What is othellos insight into himself

How can a steadfast, thoughtful, commanding man, a decorated soldier and a celebrated leader, be led into depravity by a scoundrel like Iago? To answer these questions, a reader must consider the structure of Othello and the internal logic that guides the characters. It is possible to understand Othello as a fantastical play, a work divorced in some ways from reality, whose chronology collapses weeks into days. Though some elements of the plot strain credulity, the play is ultimately heartbreaking because the cruel, desperate actions of its central figures are essentially reasonable.

Othello, Desdemona, Emilia, and Cassio are governed by legitimate emotions, stirred needlessly by a malicious villain. The true tragedy of Othello lies in this exploitation. To be known is to be defenseless in this play; friendship, celebrity, and love create opportunities for abuse. Othello begins with Iago using his keen sense of observation to turn preexisting relationships and naturally unfolding events into sites of chaos.

Iago understands that, when prodded, human beings will jump to conclusions, accept nightmarish conspiracies, and act out of fear. He demonstrates this belief in the first act; presenting himself so nakedly in the name of justice and common sense will be his great misstep.

This early effort to protect his reputation leads him to openly represent his vulnerabilities. Iago uses this intelligent self-analysis, delivered in an open forum, to identify exactly how Othello may be destroyed. Interestingly for the reader, Othello gives two major speeches in which he is self-reflective. One, mentioned above, occurs early in the play, before the Senate, when Othello defends his honor after eloping with Desdemona.

It becomes a road map of sorts for evil Iago. The second happens after Othello murders his wife, when he pleads for compassion before a symbolic jury of her relatives Lodovico and Gratiano.

We are empowered to judge Othello. Is he the same man in act 1 as in act 5? The power of suggestion is strong in Othello , but is it criminal? Does fault lie with Othello for exposing himself, for trusting too blindly? Should he have ever let himself, a foreigner, become comfortable in Venice? In both scenes, Othello presents a narrative to a listening public, explaining his nature and temperament in terms of formative events in his life. Stage direction is minimal; events are recounted and developing action narrated.

In Othello , on one level, the language expressed on stage is aimed outward, establishing expository and contextual detail for the audience. In another sense, the interpersonal dialogue works to shape reality differently for individuals within the interior world of the play.

Desdemona comes to know and fall in love with her future husband through the daring tales of his past; Iago concocts false narratives that influence real feelings and phenomena; and fears and fantasies dictate decision-making. The story Othello tells about himself to himself and to the audience is crucial because only that which is verbalized becomes real, a fact Iago deploys to make chaos.

When, in act 1, scene 2, Othello is called on to explain his union with Desdemona, he justifies their elopement by describing their courtship. That heaven had made her such a man.

She thanked 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; She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have used. He is explaining and foretelling, in a sense that, as a man of extremes, he is not skilled in the more tender ways of being, like love and affection. He is rough and bold. Othello professes that his glorious past and valiant demeanor are what drew Desdemona to him, and it is the admiration she expresses, in turn, that attracts him to her.

Desdemona, in her appetite for his life stories and her admiration of his honor, offers Othello direct affirmation of the heroic identity he cherishes. In a vain attempt to prevent his scheme from being revealed, Iago stabs and kills Emilia, and is then taken prisoner while Othello, lamenting the loss of his wife, kills himself next to her.

Notably, Iago is left wounded but alive at the end of the play. The ending symbolizes the culmination of the violent forces put in motion by Iago at the start of the play. Not only has Othello murdered his beloved wife, he also has to face the horrible truth that his suspicions of her adultery were completely unfounded.

Perhaps because he knows he has never been fully accepted by Venetian society, and that they will be quick to twist his reputation into that of a barbaric killer, Othello spends his final moments reminding his audience of the ways he has faithfully served Venice. The comparison might suggest that Othello, as a result of his crimes, now sees himself as an outcast who deserves to die in the same way, or it might imply that by voluntarily punishing himself for his crimes, he acts in a way that is consistent with his previous military valor.

Either way, Othello asserts an autonomy and control over his destiny that contrasts sharply with the way he has been manipulated throughout most of the play.

Ace your assignments with our guide to Othello! SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Why does Iago hate Othello? How does Emilia help Iago? How does Iago use Bianca to trick Othello?