Characterisation- Othello

Characterisation- Othello

1. Relationship with Desdamona

   • At the begining
     • "I lov'd that she did pity them"
       • revealing the happiness of their relationship
     • "My life upon her faith"
       • reveals the importance Othello places on the relationship. I hints that O believes that if D was unfaithful it would kill him
     • "My life upon her faith"
       • Suggests their relationship is very important to O. Foreshadows that O believes that if D were to be unfaithful it would kill him, revealing Othello's key flaw, jealousy
     • "Twere now to die, would be most happy"
       • shows the strength of his love for Desdamona
     • "Tis better at it is"
       • Suggests that Othello is confident and pure
   • The change
     • The handkercheif
       • "He puts the handkerchief... drops it"
         • a clear symbolic gesture of the "fall" of their relationship
       • Iago convinces Othello that he saw Cassio with the handkercheif he gave Desdamona
       • The handkerchief was Othello's mother's and it was the first gift he ever gave to Desdamons
     • "Be sure thou prove my love a whore... give me the ocular proof"
       • All Othello's self assurance has gone as he now relies on Iago to prove his wife's betrayal
     • Language
       • "lewd minx"
         • Othello now uses crude and ugly language towards his wife. Animal imagery with sexual connotations shows that because he is jealous Othello feels the need to degrade his wife, showing the impact Othello's key flaw has on others. Shows the change in their relationship
     • "villan... prove my wife to be a whore"
       • Before Othello was self assured and as a solider was able to make decisions quickly. This shows thedrastic change in his character as he can no longer trust his instincts
   • At the end
     • "I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, Killing myself, to die upon a kiss
       • Othello kills Desdamona because he is blinded by jealousy, showing how far Iago has taken over his mind.
     • "I am not sorry neither. I'd have thee live, For in my sense 'tis happiness to die"
     • "chop her to messes"
       • shocking language reveals the significant impact Othello's jealousy has had on him, it has changed him from a loving husband into a murderous monster
   • Arrival in Cyprus
     • PATHETIC FALLACY
       • Before the arrival of the characters in Cyprus there is fierce strom
         • This foreshadows the jealousy which will destroy Othello and his relationship with his wife
       • "if after every tempest came such calms"
         • The contrast between "tempest" and "calms" is symbolic of heaven and hell. At this point their relationship is so happy it is heavenly but when Othello begins to be consumed by jealousy it will descend to hell

2. Charactaer Traits

   • Insecurities
     • Race
       • Due to his race Othello is an outsider in the play's European setting. Other characters discriminate against him due to this.
       • Roderigo refers to Othello as "thick lip" showing the discrimination Othello faces due to his apperance
       • "black ram tupping your white ewe" has heavy sexual conotations and highlights that the marrige between Othello, a North African solider and Desdamona who is wealthy and white is very controvertial
       • "To fall in love with what she feared to look on"- Brabantio sees the marriage between O and D as unatural and believes that O must have bewitched his daughter, showing the discrimination Othello faces.
       • "Your son-in-law is far more fair than black" suggests that despite the attitudes of others towards him Othello is pure and kind, not sinister as the connotations of black would suggest.
   • Othello the Solider
     • Othello is greatly respected for his military prowess. The Duke refers to him as "Valiant moor"
     • ""the warlike Moor"
       • Othello sees the glory of war and has an idealistic view of conflict and courage
     • "The man commands// Like a full solider"
     • As a solider Othello is confident and selfasured but where matters of the heart are concerned he relies on the judgement of Iago
     • "Valient moor"
       • shows the repsect he holds for his talents as a solider. Othello is a talented solider because he is self assured and can make decissions
   • Othello the Husband
     • "O, my souls joy"
       • Othello speaks in prose and uses romantic language when speaking of his love for Desdemona, showing the beauty of their love
     • "If after every tempest came such calms"
       • Pathetic fallacy enhances the joy of the reunion
       • Contrasting imagery of heaven and hell. At this point their relationship is like heaven but it will later become hellish after Othello succumbs to jealousy
     • "If it were now to die// Twere now to be most happy"
       • Dramatic irony enhances the tragic nature of the play
     • Othello is insecure when it comes to matters of the heart, hence why Iago is able to manipulate him
   • Weaknesses
     • Jealousy
       • "she [Desdemona] has deceived her father and may thee"
         • Although throughout the play D is innocent of any wrong doing this foreshadows the destruction of their relationship due to Othello's flaw of jealousy
       • "Beware my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on"
         • Dramatic irony. The personification of jealousy makes it seem like an animal which is playing with its food, which reflects what Iago is doing to the other characters in the play. He is exploiting their weaknesses for his own sadistic satisfaction
     • Honesty
       • Othello is honest so he expects everyone else to be honest as well
       • "A man he is of honesty and trust"
         • Othello trusts Iago and it is this significant error of judgement which will seal his fate