Othello: Shakespeare's Tale of Illusions

For centuries, William Shakespeare has captured the hearts of men and women with his tales of romance, revenge, adventure, and intrigue. From the humor of "Much Ado About Nothing" to the star crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare was indeed a man born ahead of his time. Standing in stark contrast to the harsh realism of modern theater, his characters are larger than life. Very unlike today's productions, to watch Shakespeare is to watch a gross display of excess and exaggeration. Despite these obvious differences, however, when it comes to successful playwrights, William Shakespeare stands head and shoulders above even the contemporaries of today. Whether the setting is 16th century Venice or revamped to fit the present modern era, Shakespeare's works have a knack at tapping into the human condition, in unusual and sometimes even unorthodox ways. The truth is, we love Shakespeare because we can relate to him. Each story weaves a thread through the very fabric of existence, tapping into the soul of what it means to be human. One of Shakespeare's most famous works, "The Tragedy of Othello: the Moor of Venice", is such a story. It is a tale filled with smokescreens, mirages, and illusions, all revolving around a central character named Othello, who is duped and deceived by jealous men. A classic tragedy with a moral to boot, its lesson is obvious: never judge a book by its cover.

The very first characters introduced in the story are Roderigo and Iago. Roderigo, the jilted suitor, is enraged because the lovely Desdemona, much to his chagrin, has chosen to marry Othello, the Moor of Venice and a general in the military. If indeed "misery loves company", then it would seem Roderigo has found a kindred spirit in friend and confidante, Iago. Iago, an ensign under the command of Othello, is also incensed, because the younger and inexperienced Cassio was chosen for promotion to lieutenant instead of himself. Working together, Roderigo and Iago plan a web of deception and deceit in order to exact their revenge on Othello, and anyone else who might get in their way. Roderigo's plan is obvious – separate Othello from his wife, and take Desdemona for himself. Iago's motives, on the other hand, are not so obvious.

Iago is a master of men's emotions and knows how to effectively use them to his advantage, all the while appearing as an "angel of light" under the guise of friendship. His first victim is the jealous and lovesick Roderigo, whom he convinces to murder Cassio because of his supposed involvement with Desdemona. Roderigo's attempt at murder fails, however, and Cassio wounds Roderigo instead. Seeing this particular situation transpire and realizing how he might advantage from it, Iago steps out of the shadows and attacks Cassio from behind, wounding his leg. Cassio, not seeing who has struck him, lies in the street crying for help. One would think at this point that Iago is on Roderigo's side after all, but any such hope fades quickly. As both of them lie, bleeding in the street, Iago then turns on his friend Roderigo and kills him, exclaiming, "O murd'rous slave! O villain!" (V,i,62). Roderigo, seeing Iago for who he truly is, laments bitterly, "O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog!" (V,i,63), but it is too late. Iago, a man with no conscience or remorse, continues his devilish scheme by turning to tend the wounds of Cassio, whom he himself had severely wounded.

Shakespeare's Othello has many ironic twists, one being in the way the other characters view Iago as "honorable" and "honest", despite evidence to the contrary. Even Iago himself admits he is flawed in character. In an early dialogue with Roderigo, Iago states,

    It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
    Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.
    In following him, I follow but myself;
    Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
    But seeming so, for my peculiar end;
    For when my outward action doth demonstrate
    The native act and figure of my heart
    In complement extern, 'tis not long after
    But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
    For daws to peck at: I am not what I am. (I,i,56-65)

Despite this admission, Roderigo continues to trust Iago indubitably, even to the point of his wealth. This is evident when Roderigo states, "That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this." (I,i,2-3). In a desperate attempt to win her affection, Roderigo entrusts Iago to deliver certain gifts to Desdemona. She never receives the gifts; instead, Iago keeps them for himself.

When it comes to matters of naivety, however, the heartsick Roderigo is not the only victim. Othello himself, the honorable general, also falls prey Iago's deception. Of all the characters in this tragic tale, Othello is perhaps the most complex. A man of extremes, he sees the world in black and white. Those in whom he puts his trust are trusted completely; however, those whom he chooses to trust inevitably lead to his downfall. Convinced by Iago and Roderigo that his wife Desdemona is being unfaithful to him with Cassio, Othello begins devising a plan to murder her. It doesn't take much – a few choice words and the planting of Desdemona's handkerchief in Cassio's room. The rest is up to Othello, who already carries the seeds of doubt within his heart. Once Iago and Roderigo have laid the groundwork, no more scheming need be done - Othello's own imagination then takes over, creating false illusions of deception, deceit, and dishonesty. Despite Desdemona's cries of innocence, the simple tragic irony lies in the fact that the honorable Othello would believe this deception over the pleas of his own beloved wife, who loves him dearly.

Though Iago is portrayed as the classic villain, it is Othello's own false illusions – about himself as well as others - that is the real malefactor in this tragedy. From what stems these insecurities in Othello, so much so that he would believe the stories of two men, each with his own obvious motive for revenge? Due perhaps in part to the rejection of Desdemona's father Brabantio, could it be that somehow Othello sees himself as completely unworthy of Desdemona's love, and undeserving of her affection? Brabantio, against the wedding from the beginning (perhaps because Othello is a "Moor", or African), states witchcraft to be the reason for the love between them. Its as if Brabantio cannot fathom the love between Desdemona and Othello as being anything other than bewitchment, rather than love and pureness of heart. Fueling the fires of hidden doubt in Othello even further, he goes on to state, "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see; She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee." (I,i,291-292)

In Othello's rigid world of good versus evil, there is no room for human error. Sin must be dealt with swiftly and without mercy. It is this drive for perfection in Othello that turns him from an agent of revenge to an angel of justice. No longer seeing himself as the heartbroken husband, he creates a false illusion of himself as the burdened martyr who must correct the supposed evil his wife Desdemona has done. Despite the love he proclaims to have for her, mercy is not an option for poor Othello. As he looks upon Desdemona for the last time, sleeping on her bed, he proclaims,

    It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul;
    Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars,
    It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood,
    Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
    And smooth as monumental alablaster.
    Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.
    Put out the light, and then put out the light:
    If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
    I can again thy former light restore,
    Should I repent me; but once put out thy light,
    Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
    I know not where is that Promethean heat
    That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy rose,
    I cannot give it vital growth again,
    It needs must wither. I'll smell thee on the tree. (V,ii,1-15)

Just as Judas betrayed his master with a kiss, Othello then bends over to kiss Desdemona. After a short dialogue between them, and with Desdemona still pleading her innocence, Othello smothers the life out of her forever.

Though Othello is often called the tragic hero of the story, perhaps it is the women – Desdemona, Emilia, and Bianca – in whom one can find the most honor and integrity. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not the women that are weaving the tales of gossip and deceit, but the so-called "honorable" men. In a great twist of irony, Shakespeare chooses the women – often called the bearers of gossip – to be the ones found blameless and innocent. Accused of being foolish and silly, deceitful and impure, these three women impart a wisdom and dignity not found in the male characters. Even the honorable Othello fades in comparison. Alas, sadly, no one takes heed to their words until it is too late. As the truth begins to surface, it is Iago's wife Emilia that at last exposes the villain for who he truly is. Iago, in a fit of mad rage, runs her through with his sword, killing her. As the dying Emilia lies next to the innocent Desdemona, she states this somber truth:

    Moor, she was chaste; she lov'd thee, cruel Moor;
    So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
    So speaking as I think, alas, I die. (V,ii,249-250).

Othello, realizing how wrong he has been, in agony and bitter remorse takes his own life - but not before he states himself to be "like the base Indian who threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe" (V,ii,347-348). Indeed, Othello was one that loved "not wisely but too well".