Preview

Comparing Love And Hate In Shakespeare's Othello

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
674 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Comparing Love And Hate In Shakespeare's Othello
Love and Hate
In Shakespeare's play "Othello" there are two main characters to compare and contrast in this drama. Iago is one of the more interesting characters; Iago can be described as an evil, jealous, manipulative and revenge seeking characters. In fact Iago us so manipulative throughout the entire play that it benefits him, but also causes his wife Emilia, Othello, Desdemona, and Rodgerio to die. Iago's plots are skill fully crafted, and he pays attention to the smallest detail, proving his skill as a villain, so he manipulates all of those around him. As for Othello is a well honored man in the community, but he's also filled with jealousy and mistrust after he learns that his wife Desdemona has cheated on him.

Iago has two main actions and they are to plot and deceive. Iago hates Othello for two reasons. He believes that Othello
…show more content…
Round characters are well developed with multiple meaning to their characters. Othello is a well-rounded character, and he is believable. Othello is a great general and has honor and respect of the people, but he doesn't get the same respect from Brabantio which is Desdemona's father who doesn’t' approve of her marrying a Moor (black man). Othello is a man who is filled with jealousy and mistrust; he learns that his wife may be sleeping with another man. Anyone who has been in love has had this feeling once and a while, and that feeling is being fed by the person of whom they must trust it can be devastating for that person. As Iago continually fed Othello suspicion, his hurt and mistrust grows for his wife until he finally kills her. This is seen in the news everyday "A jealous lover kills the other half" because they were seen with another man, or with their ex. Othello's round character can be believed, because jealousy invades all of us at one time or another and for Othello, he choose to act upon it much like those who act in our society

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the play Othello Iago, the antagonist, causes most of the plot movement through his cruelty. The play opens with Roderigo and Iago conversing in the street. Here we see the first of Iago’s many acts of cruelty, as he manipulates Roderigo into doing his bidding. Iago is hell-bent on revenge with Othello passing him up on the title of lieutenant and handing the title to Cassio, a man “that never set a squadron in the field.” He plots the destruction of the Moor and manipulates Roderigo into helping him with the promise his love of Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Through his serpent tongue, Iago is able to drive the plot by steering other characters towards feelings of jealousy, rage, and the like, causing them to act in a certain way that they…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the story Othello by William Shakespeare, it tells a tale of revenge and jealousy between both protagonist and antagonist. Othello the protagonist and Iago the antagonist. Othello being corrupted by jealous, Iago eating the desert of revenge. Othello the innocent protagonist that been corrupted by the foul character Iago. Iago the greatest villain of the play. Committing many sins with his work with his power of deception, manipulation, and betrayal. Then there Othello, a character that is not a villain because he is a wonderful husband and never committed any wrong.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago is a cruel and evil man who uses ways to ruin Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Othello appointed Cassio, to be his lieutenant. Iago was mad when he heard about it, he believes that he should be the one for the position since he knows more. This started off with his jealousy of Cassio. When Othello and Desdemona got married without letting anyone knowing, Iago begins to plot his plan. He used Roderigo to help him throughout the process of his plan to bring down Cassio. He then told Othello lies to ruin his own relationship. He also use Bianca as his part of the plan. Iago got people into thinking he was a nice honest guy, but he uses other people's jealousy and gullibleness for his own benefit.…

    • 749 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago vs Krogstad

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Iago is an evil person but that is all he is guilty of being. Othello was a proven warrior and was respected by high ranking officials because of his proven leadership. However, Othello was a bad judge of character and exercised poor judgment throughout the play by blindly and naively believing Iago’s lies. He did not trust the people that truly loved him and were most loyal to him. This character flaw was exploited masterfully by Iago, to the point that Othello became insanely jealous of the perceived affair between Desdemona and Cassio.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Iago was very devil he lied to Othello so Othello’s' could leave his wife Desdemona. Othello tells Desdemona that she cheated, but she didn't.all that happened because of othello’s lies . his lies were kind powerful and believable. Othello was wise, but iago tried to make him look stupid by making lies about his wife Desdemona. Iago tried every kind trick to make Othello give divorce to his wife, but what Othello did was more than divorce which leaded Iago to a bad ending. Iago brought big conflict between Othello and…

    • 92 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago Character Analysis

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Iago is manipulative and also very cunning however what led to his downfall is him underestimating others. He has a talent for understanding and manipulating people around him desires and that makes him both a powerful and a heavily admired character. Shakespeare display Iago as an evil character who’s willing to drag innocent character into his revenge- Roderigo, Desdemona and Emilia. Iago is able to hurt Othello deeply because he understands Othello so well and as the ply progress on seem to grow even closer to Othello as his revenge progresses. He frequently refers to Othello as the 'Moor´ this statement show…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Both characters are portrayed as the stereotypical binomial opposite’s positive vs. negative, good vs evil. Othello, the noble, honest and brave General represents good and virtue whereas Iago, his bitter, evil, misogynistic Officer represents everything evil, immoral and destructive. However, early in the play it can be seen to the responder that the chief dispute and conflict that arises, is a conflict between two men who had, up to this point been the closest and warmest of friends. Evidence for Othello’s trust in his friend and servant can be seen in Act 1 Scene 3 where he says; "Honest Iago, / My Desdemona must I leave to thee: / I prithee, let thy wife attend on her: / And bring them after in the best advantage" when Othello entrusts Iago with the responsibility of escorting his new bride Desdemona to Cyprus, and asks him to have Iago's wife Emilia be her companion. However it is Othello’s naivety and unremitting trust in Iago that leads to his eventual downfall.…

    • 1110 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1603, William Shakespeare wrote a tragedy called Othello about a Spanish moor that ultimately fell victim to his own skepticism and emotions and murders his wife due to the machinations of his ancient, Iago. Iago is the most interesting character in this Shakespearean play and in fact, has more speaking parts than even Othello himself. A man that can even convince his own wife to help with his masterfully manipulated puppetry of Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Cassio, and Emilia is an exquisite character. This villain seemed to have no real motive for his actions, but the enjoyment of the trouble he caused and the fact that Othello passed him over for his lieutenant. Although, Iago seems to quite, passionately want Othello’s affections, whether…

    • 1559 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Foils in Othello

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Iago, the play’s antagonist, hated Othello and although the two characters were similar at the end of the play, they were complete opposites at the beginning. Iago is a very sneaky character that steps on and manipulates other people to get what he wants. This is different than Othello because as far as the audience…

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Analytical Essay Othello

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Shakespeare is prominent in his use of recurring themes throughout his works, particularly those of love, death, and betrayal. All these themes are present in Othello. Most dominant, however, are manipulation and jealousy. Jealousy runs the characters’ lives in Othello from the beginning of the play, when Roderigo is jealous of Othello because he wishes to be with Desdemona, and to the end of the play, when Othello is furious with jealousy because he believes Cassio and Desdemona have been engaging in an affair, but manipulation the prominent action that fuels the jealousy within Othello. Some characters’ jealousy is fashioned by other characters. Iago is involved in much of this, creating lies and implementing confusing situations. He is consumed with jealousy of Cassio and masked with a hatred of Othello because he was not chosen as lieutenant, Cassio was. Iago is selfish in that he wants everyone to feel as he does so he manipulates the jealousy of other characters by betraying them to each other. Iago is a man blinded by envy and anger, with a goal in mind for everyone to become equally jealous, which he completes through his betrayal and manipulation of characters, specifically Othello.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Othello The Moor of Venice, Iago accomplishes his revenge by adopting logical, emotional, and ethical appeals to persuade others to do his work, such as when he manipulates Roderigo, blinded by his love for Desdemona and when he tricks Othello into thinking Desdemona cheated on him. Throughout the play, Iago expresses his hatred for Othello due to the fact he did not choose him for the lieutenant spot over Michael Cassio. He also suspects that Othello is having an affair with Emilia, Iago's wife.…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Iago, to achieve his revenge, makes Othello wrongfully suspect his wife of infidelity, and makes him insane with jealousy, enough to kill her in his rage. Othello is the general of the city of Venice, and a foreigner, a dark-skinned Moor. He has eloped with a senator’s daughter, Desdemona, and they love each other dearly. Othello is a level-headed practitioner of war, and is not ruffled by hints and allegations; that is, until his mind is poisoned by the machinations of Iago. Iago plants ideas in Othello’s head, uses the innocent actions of others as his proof; and Othello, who is not practiced in worldly matters, believes his ‘honest Iago”, and eventually is consumed by the lie.…

    • 1218 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Desdemona and Othello are deeply in love with each other; that much is obvious. It is also a forbidden relationship, however, because the former is the daughter of a Venetian senator and the latter is a "black ram", an aging Moorish General within the Venetian army with little experience when it comes to romance. He is therefore vulnerable to ambitious men of lower rank such as his ensign Iago, who exploits Othello's marriage with the "maid so tender, fair and happy" that is Desdemona. The seeds of jealousy and ultimately his downfall, planted through the possibility of Cassio as Desdemona's adulterer, are thus nurtured through Othello's inferiority complex. The play uses this jealousy as one of the notions which brings forth Othello's anger and sadness, and by doing so shows viewers that the loving relationship between Othello and Desdemona, something so commonly seen in all societies, may be something fragile or even superficial, something easily destroyed by the assumptions of lust between her and Cassio.…

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othello Good Vs Evil

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the characters’ personalities and motivations influence the plot heavily. Iago is driven by his jealousy of Cassio and his desire to exact revenge on Othello. Othello’s trusting nature leads to his undoing in the play. Iago takes advantage of how he’s seen in the eyes of those around him to carry out his plans. Although Othello is the protagonist of the play and Iago is the antagonist, the two characters are not the ultimate portrayals of good and evil. Othello is not a war between good and evil, but instead a demonstration on how destructive jealousy and gullibleness can be.…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Othello, Shakespeare tells the story of the soldier Othello, a noble and respected man, whose insecurities enable him to fall prey to the overwhelming power of jealousy. Through manipulation and lies, Othello changes from a kind and faithful husband into a man completely taken over by jealousy, resulting in his downfall. This shift in Othello’s character is done by the antagonist, Iago. Iago’s cruelty to not only Othello, but all others around him, reveals his villainous personality. Iago acts through selfish reasons alone, and stops at no lengths in order to get to what he wants. Through the character Iago, Shakespeare, in his play Othello, explores the concept of the evil nature of man and argues that one who is motivated purely by greed and the desire for power will ultimately face the consequences of his or her actions.…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics