Othello Identity Essay

Shakespeare's 'Othello' is the study of how a seemingly successful Venetian general, is skilfully manipulated by the cunning Iago, who by exploiting Othello’s insecurities transforms his identity into a jealous murderer. At the beginning of the play, Othello’s identity is that of an assiduous black general who fought exceptionally hard to gain respect in a white dominated society. In marrying Desdemona, Othello adds to his identity by being a lover and husband and his identity is portrayed to be interconnected to his love for Desdemona. Iago is jealous of Othello’s high standing and greatly respected identity and therefore undermines Othello’s confidence in his wives faithfulness and turns his identity into an irrational jealously. Shakespeare utilises a number of key techniques in ‘Othello,’ to indicate the extent of Othello’s identity changes. These changes are effectively conveyed to the audience through the contrast of Othello’s outward appearance with his affable interior. They are further
Although these images are not a true reflection of Othello’s identity, Shakespeare has very effectively done this in order to accentuate how Othello’s identity slowly changes throughout the play to reflect the initial images presented to the audience. In Act One, Othello is not once referred to by his actual name. Rather, he is referred to as “he,” “him,” and the derogatory terms “thick-lips” and a “Barbary horse.” Shakespeare makes use of this technique to establish Othello’s displeasing physical identity. Brabantio also describes Othello as a “sooty bosom,” whom his daughter Desdemona would never have agreed to marry without the use of witch craft and magic charms, “If she in chains of magic were not bound, whether a maid so tender, fair and happy, so opposite to marriage that she