Othello Literature Essay

420 Words2 Pages
Othello Literature essay
Iago’s honest betrayal has left Othello pondering over Desdemona’s faithfulness. Believing the words of “his most honest” friend, Othello is easily succumbs to his insinuations of his wife, Desdemona being unfaithful.
Othello’s loss of faith begins when he starts to believe Iago “his most honest” friend, who tells him that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Unknowingly he was falling into Iago’s plan. Iago tells to Othello “every man who is married has an unfaithful wife. Every woman who is married is an unfaithful wife.” It may be true for some men and women but there could be some exceptions such as Desdemona.
Iago tells Othello that it is better to know the truth, which Iago knows that it is not the truth. Iago speaks to Cassio, not about Desdemona, but about Bianca, because Othello couldn’t hear what Iago and Cassio said, but could only see Cassio’s face. He is convinced that Iago was speaking the truth. Bianca enters with Desdemona’s handkerchief which Othello takes as a conclusion of the affair between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello’s anger arouses which makes him decide that Desdemona and Cassio must both be killed.
Othello is not easily provoked into jealousy as he states “one not easily jealous”, but when Iago starts to influence him with the fact that Desdemona is having an affair, Othello easily identifies the possible reasons that could cause Desdemona to have an affair. Firstly it’s his colour: “for I am black” he feels distrusted and incompetent as he compares himself to Cassio, who he believes is the one Desdemona admires more than a “Moor”.
There is no doubt that Iago is a villain and that he loves evil. In his own he said that “divinity of hell”. Everyone regard him as an honest man which is ironic because he is the exact opposite. He hates Othello because he gave Cassio a promotion that he himself wanted badly

More about Othello Literature Essay

Open Document