8/9/2019 Othello Essay - Year 11

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Othello Essay

Othello, written by William Shakespeare in 1603, is a tragedy portraying the

downfall of a black, Venetian general as he is misled into a bitter ealo!sy by the

ensign "ago# $hro!gh the three e%tracts, Shakespeare highlights Othello&s

character as a man who acts thro!gh passion rather than reason, as well as

depicting him as an o!tsider who belie'es he is well respected in Venetian

society# (!rthermore, Shakespeare !ses lang!age and dramatic techni)!es, as

well as e%ploring the relationship between Othello and the main characters to

re'eal Othello&s decline thro!gho!t the play#

"n the beginning of the play, Othello is introd!ced as the noble, elo)!ent *eneral

of the Venetian +a'y# owe'er, Shakespeare has also immediately highlighted

Othello as an o!tsider, shown by "ago&s and -oderigo&s racist comments .does

the thick lips owe/ and .black ram t!pping yo!r white ewe/# "n E%tract 1, Othello

has been s!mmoned to the Venetian co!rt to be briefed abo!t the incoming$!rkish attack, b!t rst m!st answer to the !ke and 2rabantio abo!t his secret

wedding with esdemona# $his e%tract re'eals the perception that Venetian

society holds of Othello, as well as Othello&s personality and way of thinking#

Othello tells the co!rt that .these arms of mine ### ha'e !sed their dearest action

on the tented eld/ and .little of this great world can " speak more than pertains

to feats of broil and battle/ and th!s highlights his militaristic 'iews of life#

Othello is 'ery m!ch needed for his military prowess, as "ago states .nother of

his fathom they ha'e none to lead their b!siness/, b!t is secretly hated behind

his back, as 2rabantio shows thro!gh his 'icio!s attack against Othello# $he

racial pre!dice that 2rabantio, and perhaps all of Venetian society, ha'e ofOthello can be seen in his lang!age and !se of racial sl!rs s!ch as .$o fall in lo'e

with what she feared to look on4/ and acc!sing Othello of !sing .witchcraft/ and

.mi%t!res powerf!l o&er the blood/# Society sees Othello as an o!tsider trying to

t in, and it is this !ncertainty that pro'ides "ago with the weakness to bring

down Othello# (!rthermore, Othello&s simplistic and militaristic 'iews of lo'e is

shown thro!gh his perception of lo'e as another battle, ." won his da!ghter/#

is relationship with esdemona also ser'es as foreshadowing for his decline,

.my life !pon her faith/, as well as 2rabantio&s warning .she has decei'ed her

father, and may thee/# t the beginning of the play, we see Othello&s militaristic

nat!re, as well as being an o!tsider in Venetian society, which "ago manip!latesto sow the seeds of Othello&s downfall#

2y the middle of the play, Othello has become cons!med by ealo!sy and bitter

anger planted by "ago# $he .green eyed monster/ that .honest/ "ago warned

Othello abo!t has corr!pted him and destroyed his .fond lo'e/# Shakespeare has

shown Othello&s decline thro!gh his decrease in the sophistication of his

lang!age, as well as the increase in his !se of darker imagery and c!rses# "ago&s

manip!lation of Othello and his brittle nat!re also re'eals his decline# "n ct 3,

Scene 3, we see "ago planting the seeds of do!bt in Othello&s mind !sing animal

imagery that prompts Othello&s wild imagination, .prime as goats/ and .hot as

monkeys/# "n e%tract 5, Othello is preparing to kill esdemona, and planning tokill assio# $he dark lang!age is e'ident here, thro!gh his s!mmoning of .black

8/9/2019 Othello Essay - Year 11

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'engeance, from thy hollow cell4/ and .$o tyranno!s hate4/ So fren7ied is he by

his ealo!sy and hate that Othello loses his elo)!ent speech#