Othello and Iago Character Study Essay Sample free essay sample

* The character of Othello is in many ways a paradox. * He at the same time experiences deep and passionate love every bit good as awful and violent hatred ; he is a rootless â€Å"stranger/Of here and everywhere† who the universe defines by his ethnicity. â€Å"Moor† ; and. he is a adult male called â€Å"noble† who commits the most awful of wickednesss. slaying. * At the bosom of these contradictions is a black adult male seeking to suit into a white society. and it is these failings and anxiousnesss which result from Othello’s efforts at assimilation. which Iago manipulates to his ain terminals. * Othello’s feelings of insecurity are surely non undue. Everyone around him. even the 1 he loves. still see him to be- and refer to him as- a Moor. Indeed Desdemona herself admits that she â€Å"saw Othello’s countenance in his mind† ( I. two ) . This implies that Desdemona was non ab initio attracted to Othello and had to look past his expression in order to fall in love with him. We will write a custom essay sample on Othello and Iago Character Study Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * Brabantio besides alludes to Desdemona’s initial repulsive force of Othello when he comments in amazement â€Å"To autumn in love with what she feared to look on! † . ( I. ii. ) It is on this highly sensitive point that Iago begins his use in act 3. scene 3. * He starts off by suggesting that he knows more than Othello about the ways of the Venetian people. he says â€Å"I cognize our state temperament well† ( III. three ) . subtly reminding Othello of his difference and isolation. He so reminds Othello of Brabantio’s claim that Desdemona was ab initio repulsed by him as he says â€Å"she seem’d to agitate and fear your looks† ( III. three ) . Othello acknowledges this point noting â€Å"And so she did† . This is a clear mark that Othello’s religion in Desdemona begins to gnaw. Picking up on this anxiousness. Iago so exploits it farther by connoting a sexual perversion in Desdemona and Othello’s brotherhood when he says Desdemona has â€Å"a will most rank† ( I. three ) and â€Å"thoughts unnatural† ( I. three ) . This causes Othello great malaise and misgiving of his darling married woman. * He is able to be so easy manipulated because she does non merely love Desdemona as a individual but. possibly more significantly to Othello she represents credence and assimilation. He says that she is â€Å"the fountain† from which his â€Å"current runs† * As his feelings of insecurity saddle horse within. he begins to project his self-hatred onto Desdemona through stereotype of Moors. Calls her â€Å"fair devil† . â€Å"lewd minx† and â€Å"subtile whore† . In fact. Othello himself had been called a â€Å"devil† every bit good as â€Å"lascivious† * In fact. at one point. he come out and says â€Å"Her face that was every bit fresh as Dian’s countenance. is now begrim’d and black as mine ain face† . Here. Othello straight undertakings his self-hatred onto Desdemona * Upon Othello’s anagnorisis. the minute of realization. his first reaction is to fault the Gods. as he inquiries â€Å"Who can command his destiny? † ( V. two ) . However. as he looks upon his offense. he can non bare the guilt and calls â€Å"O cursed. cursed slave! /Whip me. ye Satans. † ( V. two ) . * Thus. Othello’s concluding and across-the-board paradox is one which is self-created. At one time. he believes himself to be a great adult male who has been doomed by destiny. every bit good as a curst and diabolic black adult male who deserves to be punished for his barbarian offenses. Iago * Basic motive is hatred * Iago believes that Othello has committed a great unfairness against him by advancing Michael Cassio. a adult male that â€Å"That neer set a squadron in the field† ( I. I ) . over himself * Equally good as this he believes Othello â€Å"hath leaped into my seat† ( II. I ) and had an matter with his married woman Emilia * As a consequence. he swears retribution against â€Å"the Moor† and seeks to be a force of justness * However. he is basically a soldier without personal moralss who applies military morality to his private life * In war the terminals may warrant the agencies nevertheless. in civilized society it can non * He is non. as some like to propose. merely evil. He is non a character like Christopher Nolan’s Joker who merely â€Å"wants to see the universe burn† . He is a adult male with a specific set of aims whose evil agencies do non warrant the merely ends he sought * It is non possible that Iago has been evil his full life. He would non hold been able to lift to his place of power and trust if he invariably wished to rupture down the lives of everybody around him. * Besides. he is non a good adequate strategian. Throughout the drama Iago solves job as they arise with antic acumen yet he has really small foresight or ability to expect events. * His greatest moral weakness is that he merely blend his military domain of moralss with his private 1. His workss are no more ‘evil’ than that of an ground forces or province on an international graduated table. * Thus. through Iago. Shakespeare plays with the impression of moral objectiveness. He shows how an act can be merely in one scene and so evil when applied to another * He may bask his evil making but non needfully because of the immorality. it is much more likely that he enjoys them because it is what he does best. it’s his occupations. his trade. his art signifier. * At times he toys with seeking to warrant his actions. For illustration in act two scene 1 he says â€Å"that she loves him ( Cassio ) . Ti disposed and of great credit† . inferring that he may non be making anything incorrect because Desdemona may truly love Cassio. * However. in the terminal he does non seek to atone for what he has done he merely says â€Å"Demand me nil: what you know. you know†