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Othello Character Development

Othello's character develops drastically over the course of the play. At the beginning, Othello is a confident and respected general in the Venetian army, despite facing racism as a black man in 17th century England. However, after Iago manipulates him by planting doubts about Desdemona's fidelity, Othello's demeanor changes - he loses his self-esteem and strikes Desdemona in a fit of jealous rage. By the end of the play, Othello murders Desdemona and commits suicide, a shadow of his former self, brought low by his fatal flaw of jealousy.

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71 views

Othello Character Development

Othello's character develops drastically over the course of the play. At the beginning, Othello is a confident and respected general in the Venetian army, despite facing racism as a black man in 17th century England. However, after Iago manipulates him by planting doubts about Desdemona's fidelity, Othello's demeanor changes - he loses his self-esteem and strikes Desdemona in a fit of jealous rage. By the end of the play, Othello murders Desdemona and commits suicide, a shadow of his former self, brought low by his fatal flaw of jealousy.

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haleyxuereb
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Haley Xuereb Othello Essays 29th November, 2022

Discuss Othello’s character development in the play ‘Othello’

17th century England was dominated by white people who considered dark-skinned
people slaves. In William Shakespeare’s 1604 eponymous play, Othello is a black general in
the Venetian army. This would have sounded like an oxymoron to the Jacobean society – a
powerful black holding an esteemed position in the Venetian society, one deemed immensely
sophisticated at the time.

Othello is what is considered a dynamic character as he changes drastically from the


start to the play till the end. At the very start of the play, the audience is given a bad
impression of the “thick lips”, “the old black ram” who stole a daughter right from her
father’s nose. However, at the beginning of the second scene, the audience realises that
Othello is anything but deserving of Iago’s serving “to wait my [his] turn upon him”.

Othello is quite confident “My parts, my title, and my perfect soul/Shall manifest me
rightly.” He knows that he is indispensable to the army, having been “hotly call’d for” as
“another of his fathom” they had not. He is good humoured, and even jokes to the armed
soldiers to “keep up your [their] bright swords, for the dew will rust them.” He is held in such
high esteem that he is greeted before Brabantio when they enter the duke’s court! He says,
with false modesty, that he is “rude in his speech,” but delivers a eulogy of his achievements,
from slavery to all his adventures. He protests that he loves the “gentle Desdemona” and
gives her free speech, free reign to talk about her infatuation with him.

The audience can see that Othello’s character defies all stereotypes about black
people, and that Othello seemed indeed “more fair than black” in that zeitgeist! However,
when Iago “pour[s] this pestilence” into his ear, Othello’s character changes. In his own
words “I do love thee [Desdemona]; and when I love thee not, /Chaos is come again!”

From the moment that he doubts his wife, Othello’s demeanour changes. His
confidence and self-esteem is destroyed, partly as he thinks that he has lost his reputation. He
thinks that his age, skin colour and manner of speaking (“Haply, for I am black…” speech)
are driving Desdemona away. His pride at his black nobility has all but gone, and he has
become a mirror of the stereotypes surrounding dark skinned people. Othello is not easily
moved, however after Iago’s lecherous discourse he falls in a trance – even his calm
composure is gone. His attitude towards Desdemona is totally changed. He even strikes her in
front of her own cousin and calls her a whore. His eloquent, musical oratory has changed to
Haley Xuereb Othello Essays 29th November, 2022

rough syllables “Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!”. Even his principles change.
From denying any knowledge of witchcraft at the beginning of the play, he now believes in
the handkerchief’s magical purposes.

Iago’s influence on him, sowing doubts/nettles into the garden of his body, makes him
become “a devil”. However, the kind Othello emerges again as he kills his wife, his
reluctance palpable as he repeats “one more”, willing to extend her life by one more breath,
and is prominent during the heartfelt speech before he kills himself, dying “upon a kiss”.

Othello’s hamartia, jealousy has reduced him to a bitter nothing. His outsider status,
coupled with his readiness to believe Iago’s deceitful words, turn him into a vengeful
murderer. Indeed, to the audience at the start of ‘Othello’, it is unfathomable that this strong
character will eventually kill his wife and commit suicide.

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