Othello

Shakespeare once quoted “Love looks not only with the eyes but with the mind”, which summarises the play Othello, one of his greatest works. The play outlines how Othello saw his love for his pure wife Desdemona, decline rapidly, his mind becoming twisted with false impressions and venomous insinuations from his trusted Ancient. These processes transform his mind, altering his previously passionate love. This in itself , is the main message brought to light by Othello, as well as the need to protect ones weaknesses as they will always be easily . The drama revolves around the fatal flaw of jealousy and psychological manipulation , which in effect builds a sense of pity as well as horror, as Iago ensures Othello's downfall. Personally, I believe suspense, excitement and awe are created by this plot, which shows how immoral the human condition can be. An English scholar, was quoted as saying- “it's as if Iago, merely, so deviously twists a sword in Othello's insecurities, creating a living hell- yet he is not a hero, no near. He doesn't battle valiantly against an evil but merely is used by it and is emotionally weak.” Many critics perceive Othello, as the tragic hero, but due to the fact he is highly ignorant to his surroundings, naïve with human interaction and in addition completely irrational I beg to differ. In contrast to the norm, I don't believe that this play highlights good vs evil, mostly due to the fact that Othello isn't heroic, and is easily exploited despite his experience. My personal response to Othello is moulded by the themes, of a range of human emotions; those of love to hate, suspicion and distrust which in conjunction with Othello's jealousy contribute to create the sense of pity and horror so evident in this play, as a world is gradually divided, carved by the most prominent manipulator in all of Shakespeare's works, Iago. Iago's mere awesomeness, in my opinion is a setting for the play; a setting in which calamity always run loose. Furthermore, the themes of pride, race and misinterpretation constitute Othellos vast insecurities which are exploited and thus helped me create a personal understanding for Othello, and the characters in Iago's company. My thoughts on the play, are influenced remarkably by the use of in depth and intriguing characters in association with Shakespeare's chracterisation. Through reading the play, I have come to the conclusion that Iago, has no ability, an inability to humans feelings, which is the reason for his exaggerated and excessive revenge. He does on the other hand have a distinct ability to relate to their worries and there weaknesses and where to exploit them. The characterisation used by Shakespeare enhances an audience ability to distinguish Iago's thoughts and feeling when in isolation, displaying his villainous thoughts and plans, opposed to the view of society as a trustworthy citizen. In my opinion, Othello, like Iago has no ability to relate to other human beings except Iago himself, who he obviously holds all his trust with, and that throughout the course of the drama Othello, becomes much more closer to Iago, and grows to love him, more than just trust him. From the beginning of the play I would reason that Othello views women as inferior due to his lack of trust with Desdemona, whom he supposedly loves. His black skin and personality develop my understanding of him as being an outsider. Desdemona, Othello's wife, represents a saint, and is the hero of the play .I conclude that through Shakespeare's characterisation she would be a woman, never slightly tempted to be immoral and unfaithful. She is a contrast of both Iago and Othello; she is pure and displays graciousness and romantic inspirations. She is depicted as beautiful both inside and out, which Her ability to relate to others, is undeniable, reflected through her selflessness and kindness, unlike Iago and Othello who's worlds revolve around themselves. The character traits which have been demonstrated throughout the play enriched my understanding and have shaped my personal response as one that is more knowledgeable and more in depth, a demonstration of the prominence of various attributes highlighted throughout this text.