Thematic Analysis Othello

Improved Essays
Thematic Analysis Warefare
Deception and manipulation are common tatics used in war. Although they might not seem to be very effective in many battles they are the best tatics due to their ability to mentally destroy an enemy. Othello takes place during the war between Venice and Turkey that took part in the sixteenth century. It is set in Venice the Italian city where Othello was moved to help in battle. In Othello, Shakespeare says that the most dangerous battles occur phscologically.
It is easier and more detrimental to destroy someone physcologically than physically. The most detrimental battle occurs between Iago and Othello. Iago plants the seeds of jealousy in Othello by asking “Did Michael Cassio when (-- removed HTML --)
…show more content…
Emilia found Desdemona dead “Nay, lay thee down, and roar! For thou hast killed the sweetest innocent that e’er did lift up eye” (Shakespeare 5.2.236-238). As a result of Iago’s plan to manipulate Othello, Emilia is affected greatly. Iago was manipulating Othello and both of their behaviors result in death. It is evident that even Iago is not mentally stable for all the damage he is doing and kills Emilia. Desdemona was affected by Othello’s behavior after he was manipulated by Iago “Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee and love the after” (Shakespeare 5.2.20). Desdemona was killed by Othello after he was manipulated by Iago. There is a physical struggle in this scene but it is all brought on by what is going on mentally for Othello. He is jealous, manipulated and cannot think strait which leads him to kill Desdemona. When there are things going wrong mentally it changes the person completely. This affects the people around them, no fictional character or reader could forget what happens in this book showing phsycological warefare affects everyone and has long lasting effects. What is longer lasting than death? As a result of Iago’s manipulation four characters are dead and even he is sent to be tortured “I kissed thee ere I killed thee.” (Shakespeare 5.2.420) Othello being the main target of Iago killed Desdemona and then himself. There is nothing more lasting than death. There is no turning back and they could not undo what they did. This also plays a part in efffecting the people around Othello. Not only do they witness and see what unfolds from Iago’s deception but they are left without a good military general and the loss of a couple other people in the military. From the moment Iago started there was no turning back and there was no changing what did and everyone who witnessed it or even read it will

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Greed and jealousy can be effortlessly used to manipulate mankind and the decisions that are made. In Othello “Act V” by William Shakespeare the theme lectures about emotions, and at times, the free will of others that can be morphed to fit the needs of the antagonists. The manipulation of one’s perception can be warped and twisted to compensate for the truth and to suit the needs of the antagonists.…

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Othello is a soldier that has risen to a higher rank and has actually married into a great noble family. Othello is very respected by those around him. He is described by others as being “noble,” “brave,” and “valiant.” Since he is in a high rank position and because of how others respect him, he possesses the high stature commonly given to the tragic hero in order to make his fall seem more tragic. Although he possesses these qualities, he is also very naive and gullible. He is tricked by Iago which leads him into an over powering…

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He starts to think that death is the only answer to resolve all the pain and hurt caused by this alleged affair. Othello has had plenty of episodes of fainting and seizures, this emotional turmoil has affected him just as physically as it has mentally. “Othello’s having some kind of epileptic fit/ This is his second fit like this. He had one yesterday” (Shakespeare Act IV Scene i Page 3). Othello is extremely overwhelmed at this point. The sympathy felt for Othello is at an all time high because he is going through these scary situations of having a seizure. Iago feels that his vicious plans are at last having a major impact on Othello. The physical impacts on him are just a preview of what is to…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Othello Analysis

    • 2000 Words
    • 8 Pages

    On Friday 24th October 2014, I went to see Frantic Assembly’s version of William Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’, directed by Scott Graham and Steven Hoggett. Frantic Assembly are a theatre company whose performances are primarily dominated by their unusual use of physical theatre to express emotions of characters and uncover hidden meanings within the play through the use of movement. The play was performed to an audience of mostly young adults and teenagers, perhaps because it had been reconceptualised, which possibly appeals to younger generations.…

    • 2000 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Iago's silly thoughts and his thirsty anger will made Othello lose his love Desdemona and will make him kill himself. Also, Iago's draconian actions lead him to his final catastrophe. He got what he wanted and what he deserved too. Othello kill himself because of Iago's lies. He suffered constantly, first that all when he discovered the false relationship between his friend Cassio and his love Desdemona. Iago turned him into a monster. He killed Desdemona and then when he notices that he was a silly puppet, sad and without a hope he killed himself. "Then must to speak Of one that lov'd not wisely but too well (Lines 395-396). "I took by th' throat the circumcised dog, And smote him-thus.[Stabs himself.] "(Lines 407- 408). The only thing that he could not change was Cassius luck. He got a better charge than he had before and he will make Iago pay for what he did, so Iago will die painfully afterwards. " The time, the place, the torture. O, enforce it! Myself will straight aboard" (Lines…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On an overcast day the melancholy and mystery grows in the small streets in the town of Mongui, Colombia. So moving that even after generations much of the town come together for the funeral commemoration of my great grandfather General Melo, as people in his town still call him. In the Colonial era the Spinners conquer this region of Colombia. Colonist overtook the city and a militia was created by my great grandfather General Melo, which he stood up for people’s rights/liberty and oppose to the king’s tyranny. The creation of this forces lead to have a great respect to the last name I carry making me be indirect part of history through my ancestors. To commemorate his death, people from the town and also from nearby towns gathers…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Othello, by William Shakespeare, a common theme is jealousy which drives Othello to do reprehensible things like kill his love desdemona. Iago tries to convince Othello that being jealous is not the key, that it will destroy the man that he is. Iago says “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock. The meat it feeds on (195-197). This also relates to real life in society how if one person gets jealous over another it could destroy a person’s character and make them to be something they’re not. Even though Othello tries to victimize Desdemona in this play, Othello is also a victim of jealousy. As soon as Iago tells him about Desdemona being unloyal and unfaithful to him jealousy sets in. After Iago telling…

    • 743 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Othello was story of tragedy; it was a constant battle of good vs. evil. In this story characteristics change, and a hero fall. William Shakespeare was a write that knew have to reveal human character. It was his close connection to real human characters that drawn reader to his plays on stories. In this particular story of Othello the questions of humanity and inhumanity were told in the entire story.…

    • 1677 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, the title character is a 16th century Moorish general of the Venetian army who, because of the cultural and historical background of the play’s setting, the playwright, and the original intended audience, is portrayed as both well-respected for his stereotypical military prowess and disparaged for his race. Similarly, because of Othello ability to fulfill the desires of the Venetian people they loved and adored him. It was not until they gained perspective into who Othello was, a Moorish man, that they hated the color of his skin but loved the content of his character. African American men in today’s American society are both praised for (physical superiority) and hated for the thuggish image that many people…

    • 911 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    During the peak of his career, William Shakespeare wrote one of his most unique and arguably one of his best tragedies by the title of Othello, the Moor of Venice. Othello is very unique for many reasons, as it takes hold of concepts such as racism, and it also is very different in the way that it presents its antagonist, Iago. Iago is not the average evil enemy character that is common in the thousands of stories where good is pitched against evil. That being said, Iago is still definitely evil, even arguably evil incarnate, but the way Iago is presented as this evil character is very unlike most before him. Instead of directly going about killing good characters…

    • 1169 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the start of the play, it is revealed that Desdemona initiates their relationship after hearing Othello’s life stories. When Othello defends himself to the Duke, he states that his wife loves him “for the dangers [he] has passed” and he loves her for pitying him (Othello 1.3.169-170). It is Desdemona’s openness that allows the strength of their relationship to be developed. When they meet in Cyprus, their love is further displayed. Othello expresses his joy of seeing her by saying that there is “not another comfort like to this” (Othello 2.1.184-187). This shows their strong love for one another and the happiness they find in each other. The strength of their love enhances the tragic ending. It is incredible that a strong man like Othello is fooled by Iago’s accusations. It is easy to follow the changes in Othello’s mental state as he starts to speak in prose and uses animal metaphors, like “goats and monkeys” (Othello 4.1.257). Desdemona’s strength is exhibited as she continues to stand by her husband, though she is obviously distraught by her ill treatment. In her conversations with Emilia, as she constantly wonders what she has done wrong and how she can change her husband’s state of mind. When Emilia asks if she would cheat if it meant that she could have the whole world, Desdemona states she would remain loyal to her husband. When Othello and Desdemona die, the…

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    William Shakespeare uses many themes throughout his play Othello . One theme he uses throughout the play is revenge. He uses this theme by showing how destructive and blinding revenge and jealousy can be when taken in the wrong context and how it can consume someone so much that their judgement can be blinded. As Iago feeds the fire of jealousy for Othello by causing drama with Desdemona , the consequences are horrifying. Shakespeare illustrates how revenge can drive people to take extreme actions.…

    • 1309 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Othello becomes a tragedy of incomprehension where hate, manipulation and revenge derive from the arrogant and blinded nature of the characters and their interactions with one another. Within the Aristotelian tragedy of ‘Othello’, the attribute of incomprehension creates the ultimate downfall of Othello through Rodrigo’s initial and prevalent manipulation by Iago to further his plans, Iago’s inability to comprehend Othello’s genuine trust for him which fuels his blinded revenge and Othello’s incomprehension of Desdemona’s loyalty towards him which leads to his jealous rage and in turn, his death. Alongside Othello’s gradual buildup of jealousy throughout the play by Iago’s masterful plans, the downfall of Othello ultimately demonstrates the…

    • 1242 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A tragic hero is someone who is of high position in his culture. A tragic hero, is extraordinary, however not perfect. The audience is able to relate to him or her as a human being. The hero 's downfall is the result of a fatal flaw in his character. It is the result of free will, not of an accident or insignificant destiny. The hero does not necessarily deserve the misfortune. The punishment surpasses the "wrongdoing." The hero 's fall is not a complete loss. There is always an increase in awareness, a gain in self-knowledge, or some sort of discovery on the part of the tragic hero. Othello’s insecurities and how easily he trusts Iago are the main causes of his tragic downfall. Othello has a noble stature, as he is a well respected general.…

    • 2040 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The setting of Othello is crucial for the reader to better understand when the play is in a state of order or chaos. The play Othello takes place in both Venice, Italy and an island right off of Italy called Cyprus. In Venice, Italy, the play is set to be a city where everything in the play is ordered and when the play is set on the island of Cyprus, it is said that the play is in a chaotic state. William Shakespeare’s 1604 poem “Othello” demonstrates how Shakespeare uses the conventional poetic form to show how the main character, Iago’s villainy and how it enhanced his work.…

    • 1193 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays