Essay about Othello the General - 1690 Words

Othello: the General The character of the Moor in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello is noble to the point of heroism, but unfortunately also gullible and susceptible to the sinister, destructive genius of his ancient Iago. The most radical change during the course of the drama is undergone by the protagonist, the Moor. Robert Di Yanni in â€Å"Character Revealed Through Dialogue† states that the deteriorated transformation which Othello undergoes is noticeable in his speech: Othello’s language, like Iago’s, reveals his character and his decline from a courageous and confident leader to a jealous lover distracted to madness by Iago’s insinuations about his wife’s infidelity. The elegance and control, even the†¦show more content†¦And as the full enormity of his deed dawns upon him in the great scene of tragic self-revelation at the end, the audience may perhaps experience catharsis, that purgation of the soul brought about by an almost unbearable pity for him and his victims, and by terror at what human nature is capable of and what pitfalls await us in life. Throughout the play, the audience posses the information which Iagos victim does not have; the viewers know all along what Othello does not know. From that omniscient view, they look upon this tortured human being with a strong sense of the irony and tragedy of his position. (39) From the text of the play a number of clues can be gleaned which round out the description of the general. In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the general in Othello: Though scarcely the â€Å"barbarian† (1.3.353) he is called, the Moor is emphatically black, probably rough, even fearsome, in appearance, and a foreign mercenary from Mauritania in refined Venice. Though of royal blood, since the age of seven he had a restrictive, painful life, being sold into slavery and spending most of his life in â€Å"the tented field† (1.3.85). His â€Å"occupation† (3.3.357), to a degree found in no other Shakespearean hero, is war. He can therefore speak of the great world little â€Å"more than pertains to feats ofShow MoreRelatedEssay General Othello in Othello1267 Words   |  6 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shakespeare gave us a most moving drama in Othello. In this play we witness the demise of a â€Å"paragon† of a wife and a â€Å"valiant Moor†, Othello. Let us consider the Moor in detail, with professional critical input, in this essay. From the text of the play a number of clues can be gleaned which round out the description of the general. In William Shakespeare: The Tragedies, Paul A. Jorgensen describes the general in Othello: Though scarcely the â€Å"barbarian† (1.3.353) he is calledRead MoreEssay about Othello, or the Fall of a General1061 Words   |  5 PagesOthello, or the Fall of a General  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Othello, the general and protagonist in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello, is an amazing individual in many respects. Let us in this essay explore his character in depth, along with critical opinion.    Blanche Coles in Shakespeare’s Four Giants praises Othello as a superior being:    In Act I, Scene III, the â€Å"valiant Othello,† as the Duke calls him, comes into the august presence of the Venetian senators. 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Desdemona is her father’s pride and joy, however she refuses to marry any of the rich, handsome Venetian men that her Father and everyone else thinks are suitable for her. Desdemona marries General Othello who is an older black man. Othello is accused of stealing her