Fate vs Othello and Romeo & Juliet

In Romeo and Juliet, as well as in Othello, the couples face issues concerning “otherness.” Romeo and Juliet begin their ill-fated journey feeling the need to resolve their differences, but knowing they would prove problematic. Juliet opens her speech on the balcony cursing their familial ties:

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name,

Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”

Juliet demonstrates her carefree youth and innocence, by professing the unimportance of their differences. She says that Montague

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word would smell as sweet.”

Juliet doesn’t seem to see the “big deal” so to speak in their situations; she doesn’t un

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,

Although somewhat smaller in Othello, Fate still played an important role in determining the eventual outcome. Fate first flapped her wings when Othello arrived last in Cyprus. During the time before he arrived, Cassio and Desdemona spoke, as the stage directions say, “intimately” (2.1.166). Iago took this opportunity to “ensnare as great a fly as Cassio” (2.1.168-169). Iago gets lucky again with Desdemona’s natural willingness to help Cassio:

Whereto we see in all things nature tends—“

Shakespeare makes the “otherness” dilemma quite a bit more obvious in Othello. Desdemona’s father Brabantio describes Othello and Desdemona’s marriage as “Against all rules of nature” (1.3.103) and Iago calls it “unnatural” (3.3.249). When the characters speak about Othello, they call him the “Moor” as opposed to calling him by his name, which places even more emphasis on his “otherness.” Brabantio previously accepted Othello as a hero and a soldier who he often invited to dinner, but would not have his daughter marrying “an old black ram” (1.1.90). Iago uses Othello’s race, and his insecurity about it, to plant the first seed of doubt in Othello’s mind. Iago uses Othello’s words against him on this point. Othello says “And yet, how nature erring from itself—“ (3.3.243), and Iago jumps in to say,

I’ll watch him tame and talk him out of patience;

Iago turns her actual sympathy for her friend into the apparent sympathy for her lover. Throughout the entire play (until Emilia puts the pieces together), Fate travels with Iago; from Othello’s handkerchief to Bianca’s perfect timing. However endless Iago’s luck seemed, Fate threw in another twist. Iago served his purpose to ruin Othello’s life, and then Fate left him high and dry as well. How can one blame Othello

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