He grows more and more frustrated about his skin colour as Iago keeps churning his dissatisfaction to make his feel inferior to his wife and Cassio. First Black actor to play Othello, Iago is played by a white actor. And the play makes Othello quite as conscious as any one else of his diversity of race, though it is to other causes that he assigns his want of grace and culture. Othello’s wish not to “scar that whiter skin of hers than snow” (Act V, Scene ii. The marriage of Othello and Desdemona was a union of different races and colors that the sense of the He graduated with a Hons. However, it is for his courage and status as a general that he is considered influential. FOOTNOTE 2: Shakespeare Commentaries: Tragedies, p. 95, St. Louis, U. S. He wanted a royalty in his place as son in law who was of fair complexion like his daughter. On the one hand, Desdemona is a strong female character, she defies her father in marrying Othello, argues with Iago about the role of women and by lying to Othello about the handkerchief. Moor. The meeting of the two search parties, each seeking Othello for a different reason, brings the relations of Othello and Desdemona into prominence. The lovely Jewess, Jessica, ran away from the miserly Shylock to marry the Christian, Lorenzo, and at the same time accepted the religion of her husband. Iago calls Othello a Black Ram before Brabantio. VIII., p. 290. It is at this point that the second of the great problems of the play emerges. and find homework help for other Othello questions at eNotes Othello’s skin colour is also one of the reasons that Iago hates him so much. He asks Brabantio to open his eyes else the black devil would have turned him into a grand father before he even knew. 20 Aug. 2009. FOOTNOTE 1: Shakspere His Mind and Art, p. 232, 13th edition, 1906.  Desdemona Character Introduction It is apparent that Othello's African birth does not establish his race or color.4 Nor can Othello's royal … His race and colour are his vulnerability and Othello is not able to survive when Iago strikes there. Society’s view of Othello’s relationship with his wife, Desdemona… But this is only another instance of that regarded with the same distaste as that of Othello and Desdemona. When the two parties meet, Brabantio is in a very quarrelsome mood. Return to The Relationship Between Othello and Iago. Assuming he had a part in writing the play, he has made Aaron, the Moor of Titus Andronicus, not only repulsive but a veritable brute and as cruel as Marlowe's Barabas. FOOTNOTE 4: Ibid., p. 290. The play tells the story of the demise of Desdemona and Othello's relationship due to mistrust on the part of Othello and lies told by Iago, a man who wants to ruin their marriage. While evil characters such as Iago refer to him simply and disparagingly as “the Moor" those who actually know him refer to him instead as “the valiant Moor" making his race part of who he is—a respected and revered man who is, quite circumstantially a Moor. Desdemona is the representation of continuity of values and an innocent, flawless Venetian woman, however Othello is portrayed as a cultural and racial outsider in Venice. high time to learn that whatever Shakespeare put deliberately into his dramas is to be considered in the interpretation. It is likely, however, that Othello had feared this, and so took Desdemona in marriage without asking her father, evidently satisfied that as a black man he could not obtain Brabantio's Desdemona may have the choice of many suitable matches, but she chooses Othello, even despite his racial difference. The significance of Desdemona's relationship with Othello is that she marries him dispite knowing her father would not approve. Critics recently have focused attention on the roles of race and gender in Shakespeare's Othello, examining how the play interrogates social norms and disagreeing over whether those norms ultimately are subverted or upheld. Moreover, Othello’s frustration at his race is one of his primary weaknesses. III. Desdemona is played by a small actress, emphasizing Othello's ultimate physical power over her. Othello claims not to be jealous; though it is obvious from his manner that this is untrue. Shakespeare has showed it in Othello. After Iago led Othello to believe that Desdemona and Cassio were having an affair, Othello then considered Desdemona to be a lewd minx (Oth. for the hand of Portia, and presented him as unsuccessful. Iago may be an important role as he persuades Othello into an erratic thunderous state, as well as persuading him to kill Desdemona. The Moor is courageous and smart in the battlefield but after all his race and colour make him feel like being ostracised. Her speeches are not as lengthy as those of the men, but with Desdemona, every word counts. 260-26i), but is never called black or a Moor. Desdemona had eloped with Othello, instead of sticking to the stereotypical marriage arranged by a woman's father. Othello and Desdemona's Relationship . This deficiency, it is now important to notice, the play implies is due to his racial character, and comes from the fact that he is a Moor. Throughout the drama, Iago’s behaviour subtly hints that he considers Othello inferior because of his colour. maintain that he made the problem of Othello at least in part a problem of race. When Desdemona is brought into court to speak for herself in the matter of the marriage, she declares As the play progresses it is clear that Othello is a man like any other in the text, the only difference his race. Othello believes she is in love with Cassio and when she lies about her handkerchief he thinks it’s evidence against her. It is due to his colour (race) that Othello is considered an outsider. But to Shakespeare, who always reads deeper than others, it is on the surface a matter of color, but at bottom a matter of racial divergence that amounts to an incompatibility of character. And in The Merchant of Venice, about whose authorship there can be no doubt, and which is earlier than Othello, he had previously portrayed a Moor as a suitor Desdemona is a pretty static character through the play. Moreover, the agony and ignominy of being considered a cuckold are not small either. This is bound to give rise to an inferiority complex in the protagonist. From Hamlet, an ideal prince, and other essays in Shakesperean interpretation: Hamlet; Merchant of Venice; Othello; King Lear by Alexander W. Crawford. It is Professor Dowden has observed that "In the love of each there was a romantic element; and This shows Othello trusts Iago and believes he is honest, thus Iago’s lying is working, and he begins to pull the wool over Othello’s eyes.In the beginning of the play Othello’s relationship with Desdemona is a very loving and happy one. The half- civilized Othello is but ill adapted for life in civilized and cultured Venice. The pain doubles when Othello thinks that despite all his courage his wife does not love him as deeply for he belongs to an inferior race. Not even his superior To Cinthio it is almost entirely a While in many ways stereotypically pure and meek, Desdemona is also determined and self-possessed. “Because we come todo you service and you think we are ruffians, you’llhave your daughter covered with a Barbary horse,you’ll have your nephews neigh to you, you’ll havecoursers for cousins and jennets for germans”. Iago begins plotting against Othello, the eponymous hero, and turns him against his wife, Desdemona, daughter of the senator of Venice, Brabantio, by telling him of her supposed infidelity with his lieutenant, Cassio. Abhijeet has been blogging on educational topics and business research since 2016. (I. iii. 104 ff.) become his accuser before the Senate. In the play Othello there are many people who play a role in the death of Desdemona. In marrying a Moor, Desdemona flies in the face of convention and faces criticism, which she handles unapologetically. If Goethe's suggestions for the re-casting of Hamlet in order to express better the meaning have not helped but hindered the understanding of Shakespeare's drama, we should that she freely and lovingly takes Othello for her husband, and intimates that she is willing to take all the consequences of that act. His dialogues are filled with racist jargon. Unfortunately, after Iagos manipulation, Othellos love turned to despair, pain, and anger. Othello’s race in this way turns him into a target and before he can understand the vicious plan, he has ended his relationship with Desdemona and her life.  How to Pronounce the Names in Othello 236]). If he was not of African origin, Iago would have found it difficult to prove that Desdemona did not love him. There are numerous Shakespearean plays which seem to bear out the idea that the dramatist thought it to be the woman's right to choose her own husband, without meeting her father's wishes in the matter. He likes to blog and share his knowledge and research in business management, marketing, literature and other areas with his readers. From a feminist perspective poor Desdemona was pretty much a doormat. Othello was otherwise satisfied with his life but for Iago, his life is ruined. Because of his obligations to Cassio in the matter of his love-making with Desdemona he has appointed him to an important position over lago, thus making an enemy of his faithful officer. When Othello leaves "the tented fields" for the streets and homes of a refined city he utterly goes to pieces, and whatever sense of honor he may romance is not the highest form of the service which imagination renders to love. have had speedily gives place to a dangerous caprice. Shakespeare's meaning, and to realize how extraordinary and splendid a thing it was in a gentle Venetian girl to love Othello, and to assail fortune with such a downright violence and storm as is expected only in a hero." Desdemona. It can scarcely be maintained that the marriage of Othello and Desdemona was a complete spiritual union, for there were too many diverse elements that at the time seemed incompatible and in the end He compares Othello with a black Ram and Desdemona with a white ewe. It is true, of course, that as in the case of Juliet the passion of There are in these and other instances, however, many differences from the case of Othello and Desdemona. In this way, Iago makes him feel cuckolded. Professor Bradley speaks of Desdemona's choice of Othello as rising "too The Moor is courageous and smart in the battlefield but after all his race and colour make him feel like being ostracised. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/othello/othelloessay2.html >. Essay on Desdemona Character Analysis in Othello by Shakespeare - The female protagonist in the tragic play “Othello”, Desdemona is truly one rare character who astonishes the readers as much with her outer beauty as with her inner grace. Only Desdemona and Cassio do not seem bothered by the Moor’s colour of skin. Despite this Othello does respect and honour Iago and does refer to him as ‘honest Iago’.  Stage History of Othello In the course of his apology, his "round unvarnished tale" becomes eloquent with a barbaric sincerity and splendor that almost enlists the sympathy of the Senate. There need be no attempt to deny the reality of the love of these two, and its effect upon their development, but it was not strong enough or natural enough to overcome all its enemies, Race is not at the core of Shakespeare’s Othello but affects everything in the drama. his courage: In some recent criticism there has been an attempt to glorify the purity and beauty of the love of Othello and Desdemona, and to place it among the most spiritual of the loves of Shakespeare. He could perform well the duties of military life, but now it begins to be evident that he is not fitted for the higher and more exacting arts of peace, and especially of love, in a civilized state. In both cases there is evidence of his callousness and dullness of mind. The exposition of these two elements of the play is set forth by the dramatist with his usual clearness, and at considerable length, but has nevertheless escaped the notice of the critics, or has been discounted as a factor in the interpretation. But, between Othello and Desdemona, on the other hand, a most distressing conflict arose that The story of "the battle, sieges, fortune" he had passed is almost as potent with the senators as it had been with Desdemona, who, he says. Juliet disobeyed a tyrannical and hateful father to find a larger life and a true spiritual union with Romeo. When the Prince of Morocco chooses the Race and racial differences can kill. Some of the critics before Professor Bradley have more truly seen the character of the love of Othello and Posthumus. She loves Cassio who is fairer and that the Moor is a poor match for her. His colour also gives rise to an inferiority complex in Othello who does not want to believe it, but feels forced to think as Iago wants. Arguments that see Desdemona as stereotypically weak and submissive ignore the conviction and authority of her first speech (“My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty” [I.iii. is the fault of Desdemona, though some critics make a great deal of this, but the fact that in marrying Othello she showed a wilful disregard of her own highest interests.  Shakespeare's Sources for Othello Badger, 1916. contact: support@notesmatic.com, admin@notesmatic.com, Ford Mission and Vision Statement: An Analysis, Toyota Mission, Vision and guiding principles, How To Market Your Small Business Successfully, What You Need To Know About Marketing for Your New Business. She makes it clear that she loves Othello and is loyal to him: bring it to defeat. Under some conditions it is possible that their love might have outlived their lives and overcome its handicaps, yet it is to miss the art of this drama not to see that the dramatist is here showing its unnaturalness by placing it in the conditions that test it to the uttermost and that reveal its weakness and This shows that Desdemona does not feel any remorse or concern knowing that she probably will be frowned upon and degraded by the Venetian society due to her relationship with Othello. as a true and natural love like that of Romeo and Juliet can do. is an entirely indifferent matter in the play, and can be all but ignored in the interpretation. Jealousy consumes the mind of Othello, and is it is emphasised in the play, it is a catalyst for the killing of Desdemona. From "Fair Warrior" to Victim of Abuse. In keeping with this, when Othello is questioned about how his relationship with Desdemona began, the difference between him and the surrounding noblemen is more rhetorical than racial: Othello declares that, for his testimony, he will a ‘round unvarnish’d tale deliver’ (1.3.90). Othello views his own racial identity as undesirable, and it is this lack of confidence in himself that allows Iago to persuade him that Desdemona is cheating on him. Despite this, Shakespeare ultimately allows Othello to succumb to the subtle racism that surrounds him. He pleads that he is "little blest with the soft phrase of peace," for he has spent all his life in "feats of broils, and battle." However, the tragedy also arises from his colour since Iago makes him believe that Desdemona does not love him as deeply as he believes. The party of Cassio, with the Senate's hasty summons to Othello, serves to give dramatic importance to Othello's great ability as a commander, and to emphasize his military value to Venice. Shakespeare has not selected the protagonist to be a man of color without a strong reason. are possible he follows the usual tradition. Line 4) irradiates this as well. Feelings of racial differences did not have to wait for the Germans of later times to write histories of culture. It is a weakness that  he can never overcome because it is nature’s gift. have impressed all thoughtful Europeans with the conception of their own superiority in all the arts and character of civilized life. For romance disguises certain facts, or sees them, as it were, through a luminous mist."1. For the first time, possibly, Othello becomes aware of the fact that he is not accepted on terms of full and exact equality in all particulars with the Venetians. They allege he is nothing but a man, though he happens to be a black man.  Iago Character Introduction Desdemona is a more plausible, well-rounded figure than much criticism has given her credit for. Iago injects this racist poison in an otherwise strong relationship and kills the two lovers as he had planned. When he gets to know about the elopement of Desdemona and Othello, he runs to inform Brabantio. Even when Othello smothers her to death I'd wager she was still wondering where she went wrong. In Shakespeare's day the discovery of new lands and new peoples must  Othello: Essay Topics Othello played the most important role in the murder of Desdemona due to his flaws in his character. Othello’s colour also makes readers sympathise with him. But it is  Lectures on Othello: Othello's Jealousy far above our common level," and adds: "There is perhaps a certain excuse for our failure to rise to “Even now, now, very now, an old black ramIs tupping your white ewe.  The Moral Enigma of Shakespeare's Othello In this way, race plays a small but still significant role in Shakespeare’s play. Desdemona’s father does not want his daughter getting married to some man of African descent. Desdemona, unlike her husband, is not insecure, ... At the close of the play all of these key relationships have been irrevocably destroyed and love loses out to hatred and jealousy. This view takes for granted that the dramatist heaps up idle words having no significance, and refuses to believe that there was a meaning in all he wrote. When the matter is brought before the Senate, Brabantio's objections to Othello all have to do with his difference of race and color. Othello’s complexion is the cause he is ostracised and becomes a  victim of Iago’s manipulation. 179–180]) and her terse fury after Othello strikes her (“I have not deserved this” [IV.i. So, even if its role is limited, race is of importance. "2 Her love, indeed, seems to be a kind of romantic fascination, a love of the sensuous imagination, what Professor Herford properly calls "a The Limits of the Human: Fictions of Anomaly, Race, and Gender in the Long Eighteenth Century, 2003.) ...Essay examining the role of deception in the play, as seen through the action of the main characters: Othello, Iago, and Desdemona.Othello is, at heart, a play about deception, and the emotional turmoil and mental anguish it can cause. Sycorax, in The Tempest, was born in Algeria (I. ii. Shakespeare shows that  even influential people make mistakes and are vulnerable like the common people. perilous ecstasy of the idealizing brain without secure root in the heart. othello truly loves desdemona but jealousy is a great enemy of man's wisdom, it makes man unable to differentiate between right and wrong, that is also happened with Othello and he ruined in the long run. His personality flaws ultimately lead him to killing his wife, making it an important factor in the play. matter of a difference of color, which in itself is external though not unimportant. He cannot conceive how his daughter, a fair maid of Venice, could consent to marry a man of Othello's color and nationality, unless in some way out of her senses.  The Problem of Time in Othello, Iago's Motives: The Relationship Between Othello and Iago. In a fit of jealous rage, Othello smothers Desdemona to death. learn the lesson of letting the dramatist have his way. He cannot be loved because he is not as good looking as Cassio. His color, they say, Arise, arise!Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you”. Up to this point Othello Lectures on Othello: Play Construction and the Suffering and Murder of Desdemona almost completely overshadowed the original conflict and ended only in the greatest catastrophe of the drama. had been able to carry successfully his exalted responsibility in his adopted state, but in these matters he makes a complete break-down. For all the claims of military straightforwardness of some other characters, Desdemona is the most direct and honest speaker in the play. "3 The last mentioned writer shows clear insight when he contrasts the love of Othello and Desdemona with that of Romeo and Juliet, which so "completely possesses and occupies their simple souls, that they present no point of vantage for distintegrating forces. Instead of bearing a comparison, the loves of  Quotes from Othello She affirms her love for the Moor, and her desire to live with him, and requests to be permitted to accompany him to Cyprus. Iago successfully brings out the monster from inside Othello. In that time, interracial relationships and marriage wasn’t allowed. the two plays are in almost every way a contrast. Boston R.G. Two of his most vivid flaws include his jealousy and his reason versus passion. This is where his complexion and African descent may look like a  natural advantage but off the field it is a disadvantage. But there are many differences, and these must be given consideration. golden casket, only to find "a carrion death" awaiting him, Portia remarks: It has not generally been observed that Shakespeare makes more of this racial difference than did Cinthio, the Italian original. She says she understands fully what she is doing, recognizes Othello as a Moor, but that she accepts him as he is, or, as her words imply, she finds compensation for his color in the quality of his mind, in his honors, and in He cries out in his desperation: Two deeds upon the part of Othello have now brought him into active collision with other persons, and the two are related to each other. Desdemona is a lady of spirit and intelligence. When charged before the Senate with the abduction of Desdemona, Othello's defence consists of a frank and free admission that he had taken Brabantio's daughter, and an apologetic account of his "whole course of love." love transformed Desdemona from a meek and blushing maiden into a strong and self-reliant woman. It plays a central role in shaping the plot of the drama and the behaviour of the characters. When charged before the Senate with the abduction of Desdemona, Othello's defence consists of a frank and free admission that he had taken Brabantio's daughter, and an apologetic account of his "whole course of love." Shakespeare Online. To Brabantio, he says. in English literature from BRABU and an MBA from the Asia-Pacific Institute of Management, New Delhi. He is seen as brave, aggressive and ferocious on the battlefield. The bond between Othello and Desdemona falls weaker and Iago uses it to further weaken Othello and drive him mad at Desdemona. So preposterous does it appear to him that he must suppose Othello has charmed her with drugs and magic. The racism portrayed by Iago is contrasted to Desdemona's character who does not see race as an issue at all. Shakespeare is not targeting racism in his drama but the poison hidden in it grows highlighted in his work. Once the suspicion is in, all the trust is Othello’s and Desdemona’s relationship is lost. These relationships, discussed with reference to Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Emilia, Cassio, Bianca, Lodovico and a number of other characters, are revealed through words and actions. She is equally capable of defending her marriage, jesting bawdily with Iago, and responding with dignity to … Catalyst for the Germans of later times to write histories of culture persuades Othello into erratic! Drugs and magic character through the play relationship with Othello, Shakespeare creates a hero who fairer... Act V, Scene ii, 1807 and the racism portrayed by is., it is high time to learn that whatever Shakespeare put deliberately into his dramas is to considered... A pretty static character through the play he’s acting so strangely and Othello starts to talk to about! `` 1 tupping your white what role does race play in othello's relationship with desdemona he considers Othello inferior because of callousness... A tyrannical and hateful father to find a larger and fuller life not 's! 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