Othello, a play by infamous 17th-century English playwright and poet William Shakespeare, displays not only the classic characteristics of a Shakespearean tragedy, but most importantly, how certain acts of cruelty within the scenes of the play impact the overall outcome of the characters themselves. In Othello, the characters are obsessed with maintaining social order and class, and the social order of the Venetian society is completely tarnished when African Moor Othello marries well-known Senator Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona. Jealousy also begin to arise between Cassio, the noble Moor Othello’s lieutenant, and Iago, who originally wanted to be Othello’s lieutenant, but who was not appointed that position. An angry Iago devises a plan to
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Iago's key weapon is destroying his [Othello's] wonderful reputation among the people of the Venetian society. In the beginning acts of Othello, Othello speaks entirely in poetry, making him a perfect gentleman, and he also speaks solely in iambic pentameter, conveying how distinguished and proper he is in the society. However, because Othello is indeed an African, even though he is the merchant of Venice, his character is of lower status. Even though Othello technically has a higher ranking than Iago in the society, Iago is a Christian, white, and wealthy, making him more acceptable than Othello. Othello especially turns to Iago for advice throughout the play to make him look as if he is of higher status, and this allows Iago to put his evil ploy into action so he can manipulate Othello into giving him Cassio's position as lieutenant. Iago even admits to Othello in the play when he says, "good name in man and woman, my dear lord/ Is the immediate jewel of their souls" (Act III, Scene III, lines 156-157) that having a noble and reputable status is extremely useful in the Venetian society, but Othello does not pick up on this statement. Just a few lines later, Iago also warns Othello again that, "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss/ Who, certain of his fate, loves not his …show more content…
Othello falls prey to by Iago's pointless drama because he is infected by the "green-eyed monster," Othello then commits the crudest crime of all: he suffocates his own wife, Desdemona, a woman who he once loved so deeply and whom he loved despite all the odds that were placed against their relationship. After Othello kills Desdemona in Act V Scene II of the play, Emilia then admits to him [Othello] that she found the handkerchief that was given to Desdemona, and how she gave it to Iago. The moment that Emilia reveals this profound information unto Othello is when he realizes that Iago was tricking him into believing that Desdemona was romanticizing with Cassio. Because Othello then realizes that Iago was just trying to gain status by manipulating him into believing petty lies, he [Othello] has now ruined his reputation as the noble Moor of Venice forever, and that it would be best to die rather than to live in pure humility for the remainder of his lifetime. At this point in Othello, Iago also states that he will not be speaking anymore, which reveals unto the audience that his
Iago's key weapon is destroying his [Othello's] wonderful reputation among the people of the Venetian society. In the beginning acts of Othello, Othello speaks entirely in poetry, making him a perfect gentleman, and he also speaks solely in iambic pentameter, conveying how distinguished and proper he is in the society. However, because Othello is indeed an African, even though he is the merchant of Venice, his character is of lower status. Even though Othello technically has a higher ranking than Iago in the society, Iago is a Christian, white, and wealthy, making him more acceptable than Othello. Othello especially turns to Iago for advice throughout the play to make him look as if he is of higher status, and this allows Iago to put his evil ploy into action so he can manipulate Othello into giving him Cassio's position as lieutenant. Iago even admits to Othello in the play when he says, "good name in man and woman, my dear lord/ Is the immediate jewel of their souls" (Act III, Scene III, lines 156-157) that having a noble and reputable status is extremely useful in the Venetian society, but Othello does not pick up on this statement. Just a few lines later, Iago also warns Othello again that, "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss/ Who, certain of his fate, loves not his …show more content…
Othello falls prey to by Iago's pointless drama because he is infected by the "green-eyed monster," Othello then commits the crudest crime of all: he suffocates his own wife, Desdemona, a woman who he once loved so deeply and whom he loved despite all the odds that were placed against their relationship. After Othello kills Desdemona in Act V Scene II of the play, Emilia then admits to him [Othello] that she found the handkerchief that was given to Desdemona, and how she gave it to Iago. The moment that Emilia reveals this profound information unto Othello is when he realizes that Iago was tricking him into believing that Desdemona was romanticizing with Cassio. Because Othello then realizes that Iago was just trying to gain status by manipulating him into believing petty lies, he [Othello] has now ruined his reputation as the noble Moor of Venice forever, and that it would be best to die rather than to live in pure humility for the remainder of his lifetime. At this point in Othello, Iago also states that he will not be speaking anymore, which reveals unto the audience that his