Othello

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the role of the character "Othello" in William Shakespeare's play of the same name. According to the paper, the character of Othello begins as a marginalized figure, both in the eyes of the other men of Venice and in the eyes of the audience. It concludes with the idea that Othello is a man of principle, and except for one tragic mistake, the rest of the actions of Othello's life, including his death, uphold his principles.

From the Paper:

"Desdemona does not simply pity Othello; she is inspired by his stories, and wishes that heaven had made her a man, a striking statement of the power Othello wields over his audiences, even though Othello is no longer young. "Desdemona, although still the house-affairs would draw her thence:/Which ever as she could with haste dispatch, /She'ld come again, and with a greedy ear/Devour up my discourse." In other words, more than housekeeping, Desdemona loved to hear Othello's inspiring stories of valor, and he approved of her interest in his manly escapades, rather than thinking a woman should only be concerned about her womanly duties. Although the later events of the play will seem to indicate that Othello has a very narrow or immature view of female fidelity, before becoming poisoned by Iago's misogynistic ideas, here Othello seems to approve of Desdemona's boldness, as it is she who almost proposes to him: "she thank'd me, / And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her, /I should but teach him how to tell my story. /And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Shakespeare, William. "Othello." Shakespeare Homepage. [27 Apr 2006]<http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/othello/>

More papers on Othello:

• Analytical Essay # 144824 : "Racism as a Theme in "Othello"
• Persuasive Essay # 133459 : "Iago's Successful Moral Degradation of Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 88465 : "Oedipus and Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 33531 : "Othello As A Tragic Hero"

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