Othello - Compared to Twelfth Night
"She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd, and I loved her that she did pity them" (Othello, I.iii 166-167). William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello," is pervaded by a dominant theme, one of love. Othello, the Moor of Venice falls madly in love with a woman named Desdemona. They marry and are very happy together. Othello and Desdemona face many trials during the course of their nine-month marriage. The most notable one occurs when Barbanzio, Desdemona's father accuses Othello of getting his daughter with witchcraft. During a court hearing, Desdemona confesses her love for Othello and Barbanzio is forced to let her go.
"I am hitherto your daughter: but here's my
husband, and so much duty as my mother
show'd to you, preferring you before her
father, so much I challenge that I may profess
due to the Moor my lord" (Othello, I.iii 184-188)
As the course of events shift, Othello and Desdemona end up in Cyprus together. Iago, ensign to Othello, in his lust for power, tricks Othello into believing that Desdemona has had an affair. Othello is overcome by jealousy, the "green eyed monster."
"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on " (Othello, III.iii 169-171) In his rage, Othello charges Iago with the killing of Cassio, his lieutenant who supposedly slept with his wife. Othello then plans to kill Desdemona. Even during the course of the killing, Othello maintains his love for Desdemona (although this might seem a contradiction.) He refuses to defile her body in any way. "Yet I'll not shed her blood; nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster." (Othello, V.ii 3-5)He then proceeds to choke or smother her to death. The theme of love in Othello changed from puppy love, the lighter side of love, to jealousy, the darkest side of love.
In stark contrast to the dark and tragic
"I am hitherto your daughter: but here's my
husband, and so much duty as my mother
show'd to you, preferring you before her
father, so much I challenge that I may profess
due to the Moor my lord" (Othello, I.iii 184-188)
As the course of events shift, Othello and Desdemona end up in Cyprus together. Iago, ensign to Othello, in his lust for power, tricks Othello into believing that Desdemona has had an affair. Othello is overcome by jealousy, the "green eyed monster."
"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on " (Othello, III.iii 169-171) In his rage, Othello charges Iago with the killing of Cassio, his lieutenant who supposedly slept with his wife. Othello then plans to kill Desdemona. Even during the course of the killing, Othello maintains his love for Desdemona (although this might seem a contradiction.) He refuses to defile her body in any way. "Yet I'll not shed her blood; nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, and smooth as monumental alabaster." (Othello, V.ii 3-5)He then proceeds to choke or smother her to death. The theme of love in Othello changed from puppy love, the lighter side of love, to jealousy, the darkest side of love.
In stark contrast to the dark and tragic