The Military Commander in Othello Essay - 1592 Words

The Military Commander in Othello The character of the general in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello is quite noble, although plagued by the shortcoming or weakness of gullibility. Let us in this essay look at all the features, both good and bad. of this ill-fated hero. David Bevington in William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies describes many fine virtues which reside within the general: Othello’s blackness, like that of the natives dwelling in heathen lands, could betoken to Elizabethan audiences an innocent proneness to accept Christianity, and Othello is one who has already embraced the Christian faith. His first appearance onstage, when he confronts a party of torch-bearing men coming to arrest†¦show more content†¦From that omniscient view, they look upon this tortured human being with a strong sense of the irony and tragedy of his position. (39) From the text of the play a number of clues can be gleaned which round out the description of the general. In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the general in Othello: Though scarcely the â€Å"barbarian† (1.3.353) he is called, the Moor is emphatically black, probably rough, even fearsome, in appearance, and a foreign mercenary from Mauritania in refined Venice. Though of royal blood, since the age of seven he had a restrictive, painful life, being sold into slavery and spending most of his life in â€Å"the tented field† (1.3.85). His â€Å"occupation† (3.3.357), to a degree found in no other Shakespearean hero, is war. He can therefore speak of the great world little â€Å"more than pertains to feats of broil and battle† (1.3.87). But that he loves the gentle Desdemona, he would to have given up a life of unsettled war and his â€Å"unhoused free condition / †¦ For the sea’s worth† (1.2.26-27). (58) The first appearance of the protagonist is in Act 1 Scene2, where Iago is pathologically lying about Brabantio and himself and the ancient’s relations with the general and about everything in general. Othello responds very coolly and confidently to the pressing issue of Brabantio’s mob coming afterShow MoreRelatedSimilarities And Differences Between Iago And Othello1094 Words   |  5 Pages The tragedy of Othello is not just a story of jealousy but rather a clash of two worlds. In Shakespearean plays we many times see the protagonist fall due to deceit, human flaws, and corruption of their society. We specifically see the hero fall in Shakespeares Othello as a man trying to be himself with a corrupt friendship in Iago. Othello is seen to be the noble moor of Venice. He is respected by society for his many actions of nobility and bravery. Iago on the other hand is the villain plottingRead MoreThe Two Sides of Othello1111 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeare introduces the title character of the play Othello as a man who is well respected by the citizens of Venice. Othello is an esteemed military man whose conquests have added to Venice’s glory. He has always lived in the public eye and been held in high regard. When he is confronted with the possibility of his new bride’s infidelity, Othello does not know how to confront and control these new emotions. Othello’s lack of understanding of his personal self and emotions leads toRead MoreEssay on Conflict in Othello877 Words   |  4 PagesOthello is a play which contains many conflicts between the characters. The main conflicts in ‘Othello’ are between friends and foes. 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Through the in depth analysis of both Othello and Iago, I will serve to prove that Shakespeare was illustrating the fact that disaster is the only outcome of men lead by wild emotionRead MoreShakespeare s Othello, Iago And From Game Of Thrones867 Words   |  4 Pagesin character from â€Å"Othello’s†, Iago and from â€Å"Game of Thrones†, Jorah Mormont is striking, Iago is evil and vindictive to the core, while Jorah used to spy on Daenerys, but fell in love with her instead. In Shakespeare â€Å"Othello† Iago clamors â€Å"I hate the mo or†, this man is Othello, and is his chosen enemy. Iago, prays on his leaders weakness attempting to thoroughly destroy him. Jorah’s heart leads him to seek and follow the truth about his new master he serves. They are both complex individual’sRead MoreOthello: Compare and Contrast The Two Wives1627 Words   |  7 Pages Bob Mudd Compare and contrast the two characters Desdemona and Emilia from the play Othello. Desdemona and Emilia Comparison and Contrast In the play Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare., there are two prominent women that grab and hold our attention. One is the wife of the play’s heroic character Othello; the other is engaged to an untrustworthy man named Iago. The women are part of, but yet serve as a small piece of what goes on in the play and which is how the conflict of theRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1678 Words   |  7 Pagesmasterpieces and tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet caused a remarkable turning point in English literature as whole, and English drama in particular.His play Othellois one of his unforgettable tragedies. The play of Othello is the finest example of Shakespeare’s poetic and narrative style. Thus, Shakespeare is known as the most influential dramatist whose tragedies found the way to interact with the audience.Shakespeare’s Othello is about jealousy, revenge and deceptionRead MoreManipulation In Othello Analysis 1237 Words   |  5 PagesThe Manipulation of Ideals Iago uses an intricately complex network of lies, manipulations, and sins to control Othello not only physically, but mentally as well. Iago concentrates his efforts on corrupting Othello’s positive view of women created by his marriage with Desdemona, the purest of the pure. Over the course of Iago’s deception, he gradually proves to Othello that women are the vermin of the earth. Iago takes manipulation to another level, progressively defaming women by generally distrusting