I have really been enjoying my summer! I have alot of things figured out about my life and I am so excited to start school again. Things are really starting to look up again. Whew!

aelphe

ps oh and sorry for not updating in so long. been busy! eek!!

Hello!! I have been gone for a while!! But I have returned! North Carolina was great. I'll try to post some pictures if my computer will let me. So what did I miss while I was gone???

Aelphe

Well, i just recently turned in my last essay. It was a drama essay over the gullibility of Othello in Shakespeare's Othello. So here it is. I am so glad it was my last!!

Aelphe

Othello’s Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare’s Othello

            Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a tragedy encompassed in love, hate, deceit, jealousy, and death.¹ The main character, Othello, is led on a crooked path of spiteful deceit by his seemingly best friend Iago, as he is deceived to believe his wife is having an affair with his lieutenant, Cassio. Although his wife, Desdemona, is not having an affair, Othello’s credulousness caused him to believe the falsity of the matter. Othello’s gullibility, trust in Iago, and blinding love for Desdemona all lead to his inevitable demise as he is mislead like a blinded horse into a scheme that can only end in tragedy.

            During the time Othello spends with Desdemona, Iago cleverly devises several schemes to ruin him. In this drama, tragic irony is used frequently as the audience looks at the obvious that is unknown to Othello. Othello’s gullibility is a major handicap that leads to the tragic outcome of the story. Othello continuously falls for these schemes created by Iago, yet never knows that he does. There are many events that take place that exemplify Othello’s gullibility that are key turning points in the play. An example of this would be, “…Though I do hate him as I do hell pains, / Yet for necessity of present life/ I must show out a flag and sign of love, / Which is indeed but sign” (Shakespeare 944, 155-58). This is stated by Iago after telling Desdemona’s father that Othello had practically kidnapped her, which of course is a lie. He then sets off to be at Othello’s aid in order to deceive him. The fact that Othello falls for this act of trickery is astonishing. This is stated by a source, emphasizing on his lack of judgment as, “Othello’s inability to relate to individuals on a personal basis makes him a poor judge of character and highly susceptible to the ruthless Iago’s machinations” (Othello). Othello is bitterly deceived by Iago, and it is evident by the passionate emotions that emanate from him at any slight malevolent proposal from Iago (Absolute Shakespeare). His gullibility is indeed a trait that Iago can use in order to create his schemes unbeknownst to Othello. This turns for the worse as he continues to believe in Iago’s lies and his trustfulness in Iago creates problems that will determine the outcome.

            Othello’s trust in Iago proves to be very detrimental in the progression of his demise. Othello is incapable of telling when Iago puts in action one of his schemes to convince Othello of his wife’s adulterousness. Many times Iago has used Othello’s trust in him to an advantage in order to completely ruse Othello to believe his lies. This is obvious throughout the play as Othello makes the statement, “Iago is most honest” (Shakespeare 969, 7). Othello also makes other statements of how he believes Iago to be tremendously honest. Othello’s faith in ‘honest’ Iago is a serious flaw that impairs him from seeing the betrayal right before his very eyes (Eastman). Another example of Othello’s unfailing trust in Iago would be when Iago makes Cassio laugh then tells Othello that he was laughing about his affair with Desdemona, which was not true. This is stated as, “He, when he hears of her, cannot restrain/ From the excess of laughter. Here he comes” (Shakespeare 1006, 98-99). Othello, because of his unshakable trust in Iago, falls for this deception and becomes infuriated with his lieutenant Cassio. Othello’s inability to tell that Iago continuously lies will lead to problems between him and his wife (Field-of-Themes). Othello starts to show aggression towards Desdemona, a sure sign of being deceived by Iago, and the play takes yet another turn for the worst. Many times Iago has used Othello’s loyal trust against him and succeeded in causing more damage that will lead to the disastrous conclusion of the play.

            Othello’s love for Desdemona is a blinding force that makes him incapable of seeing reason. Iago had convinced him so much that she is unfaithful that he decided that she deserved to die. This love was suffocating him to the point of madness and he decided the means of murder, with help from Iago, would be by suffocation. Othello loves Desdemona so much that the pain he felt blinded him from seeing that she was indeed truly faithful and in love with him. A source states that, “…Othello’s plunge into obsession occurs mostly in private—only he and Iago know it is happening—and he murders Desdemona in the seclusion of their bedroom” (Boyce). Othello is consumed in a spiral of hate and revenge that only moves downward. He could not see the truth and his love and obsession for Desdemona stayed sure to the very end. This is evident in the play as he cannot help but to kiss her one more time before he murders her. It states, “…One more, one more. / Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, / And love thee after. One more, and that’s the last” (Shakespeare 1026, 17-19). Soon after it is revealed to Othello that Iago had been lying this entire time and he kills himself in his grief. Othello could not see the truth before him and suffered the ultimate consequence as his blinding love for Desdemona was the finishing force that caused the tragic ending to a tragic story.

            Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a truly tragic story in which Othello’s gullibility, trust in Iago, and love for Desdemona proved to be factors leading to his ruin. The tragic irony obvious in this story gives even more emphasis to Othello’s inability to notice when someone is betraying him and leading him down a road of deception. Othello’s tragic flaw led him through a world of pain and dishonesty and eventually ended in death. His inability to reason or see through someone’s false pretenses was his downfall and added to the tragic outcome of this play. All inhibitions were lost as the curtains were drawn on the lives surrounding Othello.

Notes

¹ William Shakespeare, “Othello, the Moor of Venice” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, (New York: Pearson Longman, 2007).

Works Cited

Boyce, Charles. “Othello.” Critical Companion to William Shakespeare: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom’s Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. 21 April 2008 <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&Pin=ccshak026&SingleRecord=True>.

Eastman, Arthur. “Othello as Ironist.” In Honor of Austin Wright. Carnegie Series in English, no. 12. Pittsburgh: Carnegie-Mellon University, 1972. 21 April 2008 <http://ezp.tccd.edu:2055/servlet/LitRC?locID=txshracd2560&srchtp=ttl&c=1&stab=512&ai=U13039269&docNum=H1420045739&bConts=270255&vrsn=3&TI=Othello&OP=starts&TQ=TO&ca=1&ste=57&tab=2&tbst=trp&n=10&wi=1097394>.

“Othello Characters Analysis.” Absolute Shakespeare. 21 April 2008 <http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/othellos/characters/othello_characters_essay.htm>.

“Othello-Character Analysis.” Field-of-Themes. 21 April 2008 <http://www.field-of-themes.com/shakespeare/essays/Eothello3.htm>.

“Othello.” Magill Book Reviews. Salem Press, Inc., 1995. Literary Reference Center. 21 April 2008 <http://ezp.tccd.edu:2367?Irc/detail?vid=109&sid=cbc51528-b0e0-41d0-a320-03fdec2b3c27%40sessionmgr109>.

Shakespeare, William. “Othello, the Moor of Venice” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Fifth Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.