Othello

“A strong story is only possible with strong characters.” In the context of the Elizabethan era, Shakespeare portrays his sixteenth century play Othello, as a story about the fatal flaws of his strong characters Othello, Iago and Desdemona. Through various language techniques, Shakespeare highlights the play’s universal themes of jealousy and revenge. By exploring the social context, racism and the roles of women, a strong story is produced. In the play, the protagonist Othello is a black man who is portrayed as a powerful character. This was ironic considering the social context of the era, as racism was prevalent in the sixteenth century. Othello was repeatedly referred to as “the Moor”, a “Barbary horse” and an “old black ram” in Scene I, Act I, as opposed to his name. All these nicknames denigrate his reputation and character as they liken Othello to a savage or barbarian from his native land, despite his high status from achieving the rank of general. His status was more impressive because of the stigma attached to having coloured skin. This was evident in Act 1, Scene 2, “tis yet to know -/which, when I know that boasting is an honour, / I shall provulgate.” Othello acknowledges his power, displaying both his confidence and dominance as a strong character. Another central concern of Othello was the vice of jealousy. When Iago undermines Desdemona’s purity, Othello becomes jealous. In order to uphold his reputation, Othello was determined to stay strong, declaring, “I am no jealous man”. However, Othello’s jealousy is displayed in his trail of repetitive questions in Act 3, Scene 3, of “Why dost though ask'”, “Why of thy thought, Iago'” and “What dost thou mean'” Shakespeare’s use of repetition suggests Othello’s apparent mistrust of Desdemona. The role of women in society is a key issue that was examined in Othello. In the Elizabethan era, women’s lives were subject to patriarchal constraints. The idealized representation of women were meek and subservient daughters and wives, taught from birth that their role was to simply govern the household and bear children. The stereotypical view of women was evident in Act 2, Scene 1, “Sir, would she give you so much of her lips/ as her tongue she oft bestows on me…” In this example, Iago uses derogatory language to show that his partner is only an object for sexual gratification. This highlights the view that women only play a supporting role to men in society. In addition, the weakness of women was underlined in Othello’s speech, “She’s gone, I am abused, and my relief/ must be to loathe her”. Shakespeare’s use of short, clipped sentences depicts Othello’s rejection of Desdemona for her apparent sinful deeds. Also, it signifies Iago’s accomplishment in controlling Othello’s mind. Thus, the theme jealousy symbolises the conflicts that were present in the play, outlining Othello’s strong character which assists in producing a strong story. Iago’s greed for power displays his clever, villainous character. By developing Iago’s desire to seek revenge on Othello, Shakespeare creates sinister and dramatic conflicts that aid in creating a good story. Iago’s greed for promotion is shown through the use of characterisation, evident by his clever schemes to bring about the demise of Othello. The audience witnesses his hunger for power through his soliloquies. One of the soliloquies which convey Iago’s strength of personality was in Act 1, Scene 3, where he cunningly schemed, “After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear/ that he is too familiar with his wife…” Within this sentence, Iago uses a synecdoche to symbolise his aspiration to destroy Othello’s trust for Desdemona. This ambition to harm their relationship indicates Iago’s initial idea of manipulating Othello’s thoughts. Iago again displays his craftiness in Act 2, Scene 1, “I’ll have our Michael Cassio on our hip / Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb… Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me”. From this dialogue, it is apparent that Iago has improved on his schemes as he uses emotional language to underline his control over Othello. This emotional language shows a sense of exaggeration over the result of his mind control, allowing the audience insight into Iago’s planning of Othello’s downfall. These two soliloquies allow the audience to visualise the developments of Iago’s plans, thereby conveying the characterisation of the sly and dangerous Iago. Shakespeare uses the literary techniques of repetition, symbolism and characterisation to convey the key concerns of Othello to the audience. From the textual analysis of the play, it is apparent that the main issues in Elizabethan society were jealousy, gender roles and racism. Through the conflict between the strong protagonists of Othello and Iago, Shakespeare has successfully produced a strong story.