Treachery and Betrayal in Othello - 1408 Words

Treachery and betrayal, they belong hand in hand, like a married couple, for they both ultimately lead to misery and sorrow. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, acts of treachery and betrayal have great dramatic significance. They greatly contribute to the theme that appearance does not always portray reality, and reality is not what one sees but more often what one does not see. The acts of treachery and betrayal in Othello help to develop this theme through character development. Such acts include: how Iago deceives Othello by being his friend and enemy at the same time. Othello betraying his wife’s love and trust. Emilia (Iago’s wife) betraying her very own husband for justice. Finally Iago’s betrayal of Roderigo, using him and his†¦show more content†¦The more that Othello’s character changes the less reality he sees, and the more fiction he sees, which makes him betray someone he loves, because appearances are not always true. Othello and Desdemona are not the only couple that suffer acts of betrayal from within their very own relationship. Emilia and Iago are another couple that, whose characters’ change causing them to lose touch with reality. Emilia is always suspicious of Iago but she still trusts him, for example when she gives Desdemona’s handkerchief to Iago reluctantly â€Å"If [the handkerchief]be not for some purpose of import,/Givet me again: poor lady, shell run mad/ When she shall lack it† (III,iii,156-159). Emilia does not want to give the handkerchief to Iago because she thinks he might to something to hurt Desdemona and Othello with it. Therefore she asks him indirectly to give it back to Desdemona. In doing so Emilia is betraying her husbands trust by doubting his intentions. This small event is enough to change her view of her husband, and plant doubt in her mind as to the reality of his actions versus their appearance. Ultimately this small action has great conseque nces to her life. Near the end of the play, once Othello kills his wife, Emilia finds out and she confronts Othello, and she reveals that it was her husband that betrayed him. In doing so, she has betrayed all trust that she and her husband had. Making Othello see theShow MoreRelatedIn Shakespeare’s Othello, race is a concept that is only minimally explored. Characters in the play1400 Words   |  6 PagesIn Shakespeare’s Othello, race is a concept that is only minimally explored. Characters in the play assume that, since they are English, they are superior and foreign characters (like Othello the Moor) are inferior. This is not questioned much at all, and in fact it is assumed outright that Othello is indeed a lesser man because of his skin color and the ways in which characters like Iago and Roderigo treat him. While an early modern audience would accept this concept without hesitation, an audienceRead MoreOthello: Shakespeare vs. Parker Essay615 Words   |  3 P agesOthello: Shakespeare vs. Parker To create an adaptation of a literary work is not an easy task, especially if it is a classic work by man named Shakespeare. Today movies are expected to be packed with drama, action, and sex. True, Othello contains all of these, but it certainly isnt a blockbuster by todays standards. When Shakespeare wrote Othello, viewing the play was an event in itself, not an hour and a half thrill ride that todays viewer have come to expect. This was Parkers dilemmaRead MoreIago And Betrayal In â€Å"Othello†2545 Words   |  11 PagesAP 05/11/11 Iago And Betrayal In â€Å"Othello† â€Å"Othello† is one of the most successful plays in Shakespeare’s collection. One of the subjects the tragedy addresses is betrayal which is a crucial part of the play that helps the author develop events to bring it to its climax. Iago’s character symbolizes disloyalty, but what are the motives of his treachery? It seems like there is not enough reason for his actions. By creating Iago in â€Å"Othello† as perhaps a masterpiece villain comparing to all hisRead MoreOthello The Flaw. At The Core, Othello Is Essentially A1317 Words   |  6 PagesOthello the Flaw At the core, Othello is essentially a good man, but he possesses many qualities, which alone are not inherently immoral, but as a whole they are corrupting to his character. After conversing with Roderigo, Iago describes Othello in his monologue such that â€Å"The Moor is of a free and open nature / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so† (1.3.380-381). Iago divulges how he will take advantage of this. Clearly Othello’s openness is a good quality in a leader with social statusRead MoreThe Development of Othellos Character in William Shakespeares Play1169 Words   |  5 PagesPlay At the start of the play Othello is presented as a very confident character. He is a high ranking general in the Venetian army. However during the course of the play Othello is betrayed and manipulated by Iago, and the audience observes the unravelling of his tragic flaw (jealousy) which initiates the degeneration of his characterRead MoreManipulation In Othello Analysis1237 Words   |  5 PagesThe Manipulation of Ideals Iago uses an intricately complex network of lies, manipulations, and sins to control Othello not only physically, but mentally as well. Iago concentrates his efforts on corrupting Othello’s positive view of women created by his marriage with Desdemona, the purest of the pure. Over the course of Iago’s deception, he gradually proves to Othello that women are the vermin of the earth. Iago takes manipulation to another level, progressively defaming women by generally distrustingRead MoreOthello By William Shakespeare s Othello1209 Words   |  5 PagesOthello Down Shakespeare s Othello comprises of the subjects betrayal, affection and dishonesty. At the focal point of this play is the lamentable ruin of Othello because of his so-called friend Iago. In this paper I will be examining the explanations behind and against Othello being in charge of his defeat through taking a gander at critical interpretations of his character and activities. Othello was profoundly in charge to his own destruction as Iago demonstrating to him to be gullible andRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Othello By William Shakespeare1741 Words   |  7 Pagesall men in the same way? This concept is very clear when we examine the Shakespearean tragedy of Othello. This play demonstrates how Othello a very strong and confident warrior is turned into a paranoid psychopath when faced with the idea of being deceived by his love Desdemona. However, the true question is can Othello the warrior; truly love despite his dangerous nature? A.C. Bradley considers Othello one of Shakespeare’s most romantic character. One must determine if love and passion is the sameRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare2299 Words   |  10 Pagesbetween characters to express these themes to the general public. Betrayal, incest, jealousy, and love are all common themes in his works. Although one of Shakespeare’s more popular tragic dramas, Othello, at first glance seem s to mainly center around the characters Othello and Desdemona and their relationship, the play in reality focuses more so on the evil villain, Iago, and his insecurity which instills in him a hatred of Othello. Iago provides some dark humor to the audience, as he is self-possessedRead MoreOthellos Research Paper3340 Words   |  14 PagesAmong Aristotles terms in depicting terms in his model of human characteristics is hamartia. Hamartia is when ones flaw or weakness is his or her error or transgression. In William Shakespeares Othello, Othellos hamartia is the misconception he has of himself as being uncouth, poorly spoken, and old; and because he begins to believe that his fair wife, Desdemona, cannot love him, he starts to believe that she is guilty of infidelity. (classicnote). Maurice Charneys Shakespeare on Love