William Shakespeares Othello - 1440 Words

William Shakespeares Othello A significant moment in Othello demonstrates the theme of binaries questioned in many of Shakespeares works. Addressing the Duke and senators, Othello says: Let her have your voice. Vouch with me heaven, I therefore beg it not To please the palate of my appetite, Nor to comply with heat--the young affects In me defunct--and proper satisfaction, But to be free and bounteous to her mind; And heaven defend your good souls that you think I will your serious and great business scant When she is with me. No, when light-winged toys Of feathered Cupid seel with wanton dullness My speculative and officed instruments That my disports corrupt and taint my business, Let housewives make a skillet of†¦show more content†¦He argues for Desdemona’s company not for pleasures of the marital bed but rather â€Å"to be free and bounteous to her mind† (264). By appealing to a neo-Platonic ideal of love, he creates a dichotomy of love and sex, associating the former with a spiritual, intellectual connection and the latter with a base, physical attraction. When regarded in light of the warrior/lover division, spiritual love belongs to the warrior and a sexual relationship to the lover. Othello’s use of binaries as a rhetorical tactic reveals his own dualistic worldview. Ironically, although Othello insists he will place his responsibility before Desdemona, when Iago tricks him into believing Desdemona unfaithful, Othello cannot focus on anything else. The dualism Othello establishes in this speech (and which is embodied by his foreign background and outsider status) ultimately leads to the play’s tragic outcome. Convinced of his wife’s infidelity and despite her proclamations of innocence, he declares he can have either Desdemona or death. Desdemona is â€Å"where either [he] must live or bear no life† (4.2.60). Othello keeps his word, killing his wife and then himself. Aside from its purpose as entertainment, this play serves a cultural context by examining the role of binary systems. Christian Europe had long operated in the dualistic state of God versus Satan, and from thisShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Othello997 Words   |  4 Pagesa person chooses to act around a certain group of people can be out of courteousness or his or her bad nature. William Shakespeare does not only shed light towards this topic but allows his audience to distinguish appearance versus reality. Shakespeares Othello and sonnets 93 and 138 demonstrate being who you are in reality triumphs over appearance and what you seem to be. In Othello, Shakespeare illustrates the importance reality takes place in identifying a persons true character as early asRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello1173 Words   |  5 Pages Othello is set in a world and focuses on the passions and personalities of its major figures. (Thomas). Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, Othellos wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio and advisor Iago. The play appeared in seven editors between 1622 and 1705. The themes of the story are racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Othello is a black soldier who is accused of stealing his wife Desdemona. Although Desdemonas fatherRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Othello574 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello The play Othello was said to have been written in 1603/4, but no one really knows. It was first performed in front of king James I. It was very original because it had a black tragic hero and at that time it was very rare too see a black character let alone a main one. The key themes are the same in most of Shakespeares plays (love, jealousy, appearance and reality, dark and light. The main theme is Othellos jealousy, which results inRead More William Shakespeares Othello Essay2198 Words   |  9 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello Every artist needs a subject to draw inspiration from—an idea to develop into a masterpiece. Leonardo da Vinci had Madame Lisa to portray in paint. The Beach Boys had Rhonda to render in rhyme. And William Shakespeare had one of one hundred stories written by Giraldi Cinthio to help him create his masterpiece, Othello. Each artist creates his own interpretation from his source. Shakespeare transformed the core of Cinthio’s story into a tragedy. A tragedy isRead More Othello as the Greater Evil in William Shakespeare’s Othello1842 Words   |  8 PagesOthello as the Greater Evil in William Shakespeare’s Othello What makes one person to be considered evil, while another is considered righteous? The character Iago, in William Shakespeare’s Othello, could be considered evil because of his plot against Cassio and Othello. Othello, could be considered righteous, because he believes his wife has been unfaithful. The line between these two labels, evil or righteous, is thin. Ultimately, actions speak louder than words. Iago is evil in his actionsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello629 Words   |  3 Pagescharacteristics of human beings is the necessity to survive. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello survival is taken to the extreme by the character, Iago. Iago’s selfishness is what ultimately drives him to manipulate the people around him. Initially Iago manipulates a character by the name of Roderigo. Roderigo is a Venetian gentleman that is in love with the wife of Othello, Desdemona and will do whatever it takes to win her over from Othello. Roderigo who is oblivious to the idea and fact that Iago isRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello827 Words   |  3 Pagestragedies. One of the tragedies was the play Othello. The two characters that stuck out the most were Othello, the moor, and his beautiful wife Desdemona. The couple had certain mishaps but most readers did not expect a melodramatic plot twist. Othello had many downfalls, including insecurity. In the play Othello, the lack of communication between Desdemona and Othello was the cause for their deaths. Iago had major hatred toward Othello because Othello did not employ him as his lieutenant. Iago knewRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello2192 Words   |  9 PagesOthello is commonly referred to as just Othello but the full name of the play is The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The tragedy of Othello is concise with Shakespeare’s other more popular works. Upon dissecting the play the most recognizable themes are the play’s complex and prevalent ambivalences of love and hate, jealousy, and perniciousness. Title and playwright â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is believed to have been based primarily on the Italian short story Un CapitanoRead More Racism in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1059 Words   |  5 PagesRacism in William Shakespeares Othello The play, Othello, is certainly, in part, the tragedy of racism. Examples of racism are common throughout the dialog. This racism is directed toward Othello, a brave soldier from Africa and currently supreme commander of the Venetian army. Nearly every character uses a racial slur to insult Othello at one point in the play. Even Emilia sinks to the level of insulting Othello based on the color of his skin. The character that most commonly makes racistRead More Iago in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesIago in William Shakespeares Othello William Shakespeare, born: 1564 died: 1616, is considered one of the greatest writers who has ever lived. He had a unique way of putting things into words. All of his plays, sonnets, and poems have gotten great recognition. But when Shakespeare wrote Othello he created one of the most controversial villains of all times; Iago. He is best described as disturbing, ruthless, and amoral. No other character can even come close to his evil (Iago: The 1). Iago