Othello :: essays research papers

OTHELLO In the play Othello, the character of Othello has certain traits, which make him seem naive and unsophisticated, compared to many other people. This is why Iago, is able to manipulate him so easily. Iago told Roderigo, "O,sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him "(I, i lines 38-9). Iago is saying, he only follows Othello to a point, and upon reaching it he will not follow him any longer. This is the first sign of how deceitful Iago will be. Iago has his own evil agenda in mind and he will use his reputation of being "honest Iago" to influence Othello. The Moor, as many Venetians call him, is of strong character. He is very proud and in control of every move throughout the play. The control is not only of power, but also of the sense of his being who he is, a great warrior. In Act I, Othello has runs into Brabantio, who has come to kill him, but before anything could happen Othello said, "Hold your hands, both of you of my inclining and the rest. Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it without a prompter" (I, ii, lines 80-3). The power shown here is quite astounding. The nature of Othello's character is of a dark man. A dark man, not only because he is black, but also because his whole person is very mysterious. He is mysterious in that he believes there is magic brewing everywhere. With this dark side he is also very outgoing, and not very bright. It is almost too easy for Iago to trick him into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful. Though he doesn't reflect too much on his past, it is apparent that he has been very successful in many battles and earned the rank of general. The fact that he is supposed to be a experienced soldier and leader contradicts his actions of letting his jealous emotions destroy his life. For all the dangers and encounters he has been involved in, this man is still naive of the corruptness of other individuals. Othello has a trusting nature that will bring about his downfall. He put his trust in Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage to Desdemona. Although this wasn't very bright of Othello, even if he was not as naïve or more cynical, it still would have been hard for him to discover that Iago was lying.