Essays On Play

One of William Shakespeare’s many attributes as a playwright of the late 16th century was his character development. Shakespeare’s seamless use of indirect characterization sets his works apart from the other playwrights and authors of his time. In Othello, the Shakespearian tragedy about the newlywed Othello and Desdemona, Shakespeare uses character foils to emphasize the […]

In certain works of literature, there are characters which are often misunderstood and considered as insignificant. Desdemona from the William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” is one of them. In reality, Desdemona is a relevant and complex character which offers a lesson to those who live in modern day society. Though she may appear irrelevant in Othello, […]

Othello is certainly blamed for the death of his wife Desdemona. However, Iago played an enormous role in Othello’s fall from grace. The aim of this essay will consider all the important information and determine where responsibility lies for Othello’s tragic downfall. The Honorable Othello Othello’s success at being one of Venice’s most decorated and […]

Iago’s cunning and ingenuity, although helpful in his course of destruction, in the end do not disguise the fact that he is a malevolent manipulator who, throughout the play, fails to conceive a legitimate motive for his malicious actions. Iago is a villain. He is the embodiment of evil, hatred and spite, a vicious sociopath […]

Deception, the act of creating a false perception that leads to deceit and contradiction between knowledge and truth, is explored in both The Count of Monte Cristo (directed by Kevin Reynolds) and Othello (written by William Shakespeare). These narratives share the theme of Appearance vs. Reality as a result of deception, jealousy, and revenge. Both […]

The play Othello explores the two-faced nature incorporated through Shakespeare’s main protagonist Iago. In Othello’s opening scene, Shakespeare reveals to his audience immediately what Iago’s true character is, and how he’s driven by selfish desires of glory and lust for destruction. Iago’s cunning and crafty ways ultimately sets the “green-eyed monster free”, planting seeds of […]

Could one ordinary woman be more intelligent than several highly skilled male warriors? In William Shakespeare’s Othello, although Emilia plays a small role, she makes a powerful impact. Her omnipotent bravado brings us to the conclusion that she is the reincarnation of Esther from the Bible and that she is a mirror image of today’s […]

Desdemona is portrayed in Othello as a representation of goodness, contrasting with Iago’s maliciousness and vindictiveness. Yet, Shakespeare has endowed her with distinct qualities and human traits that render her a multifaceted and captivating character. What enhances her allure is the fact that every character in the play holds their own perspective and judgement of […]

In William Shakespeare’s Othello, men treat women like they are mere tools. The women’s reply to their men’s actions is complete submissiveness to their men. Emilia and Bianca follow the orders that their men gave them, have a one sided relationship with their men, and Desdemona shows utmost obedience to Othello. One of the main […]

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the character of Iago is constructed to demand the audience’s complicity despite the corrupt nature of his actions. an Elizabethan audience may have responded in a negative fashion to Iago’s manipulative behaviour but in contrast with this, the post Freudian audience would be fascinated by the psychological aspect of his character. Iago […]

The relevance of “being different” depends on the relationship between the values and context within a society. This concept is shown through the comparative study of the 1600’s play “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, and the 1967 feature film “Guess who’s coming to dinner”, by Stanley Kramer. Both these texts have similar issues of difference in […]

•Othello’s description of himself as, “one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, / Perplexed in extreme,” is perfectly just. His tragedy lies in this – that his whole nature was indisposed to jealousy, and yet was such that he was unusually open to deception, and, if once wrought to passion, likely to act with little […]

The ongoing debate surrounding the central character in “The Tragedy of Othello” between Iago and Othello has persisted over the years. In my opinion, despite Iago’s manipulative and vengeful nature, his importance is not substantial. On the other hand, Othello assumes the primary role in Shakespeare’s play for several reasons. Firstly, all events revolve around […]

Both Othello and Iago are articulate, courageous characters motivated by their revengeful tendencies. However, the downfall of Othello is triggered by his deficient discernment skills, which starkly contrasts with Iago’s shrewd intelligence. They both exhibit boldness and assertiveness. No matter how hard Brabantio attempts to interfere in Othello’s marital alliance, the latter remains prepared to […]

Individuals who frequently endure hardships due to other people’s actions, being subjected to unjust treatment that results in physical or emotional pain, are generally classified as victims. Their personal growth and life trajectory can be profoundly influenced by continuous abuse. The enduring repercussions of such ill-treatment, especially in situations like bullying, may be irreversible and […]

William Shakespeare’ Othello is an impressive work that is mainly dominated by the theme of jealously following love. These elements are bound together to create a tragedy so devastating it compels both the characters and audience. From the very start of the play the conversation between Roderigo and Iago during Othello and Desdemona’s elopement should […]

Shakespeare’s plays mostly end in the tragedy of the protagonist due to forces outside himself or due to his own undoing. The Tragedy of Othello is one of these plays. It tells the story of Othello who is a Moor soldier in the service of Venice. He marries Desdemona but kills her because of jealousy […]

The peripeteia in Shakespeare’s Othello occurs when the protagonist decides on whom to lay his trust and questions his own previous actions. This happens in Act 3, Scene 3 when Othello tells Iago that he plans to kill his wife, Desdemona, in effect declaring that he has elected to believe him. Like in his other […]

In my essay I will be comparing Elizabethan classical Othello with the modern Frantic Assembly Othello. I will be comparing the techniques used within both performances. I will also be comparing the differences and the similarities between the two. I will be describing the costumes and technology that were used and the differences between theatres […]

As a tragic hero, Othello should be viewed within the context of Aristotle’s Poetics, within which contains the theories of tragedy and the traits a tragic hero must possess to ensure his downfall. These are seen as flaws which cause the hero’s own downfall regardless of external influences. It is undeniable that Othello bears some […]

Many of William Shakespeare’s tragedies portray characters that eventually experience misfortune by the end of the play. Othello is a prime example of depicting various characters that each come to their own downfall because of a critical weakness. In the play, Othello’s mislead insecurities in his wife’s love for him, Roderigo’s foolish trusting nature, and […]

This soliloquy brings Act One of Othello to a rousing and ominous close. The whole first Act we have been made aware of Iago’s feelings of animosity towards “the Moor” (Shakespeare l. 368) but it is here where we finally see, unmasked, his utter disgust for Othello, and Iago’s need to gain revenge. Shakespeare’s language […]