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Othello Tragedy Essay

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Othello is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1603. It is believed that is was inspired and based on the “Un Capitano Moro” ( a Moorish Captain) by the Italian writer Cinthio. Othello play revolves around two major characters: Othello, a Christian Moor and general of the armies of Venice, and Iago is his disloyal ensign. Othello is considered to be a tragedy play, Tragedy is a type of drama that generally deals with problems and conflicts of the major character, leading to a miserable and calamitous ending induced as in ancient drama by some powerful shaping force - fate, God or established authority – and a tragic flaw in the character itself, or usually by social compression ethical failure or psychosomatic kink. Othello is a tragedy …show more content…

He is a Christian Moor and general of the Venetian armies, Othello is an articulate and physically strong character, honored and respected by all those around him. The play dramatizes this man falling from graciousness, he begins the play as a nobleman, but, by the end of it, Othello has turned into brutal, illogical and madly jealous husband who assassinates his own wife Desdemona after his ensign Iago twists his (Othello’s) insecurities (race, age and being an outsider) against him by convincing him that his wife been disloyal to him. After Othello kills his wife, the truth begins to appear, Iago’s true motives and personality were exposed by his wife Emilia, who soon was killed too by her husband Iago. Othello takes revenge for being deceived by Iago and kills him, and soon after, Othello takes revenge of himself as well for killing his innocent beloved Desdemona by committing suicide. For such events, the play can also recognized as a ‘Domestic Tragedy’, having events circling around love and marriage in a domestic sphere (house) is sure to be regarded as it. For it be also called a ‘Revenge Tragedy’, Othello didn’t only take revenge from Iago or himself, but also from Desdemona as he thinks she cheated on him. It is worth mentioning that there is a high possibility that Othello’s ‘big love’ wasn’t really for Desdemona as much as it was for his pride and feelings. He was so …show more content…

Being passed over for promotion to Lieutenant, Iago decides to take revenge from Othello with his deceiving words and behaviors. His talent of manipulation managed him to deceive all the characters in the play in a way that serves his goals, which makes him a very powerful figure. Iago is not considered to be a classical villain in any play or story. His role in this tragedy is very complicated and distinct, faraway from anyone might imagine. being an expert judge character along with his high cleverness gave him a major privilege in the play. For instance, Iago is aware that Roderigo will do practically anything to win Desdemona, so he uses Roderigo’s weakness to assist him achieving some of his goals by removing Cassio from being a lieutenant. He tells him to “put money in thy purse” so that Roderigo can buy some gifts for Desdemona to win her heart as well as to go to Cyprus, where he thinks (Iago) when they are far from Venice it would be much easier for him to get rid of Othello. During his soliloquy that followed after their talk, Iago demonstrates that he would never support and partner somebody as Roderigo unless it serves him, “thus do I ever make my fool my purse; For I mine own gained knowledge should profane; If I would time expend with such a snipe; But for my sport and profit” (act:1 scene 3, 362-383). Iago is so good at manipulating and deceiving

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