A successful drama involves an audience both emotionally and intellectually

How has Shakespeare fulfilled these criteria in the play you have studied?
Shakespeares Othello captures the demise of a radiant, respected solder to a rampant
monster consumed by deadly passion. Othellos rapid moral collapse which stems from his
jealously darned from his pride in his reputation, the discrepancy between appearances and
reality and his lack of perception serve as a striking reflection of the flaws of human nature to
engage an audience emotionally and intellectually. His fervent jealousy which possesses him
ultimately produces the successful tragedy of Othello.
Othellos deep observation with his reputation and the upholding it is a catalyst for the
consummation of his innate jealousy, a quality which exists in all audiences. His pride
manipulated by Iago, instils self-doubt and insecurity in him, igniting his desire for revenge.
Characteristic of Shakespearean tragedy, Othellos hamartia, and his insecurity results in his
downfall foreshadowed by the personification It is the greed eyed monster which doth
much/The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss Othello is deeply insecure as a
foreigner and needs respect and self-approval in the upholding of his reputation as a military
general, his glorified view of himself as a noble soldier is revealed in farewell the plud troops
and big wars!.../Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war! Farewell!. When Iago plants
seeds of suspicion in his mind of Desdemonas infidelity, Othellos perception of himself as an
honourable and powerful leader wavers. The personification of the pontic sea whose icy
current and compulsive course/Ne'er keeps retiring ebb as he identifies himself with an
irreversible symbol of disorder reveals his determination in avenging his humiliation. Othellos
early lyrical poetic language and speech is isolated by crude gruesome imagery of, a cistern
for foul toads and the bed, lust stained, shall with lusts blood be spotted, which is
dominant in Iagos speech to illustrate his moral regression as he grows increasingly jealous.
Othellos use of judicial metaphors such as false heed thy perjury Confess thee freely of
thy sins/deny each article with oath exemplified his self-important nature as he imposes a
sense of justice on horrific murder. Furthermore his fixation on his reputation is epitomised by
the anaphora speak of one that loved not wisely but too well, of one nnot easily jealous,
but beiung wrought as he is trying to resurrect his good name even as he awaits death.
Hence it is Othellos ruthless jealousy driven by his extreme egotism which provokes
audiences emotionally as they explore his moral collapse.
Shakespeare explores the discrepancy between appearances and reality to be key in
influencing Othellos downfall. Iagos scheming and deceit, which drives Othellos emotional
insecurity and jealousy, is masked by a faade of honesty taking the audience on an
excruciating intellectual journey in enduring Othellos deception. The paradoxical symbolism
of the binary opposites black and white is used in the contrasting characterisation of Othello
and the villain Iago; he is physically white yet spiritually black, reinforcing the deceptiveness
of appearances. Dramatic irony through Iagos soliloquy Ill put the moor in a jealousy so

strong / judgement cannot cure reveals his malicious nature which is able to be concealed by
deceit. His strong use of hellish imagery in the rhyming couplet Hell and night / must bring
this monstrous birth to the worlds light reinforces the illusion of appearances. Dramatic irony
as Iago is dubbed honest Iago repeatedly serves as a poignant reminder of Othellos fatal
mistake in being blindly trusting. The symbol of the handkerchief with magic in the web of it
provokes Othellos intense jealousy when it is lost as he is incorrectly convicted that
Desdemona has thrown away their love, is a compelling intellectual tool used by Shakespeare.
Othellos lack of perception is an emotional aspect of his tragedy. Being a military man,
Othello is driven by passion, the precarious balance between sentiment and judgement is
upended to cause his overbearing envy to seize him. Othello lacks confidence in Desdemonas
purity as a soldier; knowing well that all humans are fallible. His naivety makes him unable to
accept her innocence

despite a subconscious belief in her faithfulness expressed in his

self-justification Ill not shed her blood / Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow / As
smooth as monumental alabaster / yet she must die, else shell betray more men through the
contrast of red and white imagery. Despite claiming to be one not easily jealous Othellos
masculine wade of honour destroys his love, as Iago orchestrates a war between the lovers to
revert him to his militaristic instinct.. Othellos objectification of Desdemona, in his metaphor,
as a smooth white piece of sculpture demonstrates his poor understanding of their
relationship built on pure and mutual love. This is evident in his proclamation that a horned
mans a monster and a beast employing a motif of monstrosity as his jealousy, only seeing
his injured dignity in losing Desdemona. Hence, Othellos tragic moral regression evokes a
sustained emotional response from the audience through his tragic lack of perception which
compounds his jealousy.
Shakespeares play Othello asserts the ability of unchecked jealousy, to drive an individuals
emotional instability and dictate ones behaviour in a captivating drama which demands an
emotional and intellectual response from its audience. Othellos pride in his reputation, the
discrepancy between appearance and reality and his lack of perception which fuels his
jealousy resonates strongly with human nature to produce a play that is universally engaging
as this jealousy erodes Othellos reputable character to cause his tragic collapse.