GCSE English I Hate the Moor Notes about Othello
The Shakespearean play "Othello" describes a cruel chain of events ending in tragedy. This a plot of want and destruction caused by one man's envy and malice, whose actions in the name of revenge upon a firma friend get out of control, and go far beyond reprisal, the conclusion to which is loss of life through murder and suicide.
The activities of Iago appear to be guided by a combination of emotions, typically resentment, greed and jealousy directed primarily towards Othello and indirectly towards the other character. The following attempts to examine the possible reasons behind Iago's disposition of hatred.
The main motive for Iago's anger towards Othello is that of professional jealousy, Iago's failure to obtain the position as Lieutenant of Othello's army, which he has given to Michael Cassio, "a great arithmetician" [1, 1] and an academic whom "the three great ones of the city" [1, 1] like, that recommend him to be the Lieutenant thus his's "preferment goes by letter and affection" [1, 1], in doing this Othello ignores the established chain of command where by "each second stood heir ro th' first" [1, 1].
Othello's disregard for the "old gradation" [1, 1] greatly offends Iago, he being the ancient the position of Lieutenant is rightfully his over Cassio. This feeling of resentment is deeply compounded since he believes he is more deserving that a man who has "never set a squadron in the field, nor the division of a battle knows" [1, 1]. whom "his eyes had seen the proof" [1, 1], that he has on experience of warfare.
Iago's who is confident in his own abilities in warfare (his peach in Act 1, Seen 1 demonstrates this "I know my price, I am worth no worse a place") all of which are now effectively useless to him. Still being the ancient Iago is unable to proceed in his meliority career at the rate at which he intended, and must stay as Othello's ancient, a mere flag bearer and therefore "rather would have been his hangman" [1, 1] this being an office better suited to his skills.
A more disjointed motive for Iago's anger but as crucial as the above, is that he believes Othello has "twixt my sheets 'has done my office" [1, 3] (he and his wife have commited adultery). This is an unsubstantiated rammer, which he never proves, but with no other information to disprove this, Iago takes to be "for surety" [1, 3].
Iago views this to be sufficient reason to extend his anger towards Othello, now also being able to held sexual jealousy against him, for he is a moor and has stolen his dutiful wife from him. Iago's envy and malice are further heightened by two crucial acts of sexual jealousy.
First his envy of Cassio's wife "he hae a daily beauty in his wife" [1, 1] and more importantly the marriage of true minds between Othello and Desdemona, who he announces to be "a most fresh and delicate creature" [2, 3] whom he desires,"now I love her too, Not out of absolute lust... But partly led to diet my revenge" [2, 1], the motive here being that because of Othello who stole her heart, she is beyond his grasp.
Arguably due to concupiscence of Desdemona, the rammer of adultery alone being adequate justification to further "heat the Moor" [1, 3] (while rasing suspicion of his wife) demonstrates how Iago uses any reason to rationalization his campaign ageist Othello, and more to the point, reveals the petty nature of his blinded temper. Another significance of this is a possible cause to have driven him to see mutinies where none existed which then may have helped fuel his revenge.
Although irrational, another reason for redemption is that of race, Iago uses the fact that Othello is black in his complain of abuse, which he carries out covertly behind Othello's back. A good example of this is found in Act 1, Seen 1, Iago and Rodrigo take about "the Moor" (a Moor being a term to describe a black person of a ethic background) having "thick lips" and later with Brabantio, Iago describing Othello as "an old black ram", all the whilst maintaining the allusion of respect toward Othello, much as he deceives the other characters.
The thread of racemism is continued by Brabantio whom whilst referring to his daughter says "She is abused, stolen from me and corrupted by spells and medicines... being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense sans witchcraft could not" [1, 3]. Brabantio can simply not accept that Desdemona has been consumed with such passion as to have marred with a man which offers her nothing but an image of "what she fear'd to look on" [1, 3].
The last discernable motive, for lack of a better team, is related to bigotry, Othello has serviced the state and is the General or the Venetian army, his superiors trust him, despite his affirmed liability, Othello being a foreign in Venice is considered an outsider especially by Iago who dislikes foreigners, this is to say the least a trivial issue.
Conclusion:Iago is a sophisticated characters of malice intent, who possibly has delusions of divinity. He allows anger and fear to consume his live and override his sense of ethics and humanity that have allowed him to reach a place in society where he can effect his plans.
From the point at which he loses control Iago is unquestionably evil, he demonstrates above all else his manacle genoise in the level of villainy he uses in the conception of his agenda, governed by reprisal to ruin both Othello and Cassio. The common teams that connect his movements are greed, for money and envy caused by professional and sexual jealousy.
His soliloquy at the end of Act 1, demonstrates the absurdity of his villainy "I hate the moor, and it is thought abroad, that twixt my sheets 'has done my office; I know if't be true... yet I for mere suspicion in that kind, will do, as if for surety". The fact that he is willing to use such a hollow motive to his purpose goes a long way to proving that he is very insecure person that feels inferior and threatened by these around him.
In order to help maintain an air of superiority he struggles to increase his social status by reducing everyone eases. He goes about his way wood revenge leading his victims into making fatal mistakes by means of suggestion. These are demonstrations of his attention to detail and ruthless application of logic, although his reasoning is arctic his process is generally logical, Given the plot, it appears that this aspect of his personality in an integral component of his disposition to hatred.
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