Othello Paper
Trust, a good quality in a person until the person becomes too trusting of the other people around them. Throughout Othello, the main character Othello is viewed as a tragic Hero, but every tragic hero has his hamartia. Othello’s way of trusting easily caused him jealousy that made his obsession climb until he had nothing left to do but act on what he was led to believe. Othello’s trust in Iago’s word began a chain reaction that ultimately led to Othello’s downfall.
Othello is a character that seems to have it all, which means that there is someone who doesn’t have enough. Iago is one character that doesn’t have enough so he sets out to get what he wants. “My lord you know I love you.” (3.3.134). Othello was a good man, how could he believe that someone was out to get him? His good nature and his great position led him to believe that no one would dare hurt him, which increased his trust in everyone around him. Which is why the words above, which were given in the most deceitful was were taken in as true. By believe those few words Othello gave much power to Iago, and Iago’s plan to destroy Othello.
Now that Iago has planted the seed of doubt, he begins to care of what he has planted. How does he make sure that his seed is growing strong; by lying. “I speak not yet of proof [...]I would not have you free and noble nature, out of self-bounty, be abused.” (3.3.227-231). Othello’s trusting matter made it easy for Iago to enhance the doubt that he had already invested in Othello. Iago in the quote above stated that he had no solid proof, but advised Othello to watch both his wife and his ex-lieutenant to see for himself if something was wrong. Poor Othello believed everything Iago said to him, and everything that Iago showed him.
As humans, it is natural to feel a little jealous toward something that is ours. So when Othello hears from Iago that Othello’s wife Desdemona might be cheating on him, Othello goes mad with “the green-eyed monster.” You would think that Othello, being a great man of his country, would not be easily persuaded into the idea that his wife has failed him. But jealousy can cause a man to change his view on things instantly. “By the world, I think my wife be honest and think she is not…I’ll have some proof!” (3.3.438-441). Othello’s trust in Iago has given Iago the right to torment Othello; which is what the quote above shows, Othello’s confusion between what is true, and what his jealousy is leading him to believe.
Every chain reaction always has to end. Othello’s chain reaction started with the moment he began to trust Iago; continued with his built up jealousy, and will end with the murder of the one he loved driven on by his obsessed mind. “For I will make him tell the tale anew--.” “(Iago) Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure on ‘t…(Cassio) laughing. (Othello) Look how he laughs already!” (4.1.99-127). Othello is completely taken over by jealousy that his obsession on the subject begins to turn the slightest insignificant think like laughter into something that means so much more. Othello lets his obsession consume him until all he sees is his wife and his ex-lieutenant being deceitful together.
In the end Othello’s obsession causes him to kill his wife. He does not know what he has done until he strips himself of everything that has been thrust upon him and actually analyzes what he has done. “You told a lie, an odious damned lie! Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie!...” (5.2.216-218). Emelia was the one who helped Othello strip away all the things that plagued his mine. By the times that she confessed that Desdemona was the most sincere woman, it was too late, Othello had done the deed. Once Othello realized what he had done, without a hint of jealousy, or obsession, he didn’t what else to do but to mourn the death of his wife with his own death.
Othello was a good example for those who trust easily and are led quickly by things they see and don’t understand. The road to Othello’s downfall began with the simple belief that someone who was out to get him “loved him.” Later, this person, Iago, had the ability to give Othello a piece of information and have Othello view it in the incorrect way. If Othello stopped between these occurrences to think about what it was that he was actually hearing, and seeing, he would’ve figured out that there was no way that Desdemona and Cassio were going behind his back and doing deceitful things. But Othello was a man who worked on so much passion that he let it increase every bad feeling that he had, which led to the death of the most honest person in his life; Ironic isn’t it?
Othello is a character that seems to have it all, which means that there is someone who doesn’t have enough. Iago is one character that doesn’t have enough so he sets out to get what he wants. “My lord you know I love you.” (3.3.134). Othello was a good man, how could he believe that someone was out to get him? His good nature and his great position led him to believe that no one would dare hurt him, which increased his trust in everyone around him. Which is why the words above, which were given in the most deceitful was were taken in as true. By believe those few words Othello gave much power to Iago, and Iago’s plan to destroy Othello.
Now that Iago has planted the seed of doubt, he begins to care of what he has planted. How does he make sure that his seed is growing strong; by lying. “I speak not yet of proof [...]I would not have you free and noble nature, out of self-bounty, be abused.” (3.3.227-231). Othello’s trusting matter made it easy for Iago to enhance the doubt that he had already invested in Othello. Iago in the quote above stated that he had no solid proof, but advised Othello to watch both his wife and his ex-lieutenant to see for himself if something was wrong. Poor Othello believed everything Iago said to him, and everything that Iago showed him.
As humans, it is natural to feel a little jealous toward something that is ours. So when Othello hears from Iago that Othello’s wife Desdemona might be cheating on him, Othello goes mad with “the green-eyed monster.” You would think that Othello, being a great man of his country, would not be easily persuaded into the idea that his wife has failed him. But jealousy can cause a man to change his view on things instantly. “By the world, I think my wife be honest and think she is not…I’ll have some proof!” (3.3.438-441). Othello’s trust in Iago has given Iago the right to torment Othello; which is what the quote above shows, Othello’s confusion between what is true, and what his jealousy is leading him to believe.
Every chain reaction always has to end. Othello’s chain reaction started with the moment he began to trust Iago; continued with his built up jealousy, and will end with the murder of the one he loved driven on by his obsessed mind. “For I will make him tell the tale anew--.” “(Iago) Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure on ‘t…(Cassio) laughing. (Othello) Look how he laughs already!” (4.1.99-127). Othello is completely taken over by jealousy that his obsession on the subject begins to turn the slightest insignificant think like laughter into something that means so much more. Othello lets his obsession consume him until all he sees is his wife and his ex-lieutenant being deceitful together.
In the end Othello’s obsession causes him to kill his wife. He does not know what he has done until he strips himself of everything that has been thrust upon him and actually analyzes what he has done. “You told a lie, an odious damned lie! Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie!...” (5.2.216-218). Emelia was the one who helped Othello strip away all the things that plagued his mine. By the times that she confessed that Desdemona was the most sincere woman, it was too late, Othello had done the deed. Once Othello realized what he had done, without a hint of jealousy, or obsession, he didn’t what else to do but to mourn the death of his wife with his own death.
Othello was a good example for those who trust easily and are led quickly by things they see and don’t understand. The road to Othello’s downfall began with the simple belief that someone who was out to get him “loved him.” Later, this person, Iago, had the ability to give Othello a piece of information and have Othello view it in the incorrect way. If Othello stopped between these occurrences to think about what it was that he was actually hearing, and seeing, he would’ve figured out that there was no way that Desdemona and Cassio were going behind his back and doing deceitful things. But Othello was a man who worked on so much passion that he let it increase every bad feeling that he had, which led to the death of the most honest person in his life; Ironic isn’t it?
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