Welcome to our Othello Blog. This site is a forum for discourse in our quest to study how a great poet/playwright, Mr. Shakespeare, portrays the fall of a noble soul who is entrapped by jealousy leading to deeds of violence, inviting the self-destruction of a great character. "I am not what I am." Iago
Sunday, December 9, 2012
BLOG #4:
At this point in the play, what is Othello’s character like? How does Shakespeare suggest the change in Othello’s character?" Include a line from the play. Include Act 3 or 4.
Act 3 represents a shift within the course of the play. Othello, who in the beginning two acts is views as a calm, trusting character, changes remarkably over the course of Act 3. Othello states "I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;" (III.iii.221-23) Othello's credulity, which some say is his fatal flaw, is questioned in this passage when he begins to doubt his marriage to Desdemona and seeks proof that she is truly having an affair with Cassio.
Lilly, Iago, who is so good at exposing the weaknesses of others, is able to pounce on Othello's doubt here. He manipulates with his rhetoric and questioning...real subtle though.
In Othello's first scenes, he seems to be a noble, calm, and understanding man. As the play progresses, however, we see that Othello becomes jealous and irrational very easily. Without much effort, Iago convinces Othello that he is being betrayed by his wife and former lieutenant, Cassio. After speaking to Iago, Othello threatens to "tear Desdemona to pieces" (III.iii.490) for what she has done. With this statement, Othello shows how quickly anger and envy can take over.
Othello has had a complete character shift. In the beginning of the play, he was dispassionate, serene, and the face of composure. In this act, however, Othello has done the one thing he shouldn't have done: believe Iago. This makes him fly off the handle, and declare, "Within these three days let me hear thee say that Cassio's not alive" (III.iii.537-38). This is huge, because Cassio used to be his right-hand man, and Othello has gone to the extreme measures of ordering Iago to kill Cassio. Major character shift, and I no longer like him as a character. I wonder if Iago knew how Othello would react?
"Why did I marry?" (III.iii.283) This quote is a huge change in Othello's character. He goes from confident in Act 1, but now he is second guessing himself.
Up until Act 3 Scene 3 Othello was a calm and collected man. He spoke calmly and fluidly. He told tales of marvel and wonder. Othello spoke with a purpose in long, complex sentences. After Iago plants his "seeds" of doubt and evil Othello becomes a jealous tyrant. Othello is now vengeful and filled with rage. He beguns speaking in unorganized fragments. Othello's beautiful dialogue is replaced by that of one losing their rationality.His repeeated use of the phrase "The handkerchief!"(3.4.98-115) reinforces the lose of rational thinking in Othello. He also begins using harsh words. As the play progresses, Othello's speech becomes increasingly similar to Iago's. Shakespeare does this to emphasive how Othello is letting Iago and his evil ways take over Othello's mindset.
I agree with you Katrina. The very fiber of his moral character is fraying, and it is heart wrenching to watch Othello spiral out of control. But, Iago only leads him down the path, othello is responsible for his own choices.
The other comments really hit the nail on the head. As we can see through Othello's actions and through his speech, he has changed dramatically. He was calm, cool, collected. In fact, for those reasons the majority of us admired him as a leader. However, by Act 3, he is distrusting, rash, and violent. He scolds Desdemona about the handkerchief, and while at the beginning of the play he might have come up with a plan to find it, by this point he just goes on and on about its loss: while Desdemona tries to talk to him about Cassio (which really just adds more fuel to Othello's fire), he repeatedly yells, "The handkerchief!" (3.4.107-113). Also, since I like to tie everything back to theme, now might be a good time to start hypothesizing about how Shakespeare uses the character shift in Othello to assert the role/consequences of jealousy in a man's life (and, of course, I use the term "man" without reference to a specific gender).
I also agree with everyone else on Othello's major character shift. Othello has become desperate and enraged, as opposed to his once rational self. Othello feels as if he cannot trust anyone anymore: "No, my heart is turned/ to stone. I strike it, and it hurts my hand" (4.1.201-202). Othello has allowed jealousy and fear to set in where trust should be. Shakespeare accentuates this change through Othello's harsh conversations with Desdemona, who was the love of his love mere days ago. Othello has changed for the worse, and it is questionable whether he will ever return to normal self again.
"Ay,let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live." (4.1.200-201) Othello used to be a moral sensible man who would have never reacted this harshly and irrationally but through Iago's feeding of lies and jealousy into Othello he pretty much says that he is going to kill Desdemona.
From the end of Act III to Act IV, Othello suddenly becomes less calm and smooth and seems more hostile. In Act IV, Scene I, Othello strikes Desdemona and calls her "Devil"(4.1.268). This is a sign that Othello's suspicion is really increasing from hearing from Iago and Othello being glad to see Desdemona mad is another sign that Othello's suspicion is on the rise.
Personally I feel that Othello has 100% changed his character from the beginning of the play. Othello starts off as the readers "favorite" character. Shakespeare creates empathy for Othello when Iago first starts going against him, but now Othello has changed. He has let jealousy get the better of him. Othello has become a character that the reader now fears or looks at with disgust. After reading 4.3 and having it end with Desdemona thinking she is going to sleep to die,'Good night, good night. (God) me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bed, but by bad mend." (4.3.116-117) Othello becomes a hostile character, one that not only his wife fears, but Shakespeare (and his readers) as well.
I feel that Othello is slowly slipping away from the character that was presented to us in the beginning of the book. Before, Othello was independent, loving, and reasonable. But, beginning in Act 3 and completely in Act 4 Othello undergoes a rapid and major change. He begins to constantly rely on Iago, and become easily influenced and rude. Othello speaks to himself accusing Desdemona of being "This subtle whore, A closet and key of villanous secrets" (4.2.23-24) without any concrete proof. He would have never thought of such things before. The lie that Iago has created has fully bloomed in Othello's head and is obructing his views and values.
I think we can all agree that our perspective on Othello has changed completely. AT first we see him as a man of honor and pride, but now that Iago has played with his emotions, we are seeing the dark side of Othello. We can see this in the line where he is talking to Desdemona when he says "And keeps the gate of hell-you, you, ay, you! We have done our course. Theres money for your pains." (4.2.107-109). Here he expresses how he wishes Desdemona was thrown into the gates of hell. Othello's emotions have taken over his personality completely.
Act 3 represents a shift within the course of the play. Othello, who in the beginning two acts is views as a calm, trusting character, changes remarkably over the course of Act 3. Othello states "I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;" (III.iii.221-23) Othello's credulity, which some say is his fatal flaw, is questioned in this passage when he begins to doubt his marriage to Desdemona and seeks proof that she is truly having an affair with Cassio.
ReplyDeleteLilly, Iago, who is so good at exposing the weaknesses of others, is able to pounce on Othello's doubt here. He manipulates with his rhetoric and questioning...real subtle though.
DeleteIn Othello's first scenes, he seems to be a noble, calm, and understanding man. As the play progresses, however, we see that Othello becomes jealous and irrational very easily. Without much effort, Iago convinces Othello that he is being betrayed by his wife and former lieutenant, Cassio. After speaking to Iago, Othello threatens to "tear Desdemona to pieces" (III.iii.490) for what she has done. With this statement, Othello shows how quickly anger and envy can take over.
ReplyDeleteSure Maeve, jealousy has no boundaries.
DeleteOthello has had a complete character shift. In the beginning of the play, he was dispassionate, serene, and the face of composure. In this act, however, Othello has done the one thing he shouldn't have done: believe Iago. This makes him fly off the handle, and declare, "Within these three days let me hear thee say that Cassio's not alive" (III.iii.537-38). This is huge, because Cassio used to be his right-hand man, and Othello has gone to the extreme measures of ordering Iago to kill Cassio. Major character shift, and I no longer like him as a character. I wonder if Iago knew how Othello would react?
ReplyDeleteAnd he wants to kill is wife..quite a shift, eh?
Delete"Why did I marry?" (III.iii.283) This quote is a huge change in Othello's character. He goes from confident in Act 1, but now he is second guessing himself.
ReplyDeletethanks Justin...his comment is the high point in the play.
DeleteUp until Act 3 Scene 3 Othello was a calm and collected man. He spoke calmly and fluidly. He told tales of marvel and wonder. Othello spoke with a purpose in long, complex sentences. After Iago plants his "seeds" of doubt and evil Othello becomes a jealous tyrant. Othello is now vengeful and filled with rage. He beguns speaking in unorganized fragments. Othello's beautiful dialogue is replaced by that of one losing their rationality.His repeeated use of the phrase "The handkerchief!"(3.4.98-115) reinforces the lose of rational thinking in Othello. He also begins using harsh words. As the play progresses, Othello's speech becomes increasingly similar to Iago's. Shakespeare does this to emphasive how Othello is letting Iago and his evil ways take over Othello's mindset.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Katrina. The very fiber of his moral character is fraying, and it is heart wrenching to watch Othello spiral out of control. But, Iago only leads him down the path, othello is responsible for his own choices.
ReplyDeleteThe other comments really hit the nail on the head. As we can see through Othello's actions and through his speech, he has changed dramatically. He was calm, cool, collected. In fact, for those reasons the majority of us admired him as a leader. However, by Act 3, he is distrusting, rash, and violent. He scolds Desdemona about the handkerchief, and while at the beginning of the play he might have come up with a plan to find it, by this point he just goes on and on about its loss: while Desdemona tries to talk to him about Cassio (which really just adds more fuel to Othello's fire), he repeatedly yells, "The handkerchief!" (3.4.107-113). Also, since I like to tie everything back to theme, now might be a good time to start hypothesizing about how Shakespeare uses the character shift in Othello to assert the role/consequences of jealousy in a man's life (and, of course, I use the term "man" without reference to a specific gender).
ReplyDeleteI also agree with everyone else on Othello's major character shift. Othello has become desperate and enraged, as opposed to his once rational self. Othello feels as if he cannot trust anyone anymore: "No, my heart is turned/ to stone. I strike it, and it hurts my hand" (4.1.201-202). Othello has allowed jealousy and fear to set in where trust should be. Shakespeare accentuates this change through Othello's harsh conversations with Desdemona, who was the love of his love mere days ago. Othello has changed for the worse, and it is questionable whether he will ever return to normal self again.
ReplyDelete"Ay,let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live." (4.1.200-201) Othello used to be a moral sensible man who would have never reacted this harshly and irrationally but through Iago's feeding of lies and jealousy into Othello he pretty much says that he is going to kill Desdemona.
ReplyDeleteFrom the end of Act III to Act IV, Othello suddenly becomes less calm and smooth and seems more hostile. In Act IV, Scene I, Othello strikes Desdemona and calls her "Devil"(4.1.268). This is a sign that Othello's suspicion is really increasing from hearing from Iago and Othello being glad to see Desdemona mad is another sign that Othello's suspicion is on the rise.
ReplyDeletePersonally I feel that Othello has 100% changed his character from the beginning of the play. Othello starts off as the readers "favorite" character. Shakespeare creates empathy for Othello when Iago first starts going against him, but now Othello has changed. He has let jealousy get the better of him. Othello has become a character that the reader now fears or looks at with disgust. After reading 4.3 and having it end with Desdemona thinking she is going to sleep to die,'Good night, good night. (God) me such uses send, Not to pick bad from bed, but by bad mend." (4.3.116-117) Othello becomes a hostile character, one that not only his wife fears, but Shakespeare (and his readers) as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Othello is slowly slipping away from the character that was presented to us in the beginning of the book. Before, Othello was independent, loving, and reasonable. But, beginning in Act 3 and completely in Act 4 Othello undergoes a rapid and major change. He begins to constantly rely on Iago, and become easily influenced and rude. Othello speaks to himself accusing Desdemona of being "This subtle whore, A closet and key of villanous secrets" (4.2.23-24) without any concrete proof. He would have never thought of such things before. The lie that Iago has created has fully bloomed in Othello's head and is obructing his views and values.
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree that our perspective on Othello has changed completely. AT first we see him as a man of honor and pride, but now that Iago has played with his emotions, we are seeing the dark side of Othello. We can see this in the line where he is talking to Desdemona when he says "And keeps the gate of hell-you, you, ay, you! We have done our course. Theres money for your pains." (4.2.107-109). Here he expresses how he wishes Desdemona was thrown into the gates of hell. Othello's emotions have taken over his personality completely.
ReplyDelete