openly, Iago is a Mephistopheles who ambushes his victims and drags their lives to the point of
no return.

So, he more villainous, poisonous and dangerous than him. His Mephistophelean traits are also
explicated by the statement of Othello at the end, he says in great frustration that he cannot kill
him because he is a devil. He is an incarnation of devil and personification of evil. He is a double-
faced man and sometimes shows his real face to Roderigo, his confidant. He is an atheist of
human nature, the stealthy corruptor of human piety, a fearless disturber of domestic peace and
an unbeliever in and a denier of all spiritual things. It is sometimes not easy to find out Iago’s
motives.

Iago’s Motives: According to Coleridge’s well-known views, the malignity of Iago is motiveless,
but A.C. Bradley has quite the opposite view-point and doesn’t agree with Coleridge and
maintains that not only Shakespeare has assigned several motives to Iago, but the difficulty
arises that the motives assigned are too many. A man, for some very simple reason, doesn’t
laboriously and remuneratively makes plans to make even with some one. That is what Iago
does. The motives appear and disappear, but we can’t say that his malignity is motiveless. His
resentment at Cassio’s appointment is clearly expressed in the first conversation with Roderigo;
however, it is never expressed again throughout the play. Hatred of Othello is expressed in the
first Act alone. Iago’s love of Desdemona is alluded to in the second soliloquy; however, there is
not the least or slightest verbal or oral trace of his love in the play. Appearance and
disappearance of Iago’s motive doesn’t allow for their vacuum of existence. He is also motivated
by the general public feeling that Othello has seduced his wife, though he is not quite sure, yet
he wants justice, wife for wife.

Iago’s Character: The key to Iago’s motive lies in the composition of his character. One of the
noticeable traits of his character are his sense of superiority and contempt of others. The most
delightful thing to such a man would be something that gave an extreme satisfaction to his sense
of power and superiority and if it involved the excitement of danger and triumphant exertion of
his abilities, his delight would be consummated. Othello’s eminence, Othello’s goodness and his
own dependence on Othello, must have been a perpetual annoyance to him. At any time, he
would have enjoyed befooling and tormenting Othello. Disappointment at the loss of the
lieutenancy, supplied the touch of lively resentment that was required to overcome these
obstacles; and the prospect to satisfying the sense of power by mastering Othello through an
intrigue now became irresistible. Iago could not clearly understand what was moving him desire;
though he tried to give himself reasons for his actions.

Sense of Superiority: There’s little doubt that one of Iago’s strongest needs is to heighten his
sense of power and superiority and this is the unconscious motive of many acts of cruelty not
only in this play, but in life. He will find the fullest unconscious satisfaction that he is the master
of the General who has undervalued him and replaced him that these worthy and successful
people are stupid and puppets of his designs. It must have been an ecstasy of bliss for him to
think like that. He had been Othello’s friend and comforter all the time. His horrible nature is
intelligible and there is no psychology in Iago.

Other Motives: In addition to Iago’s strong desire to satisfy his sense of power, there are also
other forces which drive him on. One of them is the pleasure in a perilous and intensely exciting
action. We always see him in physical action, be it that he is informing Brabantio about
Desdemona’s elopement or attacking Cassio.

Iago’s Artistry: In addition to being a man of action, Iago is also a man of artistry who undertakes
certain projects and performs them meticulously. He is, says Hazlitt, an amateur of tragedy in
real life. Instead of employing his invention on imaginary characters, he chose his friends and
relations around. His manipulation of characters, especially Othello and Roderigo, is excellent
and artistic, which a true artist can perform.

Iago’s Fate: We feel at a stage that the action, Iago initiates remains no longer in his power; but
becomes his master. It looks as though, he fated to do what he did. It is obvious that once
embarked on the course, Iago had no ‘go back’ even if his passion did abate. He is caught in his
own web because the reversal of his expectations happens.

-------------------------
Comment on the view that the chances and accidents in Othello adversely affect our view of it as
a tragedy of character.

The Role of Accident

Of all the tragedies of Shakespeare, Othello stands out prominently as the one in which the role
of chance and accident is the largest. However, the larger occurrence of chance and accident in
this play does not mean that the significance of these in Othello is also greater than in other
tragedies of Shakespeare. The chances in this tragedy are pointed out by Bradley, though he
seems to overemphasize their importance:

In reading Othello the mind … if more bound down to the spectacle of noble beings
caught in the toils from which there is escape ; while the prominence of the intrigue diminishes
the sense of the dependence of the catastrophe on character, and the part played by accident in
this catastrophe accentuates the feeling of fate… The skill of Iago was extraordinary, but so was
his good fortune. Again and again a chance word from Desdemona, a chance meeting of Othello
and Cassio, a question which starts to our lips and which anyone but Othello would have asked,
would have destroyed Iago’s plot and ended his life. In their stead, Desdemona drops her
handkerchief at the moment most favourable to him, Cassio blunders into the presence of
Othello only to find him in a swoon, Bianca arrives precisely when she is wanted to complete
Othello’s deception and incense his anger to fury. All this and much spore seems to us quite
natural, so potent is the art of the dramatist ; but it confounds us with a feeling …[that] there is
no escape from fate, and even with a feeling, absent from that play, that fate has taken sides
with villainy.

Distinction

Not all that Bradley mentions can be legitimately regarded as chance or accident. Moreover, the
three events which are accidents, viz. the dropping of Desdemona’s handkerchief at the moment
which suits Iago, Cassio’s coming upon the suspicious Othello when he is in a swoon, and
Bianca’s arrival at just the right moment for Iago, do not constitute a pattern running through
the play––such as there is in Romeo and Juliet––but happen so close together as almost to
constitute a single event, a single stroke of “the devil’s luck” for Iago, and we may prefer to call
them coincidences, signifying a deliberate contrivance of the plot at this point. It cannot be
granted that the absence of “a chance word from Desdemona, a chance meeting of Othello and
Cassio, a question which starts to our lips” constitute “accidents” in the , above sense. This is to
confuse the events of the play which are critically relevant, with possible events in real life,
which are not. The unintentional ambiguity in Bradley’s statement is concealed in the inclusion
of both sorts of happening under the designation of “accident”.
Contrivance

There is a large element of contrivance on Iago’s part in the vents which are, or seem to be,
accidents. For example, Brabantio is summoned, in the beginning, to learn of Desdemona’s
deception, of him, and thus to embarrass Othello with his outcry and provide a principal ground
of Othello’s later distrust of her with his

Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see :

She has deceived her father, and may thee.

Othello is summoned to learn of Cassio’s lapse from his office of trust on the watch, and hence
develops, by Iago’s skilful prompting, the whole situation of Desdemona’s pleas for Cassio’s
reinstatement and Iago’s counter-insinuations that Cassio is Desdemona’s lover. As for most of
the business of the handkerchief, Desdemona drops it by accident and Emilia picks it up and
offers it to Iago ; but from then on, Iago guides the ensuing events. He leaves the handkerchief in
Cassio’s chamber, uses it as evidence with which to convince Othello, and supplies the
construction Othello places upon the subsequent history of the handkerchief, which is what
really signifies. Thus, Iago is quite capable of beguiling Othello to construe any circumstance
which may occur as confirmation of his suspicions. What matters tragically is not the
circumstance but the fact that Iago can make Othello see the circumstance through his eyes,
through his suggestion. Othello, in his passion, has no power of independent judgment regarding
the “evidence” Iago offers him.

Impact

It is difficult to agree with Bradley that these accidents lessen our sense of the importance of
‘character’ in the tragedy. The accidents do not absolve Othello of responsibility. No such
sentimentality could have occurred to Shakespeare and his contemporaries, who never tire of
affirming that the human reason can and should control the passions and the will. Rather, what
we see is the horrible infectious power of evil, how the deliberate malice of, Iago infects Othello,
corrupts his reason, renders him “passion’s slave”, so that without understanding what he is
doing, he commits a tragic wrong. He is fully responsible for the wrong he does, as he himself
most justly recognizes in the end, but the remorse he feels for the wrong he committed destroys
him ; that is why he is fully tragic.

Human Element

The main reason why it must be maintained that the role of accidents in Othello is far less
important than it seems, is that they are not blows of fate but situations painstakingly
manipulated and exploited by a human agent––Iago. The plots of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and
Othello are all of the dramatist’s contriving, and all of them contain “accidents”, or
“coincidences” in the sense of arbitrary or unexpected turns in the development of the action.
There is, however, an essential difference within this group of three ; in Romeo and Juliet and
Hamlet no one is able to comprehend or turn to his advantage the developing pattern of events,
not Friar Laurence or the young lovers or the parents in their blindness ; not Claudius or
Polonius, or, least of all, Hamlet ; but in Othello, Iago––up to the catastrophic turning-point––
plans most of the events, calculates the motives and responses of his victims, and profits with
diabolical cleverness from the chances which do occur and which he makes serve his purposes.
Thus the tragic effect of Othello turns upon the inevitability inherent in the malice of Iago and
the character of Othello which Iago knows so well how to, influence.

Tragic Circumstance

What gives the play a tragic outcome is primarily the working of character, and not chances,
accidents or coincidence. Desdemona is a Venetian and Venice was notorious for its women of
loose character. Othello is a man of sudden resolves and vehement feelings. He is, unfortunately,
deeply and unreflectingly impressed with Iago’s ‘honesty’. Othello has not known Desdemona
long ; he has little knowledge of women in any case ; his military life had left him little time for
cultivating their society or, studying them, before he met Desdemona ; and there was a bitter
modesty in the man, who thought it quite possible that, for all his greatness and his romantic
past, a young girl like Desdemona might hold him but a passing fancy. Obviously, he was no
student of human, character, as we see from his faith in Iago. Run principally, he was a man in
the grip of jealousy, subject to uncontainable passion, passion that blinded him, made him fall
down in a trance, be utterly unlike his normal self. That such a man should become the victim of
the malice and demonic artistry of Iago––this is, the era is circumstance of the play. And it is not
presented to us as an accident. Iago spends much of his time, in his soliloquies, trying to explain
to us how and why it all happened ; and if he protests somewhat too much, we have no difficulty
in believing in the possibility of his villainy, because it is so completely persuasive throughout. It
is this element of credibility which minimises the role of chance.

Chance and Intrigue

To a certain extent, the predominence of chance in Othello is a corollary of the fact that it is in
many respects a tragedy of intrigue. The critic Ulrici rightly points out that chance is only
objective caprice, the caprice of fate ; both of them correspond with one another because their
internal nature is the same. He is right also in his view that although chance cannot be excluded
from tragedy as it is an essential element of human life, it has a right to be a principal force in
the dramatic development only in comedy. However he is wrong in his implication that chance
plays more than its legitimate part in Othello :

In Othello the catastrophe is first introduced and occasioned by chance. Othello, ‘the
noble nature whom passion could not shake,’ who in fact is vulnerable only in the one point, in
his love for Desdemona, is first plunged into the heat of passion .by Iago’s villainy and by the play
of chance which favours it, and is thus thrown out of the centre of his existence and brought to
ruin. The first accident is the circumstance of Desdemona’s losing her handkerchief, which is as
much accident as carelessness, the second is that Emilia finds the handkerchief ; the third, that
Cassio gives it to Bianca to have the embroidery copied ; the fourth, that Othello sees it in
Cassio’s hand ; the fifth, that Bianca happens to be at hand to help in deceiving Othello by
Cassio’s conduct in conversation with Iago ; it is all these accidents which help to convince
Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity, and which thus effect the complete ruin of his character. They
are, therefore, preeminently the levers of the action.

This conclusion is obviously erratic The basis of the tragedy is not these accidents but Othello’s
peculiar situation and character and his subconscious awareness of having contracted a marriage
which might at least appear to be against reason and nature. In Shakespeare’s play, the seed of
suspicion is sown by the caution that Brabantio gives to Othello, namely to beware of
Desdemona because she who has deceived her father, may deceive her husband also. Iago’s
schemes and chances like the dropping of the handkerchief, would have been powerless to have
any effect if this underlying misgiving had not been there in Othello’s mind. Similarly, Ulrici’s
contention that Othello shows that human virtue is not able to hold its own against blind chance
and common intrigue, and that this tends to take the pathos of the play into the hideous and the
horrible, is also a result of misreading. The end of this tragedy only vindicates human worth and
dignity in the justice that Othello bravely administers to himself.

---------------------------------

Othello - Battle of Good vs. Evil

"I am not what I am." What is Iago? -- as distinct from what he pretends to be -- and what are his
motives? In Shakespeare's, Othello, the reader is presented the classic battle between the
deceitful forces of evil and the innocence of good. It are these forces of evil that ultimately lead
to the breakdown of Othello, a noble venetian moor, well-known by the people of Venice as a
honourable soldier and a worthy leader. Othello's breakdown results in the muder of his wife
Desdemona. Desdemona is representative of the good in nature. Good can be defined as
forgiving, honest, innocent and unsuspecting. The evil contained within Othello is by no means
magical or mythical yet is represented by the character Iago. Iago is cunning, untrustworthy,
selfish, and plotting. He uses these traits to his advantage by slowly planning his own triumph
while watching the demise of others. It is this that is Iago's motivation. The ultimate defeat of
good by the wrath of evil. Not only is it in his own nature of evil that he suceeds but also in the
weaknesses of the other characters. Iago uses the weaknesses of Othello, specifically jealousy
and his devotion to things as they seem, to conquer his opposite in Desdemona. From the start
of the play, Iago's scheming ability is shown when he convinces Roderigo to tell about Othello
and Desdemonda's elopement to Desdemona's father, Brabantio. Confidentally Iago continues
his plot successfully, making fools of others, and himself being rewarded. Except Roderigo, no
one is aware of Iago's plans. This is because Iago pretends to be an honest man loyal to his
superiors. The fact that Othello himself views Iago as trustworthy and honest gives the evil
within Iago a perfect unsuspecting victim for his schemes. The opportunity to get to Desdemona
through Othello is one temptation that Iago cannot refuse. He creates the impression that
Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio in order to stir the jealousy within Othello. It is this
jealousy and the ignorance of Othello that lead to the downfall of Desdemona; the one truely
good natured character in the play. As the play opens we are immediately introduced to the
hostility of Iago against Othello. Iago has been appointed the position of servant to Othello
instead of the more prestigous position of lieutenant. Michael Cassio has been appointed this
position. Iago feels betrayed because he considers him self more qualified than Cassio to serve
as lieutenant. Iago then foreshadows his plans for Othello to Roderigo, "O, sir, content you. / I
follow him to serve my turn upon him (Act I, Scene I)". Iago already realizes that Othello thinks
about him as an honest man. Roderigo is used by Iago as an apprentence and someone to do his
"dirty" work. Roderigo is naively unsuspecting. As the play shifts from Venice to Cyprus there is
an interesting contrast. Venice, a respectful and honourable town is overshadowed by the war
torn villages of Cyprus. It could be said that Venice represents good or specfically Desdemona
and that Cyprus represents evil in Iago. Desdemona has been taken from her peacefullness and
brought onto the grounds of evil. Iago commits his largest acts of deceit in Cyprus, fittingly
considering the atmosphere. Ironically, the venetians feel the Turks are their only enemy while in
fact Iago is in hindsight the one man who destroys their stable state. Act II Scene III shows Iago's
willing ability to manipulate characters in the play. Iago convinces Montano to inform Othello of
Cassio's weakness for alchohol hoping this would rouse disatisfaction by Othello. Iago when
forced to tell the truth against another character does so very suspiciously. He pretends not to
offend Cassio when telling Othello of the fight Cassio was involved in, but Iago secretly wants the
worst to become of Cassio's situation without seeming responsible. Cassio is relieved of his duty
as lieutenant. With Cassio no longer in the position of lieutenant, this gives Iago the opportunity
to more effectively interact with and manipulate Othello. By controlling Othello, Iago would
essentially control Desdemona. To reach Desdemona directly is unforseeable for Iago
considering that Othello is superior to him. It is for this reason that Iago decides to exploit
Othello. If Iago can turn Othello against his own wife he will have defeated his opposition. Act III
Scene III, is very important because it is the point in the play where Iago begins to establish his
manipulation of Othello. Cassio feels that it is necessary to seek the help of Desdemona in order
to regain his position of lieutenant and therefore meets with her to discuss this possibility. Iago
and Othello enter the scene just after Cassio leaves, and Iago witfully trys to make it look like
Cassio left because he does not want to be seen in the courtship of Desdemona. Iago
sarcastically remarks : Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it That he would steal away so
guilty-like, Seeing your coming. (Act III, Scene III) When Desdemona leaves, Iago takes the
opportunity to strengthen Othello's views of honesty and trust towards him by saying ironically,
"Men should be what they seem; / Or those that be not, would they might seem none! " (Act III,
Scene III). This cleverness by Iago works upon one of the tragic flaws of Othello. Othello has a
tendency to take eveything he sees and everything he is told at face value without questioning
the circumstances. Iago wonders why someone would pretend to be something they are not,
while in fact that is the exact thing he represents. Finally, after hearing the exploits of Iago and
witnessing the events surrounding Cassio, Othello for the first time is in conflict about what is
the truth. This is the first stage of Iago's scheme to control Othello. As Emilia becomes suspicious
about Othello's development of jealousy, Desdemona defends her husband by blaming herself
for any harm done. This once again shows Desdemona's compassion and willingness to sacrifice
herself for her husband. Othello begins to show his difficulty in maintaining his composure :
Well, my good lady. O, hardness to dissemble -- How do you, Desdemona? (Act III, Scene IV) Act
IV, Scene I is a continuation of the anxiety and indifference Othello is under going. Iago takes
advantage of this by being blunt with Othello about his wife Desdemona. Iago suggests that she
is having sexual relations with other men, possibly Cassio, and continues on as if nothing has
happened. This suggestions put Othello into a state of such emotional turmoil that he is lost in a
trance. Iago's control over Othello is so strong now that he convinces him to consider getting rid
of Desdemona and even suggests methods of killing her. Iago, so proud of his accomplishments
of underhandedness : Work on. My med'cine works! Thus credulous fools are caught, And many
worthy and chaste dames even thus, All guiltless, meet reproach. (Act IV, Scene I) Othello in this
state commits his first act of violence against Desdemona by hitting her. This as a result of
Desdemona's mention of Cassio. This shows now Othello's other tragic flaw. He made himself
susceptable to Iago and the jealousy within him begins to lead to the demise of others. By his
actions Othello has isolated himself from everyone except Iago. This gives Iago the perfect
opportunity to complete his course of action. Iago does not tolerate any interference in his
plans, and he first murders Roderigo before he can dispell the evil that Iago represents. Finally,
Othello, so full of the lies told to him by Iago murders his wife. Desdemona, representative of
goodness and heaven as a whole blames her death on herself and not Othello. Iago's wife,
Emilia, becomes the ultimate undoing of Iago. After revealing Iago's plot to Othello, Iago kills her.
This is yet another vicious act to show the true evil Iago represents. Othello finally realizes after
being fooled into murder : I look down towards his feet -- but that's a fable If that thou be'st a
devil, I cannot kill thee. (Act V, Scene II) Iago says "I bleed, sir, but not killed", this is the final
statement by Iago himself that truely shows his belief in evil and that he truely thinks he is the
devil. That is the destruction of all that is good. Hell over heaven and black over white. Iago, as a
representation of evil, has one major motivational factor that leads him to lie, cheat, and commit
crimes on other characters. This motivation is the destruction of all that is good and the rise of
evil. This contrast is represented between Iago and Desdemona. Desdemona is described
frequently by other characters as "she is divine, the grace of heaven" (Act II, Scene I), while Iago
in contrast is described as hellish after his plot is uncovered. Iago uses the other characters in the
play to work specifically towards his goal. In this way, he can maintain his supposed
unknowingness about the events going on and still work his scheming ways. Iago's schemes
however at times seem to work unrealistically well which may or may not be a case of witchcraft
or magic. Iago's major mistake, ironically, is that he trusted his wife Emilia and found that she
was not as trustworthy as he thought. Although not completely victorious at the conclusion of
the play, Iago does successfully eliminate the one character representative of heaven, innocence,
and honesty. Yet "remains the censure of this hellish villian" (Act V, Scene II). Innocence, and
Love.