The Use of Dramatic Techniques to Reveal Memorable Ideas in Shakespeare's Othello
There are many concepts and themes presented in Othello, the most memorable of which would definitely be the strange idea that someone could be led to kill the person the love the most, as readers are throughout the play searching for why this comes about and where to lay the blame. Shakespeare uses many different dramatic techniques to show that Othello is in fact the victim of racism, pushed over the edge by Iago’s extreme hatred. He also reveals through the play the discriminatory nature of society at the time and shows that Othello was constantly made to feel an outsider. Othello’s constant exposure to this racism and discrimination lead him to be susceptible to distrust and to feel that Desdemona is 'too good for him', and so when he also becomes the target of Iago’s directed hatred he is a helpless victim. Techniques such as Character, Symbolism, Irony, Conflict and Tragedy all reveal this idea of Othello as a victim.
Shakespeare’s use of character is a very effective technique used to manipulate the audience to feel pity towards Othello and see him as essentially noble. At the beginning of the play, Othello is positioned as a noble man both by others such as the duke -“Valiant Othello”(Act 1. 2) and also through his proven record of being level-headed and reliable. Othello is very firmly shaped as this noble and sensible character from his very first speech, when he says “My services which I have done the signiory /Shall out-tongue his complaints.” (Act 1. 1) This shows the audience his ability to remain calm in a difficult situation, and also that he has gained trust and nobility through his work. This character is so strong in the first half of the play despite great challenges such as facing up to Brabantio and then to war that must surely be his true character. At the end of the play when he eventually discovers that Iago has been feeding him lies he returns to this rational and frank self, saying “speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate”(Act 5. 2).
Shakespeare’s use of character is a very effective technique used to manipulate the audience to feel pity towards Othello and see him as essentially noble. At the beginning of the play, Othello is positioned as a noble man both by others such as the duke -“Valiant Othello”(Act 1. 2) and also through his proven record of being level-headed and reliable. Othello is very firmly shaped as this noble and sensible character from his very first speech, when he says “My services which I have done the signiory /Shall out-tongue his complaints.” (Act 1. 1) This shows the audience his ability to remain calm in a difficult situation, and also that he has gained trust and nobility through his work. This character is so strong in the first half of the play despite great challenges such as facing up to Brabantio and then to war that must surely be his true character. At the end of the play when he eventually discovers that Iago has been feeding him lies he returns to this rational and frank self, saying “speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate”(Act 5. 2).