Iago is the villain of the tragedy Othello but to what extent is he a tragic villain? Iago is portrayed to be an intelligent and deceptive character whom exposes his deceit within the first scene of the play. He explains to Roderigo that ‘I am not what I am’ which could be interpreted as though there are many different levels to him meaning he is […]

Comparing Power in ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Othello’ Both plays are about the ultimate struggle for power. Power can be shown in many ways such as race, gender, ‘others’, social class, and most importantly through use of language. Power can be shown in both plays through the use of ‘otherness’. This can be associated with power as characters such as Othello or Clinical are ‘others’ because […]

William Shakespeare’s drama, “Othello, the Moor of Venice,” may be interpreted in both a Freudian and Jungian way within the psychological criticism of literature. There three main characters in the story: Othello, the Moor in the service of the Venetian state, his wife Desdemona, and Othello’s wicked servant Iago. From the Freudian point of view, both male characters, Othello (master) and Iago (servant) have the […]

Explication Othello: 3. 3. 258-271. “Why did I marry? … … I do beseech your Honour. ” 1. Determine the context of the passage. Othello is doubting Desdemona, and Iago is trying to plant the idea that Desdemona has a hidden agenda with trying to persuade Othello to reinstate Cassio. 2. Describe the passage in its most overt form. (Does it rhyme, does it repeat […]

Iago (Othellos ensign) uses love against Othello (general of the Venetian army) to cause him to experience jealousy. He not only utilizes the Moors love for Desdemona, but also his love for Iago and their friendship My lord, you know I love you(1. 3. 117) Funny enough, Iago gives warning to Othello of the very negative emotion that he hopes to inflict upon him! (1. […]

Travis Gordon ELA 30-1 October 3rd, 2012 Jealousy, the universal feeling we’ve all experienced at one time or another. Whether it be the newest piece of technology that someone has that you don’t and wish you did, or that kid on the playground that had those new light up shoes that were all the rage. Jealousy is not something that can be avoided, only controlled. […]

The passage in Act 3, Scene III of Shakespeare’s Othello, where Othello cracks down on Iago and demands proof from him of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness, is the turning point of the play. Iago has Othello in the palm of his hand, and has Othello’s entire fate planned out. He has done this by making him think that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. In this […]

Jealousy is the central theme in the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare. It is the most famous literary work that focuses on the dangers of jealousy. The play is a study of how jealousy can ruin lives – even with only the most circumstantial evidence of guilt. The play opens in Venice and revolves mainly around a man called Othello. It’s his actions and thoughts […]

William Shakespeare’s play Othello, written in 1603, is set in Venice and follows the ‘valiant’ general Othello who is manipulated by Iago into his own downfall; being the murder of his wife then suicide. The play explores some of the deepest characteristics of human experience, including moral decay, emotional suffering and strong moral acts. This is driven by the themes of jealousy, appearance versus reality, […]

Throughout the course of the play “Othello”, Iago is portrayed as the typical sinister villain with no motives for his evil plans, but he also brings many comical aspects to the production. Many audiences would have disliked Iago because of the fact that he is the stereotypical villain, yet we are compelled to watch in suspense, his next move. He is definitely a very complex […]