Analytical Essay Othello
Shakespeare is prominent in his use of recurring themes throughout his works, particularly those of love, death, and betrayal. All these themes are present in Othello. Most dominant, however, are manipulation and jealousy. Jealousy runs the characters’ lives in Othello from the beginning of the play, when Roderigo is jealous of Othello because he wishes to be with Desdemona, and to the end of the play, when Othello is furious with jealousy because he believes Cassio and Desdemona have been engaging in an affair, but manipulation the prominent action that fuels the jealousy within Othello. Some characters’ jealousy is fashioned by other characters. Iago is involved in much of this, creating lies and implementing confusing situations. He is consumed with jealousy of Cassio and masked with a hatred of Othello because he was not chosen as lieutenant, Cassio was. Iago is selfish in that he wants everyone to feel as he does so he manipulates the jealousy of other characters by betraying them to each other. Iago is a man blinded by envy and anger, with a goal in mind for everyone to become equally jealous, which he completes through his betrayal and manipulation of characters, specifically Othello. Shakespeare’s Othello begins with the confinement of Roderigo in Iago. Roderigo so desperately loves Desdemona and he pays Iago to woo her away from Othello. This scene is significant in that it immediately portrays Iago as a villain. Along with his actions, what Iago says also conveys him as a manipulative character. Iago has constructed a plan to use Othello as a thief by saying that Othello has stolen Desdemona’s heart using witchcraft. Iago cleverly manipulates Roderigo to confront her father, Brabanzio. He tells Roderigo, “Call up her father, Rouse him…poison his delights…do, with like timorous accent and dire yell,” Iago does not actually care that Roderigo loves Desdemona and wishes to be with her. His intentions are not to help Roderigo seek Desdemona but