“Othello”is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. In the observation of human behavior, Shakespeare noticed that although people respect conventional values much of the time, they sometimes learn to develop techniques that enable them to counteract the effectiveness of the values and laws and drift towards illegitimate behavior.
In Act iii, Scene iii is where Shakespeare shows the turning point of Othello through the implementation of Iago’s plot. Othello’s strong demeanour is now shaken as he is seduced by Iago’s lies and claims them as the truth from an honest old friend.According to Van Laan (1978) Othello’s careful, controlled presentation of himself as meritorious is neither nether play-acting nor discrepant roleplaying, but it is touched by both. His tendency to act his own identity suggests his particular enjoyment of it. By playing his own identity, he evolves the notion of a felt discrepancy, of a felt lack of full equivalence between this identity and himself.
The extreme contrast between Othello and Lago also extends to their histrionic activity for where Othello’s play-acting is moderate, perhaps not fully conscious, and designed to preserve.Lago is destructive in intentions, highly calculated and constantly operative whenever he is in the presence of another. Iago whosecredo reads‘Iam not what I am’ and only his soliloquies or under the cover of darkness does he say or do anything not suiting his fictitious role of ‘honest Iago. ’ I agree with Van Laan’s interpretation of Othello’s character. Othello does seem to enjoy his entitlement.
As seen in the poem, Iago is careful to make note of Othello’s authority and never regarded himself as his equal. This though had blinded him from seeing Iago’s true destructive nature. According to Bradley (1904)Othello is, in one sense of the word, by far the most romantic figure among Shakespeare’s heroes; and he is so partly from the strange life of war and adventure which he has lived from childhood. He does not belong to our world, and he seems to enter it we know not whence- almost as if from wonderland. There is something mysterious in his descent from men of royal siege. The sources of danger in this character are revealed too clearly by the story.
Othello’s mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outwards. He is quite free from introspection, and it not given to reflection.Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect.
I disagree with Bradley on ‘Othello’s mind is simple. ’ Though Othello is really a stranger to the European way of life and deception, he is only but a man with greater insecurities from being a black man. But as the Shakespeare ‘Hero’ he is aware that is indeed different and would always be different but proudly carries on strong and determined. He doesn’t trust Iago instantly in the poem and he probably never trusted Iago as he didn’t give him the promotion.
Iago is skilled with deception and trickery as Othello wasn’t the only one that was tricked by him.To say Othello’s mind is simple to say that everyone else in the play mind is also very simple. Tragedy (tragos, a he-goat and ode, o(i)de, a song, aeido, to sing; because, it is said, a goat was the prize of the early tragic choirs in Athens) is a drama, usually in verse, portraying the struggle of a strong-willed protagonist against fate, as predestined by mysterious, divine, social, or psychological forces culminating in disaster and usually death, caused by a flaw, as envy or ambition, in the protagonist’s character, usually resolved by the protagonist’s belated recognition and acceptance of fate.Aristotle had concluded that although the action of some tragedies could proceed from woe to happiness, the more effective tragedies went in a reverse direction. He believed that tragic heroes should be neither absolutely evil nor absolutely good.
The tragic hero should be good but flawed. According to Dyson (1950) The development of Shakespeare power of exhibiting a character’s inner life is one of the clear marks of his ripening art. It is rightly associated with tragedy, for self-knowledge is sharpened and deepened by pain. If comedy sports with human follies, tragedy mocks over strength and turns it onto weakness.Othello’s love for Desdemona presents an immense target for the poisoned mind of Iago. The key device used to enhance the poem of tragedy is Dramatic Irony.
Dramatic Irony is a plot device in which the audience’s or reader’s knowledge of events or individuals surpasses that of characters therefore takes a different meaning for the audience or reader than they have for the play’s characters. This may happen when, for example, a character reacts in an inappropriate or foolish way when a character lacks self-awareness and thus acts under false assumptions.The audience may sympathize with the character, who does not know the true situation. Or, the audience may see the character as blind and ignorant. The clues may be rather obvious, but the character may be unwilling to recognize the truth.
The dramatic irony is heightened in Act iii, Scene iii of the poem ‘Othello’. This excerpt shows Iago’s play on Othello’s weakness and that he is advantageous and merciless. Othello is unaware of Iago’s true intentions and though at first he didn’t seem easily persuaded, in the end his flaw overcame him.Othello’s trust in Iago increases as his for Desdemona decreases.
Iago starts off as being humble and gently peaks Othello’s interest to his stealthy plot. The dramatic irony unfolds through Iago’s persuasion of Othello to gain his trust. Iago: “Though I am bound to every act of duty, I am not bound to that all slaves are free to. Utter thy thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false ;”( 154-155) Iago reminds Othello that he is below him, showing that he is seeking permission to speak his thoughts.Giving Othello the satisfaction of the authority he holds, but the audience is aware that Iago is eager to carry forth his plot and this is his chance to activate the plan with his primary actor. Othello doesn’t realize how true Iago thoughts would be ‘vile and false’ Iago: “O, beware, my lord, of jealous! It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (187-189) Iago is warning Othello about himself but Othello doesn’t seem to grasp that notion.
‘Green-eyed monster’ is indeed Iago himself. He is the one who is green of envy and contempt for Othello. That meat it feeds on’ is Iago feeding on Othello’s flaws or Othello himself. After feeling deceived by Othello for choosing Cassio for the promotion, Iago had begun having a feast on the destruction of Othello. Iago; “She did deceive her father, marrying you; and when she seem’d to shake and fear your looks, she loved them most. ” (229-231) Iago uses the truth and then twists it to be looked upon tragically by Othello.
The audience is aware of Iago’s trickery but Othello is ignorant to the fact. ‘Deceive her father,’ Iago stresses on ‘deceived’.If Desdemona could ‘deceive’ her father, her flesh and blood, by marrying a Moor, someone that she knew her father would never approve of, then she could easily deceive Othello with another man. A cycle of deception is what Iago tried to play on Othello’s mind. Iago then puts the imagery of Othello’s race through the line, ‘and when she seem’d to shake and fear your looks’ reminding Othello that her love for a black man seems suspicious especially since its highly unlikely for an interracial combination in that era.How could she claim to love Othello when at first she was appalled by him probably because of the colour of his skin? And now, she loves him? Iago: “To seel her father’s eyes up close as oak.
He thought ‘twas witchcraft- but I am much to blame ;”( 235-236) Iago’s saying of Desdemona sealing her father’s eyes is quite ironic since he is trying to seal Othello’s eye from the absolute truth. He seals Othello’s eyes by not letting him know that he was hurt by Cassio’s promotion instead of his which had led him to this devious plot of revenge tragedy.Only the audience sees his ‘sealing up’ of Othello’s eyes. ‘He thought ‘twas witchcraft’ What Othello doesn’t know is that Iago is the one that tricked Desdemona father into thinking that Othello had used witchcraft to gain her love.
‘Witchcraft’ is used because of Othello’s culture, he is stereotyped that he used his ancestors craft to enchant Desdemona; why else would she have ever loved a black man? ‘But I am much to blame;’ though he says this lightly, the audience knows that Iago is indeed the one to blame for her father’s greater contempt for Othello.Iago: “I hope you consider what is spoke comes from my love. But I do see you’re moved; I am to pray you are not to strain any speech to grosser issues, nor to larger reach than to suspicion” (242-247) The audience knows that Iago’s testament is false and comes far from his love for Othello. He uses rhetorical trickery, almost mocking Othello behind his words, to rub Othello’s ego that he is doing this because of his love and admiration for him.
When behind his words are hate and revenge with eagerness to get his plan moving for Othello’s downfall. ‘I do see you’re moved’ is Iago’s questioning of Othello to see if his plan is forthcoming. ‘I am to pray you are not to strain any speech to grosser issues, nor to reach than to suspicion’ is quite the opposite of what Iago really desires. He wants Othello to react and he would have been more pleased if Othello would have flown into a jealous rage right in front of him instead of his cool exterior.
Othello: “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty, and knows all qualities, with a learned spirit, of human dealings” Othello now thinks that Iago is honest, which shows the audience that Iago plan is now in action. He has gained Othello’s trust and raised Othello’s suspicion of his wife Desdemona. He blindly falls into Iago’s trap and instead of maintaining that block of trust in his wife; he allowed it to be crumbled by Iago. But Iago is in fact a learned spirit (an evil one) of human dealings, as know twists the minds of multiple players in his plot for revenge.
Act iii, Scene iii have shown the breaking down of the hero called Othello. His strong demeanor, his trust and love for his wife, are just as fragile as anyone else. From keeping a stance that his wife is faithful, to being suspicious and ready to investigate her, he shows his flaws clearly by his insecurity for love. He is a black man, royal, but still black and loving and making a white woman his wife brought forward his insecurities to be shouted. To which Iago has fed on and succeeded in this scene to set the foundation for his revenge.
