Preview

Theme Of Love And Distrust In Othello

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
573 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theme Of Love And Distrust In Othello
Love and Distrust
Love can still exist even when there is a lack of trust between two people, which is evident in William Shakespeare’s Othello. Despite Othello’s suspicions of Desdemona’s innocence and faithfulness, he still truly loves her. When Iago first tries to plant the idea of Desdemona cheating on him, Othello does not believe him. Othello tells Iago that he needs proof before he will accept that as the truth. He also tells Iago that: “If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!” (3.3.313). Here, Othello is saying that if Desdemona is cheating, then heaven is not real. By comparing something as big as heaven to Desdemona’s innocence, Othello shows that he is quite certain of Desdemona’s virtue. Since Othello still believes in Desdemona
…show more content…
When Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft on Desdemona, he and Othello go to the Duke to resolve this. After Desdemona confesses that she has fallen in love with Othello, the Duke rules that it is Desdemona’s choice if she wants to be with Othello or not. Since Desdemona chooses to be with Othello, she has to go along with him to Cyprus, which he is to govern. Othello tells Desdemona: “Come, Desdemona. I have but an hour/ Of love, of worldly matters and direction” (1.3.323-324). Othello tells Desdemona to go with him, as they only have an hour to spend with each other, as they do not have much time before leaving for Cyprus. Othello’s desires to spend time with Desdemona illustrates Othello’s deep affection for Desdemona prior to being taken advantage of. Even when Othello tricked into thinking Desdemona was cheating and was set on murdering her, he kisses her three times before killing her.. While giving her these kisses, Othello states, “Be thus when thou art dead and I will kill thee and love thee after” (5.2.18-20). Othello is saying that if Desdemona is still as beautiful after dying, he will kill her and and then love her after. Since Othello himself expresses that he would still love Desdemona after she dies, this proves Othello’s adoration of Desdemona, even though he wants to kill her as retribution for

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy, set in Elizabethan Times that present the relationship between, Othello, a ‘moor’ who’s an official in the Venetian army and Desdemona, the daughter of a noble Venetian Senator, Brabantio, and how despite their different experiences in love, a strong relationship can occur, without any initial external input. Desdemona’s assertive behaviour towards romantically pursing Othello, demonstrates her confidence and power, which she maintains throughout the play. Most significantly, the fact that Othello did not ask for Brabantio’s permission to marry Desdemona, demonstrates how Othello did not consider the traditional values of Elizabeth society. However as they play develops, Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s insecurities, leads to the relationship between Othello and Desdemona falling apart.…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    | Iago ‘only loves’ Desdemona out of revenge and jealously of Othello as he believes he has slept with his wife. The ‘infidelity’ that is occurring behind is back is eating him alive and so he plans to manipulate Othello in beliving Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. ‘Deception’ aids him to accomplish this task…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Who Is Roderigo In Act 1

    • 1835 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Othello argues that he did not force Desdemona into marriage but rather married her out of their shared love. The Duke sends for Desdemona to confirm his account, while Othello says she fell in love with him after hearing his life story – a story filled with redemption, adventure, and danger. The Duke sides with Othello, especially after hearing Desdemona confirm Othello’s claims and say she owes the loyalty of marriage to him. Desdemona’s father accepts. The Duke decides to send Othello to Cyprus in light of the impending attack, because of his knowledge of the area.…

    • 1835 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Othello’s path to obsession begins with Iago planting seeds of doubt into his mind, which convinces Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful. He says to himself, “She is gone. I am abused, and my relief/Must be to loathe her” (3.3.283-84), and later claims that he “will withdraw/To furnish [him] with some swift means of death/For [Desdemona]” (3.3.492-94). These lines reveal that although there has not been any solid proof, Othello’s mind is already constantly occupied by the mere possibility of Desdemona being unfaithful to him. His obsession finally becomes clear when he says “In the due reverence of a sacred vow/I here engage my words,” (3.3.470-71). This line reveals that he is set on getting revenge for being betrayed and thus, has become a goal. It is his goal to get revenge so even when Desdemona after insists that she has done nothing wrong, Othello tells her to “confess thee freely of thy sin” (5.2.61) and that even if she denies it all, it will not change his mind, as he makes clear by telling her “Thou art to die” (5.2.65). Othello’s refusal to listen to Desdemona is what leads to his failure, for it was his goal to kill her no matter what she said and only after she is dead does he learn that she was actually innocent.…

    • 995 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Desdemona is often seen as William Shakespeare’s ideal woman; she is pure, beautiful, loyal, insightful, and at times audacious when she feels she must be. In her first scene with her father, the Duke, she explains, “My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty… You are the lord of my duty; I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband… I challenge that I may profess, Due to the Moor my lord.” (I.iii.179-188) her speech not only shows her audacity before the Venetian senate, but also her insightful nature as she does not insist on her commitment to Othello is at the expense of respect for her father. Next she displays her loyalty as close friend Michael Cassio has lost his position beneath her husband after a drunken brawl. Seeing his grief, she repeatedly reminds her husband of his good nature. She continued to do so even when confronted with Othello’s aggravation, because of how much she cared for Cassio. Desdemona’s loyalty is definitively challenged Othello accused her of adultery and struck her face in front of Lodovico. Although she had been publicly humiliated, she followed Othello’s orders and left his sight. Finally she is a victim to Othello as he concludes that he will murder her…

    • 1079 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Othello is easily persuaded and this leads him to put his trust in the wrong people. He unfortunately gets ensnared into Iago’s devious plan. Othello treats Iago as a trust-worthy friend who he has known for a long period of time. When Iago realizes that Othello believes the story about Cassio’s relationship with Desdemona, Iago decides to take the scheme further. Iago places horrid images in Othello’s mind that turn Othello into a rash man. Othello’s tragic flaw ultimately leads to his destruction. Othello’s personality vastly transforms due to the madness. Othello ironically mistrusts his loyal wife Desdemona and good friend Cassio. When Othello places Desdemona on her deathbed, he states, “Be thus when thou are dead, and I will kill thee/And love thee after” (V.ii.20-21). At this moment in the play, Othello’s actions are ironic. Originally, Othello worried that Desdemona would stab him in the back, but he is the one who betrays his beloved wife. Othello is brought to this action because Iago places extreme jealousy within…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    By stating that Desdemona “loved me [him] for the dangers I [he] had passed” and that he “loved her that she did pity them” corroborates Carol McGinnis Kay’s argument that the basis for Othello’s and Desdemona’s love “is the grand romantic picture of Othello that they both admire and pity” (265). Hence, Othello’s “love” for his wife derives from “the image of Othello that Desdemona reflects to him” (265), which is, I would argue, even more explicitly indicated by Shakespeare when he has Othello proclaim to Desdemona that he “does love thee [her]”, and “when I [he] love[s] thee not, chaos is come again” (1314). Although I would insist on approaching those hypothetical nature of the roots of the couple’s relationship with a non-absolutist attitude, considering the limited access the audience has to the two characters either in the form of revealing asides or an adequacy of mutual interaction in any of the acts, I concur with Kay’s point, in that Othello’s love for Desdemona is rather self-oriented, a mirror of his own desirable self-concept as a romantic warrior, contrary to Mose Durst’s rather simplistic perception of “Othello’s love for Desdemona”, namely as having “given his life its most profound meaning” merely…

    • 940 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jealousy in Othello

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Othello's jealousy against Desdemona is perhaps the strongest emotion incurred in the play. The jealousy he experiences turns him insane with rage, and he loses all ability to see reason. The first instance that instills doubt in Othello's mind is Brabantio's warning "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:/She has deceived her father, and may thee" (1.3.292-293). This early seed of doubt allows Iago to play on Othello's jealous nature, and concoct a plan to take advantage of Othello. Iago slowly leaks his poison into Othello and soon has the result he desires, Othello is overcome with jealousy. Othello continuously denies his jealousy, but it is apparent that he is losing his mind with the thought of Desdemona's unfaithfulness. He speaks to Iago saying "No Iago;/I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;/And on the proof, there is no more but this,--/Away at once with love or jealousy!" (3.3.189-192) The fact that he believes that his wife is unfaithful with only insinuations put forth by Iago shows the fact that he is prone to jealousy. Soon after, with Iago's "help" he believes to see undeniable proof that Desdemona is unfaithful with the loss of the handkerchief. Othello experiences jealousy so strong that he delves…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Shakespeare ’s play Othello, Iago’s words and actions cause Othello to change and to stop loving Desdemona; as a result, Othello and the people around him plunge into chaos. After much manipulation from Iago, Othello, like a coin, flips sides and hates Desdemona. When Desdemona leaves with Emilia, Othello says that “when I love thee [Desdemona] not, / Chaos is come again” (3.3.91-92). This clearly shows that Othello is in love with Desdemona and has no doubt in her faithfulness. Little does Othello…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The fact that they went through with an interracial marriage mean tehy had strong feelings for each other. Othello played a blind man when believing Iago when convincing his that Desdemona cheated on him with. He predicted perfectly what happened as he stated “But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again" (3.3.90-92). He decided to choose his jealousy over love and chaos took over his life. Desdemona was a great wife to Othello, even when joining him to Cyprus as Othello was needed to defend the island from the Turks. They had yet to consummate their marriage but this was not a bother to Desdemona because she was true to her husband and knew it could wait.…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Love In Othello

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Desdemona holds the handkerchief in utterly different regards than Othello. Seemingly she holds it dearly as it was the first token of love given to her by Othello. Nevertheless, in the scene when she offers it to him for his headache she drops it and does not notice its disappearance for a while. It is not until act three scene four “where should I lose the handkerchief, Emilia?” that she becomes away aware of her negligence with it (3.4.21). Historically this token of love was a common gesture during Elizabethan England that was traded amongst couples. Apparently “…Handkerchiefs were elaborate and expensive symbols of love, especially between upper-class couples. Moreover, the strawberry motif was one of the most popular embroidery…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othello got married with Desdemona behind her father, but his love made face Desdemona’s father and take car of her. He truly loved her and trust her as same she loved him, but Iago one of his friend knew Othello’s weak part that was the love for his wife and took advantage of it. Iago was envious of Othello and made him believed that Desdemona was unfear with his other friend, a fact that was false she was in real love with his husband Othello. Iago pretended to be honest with Othello and he said to…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Love is a universal feeling that everyone experiences at least once during his or her lifetime. According to Webster's Dictionary, love is defined as a strong, positive emotion of regard and affection. In William Shakespeare's play, Othello, there are many questions that the reader would ask about the love that Othello has for Desdemona. During many aspects of the play, Othello's love for his wife is contradictory and questionable. Throughout Shakespeare's play, Othello displays that he does not truly love Desdemona through his relationship was based on pity and not true love, the lack of trust Othello had for Desdemona raised false suspicion and Shakespeare's design to create a tragedy with miscommunication between Othello and Desdemona.…

    • 858 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd, and I loved her that she did pity them" (Othello, I.iii 166-167). William Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello," is pervaded by a dominant theme, one of love. Othello, the Moor of Venice falls madly in love with a woman named Desdemona. They marry and are very happy together. Othello and Desdemona face many trials during the course of their nine-month marriage. The most notable one occurs when Barbanzio, Desdemona's father accuses Othello of getting his daughter with witchcraft. During a court hearing, Desdemona confesses her love for Othello and Barbanzio is forced to let her go.…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Othello and Desdemona’s manifestly love-filled relationship was somewhat shielded by society’s views of the age, social position and race differences, that would evidently cause implications. In the late sixteenth century, the time in which Othello is based, it was disreputable to do anything that was thought of as abnormal, for example, marrying below your class. Othello and Desdemona’s relationship was quickly looked down upon, simply due to the fact that it was seen as unconventional at the time. The implications that were apparent in the relationship were; the fact that Desdemona was considerably younger then Othello, the difference in social position of the two, and of course the obvious reason, being that Othello was dark skinned and Desdemona fair skinned. Beneath these implications, the two shared a deep, meaningful and adoring relationship, for the start of the play, that is.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays