Othello is both strong (he commands an army, recounts tales of his victories and this woos Desdemona) but he is weak in that he fears that his innocent wife has fallen for another, and refuses to believe her due to his not having enough confidence is himself as a man and husband (he still sees himself as a dark-skinned moor and older man).
Full Answer
What is Othello's weakness?
His primary weakness is that his insecurity and jealous nature gets the best of him. Iago understands this all too well. This is the reason Othello is struck where he is.
What are the character traits of Othello?
Othello is a combination of greatness and weakness, in his own words "an honourable murderer" (V.2, 295). He is a general in the Venetian defense forces, and, although a foreigner from Africa, he has won this post by excellence in the field of war. He has courage, intelligence, the skill of command, and the respect of his troops.
What is Othello's achievement in the play?
Othello's achievement is not so much that he survived this unpromising life, but that he survived it in such a spectacularly successful manner, ending up one of the most powerful men in the Venetian defense forces.
How does Desdemona show courage in Othello?
Despite all of these weaknesses, her strengths do shine through her actions and words. Desdemona does show courage to repel against her father when he objects to her love for Othello, and there is a repetition of this repelling against Othello later in the play.
What are the strengths of Othello?
2, 295). He is a general in the Venetian defense forces, and, although a foreigner from Africa, he has won this post by excellence in the field of war. He has courage, intelligence, the skill of command, and the respect of his troops. Under pressure, he makes an inspiring speech.
What are Othello's weaknesses?
Jealousy is one of humanity's greatest flaws, Othello's jealousy clouded his judgement and he acted impulsively on purely circumstantial evidence, resulting in the death of Desdemona.
What are Othello's insecurities?
Othello's greatest insecurity is a fear that his rich, white, beautiful, aristocratic wife doesn't truly love him.
What human weaknesses are depicted in the drama Othello?
His alienation and jealousy instigated by Iago due to his 'free and open nature' and racism not only results in the loss of his rationality, but as part of human condition contributes greatly to the undeniable flaws of human weakness.
How is Othello a good person?
Othello is a trusting, honest person who expects that his own good character, if embodied clearly and earnestly, will save him from others' prejudice. He demonstrates this belief in the first act; presenting himself so nakedly in the name of justice and common sense will be his great misstep.
What kind of person is Othello?
Character Analysis As a skilled soldier and general, Othello is brave, confident, smart and physically strong. Unfortunately, he is also a racial outsider, insecure about his Moorish background, emotionally out of control and naïve. Othello's insecurity is his fatal flaw, a weakness in his personality.
What is Othello's greatest flaw?
Othello's tragic flaw of inherent trust haunts him throughout the play. Othello is easily persuaded and this leads him to put his trust in the wrong people. He unfortunately gets ensnared into Iago's devious plan. Othello treats Iago as a trust-worthy friend who he has known for a long period of time.
Is Othello jealous or insecure?
Othello's jealousy and insecurity are both powerful catalysts that contribute to his downfall which arise as a result of the alienation and racism he experiences in Venice.
Why does Othello have low self esteem?
He earned the respect from his troops and when dealing with military matters, his confidence is at it's peak. Othello's insecurities are put into the background while he receives this war hero fame, however, Iago is able to poke at these hidden feelings and slowly break down Othello's character.
What does Iago reveal about human nature?
Iago shares a viewpoint on human nature, exploring its disturbing aspect through one's exploitative potential, and the power of hatred. E.A J. Honigmann describes Iago as the 'liar, betrayer [and] mental torturer of Othello and Desdemona', but also as 'anything but straighforward' and similarly, F.
Who is responsible for Othello's downfall?
Iago has been to blame for the downfall of Othello because he is the one that created the jealousy within Othello. Iago started this because he was jealous of Othello because he was not made lieutenant, and Cassio was. Iago has been selfish and takes it upon himself to get revenge against Othello.
What are Desdemona's weaknesses?
Othello's weakness is towards Desdemona; Rodrigo's weakness is towards his unconditional loved for Desdemona, while Desdemona's weakness was her kindness and naivety that clouded her judgment towards Othello and his actions.
What is Roderigo's weakness?
Being gullible is one of Roderigo 's faults. He believes so easily that he still has a chance to get Desdemona for himself, even after she marries Othello.
What is Othello's Hamartia?
In this case, Othello's hamartia, or internal tragic flaw, is his extreme jealousy. It is this jealousy that enables him to be tricked and allows him to create his own destruction. Shakespeare is full of great examples of hamartia.
What is the theme of Iago's Othello?
Manipulation is a recurring theme in Othello, Iago manipulates and deceives three essential characters: Roderigo, Cassio and Othello. Throughout the novel, we see how he brings out the weaknesses of each character. From the beginning of the novel, Iago moves these characters as if they were chess pieces, he uses their passions and weaknesses to control and deceive them. He exploits Roderigo love for Desdemona and uses it towards his own benefit, he takes advantage of Cassio’s trust, and plays on Othello’s insecurities. Iago’s tactics for manipulation are indicative depending on the person’s weaknesses and passions.…
Who is Cassio in Othello?
Cassio is a modest soldier and respects Othello very much. At first, Cassio seemed a difficult person to manipulate, but Iago was able to devise a cunning plan that will cast off Cassio from his position. When Iago is alone, he makes a soliloquy to convince himself of Cassio having a relationship with Desdemona who is Othello’s wife. When Iago and Cassio are alone together, Iago convinces Cassio to have a drink. Cassio hesitates at first, but then succumbs to drinking and began fighting Roderigo for insulting him.…
What does Iago use to trap Cassio?
Iago uses Roderigo as a tool to trap Cassio. Cassio appears to be perfect but is tragically flawed, and tricked into over-drinking. The brawl that spurred from Roderigo and Cassio woke Othello. The perfect Cassio without realizing falls victim to Iago’s manipulation and loses his position as lieutenant. Iago, again, uses his psychopathic tactics to explain to Othello that Cassio started the brawl.…
Why is Iago a villain?
Iago may be described as a tragic villain due to his current belief that Cassio has stolen the job that he rightfully deserved. He also believes that Othello has slept with his wife.
What does Iago do to Cassio?
Iago has this master plan to get Cassio majorly intoxicated, and to start a quarrel. Due to Cassio’s childish behavior, Othello demotes him to lieutenant; which is what Iago wanted all along. Cassio is very upset about this, his ranking is of a high importance to him, and with Othello demoting him only further upsets him. Iago soon backstabs Cassio, and convinces Montano that Cassio is an alcoholic. “’Tis evermore his prologue to his sleep.…
Is Othello jealous of Iago?
Othello says he is not the jealous type but even this type of information show what Iago said has hit a nerve. Iago is controlling everybody through his words and manipulation in all three of the acts. Othello even though he is not a jealous man probably do believe what Iago says . Everybody claim Iago is this good and honest person but he is very evil and a snake to his society. Othello and Cassio never talked after he was demoted. A lot of the information that is passed around is through somebody else instead of face to face contact. Iago is showing how to gain power and control through this whole
What is Othello insecure about?
We also learn, through Iago's machinations, that Othello is insecure about the age difference between he and Desdemona, his foreign status, and, to some extent, his race. Iago's exploitation of these flaws is so complete that he turns Othello into a jealous monster intent on revenge who, in an act of misplaced loyalty, destroys the one he loves for, what he believes, is the protection of others. All these factors lead to his fall from grace and final destruction.
What is Othello's character in Act 1?
In Act one of the play, Othello is presented to us as a noble Moor, a man of royal descent, confident and eloquent. He is proud, a man of authority and vastly skilled in the art of war.
Why is Desdemona so saintly?
Possibly because of custom, Desdemona appears subservient and docile to Othello and meekly bows to his authority. She is saintly, so much so, that even when smothered by Othello, she takes responsibility. One could say that it was Desdemona's goodness and her implicit belief in the goodness of others, that led to her demise. She could not fathom that there lurked within her husband or Iago such pernicious evil and she unresistingly acquiesced to her death.
How does Emilia try to be a good wife to Iago?
And Emilia tries to be a good wife to Iago by doing his bidding and only comes to her senses after it is much too late.
Is Iago a master manipulator?
Conversely though, Iago is a bitter, cynical man, intent on revenge, no matter what the cost. He is amoral, duplicitous, scheming, a master manipulator. Iago is the essence of evil. He purposefully and slyly plots the downfall of others, ruthlessly and without remorse. It is clear that he despises the good in others and often comments about his dislike for these qualities, specifically when he refers to Othello, Desdemona and Cassio.
Who is the first to realise what evil Iago has committed?
Emilia is the first to realise what evil Iago has committed and she courageously confronts and implicates him, which leads to her death at his hand.
Does Iago have a motive?
Iago has no qualms in bringing about the downfall of those he despises, for no particular reason. Iago has no true motive for the evil he commits - a truly Machiavellian character. He displays misogynistic tendencies when speaking about and dealing with women. It is this cornucopia of evil within Iago that compels him to plot the destruction of others and bring about his own doom.
What is the cruel fate of Othello?
Fate is cruel to Othello, like the cruel fate of ancient Greek tragedies. Like the Greek heroes, Othello can confront this fate only with the best of his humanity. In his final speeches, Othello brings again a flash of his former greatness: his military glory, his loyalty to Venice, the intensity of his love, and his terrible realization that, by killing Desdemona, he has destroyed the best in himself. No man has full control over his life, but a man can judge himself and perform the execution and die with his love.
What is the character of Othello?
Character Analysis Othello. Othello is a combination of greatness and weakness, in his own words "an honourable murderer" (V.2, 295). He is a general in the Venetian defense forces, and, although a foreigner from Africa, he has won this post by excellence in the field of war.
Why does Othello think Desdemona loves another man?
Iago finds it easy to drive Othello to jealousy and think that Desdemona loves another man because he already feels that her love for him is too good to be true. Othello sees Cassio as the man most Venetian women in Desdemona's position would like to marry and, therefore, as the man she would turn to if she ceased to love her husband. In a way, he is waiting for the dream to come to an end, for Desdemona to decide that she has made a mistake in marrying him.
What does Iago do to Othello?
However, once he makes a decision, he is again the military man, decisive in action. Iago has only to push Othello to the belief that he has been betrayed, and Othello does the rest, judging, condemning, and executing Desdemona.
Why does Othello love Othello?
Love for Othello puts order, peace, and happiness into his mental world, which would otherwise lapse back into chaos. He has grown up in exile, slavery, danger, and despair, now, as a professional soldier, he lives amongst chaos on the battlefield, but he need no longer have it in his inner being, because he has love.
What does Othello feel about his marriage?
Othello feels that his marriage is at the pinnacle of his life: "If it were now to die, / @'Twere now to be most happy, for I fear / My soul hath her content so absolute, / That not another comfort, like to this / Succeeds in unknown fate" (II.1, 190-194). He is triumphant in war and in love, the hero at his greatest moment. Such triumph, in a tragedy, cannot last.
Where does Othello live?
After many years on campaign, Othello has come to live in Venice, among the sophisticated people of the city. Senator Brabantio has invited him to his home, and this is a revelation to the soldier.
What is Desdemona's weakness?
Desdemona does seem to be an all rounded person however it is her weaknesses, which brings about her downfall. Desdemona shows blatant signs throughout the whole play that she fails to realise she is being manipulated by the main vice character Iago. Another weakness which can come to view is Desdemona’s tendency to poke her nose ...
What is Desdemona's interference in Othello?
The main example of this is when she attempts to persuade Othello to take back Cassio as his lieutenant.She is convinced that she can “talk him out of patience” but she does not understand that, in Othello’s public life he may be a different person to what he is in his private life. Desdemona fails to see that she is mixing both Othello’s public and private life, therefore this interference is causing problems for her marriage. This is noticed when Othello says “O curse of marriage” which is a dramatic statement to say, and it is Desdemona’s interference and her tragic timing which inflicts this feeling upon Othello.
What does Desdemona do in Act 3 Scene 3?
Desdemona speaks her mind and makes her own decisions like in act three scene three when she is speaking to Cassio.She decides that she will “have my lord and you again. “you” is Cassio and she decides through her own will that she wants to help Cassio.
What does Desdemona's love for Othello reflect?
Desdemona’s love for Othello results her repelling against her father’s wishes in act one which reflects great courage and strength for an Elizabethan daughter. This repulsion is repeated in act three scene three when she disagrees over Cassio’s dismissal as lieutenant, and insists on doing what she wants by nagging Othello to reinstate Cassio who “languishes” in Othello’s “displeasure.
Why does Desdemona call Cassio a lieutenant?
My interpretation of this is Desdemona calls Cassio “lieutenant” because she feels that Othello loves her, thus he will do anything for her. Therefore she could perhaps be expecting an immediate, positive response. However her kind gesture is playing reversibly against her.
What makes Desdemona a strong character?
Another aspect, which makes Desdemona, appears, as a strong character is her ability to not be a traditional Elizabethan wife. As Desdemona does not follow the hidden requirements of an Elizabethan wife, it can be said she is trying to escape from the patriarchal society.
Why is Desdemona a jewel?
” Shakespeare compares Desdemona to a jewel because jewels are considered precious, and precious is what Desdemona was to Brabantio, so to reject her is a harsh move.
