Interpretation of "Othello"

Paper Summary:

The plot of Shakespeare's "Othello" relies on interpretation rather than observation. Iago is able to shift the way that Othello interprets what should be meaningless observations. The paper shows that by doing so, Iago is successful in making Othello believe that his wife is cheating on him when she is not. This illustrates that what is observed is given meaning by how it is interpreted. It also illustrates how one can be fooled into interpreting things incorrectly, especially when another person has the ability to deceive effectively.

From the Paper:

"It is worthwhile to consider exactly how Iago manages to convince Othello that an affair is happening. The first important aspect is that Iago uses Othello's own nature against him. From the beginning, Iago recognizes that Othello is prone to jealousy. He specifically chooses to make Othello believe that his wife is having an affair because he knows that Othello's nature will compel him to experience jealousy. As Iago says, "The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are? (I,iii). This is exactly what Iago does, using Othello's nature to make him believe what he wants him to believe. One of the most important aspects is that the more jealous and angry Othello becomes, the less rational he becomes."

More papers on Interpretation of "Othello":

• Book Review # 108339 : "Othello's Demise"
• Analytical Essay # 46359 : "Kenneth Branagh's "Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 42421 : "Othello"

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