The violence Othello commits is not an act of unmitigated violence. It is intentional and serves a larger purpose within Othello’s response to Iago’s manipulation. Iago has made Othello question Desdemona and question his own masculinity. Because of this, Othello acts against Desdemona in a way that works as an attempt at reasserting his dominance within the relationship. The two begin their romance as equal partners and as Othello is poisoned by Iago’s words the power subtly shifts. By cheating, regardless of truth, Desdemona has established a kind of power over Othello or at least he believes this to have happened. So, in order to transfer his shame and reassert himself as a man he commits the ultimate act of violence against her.
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The feeling of superiority is clear as Iago refers to Othello as “an old black ram” (1.1.87). Iago often alludes (and at times blatantly addresses) Othello’s race and his belief of superiority based on race. The villain of the play is a white man who can convince Othello that his wife was having an affair with another white character. Not only does Othello believe he has been cuckolded, the man who supposedly had an affair with Desdemona is a white man. Iago is playing off Othello’s insecurities as a man but even more so as a black man. He uses Othello to act out his feelings of superiority and deep rooted jealousy, “As a black man, Othello represents and upholds racial difference by becoming for the white man (embodied most fully by Iago) the repository of white male subjects’ suppressed fantasies and desires” (Comensoli 93). Othello is the puppet by which Iago is able to act out his rage and insecurities. The connection between race and masculinity is created with Iago’s manipulation. By insinuating Othello is inadequate due to his race and eventually as a man, Iago pushes Othello towards the ultimate act of violence committed against
The feeling of superiority is clear as Iago refers to Othello as “an old black ram” (1.1.87). Iago often alludes (and at times blatantly addresses) Othello’s race and his belief of superiority based on race. The villain of the play is a white man who can convince Othello that his wife was having an affair with another white character. Not only does Othello believe he has been cuckolded, the man who supposedly had an affair with Desdemona is a white man. Iago is playing off Othello’s insecurities as a man but even more so as a black man. He uses Othello to act out his feelings of superiority and deep rooted jealousy, “As a black man, Othello represents and upholds racial difference by becoming for the white man (embodied most fully by Iago) the repository of white male subjects’ suppressed fantasies and desires” (Comensoli 93). Othello is the puppet by which Iago is able to act out his rage and insecurities. The connection between race and masculinity is created with Iago’s manipulation. By insinuating Othello is inadequate due to his race and eventually as a man, Iago pushes Othello towards the ultimate act of violence committed against