Major Concerns Of Othello By William Shakespeare Essay

Major Concerns of Othello Overshadowed by Race Othello speaks to Iago in Act Three of the play saying, â€Å"certain, men should be what they seem† (3.3.131). This excerpt provides a foundation for Othello to later question the actions and morality of Cassio and Desdemona established in lieu of Iago’s scheme. This is a very important concept to showcase because Othello devoutly loved Desdemona and trusted Cassio until conniving language from Iago caused him to think otherwise. In this essay, I will present textual evidence from multiple sources examining the central concerns of the play, which include identity, revenge, and color. One major grievance that is apparent from the play’s open and continues to escalate throughout the play is identity, not in the sense of race, but mainly in the sense of reputation. Cassio and Othello share many similarities, revealed within acts two and three of the play. Both of these character rely heavily on their reputations. For O thello, his reputation is a sole concern because he is so different. Frequently throughout the play he is mentioned as Moor, but disregarding this word to pertain to race as we define it today, he is primarily referred to as the â€Å"outsider† to everyone he encounters. To be an outsider for Othello meant that he had to be superhuman, behaving and presenting himself in a near flawless manner. From the beginning of the play, the audience is plagued with understanding who Iago really is. In her chapter onShow MoreRelatedLove and Desdemona2800 Words   |  12 Pagesothello was a tradgic play. it shows many different types of feeling inWithout Trust, Love Cannot Prevail Trust can be defined as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something (Websters 1246). In life many people are faced with the decision on who or who not to trust, especially in the realm of love. Trust is one of the main factors needed to determine a healthy, loving relationship. In William Shakespeares Othello, the main character Othello is unableRead MoreReputation and Image in William Shakespeare ´s Othello862 Words   |  4 Pages Othello Explication In William Shakespeare’s Othello, unspoken fears of being an outsider and concerns about his public image contribute to the downfall of a tragic hero named Othello. Othello, a general in the Venetian army’s, final monologue reflects the importance of reputation and the conformity needed to fit his surroundings. He is seen as an outsider of the Venetian culture; he is frequently referred to as â€Å"the Moor† and is called an abundance of racial slurs by the Venice born natives.Read MoreOthello Is Essentially an Noble Character, Flawed by Insecurity and a Nature That Is Naive and Unsophisticated1070 Words   |  5 PagesOthello is essentially an noble character, flawed by insecurity and a nature that is naive and unsophisticated. Looking at William Shakespeares Othello The Moor Of Venice, the central character, Othello is revered as the tragic hero. He is a character of high stature that is destroyed by his surroundings, his own actions, and his fate. His dest ruction is essentially precipitated by his own actions, as well as by the actions of the characters surrounding him. The tragedy of Othello is not aRead More Racism in William Shakespeare’s Othello Essay2606 Words   |  11 PagesRacism in William Shakespeare’s Othello    In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello racism is featured throughout, not only by Iago in his despicable animalistic remarks about Othello’s marriage, but also by other characters. Let us in this essay analyze the racial references and their degrees of implicit racism. Racism persists from the opening scene till the closing scene in this play. In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne comments on the racism inherent inRead More Redemption in Death in Othello Essay1562 Words   |  7 PagesRedemption in Death in Othello      Ã‚   The brilliance of a tragedy lies in its ability to maintain its moral and the values it explores even in the tragic ending or in the downfall of its heroes. William Shakespeare does just this Othello, so quintessentially that the deaths in the end do not only refrain from undermining or canceling out the virtues of the play, but they actually restore them to the deceased, who have died because they have lost them.   In this play, love, loyalty, and honestyRead More Shakespeares Othello: Jealousy Sexual in Nature Essay2214 Words   |  9 PagesOthello: Jealousy Sexual in Nature  Ã‚        Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello manifests a lot of activity motivated by a variety of passions, some good and others not so. Let’s analyze what many critics consider to be the dominant passion on the part of the protagonist’s most significant actions.    A. C. Bradley, in his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, describes the dominant motivating passion in Othello:    In the second place, there is no subject more excitingRead More Shakespeares Othello: Is Jealousy the Cause? Essays1928 Words   |  8 PagesThe hero in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello is guided to murder by his passions. Which passions? Jealousy? Sexual jealousy? In this paper let us look into these questions. In the volume Shakespeare and Tragedy John Bayley denies that jealousy is a major causative factor in the play: The play eludes with ease any attempt to pin it down to a solution: why it happened, what caused it, what weakness in Othello was involved? Even jealousy as such is not the reason. Jealousy is a long-term affairRead MoreHow the Sub-Plot Mirrors the Main Plot in King Lear by William Shakespeare895 Words   |  4 PagesHow the Sub-Plot Mirrors the Main Plot in King Lear by William Shakespeare One can say that the sub plot does mirror the main plot to some extent. Some are in subtle ways and some are in the more obvious ways. Shakespeare has two plots in order to intensify the main theme of tragedy that runs throughout this play. The main plot is in which King Lear is the tragic hero however it is clear that just by misfortune he is deprived of something very valuable to him by error ofRead MoreDegrees of Guilt in Othello2649 Words   |  11 PagesAlthough the degrees of their guilt greatly vary, every major character in Shakespeares Othello contributes to the deadly chain of events that transpire. There are seven major characters in the play: Othello, Iago, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Bianca. Though some may seem to have greater roles than others in the tragedy, each one can be considered a major character because their specific actions are factors in the catastrophic ending. It is obvious that only a few of them have deviousRead MoreThe Beautiful Character of Desdemona in Shakespeares Othello2743 Words   |  11 PagesOthello and the Beautiful Character of Desdemona  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   The good character of Desdemona in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello meets a wretched end because of the sinister treachery of an ancient. In this essay let us analyze the beautiful character of Desdemona.    Valerie Wayne in â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† comments on the proper manner of interpreting Desdemona’s body as referred to by an irate Othello:    Desdemona’s body before her supposed adultery