Power in Othello- Character Analysis Essays - 900 Words

Power in Othello: Othello: Othello, the principle character, at the beginning seems to have power- whether it is physical, psychological, political or military. He is portrayed to the audience as a symbol of power and strength. As an experienced soldier, a General to be precise, Othello has had little experience with women. Even though he is a high ranking military official, he is less respected because of his dark skin and being a foreigner. His stature and tone of voice, along with his self-confidence and belief, lead the audience to think of Othello as the main representation of power in the play. However, further into the play, Othellos power seems to diminish, revealing his insecurity and susceptibility. He is very naive and†¦show more content†¦Iago is the antagonist of the play, and one of the most evil Shakespearean villains. Iago is extremely clever in the way he uses unsuspecting power- especially psychological power. He gets into people’s heads in many dishonest ways- by spreading f alse rumours, telling lies and psychologically tricking people and secretly controlling certain situations. His power to manipulate is a key point in the play, as it results in major consequences and the deaths of some main characters. Iago’s schemes are multi-levelled- he conspires with roderigo, and makes him believe that Desdemona will take him back. On another level, he leads Othello to believe his wife is having an affair with Cassio. He uses his wife Emilia (unknown to her), to bring back the handkerchief he uses to deceive Othello. Iago is an extremely resourceful and talented man, but he uses these resources and talents in detrimental ways. Iago is constantly referred to by numerous characters as ‘honest’. He himself also refers to honesty. Numerous characters believe that they know and trust Iago and that he would not lie, nor deceive them. Iago’s soliloquies also provide invaluable insight into his wicked mind and evil schemes and plans. Emilia: Emilia is the wife of Iago and Desdemona’s maidservant. Emilia, much like Desdemona, does not have much power but once again her presence has an effect. Her role in the play, apart from being Desdemona’s maid, is to fetchShow MoreRelatedOthello Analysis838 Words   |  4 PagesOthello Analysis Othello is a story of jealousy and manipulation. The story of a man who believes that he deserves to have everything he wants. If anything gets in the way he may ridicule, manipulate or even fight to move it. Othello uses several different types of elements in the drama. Symbolism, Irony and Conflict are all elements that can be found in Othello. We will discuss each in detail later in the essay. The audience views characters in Othello in many different ways especially whenRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Othello 1131 Words   |  5 PagesAn Analysis of Othello by Shakespeare Shakespeare is known for his use of recurring themes throughout his work, including love, death and betrayal. These themes are present in his work of Othello. However, the most fundamental issue is jealousy. The lives of the characthers in Othello are ruined by jealousy from the beginning to the end of the play. The telling of the story is carried out by passion, jealousy, and death. Shakespeare’s Othello reveals devastating tragic inevitability, stunning psychologicalRead MoreExamples of Shakepearian Revenge Tragedey in Othello and tragic Comedy in The Tempest1681 Words   |  7 Pagesof the best-known Shakespearean revenge tragedies is Othello and tragic comedy is The Tempest. 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The audience also feel pity forRead MoreTheme Of Jealousy In Othello979 Words   |  4 Pagesof this is in Othello by William Shakespeare, it is shown Iago is infuriated with that fact that Othello is in the upper class while he is stuck in the lower class. A Marxist analysis is shown here because Iago does everything in his power to convince the other characters he should have a higher position. Jealousy comes a long way it started before shakespeares time and is still here today. The thought of being jealous can be dreadful and can hurt those all around you. In Othello jealousy is presentRead MoreWhat Is Love, a Comparison of Love in Othello and King Lear1488 Words   |  6 Pagesno love, ironically love is the cause of many a down fall. William Shakespeare has single handedly captured and embraced this necessary feeling and has allowed us to view in on it through the characters in his two masterpieces, Othello and King Lear. 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Emilia sRead MoreEssay about Analysis of an Extract from William Shakespeares Othello980 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of an Extract from William Shakespeares Othello In the play Othello, four characters are murdered. The character Iago, who manipulated certain characters into wanting to kill them. Desdemona, Emilia, Othello, and Roderigo, are killed. Iago originally did this out of jealousy of Othello and Roderigo. The deaths of these four characters were inevitable. There was justice in this play for all of the characters who were involved in the killing of the four charactersRead MoreVanita, Ruth. â€Å"‘Proper’ Men And ‘Fallen’ Women: The Unprotectedness1095 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"‘Proper’ Men and ‘Fallen’ Women: The Unprotectedness of Wives in Othello.† Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, vol. 34, no. 2, 1994, p. 341. MLA International Bibliography EBSCOhost, doi:10.2307/450905. Accessed 12 Mar. 2017. Synopsis There are a great deal of plays that end with the death of a wife, often due to rumors of cheating. While many of these plays serve to provide violence in the private, domestic sphere, Othello pushes this issue into the public eye. Although there are many opinionsRead MoreSedgwick s Homosocial Continuum Of William Shakespeare s Othello849 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s Othello Where does it end? Where did it begin? On a continuum, it is impossible to distinguish. Eve Sedgwick coined the idea of the â€Å"Homosocial continuum.† Her argument involves gender, class, and hierarchical relationships. In William Shakespeare’s, Othello, many character pairings can be analyzed in relation to Sedgwick’s theories. The relationships that most interestingly relate to the homosocial continuum are Desdemona and Emilia, Iago and Roderigo, and Iago and Othello. First