FORSTER ENGLISH II

In Othello ,written by Shakespeare, Brabantio has different thoughts about other characters that change over time. Through Brabantio’s narrow mindedness, he decides to change his judgement on Othello based on preconceived ideas of his own daughter, and based on racial and sexist thoughts that eventually rose to his mind in the play.

Brabantio is Desdemona’s father and initially likes Othello for being great in battle and respects his character. It is until Othello decides he loves his daughter that Brabantio gets upset. Brabantio says, “My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, Being full of supper and distempering draughts, Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come To start my quiet.” (1.i) Initially Brabantio would invite him into his house and would respect him. Now, seeing that Othello is with his daughter, he has the want to reject him and even thinks that Othello would have had to have poisoned her to do so.  Not only does Brabantio show some characteristics of racism, but he also shows some of sexism as he thinks that Desdemona can’t make these decisions on her own. Brabantio even says,” Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion Blush’d at herself; and she, in spite of nature, Of years, of country, credit, every thing, To fall in love with what she fear’d to look on! ( 3.i) This quote truly shows Brabantio’s thoughts towards his daughter and what he thinks she is capable of. He does not think she is capable of knowing who she loves because she is a young “innocent” women. I found this to come off as a little sexist when reading this for the first time.It is also racist due to the fact that he believes Othello is incapable because of the color of his skin!  Desdemona is also initially angry at her father for thinking she is incapable. Brabantio is mad at his daughter because he thinks Desdemona is not respecting his superiority after all he has done for her, while Desdemona is mad at him for thinking that she has no say in who she loves. Desdemona even says, “I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband.”(1.iii) This quote shows that desdemona is confident in her love and knows best for herself. Brabantio even states that this is not of her personality in the past. He claims that she was such an innocent girl and maybe Othello forced this upon her. When he later finds out that it is the actual truth he later dies of grief as I explained. How could someone be so upset over their daughter’s happiness? He just seems to be in total shock. Usually, fathers like Brabantio would be out to get men like Othello after finding out about situations such as these, but Othello seems to be more laid back and disappointed in his daughter. How could she have done this to him?

These beginning scenes really embody the strong character virtues that each character holds, and lacks. This is part of the reason the story is so interesting.The play had an interesting conclusion and made me ask, “Why does Brabantio have to be so racist and sexist?”  Maybe it had to do with the time period they were living in. Brabantio seems to not try to stop the situation after he finds out that she loves him back which is interesting to me. In conclusion, the play shows the racial and sexist thoughts at the time that many believed to be moral. It even relates to some of the issues going on today. I hope to read more like it!

by Robert Shively

Othello is a very courageous and intelligent man; however, his weakness- gullibility, is one that causes issues among his peers. As a general, Othello is well respected and it his soldiers look up to him. For war, he gives inspiring speeches that want people to fight in the war under Othello’s wing. Though he may be an astonishing war leader, he allows people like Iago to get under his skin and let Othello to make a mistake that hurts his relationships: especially with Desdemona. Othello’s relationship with Desdemona quickly declines when he lets Iago torture him.

In the beginning of the play Desdemona’s father, Brabantio a Venetian Senator, is against her daughter’s relationship with Othello because of his race and age. However, this does not prevent Desdemona from loving Othello. Though the two seemed in loved at first, Iago is the one who wants to change this. His claim

“I hate the moor,

And it is thought abroad, that twixt’ my sheets,

‘Has done my office, I know not if’t be true,

But I, for mere suspicion in that kinda

Will do as if for surety.” (Act 1 Scene 3)

is the driving force to prevent Othello’s happiness. With the help of Emilia, Iago places Desdemona’s handkerchief (given to her by Othello) in Cassio’s room. When Othello discovers the handkerchief, he is enraged. This results in a terrible fight between the two. The result of the fight was Othello choking Desdemona to death with a pillow. This was Othello’s breaking point because everyone begins to think he is crazy. Seconds before Desdemona passes away her best friend, Emilia walk into the room where the death occurred. This enrages Emilia, and she shouts at Othello. Emilia and Othello’s relationship, which was already on thin ice, was destroyed by Othello’s act. After Emilia shouts at Othello, she scurries out and runs to the others who are eating. She quickly grabs attention of everyone, and tell them what Othello has done. This enrages everyone at the dinner, and everyone quickly turns against Othello. When Othello hears the news that everyone is annoyed, he quickly becomes infuriated because he feels as if he has done nothing wrong. However, Othello made the mistake of not letting Desdemona explain herself. Othello’s lack of ability to block out the criticism thrown his way is what causes him to get in trouble with the other characters.

Though Othello allows for others to get under his skin and anger him, he is still a good person on the inside. However, Othello lets people like Iago ruin his relationships and life with the other characters because he always falls for their temptations. However, some may argue that he has an anger issue, but deep down it’s his gullibility that gets him into these traps, and the solution is anger and violence.

An immense amount of wealth held by an heir, can often attract people with malicious intent. Roderigo, a wealthy young bachelor, in Shakespeare’s Othello, is deceived by himself and by Iago. He believes his riches can win over Desdemona, and his foolishness makes him fall victim to Iago’s cruel plans.

Roderigo is immediately discovered to have a seething hatred for Othello. He hates him because he has courted Desdemona and made her unavailable to him. Also, Roderigo reveals that he is racist, he uses derogatory words to Othello, such as “thick-lips” (I.i.67) and believes it is impossible for a white women to love a black man without the use of magic. Roderigo is completely delusional in believing he still has a chance with Desdemona, because even her father does not want him and says to him, “The worser welcome:/ I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:.” (I.i.96-97). Roderigo is not used to be told no; and his downfall is caused by the inability to accept the love between Othello and Desdemona. He is unable to accept this love because he believes his wealth alone will attract Desdemona. Roderigo uses Iago as his personal henchman to get Desdemona into his arms. Little does Roderigo know, Iago uses him to better himself and Iago tells the audience, “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse./ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit.” (I.iii.377-380). Because Roderigo is a rich, young, and foolish bachelor, machiavellian Iago is able to take advantage of the fact Roderigo has never experienced the cruelties of the world like him. That is why he is so gullible and takes Iago’s words as fact. Roderigo is also so desperate for love that he immediately does not realize Iago’s schemes. When he begins to become suspicious to Iago’s plans, Iago once again convinces him that he is not the enemy, but rather Micheal Cassio. When Roderigo realizes Iago’s plans it is too late, Iago has killed him.

Roderigo is a tragic character. He is hopelessly in love with a married woman and falls easily victim to Iago’s smooth talking. The reader can conclude that Roderigo’s foolishness stems from his wealth and his upbringing. He was probably told as a child that he could have anything in the world, and as grown man he had never learned that was not the case. Perhaps others can learn from Roderigo; they can learn to make conscious decisions and remember people are not always as trustworthy as they seem.

by Addison Spier

Webster’s dictionary defines being two-faced as “ not honest or sincere : saying different things to different people in order to get their approval instead of speaking and behaving honestly.” Iago is an extremely guileful, evil, manipulative and two-faced character in the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare. To other characters in the play, he seems to be a kind and honest man; we the readers know and understand the true, hateful Iago. We quickly see Iago’s two-facedness at the start of the play. Iago explains to Roderigo that he plans to take advantage of Othello, saying, “O sir, content you./ I follow him to serve my term upon him./ We cannot all be masters, nor all masters/ Cannot be truly followed (…) I’m following him, I follow but myself./ Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,/ But seeming so, for my peculiar end (…) I am not what I am.” (I.i. 45-68). Iago explains that he acts good to Othello in order to trick him, which sets us up for the rest of the play.

Iago’s manipulative skills show his two sides to the audience throughout the play, while the other characters only get to see is false side; his kind and honest side. Othello grows to love and trust Iago and truly believe he is an honest man. Iago seems so innocent and kind; nobody would expect him to be as evil as he is. Othello repeatedly refers to Iago as honest and good, and this reputation, that Iago made everyone believe, is what really helped him to carry out his plan for as long as he did. Iago, in a way, blinds Othello with his lies. Othello is not able to consider that Iago could be lying because he quickly trusts him so much. At the end of the play, right after he kills Desdemona, Othello explains to Emilia why he did this horrible, sickly deed. He tells her it is because her husband told him what she did; Emilia knows it isn’t true. He tells Emilia, “He, woman./ I say thy husband. Dost understand the word?/ My friend, thy husband; honest, honest Iago.” (V.ii.187-189). As readers who know exactly what is going on, it is hard to understand how people see him as a good man. Iago carries so much hatred towards most of the other characters. We can see his jealous side through the hatred as well. His negative feelings towards the other characters is what causes him to take action the way he does. He hates Othello for allowing Cassio to be lieutenant, and he hates Cassio for taking his spot as lieutenant; he is jealous of him. He doesn’t care about anybody but himself, and will do anything to get what he wants and thinks he deserves.

We as readers are able to see the light, “honest” and “good”, and dark, evil and manipulative, sides of Iago and we know that he is not the honest and good Iago that the other characters see him as. He may be able to fool them, but he can’t fool us. We see his true self as he talks to the audience and lets us in on what is really going on. He is smart with his work, and knows exactly what to do and how to do it in order to reach his goal.