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The Role of Othello

            Othello's character in "Othello" is viewed in many different ways. Each character has a different personal view of the Moor. Before anybody finds out about his marriage to Desdemona he is seen to most as a great warrior although he is considered an outsider to the Venetian society. He is a trusted servant.
             Before Othello appears in the play the audience only hears of him from Iago and from Iago's point of view. We are led to believe that Othello is proud and disliked man. Iago is very critical of him. However this description is contradicted once Othello himself and the other characters views of him are introduced. In reality he appears to be both respectable and respected as the Moor, and worthy of Desdemona's love. He is well spoken and takes control of many situations that occur in the play.
             Brabantio's opinion of Othello is quickly changed once he finds out of the marriage. He did admire Othello for being a good military man, but when he finds out he can only believe that she would do such a thing if she was under a spell, and only did it out of fear. Only out of witchcraft could a young Venetian maiden fall in love with a black man.
             "If she in chains of magic were not bound.
             Would ever have, t"incur a general mock.
             Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom.
             Of such a thing as thou? of fear, not to delight".
             Racism plays a large part of the opinions of many of the characters. Brabantio does not approve of his daughter loving a black man, and is convinced this could not happen naturally. Iago uses this to play on Brabantio's feelings towards the marriage and to act out his plan. He also uses images of the couple sleeping together to anger Brabantio.
             "An old black ram is tupping your white ewe".
             To Roderigo, Othello is seen as a rival for Desdemona. Roderigo is jealous, as he was in love with and had planned to court Desdemona before Othello had spoken to her and they had married. He was easily persuaded to tell Brabantio of the two eloping, hoping it would get rid of Othello and give him a chance with Desdemona.


Essays Related to The Role of Othello

1. Irony: Othello

Essay Assignment 1: Irony Irony has played a big role in the play "Othello". Irony has made the plot interesting and amusing. There are two types of irony, verbal and dramatic. Verbal irony is irony that is being spoken and everyone hears it. Dramatic irony is irony that the audience knows about, but the characters do not. In the play Othello, one character creates this irony that is Iago. He has fooled ... everyone. Iago in the play has done a lot of events to get the characters thinking he is a good and honest man, which he isn't. Iago's two face created ... irony that has motivated the pl...

  • Word Count: 339
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

2. The Role of Jealousy in Othello

The Shakespearian play Othello shows that love is a driving force by involving jealousy, trust and pride in this classic tragedy. Jealousy is a key factor that appears to destroy Othello. Another aspect that love is a driving force is the trust that Othello had in "honest Iago". Finally, Othello's pride clouds his judgment about what is right and therefore he murders his beloved wife, Desdemona. Love was a driving force that destroyed Othello and all that he held dear to his heart. This proves to be a perfect play because it incorporates all of the elements of a Shakespearean play so wonderful...

  • Word Count: 517
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Othello

Strong Women of Othello William Shakespeare often described the women in his plays as being strong, confident individuals, much different from the stereotypical roles of the time period in which he lived. In Much Ado about Nothing, the main character____(look up) ---{describe role}. Similarly, in Macbeth, {discuss role of Lady Macbeth} The women of Othello also displayed characteristics of strong, modern women. .... From the beginning of the play, we see that Desdemona is a courageous and decisive woman ... who pursues Othello, falling in love with his intrigued stories of adventure, seeing "...

  • Word Count: 655
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Othello

... goes on to say "by letter and affection- by which he means that the military positions are appointed by favoritism rather than hard work and capability. In the beginning of the scene, Roderigo approaches Iago because he has paid him good money in order to help him get Desdemona and Othello ran away with her. This is yet another obvious reason that would identify why ... hate him as I do hell pains,"" What do we know about Roderigo? We don't learn very much in the first scene about who Roderigo really is because in my opinion, in this scene, Roderigo's role is to give Iago the opportunit...

  • Word Count: 510
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Othello

... plays that were written by William Shakespeare. "Othello" contains a variety of characters with many different deadly sins. However I would be only writing about one, Iago. Iago's deadly sin consist of two, lust and wrath. These two deadly sins play a major role of importance to "Othello". Lust is when the person drives for pleasure, sex, power, and image; tends to get out of control. Wrath is a manifestation anger; violent ... , resentful, anger, rage, fury. Just by understanding the meaning for lust, and wrath you know the play is going to have a major tragic event ending in death. Lust...

  • Word Count: 598
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Othello

Kelly Sherriffs Since the beginning of time manipulation has been part of the human psyche. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago is a perfect example of this character trait. He uses his power of deception to play with the emotions of other characters, who in turn all fall victim to Iago's deceiving hidden intentions. Roderigo is one of the many characters who are duped into believing Iago is actually trying to help ... to be said so that he appears trustworthy and loyal. Iago convinces Cassio to drink even though Cassio has admitted to being a bad drunk. With the help of Roderigo...

  • Word Count: 739
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Strong Women of Othello

... , much different from the stereotypical roles of the time period in which he lived. In Much Ado about Nothing, the main character____(look up) ---{describe role}. Similarly, in Macbeth, {discuss role of Lady Macbeth} The women of Othello also displayed characteristics of strong, modern women. .... From the beginning of the play, we see that Desdemona is a courageous and decisive woman who pursues Othello, falling in love with his intrigued stories of adventure, seeing "Othello's visage in his ... mind, and to his honors and valiant parts..." refusing the attempts of other suitors such .....

  • Word Count: 645
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Roles of Women in Othello

... is overshadowed by one of naivety and ignorance up until the point where she realizes Othello's deadly intentions.  Is Desdemona simply the wronged female in this story or she actually the heroine? Othello is the protagonist, but he is not the idealized romantic hero. Throughout the story, he matches the characteristics of the chivalric hero of medieval literature.  Once he succumbs to the spell of jealous rage, though, he falls out of the role of hero and into that ... of witless dupe. "His change ... ...

  • Word Count: 4504
  • Approx Pages: 18

9. The Tragedy Of Othello

... commented: " It is a tragedy of racial conflict, a tragedy of honor, rather than of jealousy." (Barnet 226) Robeson not only changed the way Othello was played, he also was instrumental in opening the doors of white American theater companies to other black actors, and inspired many of these actors to also take on the role of Othello. Since the time of Paul Robeson, many other well known actors have taken on the role of Othello, including Laurence Olivier in ... 1954, who played the part in blackface. The past 400 years have proven Shakespeare ... ...

  • Word Count: 1708
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

10. Othello

... feels lacking in himself. To achieve this what would be more satisfying than the destruction of the goodness of the love of Othello and Desdemona who are " The living refutation of Iago's cynicism) about love being essentially for SELF. The love-sick Roderigo and the destruction of Cassio are constequently merely means to Iago's evil end, which is the snaring of Othello's soul and body for no reason. Iago's weak desire to wreak his evil ... not soley responsible for Othello's fall. Of all the characters Othello exemplifies this unconscious abetting most profoundly. Firstly, Othello, the...

  • Word Count: 320
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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