Injustice in the Tragedy of Othello
In the Tragedy of Othello, by William Shakespeare, an injusti
ce is done to the main character, Othello the Moor. He is manipulated by the archetypal villain Iago
to satiate Iago’s need for control and his desire to revenge himself upon Othello. Othell
o the General has promoted another, Cassio, to hold the position that Iago feels he deserves. For th
e injustice that Iago feels has been committed against him, he brings about the destruction of Othel
lo and his wife, Desdemona, using Cassio as his tool for doing so.
Iago is the master villain in
Othello, and is indeed a prototypal villain; that is, he is the mold for many other villains in man
y other works. He is cunning, decisive, and able to take advantage of any set of circumstances. He m
olds the people around him and his surroundings to suit his own “peculiar” ends.
And best of all, Iago appears to be a good and honest person to all involved parties until just bef
ore the close of the play. Everyone is his willing dupe. Every master villain attempts his level of
excellency.
Iago, to achieve his revenge, makes Othello wrongfully suspect his wife of infidelity
, and makes him insane with jealousy, enough to kill her in his rage. Othello is the general of the
city of Venice, and a foreigner, a dark-skinned Moor. He has eloped with a senator’s daugh
ter, Desdemona, and they love each other dearly. Othello is a level-headed practitioner of war, and
is not ruffled by hints and allegations; that is, until his mind is poisoned by the machinations of
Iago. Iago plants ideas in Othello’s head, uses the innocent actions of others as his proo
f; and Othello, who is not practiced in worldly matters, believes his ‘honest Iago&#82
21;, and eventually is consumed by the lie.
Shakespeare sets up the character of Othello as a man
who is calm and steadfast, as shown by reactions of Othello in Act I, scenes ii-iii, when Senator B
rabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft to woo his daughter. Othello replies calmly and eloquen
tly in contrast to Brabantio’s hysteria, explaining that he did not use any sorcery except
that of his presence. He tells Iago, when Iago urges him to hide, “My parts, my title, an
d my perfect soul/ Shall manifest me rightly.” Othello is a man who is in control of his e
motions, and is seen as a strong, respectable man in such.
Iago subtly manipulates Othello throu
ghout the course of the play to have Othello believe that Desdemona is committing adultery. The firs
t thing Iago does is to discredit Cassio is the eyes of Othello (II.iii). He gets Cassio drunk and R
oderigo picks a fight with him. Othello finds Cassio at fault for the fight, which he seems to be at
first glance., and removes him from his office. The reader feels bad here for Cassio and Othello, b
ecause they have both unwittingly fallen for the machinations of Iago. Even after it is done with, n
either have any idea they were manipulated by Iago, but think he is a wonderful person, better, in f
act, because of this incident.
Iago drives a stake in between Othello and Cassio, one that he sli
ps in to break them apart. Once Cassio is relieved from his post, he is no longer present to refute
the allegations that Iago makes against him. Iago tells Cassio that he has a good chance of being re
instated to his post if Desdemona pleads in his behalf. Cassio thinks this is an excellent plan, and
thanks the “honest Iago” for his suggestion. Of course, at this point the reade
r knows that Iago plans for Othello to see them talking intimately, and to draw the idea of an affai
r from that.
When Iago and Othello come upon Cassio and Desdemona talking, Cassio leaves. He does
not want to confront Othello at that moment. Iago, of course, takes full advantage of the situation
and makes a reference to Cassio “sneak[ing] away so guilty-like.” We feel a bit
of apprehension here, as we know Iago is about to dupe Othello, or at least try to. Othello, as tru
e to his nature, does not see a connection between the “sneaking” away of
Cas
sio and the defense of Cassio that Desdemona immediately launches into. We see here again how noble
Othello is. He completely trusts his wife, to the point that the possibility of an affair does not e
ven occur to him. Iago has to near spell it out for him; and Othello repeatedly asserts that he is n
ot bothered by Iago’s claims, he does “not think but Desdemona honest.&#8221
; Othello has the utmost faith in his wife. Shakespeare makes sure the audience knows that Othello i
s not by his nature a suspicious person, but a trusting one. The audience naturally feels an empathy
for the noble, honest, trusting moor. It is these kinds of people that we wish to win. It is in our
nature to love the hero. There is a surge of faith here when Othello reveals his overriding trust i
n his wife.
After Iago leaves we find out just how trusting Othello is. Othello knows that the &a
mp;#8220;honest” Iago knows much more than he of politics, and “knows”
that Iago would be slow to implicate a friend such as Cassio without proper reason. Since Iago seem
ed so unwilling to voice his suspicions, Othello wonders what else Iago knows that he is not telling
. Othello begins to doubt his wife, but does not wish to: “If she be false, then Heaven mo
cks itself!/ I’ll not believe it.”
From here to the end of the play, Iago dra
ws Othello in, convincing the noble Othello that his wife is guilty of infidelity. Othello is convin
ced by the “honest Iago”, despite his own intuitions. Once Othello loses control
of his emotions, he is putty in Iago’s hands. Iago can tell Othello anything and have him
believe it, no matter how improbable. Iago shows him Cassio with the handkerchief, and Othello flie
s into a rage without even questioning why. He is acting exactly as Iago expects and wants him to. I
t is truly a sad sight to the audience to see their noble Othello reduced to the baseness that he ha
s been. In the last scene of the play, we see Othello with a soliloquy that is composed and rational
again, just before he kills his wife. This is the most disheartening of all, we know that as compos
ed as he is, he must feel that he is doing the right and just thing. We know that he has fallen for
Iago’s falsehoods hook, line, and sinker.
Thus is the injustice done to Othello. He is
destroyed by a cold plotter, a man that has no sense of morals, who used everything possible to his
advantage, even his reputation for honesty; for no more reason than that he was passed over for a p
romotion. We know that the noble Othello is fooled, and feel sorry that such an honest man has been
dinjustice tragedy othello tragedy othello william shakespeare injustice done main character othello
moor manipulated archetypal villain iago satiate iago need control desire revenge himself upon gene
ral promoted another cassio hold position that iago feels deserves injustice that feels been committ
ed against brings about destruction wife desdemona using cassio tool doing master villain indeed pro
totypal villain that mold many other villains many other works cunning decisive able take advantage
circumstances molds people around surroundings suit peculiar ends best appears good honest person in
volved parties until just before close play everyone willing dupe every master attempts level excell
ency achieve revenge makes wrongfully suspect wife infidelity makes insane with jealousy enough kill
rage general city venice foreigner dark skinned moor eloped with senator daughter desdemona they lo
ve each other dearly level headed practitioner ruffled hints allegations until mind poisoned machina
tions plants ideas head uses innocent actions others proof practiced worldly matters believes honest
eventually consumed shakespeare sets character calm steadfast shown reactions scenes when senator b
rabantio accuses using witchcraft daughter replies calmly eloquently contrast brabantio hysteria exp
laining sorcery except presence tells when urges hide parts title perfect soul shall manifest rightl
y control emotions seen strong respectable such subtly manipulates throughout course play have belie
ve desdemona committing adultery first thing does discredit cassio eyes gets drunk roderigo picks fi
ght with finds fault fight which seems first glance removes from office reader feels here because th
ey have both unwittingly fallen machinations even after done neither have idea they were manipulated
think wonderful person better fact because this incident drives stake between slips break them apar
t once relieved from post longer present refute allegations makes against tells good chance being re
instated post pleads behalf thinks this excellent plan thanks honest suggestion course this point re
ader knows plans them talking intimately draw idea affair from when come upon talking leaves does wa
nt confront moment course takes full advantage situation reference sneak away guilty like feel appre
hension here know about dupe least true nature does connection between sneaking away defense immedia
tely launches into here again noble completely trusts wife point possibility affair even occur near
spell repeatedly asserts bothered claims think utmost faith shakespeare sure audience knows nature s
uspicious person trusting audience naturally empathy noble trusting moor these kinds people wish nat
ure love hero there surge faith reveals overriding trust after leaves find just trusting knows much
more than politics would slow implicate friend such without proper reason since seemed unwilling voi
ce suspicions wonders what else telling begins doubt wish false then heaven mocks itself believe pla
y draws convincing noble guilty infidelity convinced despite intuitions once loses control emotions
putty hands tell anything believe matter improbable shows handkerchief flies into rage without even
questioning acting exactly expects wants truly sight audience their reduced baseness been last scene
soliloquy composed rational again just before kills most disheartening know composed must feel doin
g right thing know fallen falsehoods hook line sinker thus done destroyed cold plotter sense morals
used everything possible advantage reputation honesty more reason than passed over promotion fooled
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