"Othello" Critical Analysis

Chase V.
D. Taylor
ENGL 1302
9 May 2011
Othello Italicized Bibliography Kay, Carol. “Othello's Need for Mirrors.” Shakespeare Quarterly Vol 9.3 (1983): 261-270. JSTOR. Web. 27 April 2011. Kay starts off by pointing out that Othello has two deathbed speeches before successfully killing himself. She states that Othello is obviously seeking an audience for his suicide, which is typically a private, event. Kay brings out Othello's true character by revealing that: First, he did not pay any attention to Desdemona's body while he speaks, other than to damn himself by her death; second, in both speeches he begins by efforts to gather an audience; third, and finally, Othello chooses three different weapons in the process before he finally kills himself. Kay argues that Othello is a very self-absorbed man who seeks petty and reassurance in others because of the way he was raised by his mother and the challenges he encountered growing up. Instead of Othello being raised with a close bond to his mother, ensuring high self-confidence and an easier upbringing. Kay argues that Othello didn't have a close relationship with his mother (developed as an infant), which leads to “seeking substitute emotional mirrors for the remainder of his life.” While Kay is correct and justified in stating that Othello is incredibly self-centered and is seeking merely petty by gathering an audience, she is not accurate in her attempts stating that it was caused by his upbringing and lack of a close relationship with his mother. The sources used were printed between 1932-1980 (keeping in mind that this essay was written in 1983), and are completely outdated. And to say that he is in emotional distress is a complete opinion regardless on how many doctors give the diagnosis. That being said, it is evident that Othello has some kind of emotional battle within himself that he cannot settle.