Emotional Destruction     
     The tragedy Othello, was written in a time of great racial tensions in
England. According to Eldred Jones, in 1600 just three years before Othello
was written, Queen Elizabeth proclaimed an order for the transportation of all
"negars and blackmoores" out of the country . It is in this manner that
Shakespeare began the masterpiece of Othello, a drama about a noble black
Arab general, Othello, who falls in love with and marries, Desdemona, a
young white daughter of a senator. In the tragedy not only is Othello
susceptible to weaknesses but so is every major character . The tragedy
reminds humans that even one’s good nature can be taken advantage of for
the worse. In Shakespeare’s Othello, characters are strongly affected by their
influential emotions of love, jealousy, and hate which ultimately lead to chaos
and tragedy in the end.
     
     All the relationships in the play demonstrate the vulnerability involved
with love. Each of the relationships in Othello portrays insecurities in each
person, except Iago. In fact, all of the relationships with one character, Iago,
are focused around him and his devilish plot for the demise of Othello.
However, most of the relationships in Othello bring about unintentional
frustrations and vulnerabilities. The marriages in Othello are the most
important relationships involving vulnerability because they bring out the best
hopes and attitudes, and the worst fears and emotions in each character.
Shakespeare, in designing Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, shows that
although one can truly love a person, the need for human control can destroy
any relationship causing heartbreak.
     
     From the very beginning, Othello faces a dilemma of vulnerability
because of his marriage. In his essay, Eldred Jones has concluded with this by
stating that Othello made himself available to public criticism and assaults on
his character by marrying a young white girl.
     
     Furthermore, the couple’s constant struggle over power and control
makes them susceptible to destruction of their happiness. Othello seeks
complete control over his wife, Desdemona:
     “O curse of marriage.
     That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
     And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
     And live upon the vapour of a dungeon.
     Then keep a corner in the thing I love”(61).
Othello is clearly showing that he sees Desdemona’s love, faithfulness and
submissions as criteria for his manhood. His feelings demonstrate how
vulnerable people can become in putting their self-value in another person.
Shakespeare, in developing the power struggle of Othello’s marriage, reminds
the audience that to control a person fully only brings about turmoil. Love is
the most powerful emotion and ironically the emotion that leads to the most
vulnerability. Loves of all kinds are tested in the tragedy and ultimately all fail
to rectify the horrible situation. Marital love for Othello and Desdemona serve
as both a heaven and a hell on earth. As Othello portrays by saying,
“If I were now to die
'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like unto
Succeeds in unknown fate” (34).
Such a statement gives mixed messages suggesting happiness yet weariness
about the future. Susan Snyder has cited the same irony in Othello’s statement
"… Othello celebrate his peak of joy, yet so markedly his invocations of
death and fear make us apprehensive" (24).
     
     Jealousy is a key factor to Iago’s cruel behaviour throughout the play.
The two adversarial relationships in the play develop out of Iago’s master
plan to destroy any happiness Othello has. Iago gets into the hearts and minds
of his colleagues so he can use psychological and emotional control over
them. The only explanation Iago gives for his behavior is "I am not, what I
am”(5). Shakespeare uses the character, Iago, to show that it is dangerous to
believe any individual completely. The eagerness of Othello and Roderigo to
accept Iago’s lies shows that they found some strange type of comfort in what
he was saying.
     
     From the start of the play, Iago's scheming ability is shown when he
convinces Roderigo to tell about Othello and Desdemonda's elopement to
Desdemona's father, Brabantio. Confidentially Iago continues his plot
successfully, making fools of others, and himself being rewarded. Except
Roderigo, no one is aware of Iago's plans. This is because Iago pretends to
be an honest man, loyal to his superiors. The fact that Othello himself views
Iago as trustworthy and honest gives the evil within Iago a perfect
unsuspecting victim for his schemes. It is this jealousy, and the ignorance of
Othello that lead to the downfall of Desdemona; the one truly good natured
character in the play.
     Hate, which comes in a form of injustice and racism, whether hidden or
public, is what Othello must deal with constantly. Brabantio proclaims to
Othello and the senate, " A maiden never bold….to fall in love with what she
feared to look on"(17). Such harsh words from Brabantio, Othello’s
father-in-law, no doubt damages Othello’s pride and feelings. Yet, he must
encounter them with the utmost respect and honor. It is in this atmosphere
that Othello must thrive. Eldred Jones has stated this well saying, "Brabantio,
ignoring the facts angrily classes Othello with bond slaves and pagans….
Brabantio reflects popular prejudices” (42). For these reasons, Othello is
weary; he is always seen as an outsider despite constant effort and service to
Venice. Shakespeare sets the tragedy of Othello in type of hostile
environment to enable an audience to understand the unfairness and struggles
that a person like Othello would have to cope with in real life.
     
     Hate and jealously are a response to insecurities felt over the beloved
of each character. In turn, all the emotions bring total destruction to any peace
of mind or happiness that any of the major characters may have. By the end
of the drama, Othello, the once loving husband, has become a green-eyed
monster. He is so filled with jealousy that he does not even listen to Emilia’s
repeated denial of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. He kills
Desdemona, then afterwards kills himself due to regret and shame. Anthony
Barthelemy claims, " In other word the play undoes what it does: It turns a
heroic Moor into a villainous Moor...”(2). This is exactly what Shakespeare
wanted to prove, that love can turn to hate and admiration can turn to
jealousy. Most importantly, Shakespeare demonstrated that everything good
in life may turn into something bad.
     Shakespeare, through Othello, reminds humans how vulnerable they
truly are and how ones emotions can seriously overcome ones reason and
intellect. Othello descends from a status of happiness and prosperity to a
sense of guilt and ultimately death. The classic battle between the deceitful
forces of evil and the innocence of good, is very evident throughout the play,
and the effects of the emotions that the characters deal with such as love,
jealousy and hate, turns the play into a horrible tragedy.








Bibliography
     Barthelemy, Anthony G. Introduction" Critical Essays on
     Shakespeare’s Othello.New York: Macmillan,1994.
     Bloom, Harold. Introduction Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello
     New Haven CT:Harold Bloom, 1987.
     Jones, Eldred. Othello- An Interpretation.
New York: Macmillan,1994.
     Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical
     Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New
     Haven CT 1987. (page 23-37