The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice is a sexual jealousy tragedy that pioneers the investigation of racial discrimination. Shakespeare’s play, which the great playwright wrote in 1603, presents the image of Othello, a general of African descent. The main idea of the conflict lies in the fact that, being deceived, Othello is convinced of the infidelity of his wife, Desdemona. The initiator of this deception is Iago, a servant who does not forgive the fact that he did not get the place of the general. Being sure of his wife’s unfaithfulness, Othello strangles Desdemona and then decides to commit suicide. More fatalities occur as the drama progresses through its tragic conventions. Iago murders Roderigo, a wealthy but naive figure, as well as his wife Emilia when she discloses the truth about Desdemona’s innocence. Assessing Othello as a character, the playwright implies that the main hero is genuinely to blame for such a tragic result.
Shakespeare’s use of language, subtlety, and characterization implies that Othello is responsible for his deeds. Curran cites Aristotle’s words, who states that “a man who is not eminently good and just, but whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty” (99). Shakespeare’s Othello corresponds perfectly with Aristotle’s idea, and critics have long sought to locate the ‘wrong’ or ‘frailty’ inside his character. However, Othello’s only defect of eventual catastrophe stays unknown, and hence the tragedy’s driving force is never clearly exposed. Since the character’s hamartia is the climax of the play, its analysis can help reveal the main causes of this tragedy.
Othello’s intrinsic characteristics had a significant impact on the play’s tragedy. Othello is a bad judge of character, especially when it comes to the deceptive Iago. He inadvertently refers to Iago as “learned spirits in human dealings” (Shakespeare 5.7.20 – 68). Despite the fact that the servant demonstrates good professional qualities, he does not seek to prove loyalty to Othello. In some cases, the general misjudges other characters, including Iago, who causes jealousy in Othello, which leads to the death of his wife. In his description, the general refers to the servant as an extremely honest person, which indicates the complete trust of the former in the latter. This, in turn, allows Iago to realize his evil plan. Othello’s profound faith in Iago is demonstrated when he feels Iago is not fully sharing his beliefs: “Thou honesty and love doth mince this matter” (Shakespeare 4.3.18 – 48). Such a statement emphasizes Othello’s profound faith in Iago and the gravity with which he treats even the little proposal from his ensign.
Iago demonstrates how naivety can become a serious weapon in the hands of those who have won the trust of others. He addresses Othello with the following words: “Oh, careful, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster, which mocks the flesh it feeds on,” thereby hinting at the jealousy that arises inside the general (Shakespeare 3.5.19 – 64). He is also implying that jealousy may blind someone and cause them to do mad things, as has happened in this play. According to Iago, Othello’s excessive credulity is unjustified: “That thinks men are honest who only appear to be so” (Shakespeare 4.4.18 – 48). Such a position in relation to his commander indicates that Iago understands and seeks to use Othello’s gullibility and simplicity. Therefore, the guilt of the general in what has happened is also obvious since he is not able to adequately assess reality.
One of the main reasons for Othello’s excessive gullibility in relation to his servant can be considered the former’s low self-esteem, which prompted him to believe in his wife’s unfaithfulness. Blackness may be considered Othello’s feature that is his, and that has caused a sense of inadequacy, resulting in silent unease and anguish. He is necessarily a racial outsider, leaving him with access to tragedy and fatality, notwithstanding his virtues of bravery, intellect, and ability as a soldier (Woolf and Webster 5). This shows that his race may be at the heart of the tragic story. When writing about black male characters, writers frequently use language to explore their animalistic tendencies or their real nature revealed in the midst of adversity or struggle. Iago describes Othello as “an old black ram (…) tupping your white yew,” with Desdemona as the white yew (Shakespeare 3.2.17 – 3). The great difference between Othello’s and Desdemona’s portrayal shows that his blackness is corrupting her purity linked with the color ‘white.’ The violent tone of tupping also suggests that their physical contacts are brutally harsh and met with Desdemona’s displeasure.
Given such an animalistic image, one might assume that any sincerity and humanity in the relationship between Othello and Desdemona is unacceptable because love is dictated rather by biological than spiritual needs. As the story progresses, Shakespeare develops this idea and forms in the reader the image of the general as a male with animal features. Othello “foams at the mouth…and breaks out into savage madness,” according to Iago (Shakespeare 8.3.21 – 87). As he spectacularly fulfills the factual prejudices against him, Othello descends into savagery. This description’s intense, vivid quality and visualization are unsettling, and they hint that his fabricated nobleman’s temperament is eroding, and his genuine character as a black person is unraveling.
An example of a literary work in which the animalistic and cruel image of a black man is shown in the novel “Heart of Darkness,” written by Conrad in the late 19th century. The book is an author’s description of the difficulties and struggles that Europeans faced during the colonization of Africa (Woolf and Webster 10). Marlow, Conrad’s major character and fictitious spokesman, relates an event between a Belgian colonizer, Fresleven, and a group of Africans before the start of his expedition to Congo. During the conflict between Fresleven and the native, another African attacks the white man with a spear, demonstrating remarkable power. According to Woolf and Webster, this describes black people as being inherently destructive and unable to think rationally, guided by force alone (3). In addition, physical abilities are seen as taking precedence over moral ones, in line with Shakespeare’s description of Othello.
Along with examples from literature, it is not uncommon for blacks to be portrayed in an unflattering light in other areas, such as sports journalism. Modern media have contributed to creating the image of a black athlete who should be feared. For instance, Woolf and Webster cite the cover of Vogue, the world-famous magazine, where in 2008, LeBron James, the prominent African-American basketball player, was presented as a “generated some controversy” model (6). As Woolf and Webster observe, “LeBron bears striking resemblance to the legendary image of ‘King Kong’ bearing a white woman, a racially laden metaphor that plays on white concerns about male hypersexuality and violence” (6). This is completely analogous to Shakespeare’s depiction of the interplay between Othello and Desdemona and how Othello’s animalism corrupts the human reality of their connection.
Although the differences between the cited characters from literature and sports are critical, these writings reveal common features of the image of a black man who is seen as a provocateur but not a peace-loving person. This examination of race’s relevance may imply that Othello’s blackness is to blame for the tragedy. Nevertheless, when analyzing the play, one may note that Othello is not the only one who forms the image of weakness in the reader. Perhaps society as a whole is defective, with entrenched racism, prejudice, and an unwillingness to embrace black people, and this, above all, is at the root of the tragedy. Gaydo agrees that it is racism in society and people around Othello that causes tragedy, not the presumed traits of his race (5). Through such an interpretation, the play drama should be utilized to investigate and deconstruct the racism and misogyny of the state’s leadership.
By following the aforementioned logic, one can assume that the tragedy of the play originates in social injustice that is the root of the problem. According to Maillet, this position is valid, but Shakespeare’s views on racial differences are a key theme that the author discusses (38). As Maillet argues, “the ways in which Moors were depicted on the Elizabethan stage were based on racist assumptions” (66). The author also notes that Shakespeare resorted to the traditional idea of depicting blacks, who were presented to society as a real threat, which, nevertheless, was a common perception in that era (Maillet 66). However, there are rebuttal views among critics, which are worth mentioning. For instance, Sassi remarks that the era of the play’s writing is a criterion confirming that racist views cannot be considered dominant because, at that time, there was no such perception (57). As she states, “ideology develops to defend the action rather than the action being motivated by ideology” (Sassi 49). Therefore, the tragic events were not necessarily associated with racism, but rather, the subsequent manifestations of racism could be caused, among other things, by Shakespeare’s plot.
This concept reminds us of worldwide humanitarian disasters, such as the colonization movement, which were initially motivated by financial goals. Nevertheless, these goals were shaped by an abhorrence of a different set of people, illustrating how absolutely terrible and awful this real-life tragedy was. Thus, the relationship in society and the perception of individual phenomena are essential to view as the factors that explain the scenario of the tragedy and the prerequisites for its development.
However, this may be neither Othello’s destructivity or presumed destructivity nor systematic racism surrounding him that creates tragedy. According to Woolf and Webster, tragedy is caused by “a tragic fault or a catastrophic error of judgment” (7). Although this acknowledges the relevance of the character’s flaw, it also gives an additional dimension to investigating the tragic mistake in judgment. This exactly echoes the essence of Shakespeare’s Othello since one might say that it is his faith in Iago that leads to his demise.
Character determines human qualities, but it is their action that makes them happy or wretched. In other words, individual perception and judgment are more significant prerequisites for tragedy than abilities and actions. Gaydo agrees that Othello’s judgment is more important than his traits, believing that “Othello is too foolish to be recognized as a tragic hero” (12). Despite this tough position, the author argues that initially, Iago did not have a clearly formulated plan, which allows for speaking of Othello’s guilt in the tragedy that occurred (Gaydo 12). At the same time, the unique features of the general, particularly his occupation and race, are crucial to consider because these peculiarities are the reason for the requirements placed on him. As a result, Iago, showing his villainous nature, uses the fears and experiences of Othello as a weapon against the latter.
Despite this, Othello can be sympathetically treated because he does not want this scenario to take place. The general could not control what was happening around him, and it can hardly be considered his fault that Iago did not want to admit the circumstances. Initially, Othello had no intention of committing murder, but the thoughts instilled in him did their job. Othello is not solely to blame for Desdemona’s death; after all, it was he who carried out the terrible act. However, one must also comprehend the cause and conditions that led to the deed. In Othello’s universe, Iago was also the mechanism that converted Othello’s ideas of honor and justice into vengeance and an almost compulsive need for morality.
It is certain that Othello’s flaws and qualities, all of which make him human, played a significant role in the deaths of his wife and himself. It is his pathological jealousy that kills Desdemona, and despite the fact that Othello is pushed by Iago to commit a crime, the responsibility for the act still lies with Othello. He chooses to lose faith in Desdemona and blindly believes the slanderer of his own will; therefore, he is genuinely to blame for such a tragic result.
Works Cited
Curran, Angela. “Silly Questions and Arguments for the Implicit, Cinematic Narrator.” The Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Film and Motion Pictures. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2019, pp. 97-117.
Gaydo, Kyle. “In Defense of the “Moor”: Race, Racism, and Violence in Othello.” Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research, vol. 4, no. 5, 2021, pp. 1-13.
Maillet, Greg. Reading Othello as Catholic Tragedy. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018.
Sassi, Imed. “‘Bondslaves and Pagans Shall Our Statesmen Be’: Interracial Marriage and Transgression in Othello.” Journal of Art & Humanities, vol. 9, no. 5, 2020, pp. 47-59.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice. Web.
Woolf, Virginia, and John Webster. Reconceptualizing Shakespeare: Who Is to Blame for The Tragedy of Othello? Penguin, 2017.