Q1. In the three literary works we have studied, Othello, The Duchess of Malfi, and Candide. evil is portrayed as a main theme. Examine the depiction of evil in these works and how it is manifested similarly and/or differently in the texts. Explain the ways the portrayal of evil possibly offers social criticism. Discuss and cite examples from the texts to support your answer.
Evil is a theme that can be portrayed in many literary works through different means and to discuss many issues. The current paper is discussing evil as a main theme portrayed in three literary works which are Othello, The Duchess of Malfi and Candide, the depiction of evil is examined and the way it is manifested in the texts with examples form the literary texts.
Discussion
Shakespeare depicted evil as a main theme in Othello through characters and events, Iagos can be evil at many situations with his ill-willed character and his way in leading many characters of the play to confusion, here Shakespeare presents his evil side. For example, in scene one, he claimed being angry at Othello because he suspected him had a relation with his wife and at the end of Act 2 he also reveals such suspicion and tries to lust with Desdemona to get even with Othello. "It is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets, he has done my office". (Act I Scene 3, lines 369-370) Shakespeare also focuses on other characters showing the evil sides of their nature such as that of Othello who has many suspicions with his wife and his desire to kill her. Evil is presented in Othello to focus on human behavior and the changes that occur in that behavior and he links evil to some extent to power and to deception. The play also presents evil as an element that exists in society which may raise social criticism here as he presents the brutal Venetian society with its lifestyles and the different gender roles as a tool for raising evil through minorities' oppression and rich power. Shakespeare tries to present evil as a result for different social climates and political conditions too which may be socially criticized as there can be many rich societies where evil is not a main element or mover for actions.
The Duchess of Malfi is a play that presents evil as an oppose to good as there are characters that are good and others that are evil such as the brothers who are unrelenting evil as they are presented to express devil, fire and darkness motifs. The play focuses on evil that comes from family members as brothers are apparent to be evil in the fourth act and there is sharp distinction by Webster on the difference between good and evil. The author also presents evil through elements such as fake corpse, madman plethora and the murder of the Duchess and her children which declares high cruelty against light of a mother who is representing good. She though realizes that there is evil on earth as she says: "That’s the greatest torture souls feel in hell,/In hell: that they must live, and cannot die" (4.1.70-1) The author also tries to focus on some evil of other people in the play such as Ferdinand and The Cardinal in an indirect way as they are responsible for getting fire to her life as for example, Ferdinand's imaginations to kill her children and get her blood shows his mean soul and he was associated with being in fire many times. The play may present some social criticism through evil depiction as many people may think it is an exaggeration that brothers can do all that evil acts to a loving sister as the two brothers seem connected with the devil by many ways, for example, Antonio says: “the devil speaks in” (1.1.177) This was an example of many words representing the brothers being hell on Earth facing the virtue of the Duchess.
Candide is presented in the novel as an innocent man who is the victim of misfortunes and then he encounters evil in many situations. Evil can be regarded in the sufferings Candide meets during his travels but he still has optimism and hope but he and his master Pangloss turn to believe the world is full of evil and cruelty. The journey they go together presents a wide variety of evil including deaths, rapes, earthquakes and different violent acts. They can't justify all that evil in life and then they review the optimistic look for the world. The author is trying to present evil away from society as it is not connected with people only but even with nature as modern people are cruel as well as primitive one who could eat them alive. This focus on the existence of evil provide a difference image of evil from other literary works that made Candide unique in comparing evil to good on Earth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, evil is a main theme that was presented in many literary works such as Othello, The Duchess of Malfi and Candide. The authors of these three works tried to depict evil as a main theme that was differently presented in each of the three works and was compared to good in each of them differently.
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