... Iago's plan becomes so broad that he involves too many people for the result to be favorable to him. His aggression against Othello starts when Othello names Michael Cassio his lieutenant rather than Iago. This motive would have been valid if he had not involved Desdemona and Emilia. He ... considered a dramatic villain. Given uses examples such as Iago and Cassio's conversation concern! ing Bianca being interpreted to be Desdemona by Othello. Also, if Othello and Cassio had talked one time, Iago's entire plan would have been foiled. Given also uses Roderigo's lack of self-confidence as ...

• Word Count: 1715
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... a degree of disrespect. They are seen as lower or subordinate to the Venetians. 6. Desdemona is an ambitious and faithful character. Her marriage to Othello is extremely courageous due to the fact that he is Moorish and seen as an outsider by most other Venetians. She behaves differently in the midst ... of different characters. She is loving toward Othello but coarse towards Iago. 7. As the setting changes from Venice to Cypress, the tension of the story increases. It is at Cypress where ... abusive while Desdemona believes in faithfulness. Despite their class differences, the two women...

• Word Count: 800
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... that it would be impossible to actually witness Desdemona and Cassio having sex. He promises that he can provide circumstantial evidence, however. First, he tells Othello that while Cassio and Iago were sharing a bed, Cassio called out Desdemona's name in his sleep, wrung Iago's hand, kissed him hard on the ... instructing him to give it to the woman he desired to marry. Desdemona is shaken by the story and lies saying she has the handkerchief. Othello was mad and went off. Afterwards, Emilia laments the inconsistency of men. Cassio and Iago enter, and Cass! io immediately continues with ...

• Word Count: 2963
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• Grade Level: High School

... tragic hero abound. How did this role become a force in literature? The credit goes to none other than Shakespeare and his classic work Othello. Othello embodies the very essence of what has come to be known as the tragic hero. To often is the tragic hero looked upon as a ... of women, sex, drugs and violence. However, the tragic hero in its quintessence was formulated from layers of emotional duress and heroic traits. Othello carries all the traits that have come to be identified with the aforementioned tragic hero. He has despicable rivals, respect from those around him, ... stop there,...

• Word Count: 2635
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... as a sexual object. This language seems to correlate with the exploitation of his mind, done by Iago. As the play unfolds, Iago frequently describes Othello and his relationship with Desdemona through the use of animal imagery. When speaking with Brabantio, Iago says: " an old black ram | Is tupping ... and gender in! "(4.2.61-2). In these lines, he compares her to a woman who allows any man to copulate with her. The character of Othello experiences perhaps, the most dramatic change, and Shakespeare's done well to reflect this in the character's language. The hero in a play can never make...

• Word Count: 2433
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• Grade Level: High School

... again the destructive influence jealousy has on the human mind. Jealousy and its destructive influence in making irrational decisions is also shown by Othello. Iago tells Othello that he suspects Desdemona of infidelity, pointing out that Desdemona and Cassio are too close with one another and that it is ... one to make irrational decisions. ultimately depicting the level of corruption caused by the most destructive emotion. Another idea brought forward by Shakespeare in Othello is that jealousy eats away at the mind limiting functionality. This is exemplified by Iago, who is extremely o...

• Word Count: 1497
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... he is a cheating husband. This could be the reason Bianca is viewed as a prostitute, a home wrecker. This would also explain why they have an uncommitted relationship. The three women of "Othello" are similar to other female characters in Shakespeare's plays. They seek (or strive for) respect and equality between both sexes, and fall short in a male-dominated society. Again, Shakespeare allows ... for their actions, not reporting the abuse to authorities, and often forgiving them for their violent bullying. There are differences between a typical abuse case and the case of Desdemona and...

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... setting, Brabantio is woken from his sleep by Roderigo and Iago, who relayed news of a secret marriage between his daughter, Desdemona, and the Moor, Othello. Brabantio is infuriated, not just by the fact that "[Desdemona] is gone " but also that she is with "the Moor " (I.i.162). He ... long live you to think [she is honest] " (III.iii.226). However, Iago's poison is already showing its effects. It is clear that Othello is skeptical because he retorted his previous comment; "And yet, how nature erring from itself - " (III.iii.227). He begins to question his ... that "tis fit that Cas...

• Word Count: 1083
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... , proving how even the most seemingly miniscule omission can lead to a person's downfall. Desdemona losing her handkerchief creates tension in her relationship with Othello when she believes she has cursed the love and when she lies about its whereabouts, and further shows how even an elementary mistake can result in ... it up, but returns it to Iago instead of Desdemona. This leads Desdemona to believe she has lost the prized possession, and betrayed Othello's love by doing so. Othello tells her the handkerchief has magical properties, "but if she lost it, Or made a gift of it, my father...

• Word Count: 1198
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• Has Bibliography

... he protests, "Rude am I in my speech,/ And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace" (I.iii.81–82). While Othello is never rude in his speech, he does allow his eloquence to suffer as he is put under increasing strain by Iago's plots. In the ... and offstage audiences with his words. The speech that precedes his suicide is a tale that could woo almost anyone. It is the tension between Othello's victimization at the hands of a foreign culture and his own willingness to torment himself that makes him a tragic figure rather than simply Iago's ... extincted spirits,/ And bring all Cyp...

• Word Count: 2512
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• Grade Level: High School

... examination will proceed in chronological order starting with an opening scene, moving to the dead middle of the action, and finally the scene where Desdemona is murdered. Othello starts the play on top of the world. He is the man that everyone wants to be: married to a beautiful woman, the head of the Venetian ... go wrong, and alone with his thoughts after his decision making. After reading Act I, the audience is left with a sense of innocence and goodness in Othello's character, however, it doesn't take an investigator to realize that the unstableness and malleability of his soul wi...

• Word Count: 1345
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... heroism to combat the evil of Iago. It is for about only one act that this play is without a truly honorable hero. It is because Othello looses his trust for Desdemona that his heart is turned to madness. However it is because Emilia keeps her trust in Desdemona that allows her to be heroic ... breath she says that she killed herself. Emilia is again quick to trust her friend, "She said so: I must needs report the truth" (5.2.156). After some confusion Othello finally reveals that it was he that had killed his own wife and Iago who told him about Desdemona's deception. It is at this poin...

• Word Count: 1287
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... there is a dichotomy between the person Iago presents himself as and who he actually is. Iago has a lot to do with the transformation of the character Othello throughout the play. Iago even says in the beginning: "The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be ... the fair devil.   Now are the my lieutenant" (III, iii, 475-479). Here we see the anger and violent rage that is beginning to grow in Othello's character. He is not the passive Moor that he used to be. He becomes transformed into a cruel and tense man because of the lies Iago plants in him ....

• Word Count: 1504
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... Iago's plan. In this scene the reader learns that Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, because he threatens to drown himself when he learns that Othello and Desdemona are engaged. Uses Roderigo's weakness to help him remove Cassio from his lieutenant position. Iago tells Roderigo to "put money in thy purse" ... is directly in love with [Cassio]" (215). From there previous discussion, Roderigo believes that he will be with Desdemona when she is no longer with Othello. Here, Roderigo learns that he has competition, and this information is given to Roderigo only because Iago hopes that Roder...

• Word Count: 2354
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... / Weather I in any just term am affined / To love the Moor (I, i, 38-40)." Here, Iago is wondering why after what Othello has done, he should show any friendship to Othello (in Shakespearean plays and times, love had a contextual meaning of friendship). This is clearly the first piece of evidence to show Iago's discontent ... hate the Moor" (380) which is clearly a motivation for assisting in his death. Second Iago mentions the whole "twixting sheets idea and how he feels Othello could be having some kind of affair with his wife. He says that it is merely a suspicion, but concludes that i...

• Word Count: 1103
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• Grade Level: High School

... there is a dichotomy between the person Iago presents himself as and who he actually is. Iago has a lot to do with the transformation of the character Othello throughout the play. Iago even says in the beginning: "The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be ... the fair devil.   Now are the my lieutenant" (III, iii, 475-479). Here we see the anger and violent rage that is beginning to grow in Othello's character. He is not the passive Moor that he used to be. He becomes transformed into a cruel and tense man because of the lies Iago plants in him ....

• Word Count: 1506
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... adventures, and loved him for that. He, on the other hand, was glad that a woman truly appreciated all that he had done for his country. Othello states in Scene III of the First Act, lines 166-167, "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did ... As long as she has the handkerchief, their marriage will remain intact. Of course, it is silly to believe a handkerchief can keep a marriage together, but Othello takes this to heart, and immediately questions Desdemona regarding its whereabouts. When she does not instantly produce the handkerchief as "proof- of her fa...

• Word Count: 1558
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... chose me". Here he is telling Iago that Desdemona could of chosen any man to fall in love with but she decided to choose him. Othello's attitude towards jealousy changes dramatically when Iago convinces him to believe that his wife is cheating on him. This tells the audience no matter what ... for Desdemona and even if something was to come along and damage their love, the chaos would never come again. Frustration would also be involved here. Othello sees Iago as a trusting person. We see this in his words". "I know thou art full of love and honesty". Here he is saying that ... her to ...

• Word Count: 1309
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• Grade Level: High School

... there is a dichotomy between the person Iago presents himself as and who he actually is. Iago has a lot to do with the transformation of the character Othello throughout the play. Iago even says in the beginning: "The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be ... the fair devil.   Now are the my lieutenant" (III, iii, 475-479). Here we see the anger and violent rage that is beginning to grow in Othello's character. He is not the passive Moor that he used to be. He becomes transformed into a cruel and tense man because of the lies Iago plants in him ....

• Word Count: 1417
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... killing. I use this example from the story because any man who feels betrayed sometimes does not know initially how to react to such a feeling. In Shakespeare's "Othello", the character Iago is, at least in my point of view, the main and most interesting character. Iago is in virtually every scene in the play, and has ... Iago is left as a prisoner of Cassio, to live with what he did. Throughout history, the treatment of women has been an ever-changing issue. Othello by William Shakespeare is a story in which the women characters are treated in the unfair way that women of the time of the...

• Word Count: 1363
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• Grade Level: High School

... its importance runs throughout Shakespeare's work. The contrasting images of Desdemona have a secondary purpose; they make it hard for the audience to form a clear interpretation of her. Her father and Othello commend her for being sweet, gentle and mild yet her actions convey the opposite. Desdemona's actions will be interpreted differently depending on how the audience see her character. It could ... ; she is hiding her true feelings beneath a mask. These lines could be interpreted sinisterly as Desdemona being an actress and deceiving those around her. But I think she is worried about...

• Word Count: 2631
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• Grade Level: High School

... high places. This represents a class struggle for social positions yet again. Thus Iago's main motive is revenge against the Moorish military general Othello who didn't promote him, as well as the captain Cassio who, despite the lack of qualifications got the promotion. Cassio's lack of ... wants - Desdemona is merely an object to him, despite the love he has for her and vice versa. Even on her dying breath Desdemona defends Othello. When Emilia demands "O, who hath done this deed?- Desdemona responds "Nobody - I myself- [5.2.124-125] consequently condemning herself to an eternity in ....

• Word Count: 3595
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• Grade Level: High School

... It is also shown in his relationships with nearly all the major characters of the play including Roderigo, Cassio, Emilia, and of course Othello. Iago identifies the weaknesses in Roderigo, that is his undying love for Desdemona, and his kind-hearted gullible nature. He manipulates Roderigo by ... for him to succeed in deceiving so many characters if it weren't for each character's flaws and weaknesses, which are very apparent in Othello. Othello's flaws and weaknesses within himself contribute a great deal to his downfall. He is very prone to jealousy, mainly because of his insecurities ...

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... wooed my lady, Know of your love?" or by muttering under his breath, "Ha, I like not that," when Cassio visits Desdemona. Iago warns Othello, "Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio." Shakespeare intensifies Iago's manipulative techniques as he begins to use words like "cuckhold," personifying animalistic ... an animalistic, malicious monster who uses Iago's bestial vocabulary. While one can consider Iago the sole cause of Othello's downfall, cause can also be found within Othello himself. It is Othello's intrinsic internal flaws of jealousy, naivety, inability to judge charact...

• Word Count: 854
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... It is also shown in his relationships with nearly all the major characters of the play including Roderigo, Cassio, Emilia, and of course Othello. Iago identifies the weaknesses in Roderigo, that is his undying love for Desdemona, and his kind-hearted gullible nature. He manipulates Roderigo by ... for him to succeed in deceiving so many characters if it weren't for each character's flaws and weaknesses, which are very apparent in Othello. Othello's flaws and weaknesses within himself contribute a great deal to his downfall. He is very prone to jealousy, mainly because of his insecurities ...

• Word Count: 1729
• Approx Pages: 7