... moral issue such as right versus wrong or good versus evil. In one of the most famous pieces of literature ever written, William Shakespeare's play Othello, the Moor of Venice, this controversy of good versus evil is constant throughout the entire play; the side of good personified by Desdemona, evil ... personified by Iago, and the human influence personified by Othello. Othello is constantly manipulated by both sides throughout the piece and the choices he makes turn out to prove just how strong the influence of evil ... the side of good in this play. The side of dishonesty, hatred, ...

• Word Count: 1058
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... devilish and without conscience seems the same. As early as the first scene of the play Iago claims motivation for his actions. In this first scene we see Othello, a general of Venice, has made Cassio his new lieutenant. Iago feels he truly deserves his promotion as he says, "I know my price, I am ... worth more no worse a place" (1.1.12). At the end of act 1 scene 3, Iago says he thinks Othello may have slept with his wife, Emilia: "It is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets he has done my office" (1.3.429-430). However, none of these ... to a "bride and groom divesting them for bed" (2...

• Word Count: 753
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... reader by a deceitful Iago. Convincing Rodrigo, other characters and perhaps the reader that their love could only be the result of some spell cast by Othello to usurp her love. Iago spins on his web of deceit. Desdemona's love is not true. It is the result of some magic. Twisting ... reality Iago convinces them and the result is death. The story begins. Branbanzio confronts Othello. " .O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter? Dammed as thou art, thou hast enchanted her, for I"ll refer me to all things ... involuntary reaction to the situations. Maybe if he says what he thi...

• Word Count: 883
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... of his gullibility in the play. How could the author of a book depict the hero of this book in a racist way? Throughout the early parts of the play Othello was only referred to as "he", "The Moor", and "his Moorship" by Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio, the three "bad guys" of the play. They also ... "the bad guys" and the audience isn't suppose to agree with what they say. By having these three men describe Othello in such a way, Shakespeare is telling the audience "since these guys despise Othello so much, Othello is good, and anything they say about him is biased because their evil". Th...

• Word Count: 670
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... presentation of being a corrupt person. He is one of Shakespeare's most romantic heroes. This is partly due to the strange life of war and adventure he has lived since childhood. Othello is solemn, self-controlled, and steeled by the experience of countless perils, hardships, and vicissitudes. He has complete confidence in himself; so much that he is unrivaled. He proves this ... with his admirable restraint with Brabantio's charge of witchcraft. Othello is honest and very trusting. His trust is absolute, which is a misjudgment with Iago. Othello is a Christian and is very much in love ...

• Word Count: 591
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... honesty can affect you greatly and every solitary day. This idea was one of the most specific and open parts of the plot of William Shakespeare's Othello. In the play Shakespeare gives us brilliant insight as to what can happen as a result of believing and trusting in the honesty and words of ... others. Though they might seem sincere, he seems to say, everyone has their own agenda. The three characters: Iago, Desdemona, and Othello himself all seemed to view honesty and moral values in their own personal ways; some were deserving of trust, some not. "O, that's an honest fellow" ... wif...

• Word Count: 888
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... of their lives. These three characters who on the surface appear to be similar, but actually are very distinctive individuals, are Iago, Othello, and Roderigo. In the tragedy Othello, the character Iago has a very jealous and greedy nature. Iago is only interested in his own well being and is a very ... to life. It is Iago's evil approach to life, which leads to his poor quality of life. The main character, who ironically is named Othello, is much different from Iago, but on the surface appears to be very similar. The two gentlemen both have beautiful and loving wives, are well ... per...

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... (Cassio speaks of Desdemona with high respect and delicate, restrained language that he sees befitting Desdemona when he calls her an "exquisite lady." When Othello is about to murder Desdemona, he describes her as having "whiter skin than snow/And smooth as monumental alabaster"). As a woman, Desdemona more ... than likely spent the majority of her life being looked after and kept safe by her father and now, Othello. She probably would have been oblivious to most international and social confrontations and therefore, it is no wonder that she did not know anything ... stands up for her...

• Word Count: 688
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Iago brings out all of the other characters" secrets and confessions. His great cunning, manipulative abilities, and almost supernatural perception mean that he is a very formidable foe, and this makes Othello's fall seem even more inevitable and tragic. Shakespeare clearly brings out the importance and irrelevance of the major and minor characters, respectively. Thus, the audience is able to distinguish exactly ... what occurs, and is able to spot signs of foreshadowing, which is another excellent aspect of the play Othello. Obviously, the transition of each event to another is excepti...

• Word Count: 535
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... by telling Roderigo that Desdemona loves Cassio. He had also told Cassio that he would help him be reappointed as Othello's lieutenant after the fight with Montano. Iago had also said that he loved Cassio and Othello. Iago had told many lies to may people, He had backstabbed them, which is not a crime, but ... very mean. Iago contrived ways to get revenge against Othello and Cassio. He planned the fight between Roderigo and Cassio. He was indirectly the cause of the stabbing of Montano, but Roderigo was the ... one who actually attacked him. Iago also wanted the break the relationship b...

• Word Count: 289
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... many reasons to do what he does. For example, he is angry that Cassio was promoted to lieutenant over him and he suspects both Cassio and Othello have slept with Iago's wife, Emilia. While any of these may have the possibility of being Iago's true motive, through his actions and thoughts, ... distrust of women. Iago's first alleged motive that begins him on his path of evil scheming and planning destruction, is his resentment over the fact that Othello promoted Cassio to the position of lieutenant instead of Iago. He felt that he had more experience in battle than Cassio, so this move w...

• Word Count: 939
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... whites, which gets destroyed because most people think that the relationship is wrong due to the fact of jealousy, power, and hatred. The play "Othello" written by William Shakespeare showed us a great combination of three. Moreover he showed us how evil can corrupt the good. Thru his writing we learn how ... things can be planted in your mind and how you drive by those emotions on which you have no control over. Othello was a great lesson of mistakes and it provide us with many examples of mistakes made by character that a reader can learn from. The main ... self, "Were I the Moor, I...

• Word Count: 1065
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... atmosphere of the play and reinforce the main themes. Through this, the audience is able to grasp a better understanding of the play. Throughout Othello, images relating to poison frequently occur. These references are predominantly made by Iago. This seems appropriate for Iago who exhibits the characteristics of ... poison; they being fatal and deadly. There are several possible explanations to what motivates Iago: being overlooked for the lieutenancy, the belief that Othello and Cassio had committed adultery with his wife, though this is never really proved; class differences present i...

• Word Count: 660
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... of Shakespeare's writings. Iago is a principal deceiver, and all the other characters in the play are is victims, he deceives, manipulates them and uses them to accomplish his own ends. Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and Desdemona are all victims of Iago's deception. Roderigo is constanly deceived by Iago. Since Iago has a grudge against him, he decided to work against him and bring ... felt that it should have been him. So he tarnishes Cassio's reputation by creating a doubt in Othello's mind that his wife Desdemona and Cassio are lovers. Of all the characters in the play, Othello is the m...

• Word Count: 343
• Approx Pages: 1

... think they are related. I feel that the two are both of those and plus the added feature that when one is involved the other is as well. In the drama "Othello" written by William Shakespeare, each character shows a form of hate and love. For example, Iago is a person one would think of as the definition of evil but he does ... so evil. One can even see that he hates the woman he loves. He shows this by talking of trying to sleep with Desdemona to get back at Othello for something of his own imagination. If he didn't hate his wife then why would he talk of cheating on her just to get back...

• Word Count: 571
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... also obedience of any person to another person higher up in the "ranks." This is portrayed clearly in Shakespeare's plays. In looking at only two of Shakespeare's works, Hamlet and Othello, one can note how elements of the governmental structure are presented in demonstrations of obedience. Early in Hamlet the ghost of King Hamlet appears to his son to speak with ... his people. If those laws aren't followed, the people are punished. I believe that Shakespeare often wrote about evil people and actions to show how these have consequences and punishments. In Othello, Othello commits the s...

• Word Count: 1196
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... the best piece of writing ever done by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the is the classic example of a tragedy. In all tragedies the hero suffers, and usually dies at the end. Othello stabs himself, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Brutis falls on his sword, and like them Hamlet dies by getting cut with a poison tipped sword. But that is not all that ... tragic hero must possess many good traits, as well as one flaw, which eventually leads to his downfall. A tragic hero must be brave and noble. In Othello, Othello had one fatal flaw, he was too great. Othello was too brave, too noble, and e...

• Word Count: 1033
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... the best piece of writing ever done by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the is the classic example of a tragedy. In all tragedies the hero suffers, and usually dies at the end. Othello stabs himself, Romeo and Juliet commit suicide, Brutis falls on his sword, and like them Hamlet dies by getting cut with a poison tipped sword. But that is not all that ... tragic hero must possess many good traits, as well as one flaw, which eventually leads to his downfall. A tragic hero must be brave and noble. In Othello, Othello had one fatal flaw, he was too great. Othello was too brave, too noble, and e...

• Word Count: 1033
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... evil act. One part of this supernatural element of a tragedy is the sense of inescapable fate, which often involves predictions. It is present in "Othello" with Iago not realising the effects of what he was saying to Othello, and fate took his jealousy too far. It is present in "Romeo and Juliet". Juliet's letter does not reach Romeo. This is also why ... ...

• Word Count: 423
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School