The Importance Of True Nature In William Shakespeare's Othello

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One’s true nature is always concealed. Behind the veneer of societal expectations, belief systems, and self-regard, there lies a true character. This genuine disposition that exists is usually hidden because rejects and defies what is deemed good or moral. Oftentimes, the authentic self is hidden away to conceal one’s weaknesses. However, it is impossible to ignore the fundamental truth about oneself. In Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello’s two conflicting personas lead to the play’s tragedy. Othello presents a version of himself to society that is much more secure than he is in actuality. When he begins to feel threatened, the weak-willed personality that he tries to conceal begins to displace his constructed one. Ultimately his inability …show more content…
(5.2.348-354)
Othello shows that he is isolated and excluded from society. Denying his true nature causes him to feel like an outsider to others. His references to foreign locations, objects, and people all reaffirm this feeling of exclusion. Othello further adds to this when he compares himself to an enemy of the state when he speaks of the Turk who beat a Venetian. The sense of justice that Othello felt when murdering Desdemona also returns. However, this time it is pointed at himself. His death serves as a stark reminder of the destruction triggered by refusing to examine one's own motivations.
Denying one’s own nature results in the true nature coming out during times of conflict, isolating the individual and causing their downfall. Although there are negative consequences, one is often compelled to deny themselves to mask their insecurities. This always fails as the true nature will always be exposed during times of high conflict or emotion. The constant stress of these two opposing natures causes one to become isolated and leads to their own undoing. Othello is a tragedy that illustrates the great amount of suffering that comes when one chooses to be untrue. Through Othello, Shakespeare writes a cautionary tale. He warns of the terrible consequences that come when one isolates himself from their

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