He says “pluck thy rose”, or deflower, to describe killing her, suggesting that in his mind he still associates her her sins – and thus following Christian beliefs secured her passage into Heaven – a distinction that someone who truly hated her would not have bothered to make. – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 5, Scene 2, Lines 4-5 “whiter than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster” When OthelloĪpproaches Desdemona with the intent to throttle her, at the height of his jealousy and resentment, he describes her skin as It is as if he believes on an emotional, unconscious level that Desdemona is innocent in spite of the claims of his rational mind. In the throes of his rage, Othello’s jealousy wracks him with headaches and fits of epilepsy rather than heartache. This hope he holds of his wife’s innocence is unreasonable when held against all the circumstantial evidence supplied by Iago, but this illogicality further showcases Othello’s almost unwavering faith in Desdemona, an admirably noble characteristic. – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 292-293ĭespite being repeatedly lied to by Iago, a man he believes is completely trustworthy and honorable, Othello desperately clings to a pure vision of Desdemona. “The Moor is of a constant, loving, noble nature” Showcasing Othello’s even greater valor on the field.Įven Iago, despite all his hate for Othello, begrudgingly compliments him by saying that – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 35-36 “I have served him, and the man commands Like a full soldier” Montano, a highly esteemed soldier from Cyprus, says, We also hear of Othello’s heroic and noble personality through other characters’ accounts. – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 62-63 “O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow’d my daughter? ” The reader is impressed by not only the cleverness and wisdom exhibited by his response but also the poetic manner with which he speaks, made all the more pronounced when apposed with Brabantio’s coarse reply with, – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 58-61 Good signior, you shall more command with years Than with your weapons” “Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them. When he is approached by Brabantio and a group of high-ranking officers with drawn swords and flaming torches, he calmly says, In this same situation we see Othello himself meeting these serious allegations of witchcraft with a remarkably calm and tactful manner, the way a hero should perform in a stressful situation. – William Shakespeare, Othello Villain, Act 1, Lines 290-291 “If virtue no delighted beauty lack, Your son-in-law is far more fair than black” Upon hearing Brabantio’s complaints about Othello illicitly seducing Desdemona, the Duke of Venice, a highly esteemed member of Venetian society, directly addresses Othello’s rising above his prejudice by saying to Brabantio, Despite his setting in racist Venice, Othello is able to overcome the prejudice and display a facet of his heroism through his noble disposition. Although his actions grow increasingly serious and finally even murderous, the purity of his intentions is revealed through both his actions and speech.Įven under the poisonous influence of a master dissimulator such as Iago, Othello’s pure love and honor constantly battle with the lies he believes to be true in his mind. Despite blundering from one folly to the next, however, Othello ultimately displays qualities of a true hero. Yoon Alex English 2 From Hero to Zero and Back Again In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the protagonist begins as a highly esteemed member of Venetian society but plummets into a spiral of jealousy and insecurity, losing both his reputation and his cherished lover.
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