Othello

Introduction

The renaissance period of the English literature witnessed the emerge of a number of great artistic figure such as William Shakespeare who was born in 1564 and died in 1616. He was a great playwright whose plays are now having fame and glory as it was at his age. He was a poet and wrote many poems. Among his great works, "Othello" is a masterpiece and a marvelous work of love and jealousy. The play was written between 1601 and 1603 and represented many values concerning humanity, races, envy, revenge and regret. Othello, the hero was a character that raises questions in mind as he was a dignified warrior, leader and a lover whose love was his disaster. In this essay we are going to discuss many aspects of Othello's character regarding his positive depiction both verbal and behavioral as well as the views of other characters as parts of the society surrounding Othello then we will try to make an assessment for the ending of the play. (Brownlow, F. W. 1979)        

Body

Throughout the play, readers learn about Othello as a man of positive depiction as well as negative sides yet his positive depiction leaves more effects on the readers as he was a sincere lover, a brave warrior and a war leader who has a reputation which gives him great assistance against Turks. While reading the play, his character is clearly appearing to be of such positive depiction as being a governor of Cyprus and a courageous man who feared no one which was clear when he said:

"My services which I have done the signiory

Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know

Which, when I know that boasting is an honor,"

(Othello, Act1, Scene1)

At this time of the play, Othello seems to be proud of himself showing verbal courage because he sees himself the brave man, the leader and the warrior whom everybody respects, he says that Barbantio respects and loves him and would not object his love and marriage to Desdemona, he sees the hero in himself which asserts the fact of having a verbal positive depiction as a man who can face anyone and a lover who can defend his love. (Kau et al, 1997)

   Othello was having positive depiction verbal and behavioral, his behaviors were very positive as he acted as a lover towards Desdemona, he dealt with his problems wisely using linear thinking, he asked the court to investigate his wife and know whether she loved him or not when her father made an accusation against Othello as accusing him of using an extraordinary force as magic over Desdemona whom her father think can never love such a man. When he saw that Casio did not deserve his position as he was fighting drunken, he demoted Casio. He was a good husband who carried fearing feelings for his wife as he refused to let her accompany him in war as he was frightened for her. Another positive situation of Othello was when he confessed his guilt at last when he said: 

"Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,

Nor set down aught in malice: then must you speak

Of one that loved not wisely but too well

Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought"(Othello, act5, scene2)

At time of death, most people do not regret or express feelings of positive actions specially when committing suicide but Othello did show positive behavior as he regretted what he made of killing his beloved wife and he confessed he was jealous, he then appeared a man of responsibility whose decisions are strict even with himself that he decided to end his life by himself and this was just a sign for love for Desdemona whom he was not fair with. (Loomba, A. 2002)

Throughout the play, readers could be faced with many social problems regarding acceptance Othello into a society of the white European race, "Moor" was a word used to mean: "negro" and it is not a good word but it was said to refer to Othello as a black man which means in turn being mean to them. Othello's origins were from North Africa so the society elements refused him. It was a closed society that was not able to include the others easily even if pretended to be a civilized one. Othello lived in a society of spilt opinions and views about black people. When looking into the way Iago hated Othello, we can find it a strange way as it lacked reasons and even when Iago tried to justify his hatred, it was not convincing. Iago was that villain who was very distinguished among all literary works with his deep hatred and wicked acts, once in the play he tried to justify his hatred towards Othello was due to making Cassio promoted over him by Othello and in another time he said that Othello was making an affair with his wife and this did not occure. Iago carries envy feelings and a destroying desire for Othello which seems have no reasons but being black as he always called him a Moor. Iago had bad social views deep inside his dark soul, he had a good reputation and a trust he did not deserve. He represented the society of that era which gave interest to outers not insiders and which did not respect differences in other people.( Loomba, A. 2002).

  This was clear as this society had no acknowledgement that this was wrong as Iago justified his hatred even to himself as he said:

      "But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor:

   And it is thought abroad, that " twixt my sheets

    He has done my office: I know not if't be true;

     But, I for mere suspicion in that kind,

     Will do as it for surety. (Othello, Act1, Scene 3)

Iago said that Othello was betraying him with his wife just to find anything to work as a reason for his hatred to Othello but I think it was just a social hatred due to Othello's race, he said that Othello was: "an erring barbarian" (Act1, Scene3) and also: "an old black ram…tupping… a white ewe…"(Act1, Scene1) and` described him to be a barbarian:"an erring barbarian" (Act1, Scene3). We find that other characters also described Othello to be a black man such as Roderigo as he said: "thick-lips""    (Act1, Scene1) which tells that they were representing a society of racist ideas full of narrow minded persons who never accepted others who are different. Another strange character was Desdemona's father who was not accepting his daughter to marry a black man although he was a respectable warrior and governor but at last he accepted the real situation and then dies of sadness before actions grow dramatically. He said to Othello: "O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter?"   (Act1, Scene2) He thought that his daughter was under magician powers that he accused Othello once in court of doing magic over Desdemona. (Brownlow, F. W. 1979)

Yet there were contradicting ideas of different people in the play, they were those persons who could live with different people regardless their color and race. The Duke of Venice was accepting Othello whatever his color was, he trusted him as a leader and a man of war whose dignified soul ranked him highly to him. He defended Othello and Desdemona's love telling good words to Desdemona's father as he said:

 "   and, noble signior, If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black”.  (Act 1, scene 3)

He was a man of authority but at the same time he represented sympathy and being fair with a great warrior who should not be ashamed of his skin. Due to his honesty, he sent Othello to be a leader warrior defending the country against the Turks. Another character was Desdemona who loved Othello without concerning his race neither his color, she was a great woman with a delicate soul and clear heart, she did not feel proud that she was white and she was confident for her lover and her husband Othello. (Kau et al, 1997)

Conclusion

To conclude, we have to talk a little about the ending as "Othello" is not an ordinary love story but a story of love, hatred, jealousy, envy, revenge and regret. The end was not that happy one, the heroes did not enjoy a happily ever after end but it was a dramatic end. Othello killed his wife then killed himself as a kind of regret and feeling sorry for his beloved whom he was not fair with. Although it was an extremely sad end, I feel it is matching with the accidents of the play and whether readers expected it or not, it is suitable. I once thought If  Shakespeare changed the end and made Othello understand everything then kill Iago and live happily with his wife, it would be a happier end with two happy couples but in fact I changed my mind as I did not feel the great feelings of heroes specially that of Othello when he regretted his mistakes, his last words were very impressive that left deep conflicts in my soul which is the basic role of drama, to arouse conflicts and questions in hearts, minds and souls of the readers. The end seemed natural as I think Shakespeare himself  was bearing an attitude towards Othello as a man from the East, he presented him as a sensitive man but not civilized enough to think before killing his wife without enough evidences. The play was such a masterpiece that leaves readers perplexed a little but with lots of thoughts, feelings and new attitudes towards social life.