Explore Shakespeare’s presentation of ‘identity’ within the play ‘Othello’.

Throughout the revenge tragedy, ‘Othello’, Shakespeare explores the theme of identity through not
only his eponymous tragic hero, but also through every character involved in this tragedy. It is this
notion of identity, and the idea that it defines the characters of the play, that ultimately drives the
characters to their demise- arguably, identity is actually the driving force of the play, even, perhaps,
the todestrieb. Yet it is Shakespeare’s Dionysian, Machiavellian villain, and as Kott would suggest the
“diabolical stage manager, Iago, who really demonstrates a controlled, and articulate mastery of the
protections, and deception’s identity can truly gift him. It is through this complex vehicle of Iago, that
Shakespeare is able to fully convey the impact identity, and the loss of this, can actually have upon a
character, and ultimately how this can alter the course of the tragedy. In fact, critic Sharia almost
reinforces this interpretation, when she suggests that “Iago stirs passions within his victim and
pushes him in the path of his downfall”, essentially alluding to Shakespeare’s crafting of Iago to be
almost symbolic of the dual nature of identity, and the lack of authenticity it can often take.

Arguably, by constructing Iago’s inherent nature as duplicity- especially when considering the dual
identities, he frequently takes on- Shakespeare is able to effectively illuminate the juxtaposing form’s
identity can inhabit. For instance, at the very beginning of this tragic play, Iago’s binary essence is
almost explicitly alluded to through Iago’s own intertextual reference to the two-faced god “Janus”.
Furthermore, through both the allusion and Shakespeare’s frequent use of dramatic irony -especially
when regarding Iago’s manufactured guise- he is able to critique the façade that is identity, and this
notion that identity, and reputation overrules one’s own, individual perception of another’s
character. Perhaps one of the main factors attributing to the ease in which Iago can skew his
perceived identity, is through his crafting of language, and the fact he actually has the most dialogue
out of all the characters in the play. Thus, by deliberately ensuring the antagonist of this play has the
most interactions with the audience, as critic McEvoy argues, “the audience become complicit in
Iago’s intention”; therefore, Shakespeare is able to successfully force a sense of guilt, and blame,
onto the predominately white, protestant Elizabethan audience at the time. Additionally, in doing so,
he is able to almost intertwine these notions of identity and reputation, as a singular entity, allowing
him to further critique the superficial, and shallow values that dictated Elizabethan England at the
time. As well as that, Iago often switches from verse to prose when talking to alternate characters,
which enables him to effectively manipulate and manoeuvre a character’s positioning, and opinion
on a certain matter or character. More specifically, Iago’s dual nature is significantly illuminated
through his interactions with the upper-class, aristocratic character of Roderigo- who is, arguably,
microcosmic of the upper-class elite, and their lack of rationality when it comes to gaining a higher
social reputation, and society’s interpretation of their identity, which is often seen to be skewed with
class, and wealth. Furthermore, Shakespeare often n demonstrates Iago, and Roderigo’s relationship
to be solely constructed on foundation of fraudulent intentions, especially during Roderigo’s initial
speech when he describes how Iago has had his pure “as if the strings were thine”. Although this may
only be an attempt to illustrate the economic motivations that dictate Iago, through the
metaphorical imagery of ‘strings’, Shakespeare could perhaps be alluding to Jamieson’s interpretation
of Roderigo as “Iago’s dupe, his fool”. Therefore, by taking on this ideology of Roderigo as perhaps an
additional mouthpiece, or even identity, in which Iago can vocalise his views, and enact his plans,
Shakespeare is able to successfully exemplify, and exhibit, the vast scale of Iago’s duplicity, and the
deceit, which relies solely on the upkeeping of his outward identity. In addition, throughout the play,
Iago is often given the honorific “honest”, which later moulds into an epithet, essentially defining his
identity as one built on a lack of deception, further adding to this sense of dramatic irony.
Furthermore, what seems to be more telling of the depth in which Iago’s deceit is laid, is the fact that
Emilia, his own wife, is oblivious to his duplicity- especially when she actively helps him in the
execution of his plan, by giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief. Although some may suggest that
Emilia is aware, and a co-conspirator in his plot, this is reduced when she describes him as her
“wayward husband”, implying even she accepts Iago’s projected pretence of honesty and
respectability- instead, she sees this as satisfying his harmless desires. Additionally, in her doing this,
it could be argued that she is almost microcosmic of a women’s position in society, and their lack of
identity in a rigidly patriarchal one, thus it would be reasonable to engage with critic Neely’s proposal
of Emilia acting in accord to “wifely virtues of silence, obedience, and prudence”. In light of this, this
could perhaps support the notion that Iago’s identity is manufactured on the oppression of others,
including both women, and his gendered stereotypes of venetian women as sexually promiscuous,
and “strumpet[s], as well as the racial prejudices that lead to the inevitable downfall of Othello.

Likewise, many may argue that this dominating theme of identity, rests the heaviest on
Shakespeare’s tragic hero- Othello. All throughout the entire play, Othello’s identity is consistently
withering, and depleting, as he becomes more and more consumed with the identity, and
reputation, perceived by the public, which may lead some critics-such as Smith- to interpret the
significant motif of the “handkerchief”, as black, rather than the common view of it as white. By
seeing the handkerchief as black, in comparison to white, it could be suggested that as the
handkerchief is passed on from Othello, to Desdemona, to Emilia, to Iago and so on, that this is
perhaps symbolic of Othello’s own cultural, and racial identity- more specifically, the loss of this part
of himself. In fact, even from the very beginning of the play, the audience are introduced to the racial
stereotypes that would dictate a predominantly white, catholic society in Venice, when Iago,
Roderigo and Brabantio refer to Othello as an “old black ram” who supposedly “enchanted”
Desdemona with his “foul charms”. Firstly, what is most significant about this harsh, racist portrayal
of Othello, is the fact that Shakespeare has deliberately placed this dialogue at the very start of his
play, before the audience are even introduced to Othello, and thus, he is able to embed a sense of
bias preconceptions of Othello, which would effectively mirror the character’s unfair view of Othello,
which is often determined by his race. Arguably, as the play progresses, the audience witness the
withering of Othello’s original “valiant”, and “noble” identity, as he later begins to harbour the views
of Black men, especially in a predominately white city. Furthermore, this notion is reinforced through
the English Touring Theatre’s interpretation of Othello as a Black, Muslim protagonist, and thus, it is
reasonable to suggest that perhaps he not only loses his sense of racial identity, but he is also
othered for his religious differences in a catholic society. Additionally, when taking on a postcolonial
lens, Othello’s mirroring of not only Iago, through the sharing of their lines, but also his mimicry of
the rest of society, and the stereotypes he himself begins to believe, when he refers to himself as the
“blacker devil”. Moreso, in the Elizabethan era, many associated the colour of black with the devil,
and often interpreted the devil as black, rather than the modern view of him as red, but what is most
significant, is the fact that this now comes from Othello himself, allowing Shakespeare to full
demonstrate the transition Othello has undergone, and the actual amount of change in not only his
feelings towards himself, but how others begin to see him. For instance, towards the end, Lodovico
(after coming from Venice) says how he is “sorry that I am deceived by him”, when he finally sees the
change in Othello’s once admirable character. The fact that Lodovico has actually came from Venice,
a place of rationality, logic and security, to Cyprus, where chaos-and Iago’s plans- can freely embed
itself, helps to further demonstrate the impact the change in location has actually had on Othello,
and how this has contributed to the ease in which Iago has been able to practically ‘other’ Othello
from himself. For instance, towards the denouncement of the tragedy, Othello repetitively refers to
himself in third person saying, “he was Othello, here I am”, ultimately highlighting the lack of unity he
really has with himself, and what his own identity is-rather than the one that Iago has forced upon
him. On the other hand, some critics, such as Leavis, tend to favour a less sympathetic approach to
Othello’s character, and instead suggest he is “too stupid to be seen as a tragic hero”. Potentially, it is
both the phallocentric nature of the play, and Othello’s hubris, which leads to the loss of his identity,
thus Shakespeare possibly drives the audience to feel less empathy for his leading character;
however, it would be reductive to completely blame Othello, when the transition in his character to
violence is fuelled, and dictated by the “motiveless malignancy” (Coleridge) of Iago.

In conclusion, the play deals with the internal and external battle against identity, and what identity
actually means, and symbolises. Throughout the play, Shakespeare employs the theme to
demonstrate both its deceptive nature, and the damage tampering with one’s identity can actually
have on not only the individual themselves, but also the rest of society. Overall, Shakespeare
attempts to exemplify the impact of identity, and the power it has over his characters, to critique the
social structure of Elizabethan England, which allows such tragedies to thrive. Ultimately,
Shakespeare utilises his tragic hero, Othello, to further demonstrate the detrimental dangers of
placing identity in cohesion with reputation.

In order to completely use the tool of imagery effectively, Shakespeare has deliberately centred his
play around the war between the Dionysian and the Apollonian; however, it is unclear if these
forces manifest themselves, physically, in the characters of this tragedy, or instead form a piece of
each and every character- it is just up to them to decide which force will dominate and dictate
them. For instance, if one were to take on a rigidly Marxist approach to Shakespeare’s tragic play, it
would, perhaps, be easier to view this play as holding elements of a comedy- like a Commedia Dell’
Arte. Through this interpretation it could be proposed that Iago is reflective of the typically low-
class, stock character -Zanni, the ‘plot driving, two faced servant who often delighted in causing
mischief and misfortune for others. Furthermore, this sense of a dual nature is often reinforced
through contradicting imagery often used to describe Iago’s morality, in comparison to his
“pernicious soul”, which is repetitively emphasised on during Iago’s soliloquies ,in which he reveals
an almost haptic insight to his ‘real’ motivations. However, during one of his very first soliloquies
he explicitly tells the audience “I am not what I am”, yet although this could be seen as one of the
few times Iago is completely honest, it almost feels artificial, especially when we consider the fact
this was proclaimed at the very start, just before the audience has been witness to his cruelty, and
are thus susceptible to almost feeling empathetic to this lower class, common man who is
seemingly forced to mould his exterior character into what the classist Elizabethan society would
have preferred him to be. Furthermore, by using the description of the upperclass character,
Cassio, as a “Florentine”, Iago hints at a sense of class privilege, and that the sole reason Cassio has
been promoted over him, is because Cassio was born wealthy- unlike Iago, who , instead,
continues to fight for social mobility, and class equality. Thus, if we were to take this interpretation
of Iago as the oppressed working class, it could be argued that similar to Wardle’s suggestion that
“Othello is a figure like a monarch or a tyrant”, Othello is not the innocent tragic hero a
contemporary audience may be more inclined to view him as.