Abstract

William Shakespeare's “The Tragedy of Othello” is advised to be one his most adored plays. It was derived from a sixteenth-century tale by Giraldi Cinthio, but Shakespeare improved the contrive, enriched the dialect, and deepened the characters. The connection between Othello and Desdemona proceeds from infatuation and love, to mistrust, and in the end, murder/suicide. The play has many underlying and reoccurring themes throughout. One foremost theme is that of betrayal and loyalty. During the every part of play every attribute is either faithful to, or betrays another characte r. The theme of betrayal and commitment is a universal topic throughou t. In this research paper, we will provide a quick review of the play's plot including every important action in the play which is basically divided by the five acts of the play.

“Othello” Literary Analysis

Introduction

"Othello" by William Shakespeare is a tragedy that constructs the play's antagonist Iago, as a two-sided character. Throughout Act I in the play, Iago shows his convoluted character, who has been presented as racist, manipulative villain, two-faced and jealous. (Campell 190) In Act I, Iago complains he hates Othello, as he was not appointed as an agent by him. He plans to cheat Roderigo taking his cash and assure Othello, Cassio has slept with Desdemona to convey Othello to destruction. Iago serves a purpose to the play and has been constructed in this way to establish the contrive and characters. The audience at this issue gain their attitude of characters and clearly understand who to sympathise. (Campell 190)

Discussion

Othello tells the story of a black man in a white worl d. Othello, a black army general has lately married Desdemona, a juvenile white Venetian young female to the disapproval of her father Brabantio. Brabantio disapproves of interracial relationships despite Othello and Desdemona's happiness and his previous admiration of Othello, as Othello demonstrates in act I scene III "[Desdemona's] father loved me, oft asked for me, still questioned me the story of my life". Othello's trusted right-hand man Iago, who secretly conspires to destroy Othello draws upon this later in the play and draws upon it to enhance his bad plan, later recalling Othello "[Desdemona] did deceive her father, marrying you". This assisted Iago plant seeds of question inside Othello's brain of Desdemona's fidelity. (Campell 190)

The play is littered with constant quotation to Othello's race. Othello is repeatedly prohibited by other characters behind his bac k. Conversations between Roderigo and Iago often comprise disdainful references to Othello's dark colouring. In an exchange between Roderigo and Iago in scene I, act I, Roderigo refers to Othello as "thick lips". Brabantio associates Othello with bad, and accuses him of corrupting Desdemona with "spells and medicines acquired of mountebanks" (act I scene III) and describes their relationship "against all rules of nature". In another exchange between Roderigo and Iago in the play Iago associates Othello with the devil because of his colour. "Diablo, ho!" (act II scene III), and Emilia refers to Othello as the devil "And you the blacker ...