Desdemona's Death In Othello Essay

A common theme to Shakespeare’s tragedies is death to characters who die because of a misunderstanding, die in the cross-fire, or who commit suicide once they realize that the one they loved has died because of a misunderstanding. This happened in Romeo and Juliet and this happened in Othello. In Othello, the characters who died because of the previously mentioned reasons were Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello, in that same order. Desdemona’s death was crime of passion; she was killed because Othello was misled to think that she was cheating on him with his lieutenant, Cassio. Emilia died because she was trying to defend Desdemona even after her death. Othello, upon discovering that Iago lied to him and that he killed his wife for no reason, kills himself. Desdemona’s death was a consequence of jealousy clouding reason. Iago cleverly convinced Othello that his wife, Desdemona, was cheating on him with his lieutenant, Cassio, by indirectly hinting at their relationship. Iago was so effective in doing so that Othello trusted him over the woman he apparently loved. “(Desdemona) Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed?” (4.2.81). In this scene, Othello confronts Desdemona about the accusations but he is very vague …show more content…
This leads Desdemona to ask what she has done that she does not know about. “(Desdemona) And have mercy, too. I never did offend you in my life, never loved Cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as I might love. I never gave him token” (5.2.73-76). Othello accused Desdemona of giving Cassio the token of Othello’s and Desdemona’s shared love, the handkerchief. The whole time, Desdemona is swearing up and down about how she never gave it to him and if he has it, it is because he found it. Unfortunately, Othello rejected this answer, resulting in her