othello character analysis

Othello - Character Analysis 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, to get his just rewards uses him as a scapegoat. Iago told Roderigo,
" O,sir, content you. I follow him [Othello] 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. Iago
has opened my eyes to see the real meaning of deceit. No
matter what, Iago will try to take advantage of Othello any time and he will
be easily lead to believe the lies of Iago. 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 of the sense of his being who he is, a great warrior. In Act I,
Othello has a scuffle with 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. He isn't observant and the schemes of Iago work well on him.
Though he doesn't reflect too much on his past, except
occasional ventures of wars fought, he does let his emotions run 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 in which he gives it all. He put all his trust in
Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage to
Desdemona. This wasn't very bright of Othello, even if he wasn't trusting
or more corrupt he still wouldn't realize Iago was lying.

Everyone considered Iago as honest, and would be out of character for
Othello to believe any different. For example, Othello had told
the Duke, "So please your grace, my ancient; A man he is of honesty and
trust. To his conveyance I assign my wife, With what else
needful your good grace shall think, To be sent after me" (I, iii, lines
284-8). The control over any situation is one Othello's
strong characteristics. Through the whole first act you can picture a man
so much power and natural leadership and when he changes
you cannot believe it. For example, when Lodovico had
witnessed Othello hit Desdemona, he said: "Is this the noble
Moor whom our full Senate Call all in all sufficient? Is this
the nature Whom passion could not shake? whose solid
virtue The shot of accident nor dart of chance
could neither graze nor pierce" (IV, i, lines 264-8)? While
Iago, being the honest man he is, answers: "He's that he is,
I may not breathe my censure. What he might be (if, what
he might, he is not) I would to heaven he were" (IV, i, lines
270-2). Another place where Shakespeare shows Othello
taking control over a situation is when Cassio and Montano are fighting
after Roderigo antagonized him. These words Othello said are
important now, but they will be more important later when he
is alone with Desdemona in their bedroom. He will say:
"Now, by heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule,
And passion, having my best judgement collied,
Assays to lead the way. If I once stir Or do but lift this arm,
the best of you Shall sink in my rebuke" (II, iii, lines 203-8).
You must feel sorrow for Othello because with all the power he
has and the endless trust he gives, you try to reach out and
show him the truth. By having his ancient or friend, Honest
Iago bring him the news of his wife's bad habits. Othello had no

alternative but to believe him. If any man was brought news
of this type they would surely go off the deep end. Iago not only told him
but he told him in a way that it was hard not to believe. He
didn't tell a couple who have been married for years, and who
would know the likes and dislikes of one another, but he told a newly wed
couple. Othello didn't really know Desdemona before they
were married. Othello said, "She loved me for the dangers I had passed,
and I loved her that she did pity them"(I,iii, lines 166-7). This
man had really fallen in love with someone whose life was boring and
needed adventure. Othello's origin also inhibited him from
understanding European women. He did see for himself the deception of
Desdemona toward her father and remembered the words he
had said to him: "Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to see:
She has deceived her father, and may thee" (I,
iii, lines 286-7). When Othello has been given information
from Iago in Act III scene iii, he cannot take any more so he asks Iago to
leave in which he does. Upon returning, Iago continues to
enforce his previous statements and Othello seems not bothered for
he replies, "Fear not my government" (III, iii, 256). With
all this there is no man who can withstand such news like the news that
Iago has given to Othello. Most of the men who are would do
much worse than in the case of Othello. This doesn't show jealousy, but
when he is alone and has time to contemplate the situation
and has seen the handkerchief in the hands of Cassio, now is when his
blood begins his safer guides to rule. After
realizing Othello had been tricked into believing the lies of Iago. He
couldn't handle the anguish of knowing he had murder in
jealousy rather for justice. This devastation in Othello's character brought
the strong warrior back into the scene. Where he transformed
into his own judge, jury, and sentenced himself. He told the people

around him in their letters to write of him not in malice, then
he said: "Then you must speak of one that loved not wisely
but too well" (V, ii, line 344). After the speech was done he
carried out his sentence, took a knife and stabbed himself. He then said:
"I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, Killing myself,
to die upon a kiss" (V, ii, line 359-60). He then laid down on
the bed and died with dignity ( Stauffer 173). Othello was
jealous. He was told his wife was cheating on him and he thought he was
killing for justice. He even said he loved not wisely but too
well. When he did kill it was not very smart of him to believe another man
about something he should know more about. This play
introduced changes in Othello's character when these changes evolved
there was Iago lurking and waiting for the chance to jump in
and take advantage of Othello. This why my belief of Othello is one of
a man whose character is brought to light of a horrible situation
by a deceitful devil named Iago.