Othello's Tragedy

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Othello-

“Othello is destroyed not so much by the villainy of Iago, but rather by faults in his own character of which he is unaware himself.”

The story of Othello is written by William Shakespeare, this tragedy is caused by the faults in Othello’s character in which he is unaware and although Iago manipulates these faults and deceives Othello, Othello’s self consciousness, insecurity and his love for Desdemona leads him to extreme jealousy and the tragedy of himself.

Othello is very self conscious, he is a black man in a white world, and although he is General of the army, in a position of leadership, and respected by many, this racial difference leads to insecurity.

Othello falls in love with Desdemona, daughter of a Venetian senator, he claims in Act 2 Scene 1 that Desdemona is his calm and his soul’s joy. Iago manipulates Othello’s love for Desdemona as he realizes that he can drive Othello to extreme jealousy.

Othello is insecure and this leads him to doubt and gullibility. Iago hates the moor as stated in Act 2 Scene 1 ‘I hate the Moor.’ Iago really has no motive to destroy the moor, he is an evil and deceitful man. Othello is ignorant and naïve to Iago’s hatred. Iago realizes Cassio’s womanizing ways and the way he speaks friendly to Desdemona. He manipulates this situation, and uses Othello’s insecurity, to make him believe that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Iago cleverly deceives Othello by stopping and hesitating before speaking. Othello thinks Iago carefully weighs his words because he is honest yet Iago is just playing on Othello. Othello trusts too easily and is ignorant of Iago’s deceit and hatred towards himself. Iago manages to plant ideas in Othello’s mind without saying very much, e.g. Act 3 Scene 3 ‘Ha! I like not that.’ This understatement easily creates doubt in Othello’s mind. Also in Act 4 Scene 1, Othello hides

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