William Shakespeares Othello Essay - 2198 Words

William Shakespeares Othello Every artist needs a subject to draw inspiration from—an idea to develop into a masterpiece. Leonardo da Vinci had Madame Lisa to portray in paint. The Beach Boys had Rhonda to render in rhyme. And William Shakespeare had one of one hundred stories written by Giraldi Cinthio to help him create his masterpiece, Othello. Each artist creates his own interpretation from his source. Shakespeare transformed the core of Cinthio’s story into a tragedy. A tragedy is drama which depicts â€Å"a public struggle between larger-than-life protagonists and universal forces† (Glossary 175). A tragedy also involves a â€Å"hero’s suffering and his consequent moments of tragic insight or knowledge† (McJannet 1). Each subtle†¦show more content†¦Othello is the clear target of the trickery, ergo—with a small change—the protagonist is created. In addition to the creation of a protagonist, universal forces must be at play to warrant a tragedy. It is within the dialogue that Shakespeare identifies the involvement of fate. Elizabethans believe that changes in the affairs of man transcend to the moon and stars. Under such beliefs, Othello surmises, â€Å"Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse / Of sun and moon, and that th’ affrighted globe / Should yawn at alteration (5.2.98-100).† Likewise, a change in nature can affect the human entities below. For, â€Å"it is the very error of the moon [when] / She comes more nearer earth than she was wont / And makes men mad (5.2.108-109).† When the moon is out of place, and approaches too near earth, it makes men crazy. Thus, through the dialogue, Shakespeare acknowledges that universal forces are at play. In order to have a tragedy, the main character must have a tragic flaw, or make a tragic error. Shakespeare makes changes which allow the protagonist to gain a tragic flaw; and thus, Othello makes his tragic error by trusting Iago. This leads to the catastrophe of killing Desdemona. The tragic flaw designed for Othello is jealousy. One must â€Å"beware†¦of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock / The meat it feeds on (3.3.165-168).† Jealousy makes a fool of thoseShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares Othello997 Words   |  4 Pagesa person chooses to act around a certain group of people can be out of courteousness or his or her bad nature. William Shakespeare does not only shed light towards this topic but allows his audience to distinguish appearance versus reality. Shakespeares Othello and sonnets 93 and 138 demonstrate being who you are in reality triumphs over appearance and what you seem to be. In Othello, Shakespeare illustrates the importance reality takes place in identifying a persons true character as early asRead More William Shakespeares Othello1440 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello A significant moment in Othello demonstrates the theme of binaries questioned in many of Shakespeares works. Addressing the Duke and senators, Othello says: Let her have your voice. Vouch with me heaven, I therefore beg it not To please the palate of my appetite, Nor to comply with heat--the young affects In me defunct--and proper satisfaction, But to be free and bounteous to her mind; And heaven defend your good souls that you think I will your seriousRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello1173 Words   |  5 Pages Othello is set in a world and focuses on the passions and personalities of its major figures. (Thomas). Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, Othellos wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio and advisor Iago. The play appeared in seven editors between 1622 and 1705. The themes of the story are racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal. Othello is a black soldier who is accused of stealing his wife Desdemona. Although Desdemonas fatherRead MoreEssay on William Shakespeares Othello574 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello The play Othello was said to have been written in 1603/4, but no one really knows. It was first performed in front of king James I. It was very original because it had a black tragic hero and at that time it was very rare too see a black character let alone a main one. The key themes are the same in most of Shakespeares plays (love, jealousy, appearance and reality, dark and light. The main theme is Othellos jealousy, which results inRead More Othello as the Greater Evil in William Shakespeare’s Othello1842 Words   |  8 PagesOthello as the Greater Evil in William Shakespeare’s Othello What makes one person to be considered evil, while another is considered righteous? The character Iago, in William Shakespeare’s Othello, could be considered evil because of his plot against Cassio and Othello. Othello, could be considered righteous, because he believes his wife has been unfaithful. The line between these two labels, evil or righteous, is thin. Ultimately, actions speak louder than words. Iago is evil in his actionsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello629 Words   |  3 Pagescharacteristics of human beings is the necessity to survive. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello survival is taken to the extreme by the character, Iago. Iago’s selfishness is what ultimately drives him to manipulate the people around him. Initially Iago manipulates a character by the name of Roderigo. Roderigo is a Venetian gentleman that is in love with the wife of Othello, Desdemona and will do whatever it takes to win her over from Othello. Roderigo who is oblivious to the idea and fact that Iago isRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello827 Words   |  3 Pagestragedies. One of the tragedies was the play Othello. The two characters that stuck out the most were Othello, the moor, and his beautiful wife Desdemona. The couple had certain mishaps but most readers did not expect a melodramatic plot twist. Othello had many downfalls, including insecurity. In the play Othello, the lack of communication between Desdemona and Othello was the cause for their deaths. Iago had major hatred toward Othello because Othello did not employ him as his lieutenant. Iago knewRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Othello2192 Words   |  9 PagesOthello is commonly referred to as just Othello but the full name of the play is The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The tragedy of Othello is concise with Shakespeare’s other more popular works. Upon dissecting the play the most recognizable themes are the play’s complex and prevalent ambivalences of love and hate, jealousy, and perniciousness. Title and playwright â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is believed to have been based primarily on the Italian short story Un CapitanoRead More Racism in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1059 Words   |  5 PagesRacism in William Shakespeares Othello The play, Othello, is certainly, in part, the tragedy of racism. Examples of racism are common throughout the dialog. This racism is directed toward Othello, a brave soldier from Africa and currently supreme commander of the Venetian army. Nearly every character uses a racial slur to insult Othello at one point in the play. Even Emilia sinks to the level of insulting Othello based on the color of his skin. The character that most commonly makes racistRead More Iago in William Shakespeares Othello Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesIago in William Shakespeares Othello William Shakespeare, born: 1564 died: 1616, is considered one of the greatest writers who has ever lived. He had a unique way of putting things into words. All of his plays, sonnets, and poems have gotten great recognition. But when Shakespeare wrote Othello he created one of the most controversial villains of all times; Iago. He is best described as disturbing, ruthless, and amoral. No other character can even come close to his evil (Iago: The 1). Iago