Moor of Venice
Education: None. Was a slave in younger years, and bought his freedom.
Career: *Service to the Venetian Republic *General
Values: *Honesty *Loyalty *Love *Bravery
Family: Desdemona (Wife) *Brabantio (Venetian Senator and Father-in-law to Othello)
Friends: *Iago (Villain of Story. Othello's Ensign) *Cassio (Othello’s lieutenant) *Desdemona (Othello's wife)
Themes of the Play:
Love:
Othello loves his wife to a great extent. She and his duties as a general are the most important parts of his life.
Othello greets his wife with charming and loving words in which he says that if he died right away it would not affect for he died on the happiest day of his life by being with his wife.
Act 2, scene 1:
“'Twere now to be most happy, for I fear
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.”
When Emilia and Desdemona left Othello and Iago together, Othello went on to express in love for Desdemona while Iago listened. He expressed that she was the best thing that happened in his life and that if his love stopped with Desdemona then the world would fall back into chaos.
Act 3, Scene 3:
"Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee! And when I love thee not Chaos is come again."
Othello greets his wife with charming and loving words in which he says that if he died right away it would not affect for he died on the happiest day of his life by being with his wife.
Act 2, scene 1:
“'Twere now to be most happy, for I fear
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.”
When Emilia and Desdemona left Othello and Iago together, Othello went on to express in love for Desdemona while Iago listened. He expressed that she was the best thing that happened in his life and that if his love stopped with Desdemona then the world would fall back into chaos.
Act 3, Scene 3:
"Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee! And when I love thee not Chaos is come again."
Reputation:
Othello takes his General duties important. He will not let his love for his wife stand in the way of him doing his duties.
He states to Venetian authority that if his wife gets in his way of serving his government then she might as well uses his helmet for a frying pan. In other words, his reputation would be a disgrace and he would not be fit to do his duties anymore.
Act 1, Scene 3:
“That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewives make a skillet of my helm
And all indign and base adversities
Make head against my estimation.”
In this quote Othello expresses his frustration toward his men after they pulled their swords out and started to fight each other. He says to his men that they were treating each other like they were the Turkish enemy. He actually uses the words “ourselves” to include himself in it for he is responsible for their actions too even if he was not around for the fight. His reputation is on the line and he must take care of his men from not just the enemy but themselves.
Act 2, Scene 3:
“Why, how now, ho! From whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks? And to ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?”
He states to Venetian authority that if his wife gets in his way of serving his government then she might as well uses his helmet for a frying pan. In other words, his reputation would be a disgrace and he would not be fit to do his duties anymore.
Act 1, Scene 3:
“That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewives make a skillet of my helm
And all indign and base adversities
Make head against my estimation.”
In this quote Othello expresses his frustration toward his men after they pulled their swords out and started to fight each other. He says to his men that they were treating each other like they were the Turkish enemy. He actually uses the words “ourselves” to include himself in it for he is responsible for their actions too even if he was not around for the fight. His reputation is on the line and he must take care of his men from not just the enemy but themselves.
Act 2, Scene 3:
“Why, how now, ho! From whence ariseth this?
Are we turned Turks? And to ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?”
Perception of Women:
In Othello’s time women are seen whores if they sleep with
anyone else besides their husbands. Here Othello goes on to claim that
Desdemona is a whore within the gates of hell.
Act 4, Scene 2:
“I cry you mercy, then,
I took you for that cunning whore of Venice
That married with Othello.—You, mistress,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter
And keep the gate of hell!”
In this quote Othello speaks about killing Desdemona as he kisses away Desdemona while she slept. He plans to kill her to teach her a lesson for cheating on him. This clearly shows how much power a man had over his wife back than that he could take her life too.
Act 5, Scene 2:
“So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
But they are cruel tears. This sorrow’s heavenly,
It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.”
Act 4, Scene 2:
“I cry you mercy, then,
I took you for that cunning whore of Venice
That married with Othello.—You, mistress,
That have the office opposite to Saint Peter
And keep the gate of hell!”
In this quote Othello speaks about killing Desdemona as he kisses away Desdemona while she slept. He plans to kill her to teach her a lesson for cheating on him. This clearly shows how much power a man had over his wife back than that he could take her life too.
Act 5, Scene 2:
“So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
But they are cruel tears. This sorrow’s heavenly,
It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.”
Appearance vs. Reality
Othello goes on to excuse his wife that she is cheating on him. He tells her vicious things such as that she pretends to be a flower, but she is weed. That he cannot bring to look at her anymore. In reality she has done nothing bad to him, but he beliefs she has cheated him with Cassio.
Act 4, Scene 2:
“Oh, ay, as summer flies are in the shambles,
That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,
Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet
That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne'er been born!”
Act 4, Scene 2:
“Oh, ay, as summer flies are in the shambles,
That quicken even with blowing. O thou weed,
Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet
That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne'er been born!”
Racism:
Othello sees others around him more racial toward his him. But he does degrade himself in some way. He sees himself less than others who had more of a civilized life than him. When he was younger he was a slave and he bought his freedom. He could of been something else or more in the beginning if only he was not a moor.
Act 3, Scene 3:
"Haply for I am black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have; or for I am declined
Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much—"
Act 1, Scene 3:
"Of being taken by the insolent foe And sold to slavery, of my redemption thence."
Act 3, Scene 3:
"Haply for I am black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have; or for I am declined
Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much—"
Act 1, Scene 3:
"Of being taken by the insolent foe And sold to slavery, of my redemption thence."
Jealously:
Othello's Jealousy toward Desdemona is one of the most power parts of the play. He becomes so jealous that leads him to insanity which makes him loses all ability to reason.
Othello asks Desdemona to confess her sin, but she had none to confess to him. She has always be a faithful wife, but his jealousy turned him insane with the thought of Desdemona and Cassio together. In the quote below, Othello is so upset with Desdemona that he wants to kill her and send her soul to hell.
Act 5, Scene 2:
" Well, do it, and be brief. I will walk by. I would not kill thy unpreparèd spirit. No, heavens forfend, I would not kill thy soul!"
Othello continues to tell his wife that she gave Cassio his gift to him. That he saw Cassio with it. Othello uses this evidence the most to make Desdemona confess. Even if Desdemona cheated she would not give away something so important to Othello and get caught; she would be setting herself up.
Act 5, Scene 2:
"By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ’s hand. O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart, And mak’st me call what I intend to do A murder, which I thought a sacrifice! I saw the handkerchief."
Othello asks Desdemona to confess her sin, but she had none to confess to him. She has always be a faithful wife, but his jealousy turned him insane with the thought of Desdemona and Cassio together. In the quote below, Othello is so upset with Desdemona that he wants to kill her and send her soul to hell.
Act 5, Scene 2:
" Well, do it, and be brief. I will walk by. I would not kill thy unpreparèd spirit. No, heavens forfend, I would not kill thy soul!"
Othello continues to tell his wife that she gave Cassio his gift to him. That he saw Cassio with it. Othello uses this evidence the most to make Desdemona confess. Even if Desdemona cheated she would not give away something so important to Othello and get caught; she would be setting herself up.
Act 5, Scene 2:
"By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in ’s hand. O perjured woman, thou dost stone my heart, And mak’st me call what I intend to do A murder, which I thought a sacrifice! I saw the handkerchief."