Shakespeares Othello Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares Othello Essay Othellos destruction by Iago is inevitable due to a combination of Iagos plotting and Othellos character flaws. Iagos cunning character in Shakespeares play has identified Othellos vulnerability through flaws of jealousy, trust, poor judgement, naivety and love for the fair Desdemona. Iagos pure hate for the Moor leads to the success of Othellos downfall through Iagos manipulative and conniving plotting. Perhaps without Iagos clever plotting Othello might have had a chance to communicate with and learn to truly know Desdemona before his weaknesses were ignited. However the reality is that Iago did successfully plot Othellos downfall and is simply unavoidable with the combination of both the scheming and Othellos flaws. Othellos love for Desdemona is so pure and new that the slightest presumption of dishonesty, planted by Iago, is manipulated and exaggerated to turn Othellos love for her into madness and murder. Act I, scene ii, 24-28, For know, Iago, but that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my undousà ¨d free condition put into circumscription and confine for the seas worth. He describes the greatness of his love for Desdemona and how he wouldnt give it up for all the riches in the sea. The greatness of Othellos character in the beginning leads the audience to honour him and convinces them he is strong enough to endure the evilness of his tragic fate. His greatness is partly if not solely why Desdemona fell in love with him, Act I, scene iii, 166-167 She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her that she did pity them. She thought he was a great man and thus she fell in with him for his heroic and strong nature. Desdemona is not the only one who admires and acknowledges Othellos greatness, the Duke, Lodovico, the other soldiers and many more. Its not only his heroics and courage that make him great; he is also very respectful, honest, noble and sincere, and these qualities truly portray him to be admired and thus great. However Iago sees through this strength and breaks him through his love for Desdemona. Just like he says in Act I, scene iii, 365-386, here he first plots against Othello and even admits he will be a great husband and so knows to get his vengeance on Othello through his  love for Desdemona. As mentioned previously Iagos plotting commences at the end of Act I, throughout the second act he plots and sets up circumstances, such as Cassios dismissal as lieutenant, to assist his revenge and scheming, resulting in helping him to gain Othellos trust. Othellos strong will and mind break down during Act III, where his weaknesses are ignited by Iago. During Act II Iago gains Othellos trust by making Cassio the culprit, therefore throughout Act III Othellos trust thickens, firing his naivety and his jealousy of Cassio. At first Othello doesnt believe Iago, but Iagos tiny thoughts and assumptions grow on Othello, who begins to suspect his wife of adultery. Othellos sanity partly withers as he makes comments on suicide, If there be cords or knives, poison or fire or suffocating streams, Ill not endure it. (Act III, scene iii, 388-391). He claims how he wont believe a thing without ocular proof until Iago informs him of Cassios dream of Desdemona. With this news the audience can see Othellos first outburst of a murderous inclination, Ill tear her to pieces! (Act III, scene iii, 33) He Jealousy becomes obvious through that remark and even more so in Act III, scene iii, 272-275. I had rather be a toad and live upon the vapour of a dungeon than keep a corner in the thing I love for others use. Here hed rather live almost in a hell and torturous life than to slightly keep his wife, tainted by others. Throughout Act III until the end, Othellos jealousy grows more and more destructive. He cannot talk to or look at his wife normally, he even hits her and Lodovico can see that he is not the same noble character he once was, Act IV, scene I, 255-259, Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate call all-in-all sufficient? Is this the nature whom passion could not shake? Whose solid virtue the shot of accident nor dart of chance could neither  graze nor pierce? Iago has this tremendous plan to seek vengeance on Othello and somewhat Cassio. It is obvious he is trying to create a hell and make all this evil occur, where in fact he just makes them seem real. He doesnt lie nor tell the truth, he tells Othello what he thinks, the worst lie of all, partly the truth. Act V, scene ii, 175, I told him what I thought, and told no more. Iago knew exactly how to affect Othello by power of speech. He knew that small observations would trigger Othellos jealousy, and then brushing them off as if they were nothing to worry about, playing the innocent act. This made Othello perceive things differently, with the state of mind that it was true and thus seeing and understanding situations in a jealous perspective. At the beginning of Act III Iagos observations and whispers first get to Othello and change him by the end of the act. He takes a psychological approach to make Othello question Desdemonas honesty and loyalty. Iago truly is the villain of this tragedy, the fall of the great Othello. With his conniving scheming he makes it inevitable for Othello to triumph, and in the process ignites all of Othellos flaws into a burning hell on earth, leading him to madness and murder. His love for Desdemona made him so happy and yet destroyed both hers and his life by the green-eyed monster. Probably if communication between the two was stronger our hero may have won, if he was not so trusting he may have seen the truth and if Iago had somewhat of a heart and patience, his time for lieutenant may have come, and this tragedy would seise to exist.