Othello Essay, Research Paper

*Othello is a tense, closely-knit play, with an ever-increasing emotional scene. The

character Iago, Othello’s ancient, is the cause of all the tragedy which comes to pass

as the play progresses. He is a manipulator, opposing Othello not directly, but

through other characters whom he tricks. From his actions throughout the play one

sees that Iago was gifted at using other people, to further his own schemes.

*Act One, Scene One is the most important because it foreshadows the whole

drama. Iago gives the reader warning that he is not all that he seems when he says,

“I am not what I am” (I,i). He appears to help Roderigo, a suitor to Desdemona, who

has run off with Othello, the Moorish general of the Venetian army. Iago hates

Othello for another reason. instead of choosing him to be his lieutenant, Othello

chose Cassio. In the end of scene, Iago and Roderigo have informed Brabantio

about his daughter’s elopement. Then they went to confront Othello with this

situation.

*At the beginning of Scene Two of Act One, Iago gives advice to Othello and lets him

know what is about to happen. Shortly after their talk Brabantio confronts Othello

about stealing his daughter. Then they all went and saw the Duke. Othello defends

himself and asks if Desdemona can testify on the behalf of him. Othello tells how

that the only “witchcraft” he used were his stories, and how Brabantio used to invite

him up to tell them. Finally, Brabantio disowns Desdemona and she goes to be with

Othello.

*Near the end of the first scene of the second act, Iago convinces Roderigo, who

was observing Cassio’s enthusiastic greeting of Desdemona, that Cassio and

Desdemona have something going on between them. Thus manipulating Roderigo

through his passion for Desdemona, Iago convinces him to provoke Cassio to anger,

so that the lieutenant will be discredited in Othello’s eyes and Iago can take his

position.

*In Act II, Scene III, I ago tricks into a drink, knowing that he has a low tolerance for

alcohol, making it easier for Roderigo to provoke him to fight. Cassio departs the

scene, and Iago starts to insinuate to the other soldiers is a bit of a lush. Cassio

soon, returns, chasing Roderigo, and when his comrades attempt to restrain him, he

strikes at them as well. When Othello arrives on the scene, Iago makes it seem that

he doesn’t want to discredit Cassio, but his insinuations make Othello discharge his

lieutenant. However, as soon as Othello is gone, he goes to Cassio as a helpful

friend. When Cassio leaves and Roderigo returns, he shits role again, becoming

Roderigo’s friend, and convinces him to stay in Cyprus.

*In the third scene of Act III, Othello and Iago observe a meeting between Cassio and

Desdemona, which ends with Cassio departing when he sees Othello coming.

Desdemona offers Cassio her handkerchief, the special and meaningful handkerchief

that Othello gave to her, and he accidentally drops it. Emilia picks up the

handkerchief and Iago snatches it from her. In the following conversation with

Othello, Iago leads him by insinuation to the conclusion that Cassio and Desdemona

are having an affair. He appears to be unwilling to say such a thing on account of his

“friendship” with Cassio. However, once he has set Othello thinks upon this, all of

his false protests are unheard by the general. Due to Iago’s manipulation, Othello

becomes angry enough to make Iago his lieutenant and orders him to kill Cassio.

Iago had attained one goal in becoming Othello’s lieutenant. He continues to

manipulate Cassio, Rodergio, and Othello because he intends to destroy Othello as

well. Othello confronts Desdemona about the missing handkerchief and reminds her

of its importance.

*Iago has Othello hide while he talks with Cassio about Bianca, Cassio’s high-class

whore, after telling Othello that he was going to discuss Desdemona with him. When

Cassio begins laughing and boasting about his affair with Bianca, Othello believing

that he is speaking of Desdemona, becomes filled with rage. Bianca enters and

gives back the handkerchief to Cassio. Othello witnessed this and saw that Cassia

did have the handkerchief. Other now believes Ago about Desdemona giving Cassia

the handkerchief. Finally, Other decides he must kill Desdemona for her unfaithful

acts. Othello wants to poison, but Iago suggests that he should strangle her in the

bed that she has contaminated. Later that evening as Emilia is getting Desdemona

ready for bed, Desdemona starts singing this “death song.”

*In Scene II of Act IV, Iago once more plays the part of Roderigo’s accomplice, and

proceeds to convince him to kill Cassio. At the beginning of Act V, Roderigo

ambushes Cassio, who wound him, while I ago stabs Cassio in the leg and runs off.

He returns as a dutiful guard to save Cassio and in the process finishes off Roderigo,

to ensure his silence.

*In the last scene, after Othello has killed Desdemona, all of Iago’s schemes are

revealed by his wife, who was his unknowing accomplice in them. Othello searches

for his sword and then stabs himself and dies. Iago flees, but only to be caught and

brought to justice. After reading Othello, the word jealousy runs wild in my mind.

This word is displayed two different ways. Frequently, the word means suspicious

or sexual jealousy. Throughout the drama, jealousy is used in the sense of a

possessive love which will not even tolerate the idea of a competitor, which crates

unfounded suspicion. In Othello’s case, suspicion is not unfounded but it is created.