A Synthesized Analysis of Othello
Assignment Description: A synthesized analysis of Othello
Othello is a rich tragedy, filled with intrigue and spite and horror. The many ideas and ideals explored by the play have not left the human experience in the 400 years since the first performance in London. In fact, these considerations are still some of the most important in human experience. In class, we have discussed some of the major themes Othello explores: Jealousy, Reputation, Identity, Loyalty, Friendship, Misogyny, Miscegenation, Sexuality, Social and Cultural Rules/Norms (among others). Synthesize a discussion of the play around two thematic aspects or understandings. This synthesis must include 3 things: the text of Othello, your own experience or understanding of the theme/idea under consideration, and the ideas of one or more critics of Shakespeare and Othello.
This is a writing exercise meant as exploration, using your own background knowledge and understanding of the world, along with the text of Othello. Integrate three aspects of writing- literary analysis, integration of outside texts and personal writing.
Length and format
3-4 pages, single-space (double-space between paragraphs), #12 times new roman font
Main Skills
Integrate the play and quotes and paraphrases into your essay. There is NO works cited required, but mention the names of the critics you quote and paraphrase. The first time you mention the critics use their full name and the title of their work you are using. Subsequent quotes and paraphrases need only a last name.
Additional Features
When quoting or paraphrasing the text of Othello, use the Act and sc number like this: Act III sc. iii. for the first instance of quotation/paraphrase. Subsequent quoting/paraphrasing should just use “III iv” at THE END of the quote/paraphrase.
When discussing plot, use the literary present tense.
Additional Prompts: All prompts 3-4 pages single-spaced double spaced between paragraphs and use at least one additional critic’s views.
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A Synthesized Analysis of Othello
Othello is a rich tragedy by Shakespeare with influentially dynamic male and female characters. The play revolves around various themes which have been really connected to human experiences since it was written and performed first. The main themes of jealousy, reputation, loyalty, friendship, trust, identity, social values, misogyny, and miscegenation are portrayed through the actions of major characters like Othello, Iago, Desdemona, and Emilia. Although the play covers a tragic hero tied in a romantic relationship with Desdemona, many critics express the importance of the vibrant male and female pairs instead of the prominent couples in love. The relationship between Othello and Iago represents a powerful pair, setting the plot in action and inviting the tragic end.
On the other hand, Desdemona and Emilia depict a woman-to-woman relationship with similarities and differences of character, giving the climax a direction to the outcome. This way, both pairs with comparing and contrasting qualities in each pair lead the plot. Othello and Iago, and Desdemona and Emilia, as powerful fictional pairs, are complementary and sometimes oppose each other in designing the tragic end. Connecting the story to personal life, experiences like jealousy, identity, loyalty, relationships, infidelity, and social and racial norms are relatable to every age and society.
Othello is one of the most historically influential protagonists of the story, while Iago is one of the most attention-grabbing antagonists from the history of literature. Both share some similarities, such as both are military men with different ranks. Both have served their country in battle and share similar marital status when the story begins. However, Iago is jealous of having a lower rank than Cassio, whom Othello promotes to be the lieutenant as a reward after the battle. To destroy the fortunes of both Othello and Cassio, Iago begins to manipulate. He asserts that he follows to attempt his' turn upon him' (Act I, sc i). By taking advantage of Othello's trust in him and playing with his weak points, the villain succeeds in making the protagonist believe that his newlywed woman has an affair with his lieutenant. This indicates that Iago is a cunning and manipulative character compared to Othello, who is plain and simple. He benefits from various situations and fuels the passion of possessiveness and inborn African open-mindedness to create a strong mistrust between Othello and his wife. Through the incident of the handkerchief, Iago plays his trump card and successfully induces Othello to punish Desdemona and Cassio for betrayal.
On the other hand, Othello gets constantly fooled by the planning and loses trust in his wife and friend. Resigning to his passions for love, possessiveness, and free nature, and being manipulated by Iago, he ultimately kills his loyal wife. He claims that with his 'bloody thoughts with violent pace,' he will never look back at her love (III iii). This specifies that Othello is possessive and selfless in love who needed nothing but devotion, while Iago's self-interest is all he has because he cares nothing about knowing the chances of his wife's infidelity; instead, he gets excited to use this fact in hypocrisy against Othello. Hence, the themes of jealousy, reputation, misogyny, racial and social identity, infidelity, trust, and friendship revolve around and stem from these two characters, who are working as a pair with similar and dissimilar character traits, confirm the fate of every character, including themselves in the story.
Shakespeare connected these two characters, Othello and Iago, to move his plot through a thematic thread of many passions, particularly jealousy, which is relevant to every age based on my understanding. It is out of jealousy of having a lower military position and social esteem that Iago turns against both the protagonist and Cassio and weaves a trap to ruin them. The second most important theme, in my opinion, is manipulation and attack through the weakest part of one's personality because Iago declares the 'free nature' of Othello in soliloquy to use as a destruction tool. Based on my experience, jealousy is universal and timeless negativity, which has been destroying the dignity of human nature and relationships since the beginning of the world. Iago instills false doubts in Othello's mind and makes him believe untruth facts by providing unreal clues. This type of manipulation and the passion of jealousy rises, and it is rampant. The couples, who strongly believe in each other, are easily victimized by false doubts created by so-called trustworthy people around us. If chance favors the villains, like the handkerchief incident in the story goes in favor of Iago's planning, people begin to settle down on the essential things of their life quite blinded like the protagonist. This way, these negative obsessions have been destroying life and marital relationships for centuries in every cultural and social setting. Shakespeare provides a plot run by socially prominent people like Othello, a military general; Desdemona, a respected Venetian princess; Iago, a well-known military man; and Cassio, a lieutenant. However, the emotional crisis raised by envy, manipulation, and doubts about relationships is found in every class. Both educated and ignorant, socially well-off and middle class and well-settled and unfortunate people suffer from unstable psychological conditions due to these factors. Finally, the trust bond between Iago and Othello, which ultimately causes their tragic end, is also common in every age. Everywhere under the sun, people who are very close to us take advantage of our trust to eliminate their frustrations by spoiling our good fortune. In a nutshell, the thematic thread in Othello, which exposes the fundamental factors causing the downfall of Othello, has been responsible for setting people's life on destruction for centuries, as per my experience.
According to many critics, Shakespeare's Othello represents particular emotions such as jealousy, revenge, and shame, which are practiced in organizational life. For example, Poulson, with Duncan and Massie in his article "I Am Not What I Am" – Destructive Emotions in an Organizational Hierarchy: The Case of Othello and Iago describes Othello as a persuasive case study of negative sentiments in an 'organizational setting.' The critics state the character of Iago as mentally sick and emotionally unstable, devising the tragedy of Othello. For being socially and professionally behind Othello and Cassio, Iago causes chaos in the 'personal and professional life of the General,' only because he did not sponsor him in ranks. Based on the villain's blindness in the running after negative and damaging emotions, Poulson, with his fellows, calls 'Othello' a 'case study of destructive emotions,' such as envy, revenge, and shame, an executive order verifiable by real experiences. The underlined scholar presents evidence that the people who are passed over pose a particular organizational issue, such as the anger begin to embody from the negative psyche of the main characters in the play like Othello and Iago. Moreover, these critic...