The Vulnerability of Love in Shakespeares Othello - Research Paper Example

assignment is due The Vulnerability of Love in Shakespeare’s Othello “Othello” is, no doubt, the greatest tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The play is about a sad story of Othello, a black general belonging to the Italian army and Desdemona, his wife. In this tragedy play, Shakespeare indirectly introduces strong themes that capture the heart of audience. Love and betrayal are few of such themes. Combination of these two themes makes ‘Othello’ an awesome tragedy play. Other Shakespearian plays involve themes of political conquest and fight for power. Unlike Hamlet, Macbeth, or King Lear, the tragedy in Othello does not erupt from a quest for power, it stems out of the fragility and corruption of love and love's vulnerability to hate. Love is the most evident theme in Othello, the celebrated Shakespearian tragedy. Love is found to be a major driving force that triggers the actions of all the major characters of the play. The love between Othello and Desdemona is the backbone of the play. Desdemona’s love for Othello made her conceal the truth (about her missing handkerchief) to her husband Othello. She was very much aware how much it meant for him and did not desire to hurt him by revealing that she lost the handkerchief. Othello’s extreme love for his wife Desdemona is the reason for all the betrayals in the play. The betrayals would not have resulted in deaths if Othello had not loved Desdemona strongly. His love for her made him kill himself (after killing her) after he understands that it was all Iago’s betrayal and his wife Desdemona was innocent. Othello loved Desdemona so dearly that he did not desire to live as he killed her. Love between Othello and Desdemona is the most crucial theme of the play that resulted in all betrayals and deaths. The fragility and corruption of love and love’s vulnerability to hate made the play a tragedy. Corruption of love is yet another theme of Othello. Othello believes Iago blindly, ignoring the words of his loyal and noble wife. Iago’s lies makes Othello decide to kill his wife Desdemona. Love is corrupted if it is not able to trust the person. Love without trust is corrupted love. Othello did not trust his wife though he loved her. We find him killing her by believing that she is not faithful to him. Othello finally believes that Desdemona no longer loves him, and is in turn in love with Cassio. Othello’s love is corrupted here. If his love was not corrupted he would not have decided to kill his dear wife. In the beginning of the play we find that Othello is in full control of his relationship with Desdemona. We find no indication of mental corruption in Othello. Othello loved Desdemona and trusted her. Othello speaks of their love in Act I, Scene 3: "She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them" (Shakespeare). We find him believing in his wife's loyalty. This however changes dramatically as the cunning Iago began playing his game of betrayal. Iago lies to Othello several times and succeeds in generating doubts in his heart about his loyal wife. Through Iago’s manipulation and blatant lies, Othello finally believes that Desdemona doesn’t love him, and she is having an affair with Cassio. Iago makes Othello think that the only solution is to kill Desdemona. Othello’s corrupted love refuses to believe his loyal wife. The tricks of Iago were powerful enough to change the love of Othello. The corrupted nature of love makes Othello a tragedy. Desdemona's love for Othello was a kind of submissive love. Desdemona’s love for Othello was formed by her admiration for his honors and valiant actions. She did not bother his appearance. She did not wanted to be away from him even in the time of a potential war. We find her telling "That I did love the Moor to live with him/ My downright violence, and storm of fortunes,/ May trumpet to the world (Shakespeare)." His statements of submission and love for Othello are evident in her words "My heart's subdued/ Even to the very quality of my lord (Shakespeare). I saw Othello's visage in his mind,/ And to his honors and his valiant parts/ Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate (Shakespeare)." Othello's love for Desdemona is different, however. Though he will later speak of his sense of contentment to be united with her after a perilous trip to Cyprus with such rapturous words as "it is too much of joy, he is content not because he feels she is his "soulmate;" rather, he loved her because she fell in love with him through his stories (Shakespeare). Othello’s love for Desdemona cannot be considered as true love. It is a kind of corrupted love. He could harden his heart to kill her because his love was corrupted. A counter argument to the above analysis of ‘love’ is the statement that ‘true love makes the play Othello a tragedy’. Even though certain critics deny that true love is absolutely absent in this tragedy, certain others consider the love of Othello and Desdemona as true love. According to them, true love made Othello kill Desdemona. His love was strong enough that he was possessive about his wife. His true love blocked him from forgiving her. His true love could not afford a break in his wife’s chastity. Othello loved his wife and wanted her to be fully faithful to her. A small doubt in her faithfulness collapsed his mind. Moreover, the moment he realized that his wife was innocent he could not bear. His true love made him join her in death. He loved her so much that he wanted her to be fully committed to him. A change in her love was unbearable for him. We find Othello constantly telling how he loves Desdemona. Even when he prepares to kill her, he hesitates, seeing her face. He says "Oh, balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Justice to break her sword! One more, one more. Be thus when thou art dead and I will kill thee And love thee after. (kissing her) One more, and that's the last. So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep, But they are cruel tears. This sorrow's heavenly, It strikes where it doth love" (Shakespeare, V,i,16-19). Even in the midst of anger and disappointment his love for Desdemona did not die. In the play we find that the love between Othello and Desdemona is indestructible. Nobody can break true love. Even though love may be tested, it will triumph at last. The love between Othello and Desdemona also triumphed though both died at the end. Othello killed Desdemona for the sake of love. Othello killed himself for the sake of love. Love is never fragile and corruptible. Othello’s and Desdemona’s love was tested with destruction. The love, however, survived till the end. Their honest and genuine love continued till the end of the play. Othello and Desdemona had a true love for each other. In spite of the cultural and racial differences, they loved each other. In the initial part of the play we find both of them believing each other. They reassure others that their love is genuine and nobody can influence it. In the second part of the play we find that Iago’s cunningness test Othello’s love for Desdemona. Othello becomes furious as his beloved wife cheats him. We find him enraging with jealousy. This jealousy was born from his sincere love for Desdemona. He never expected a cheat from his dear wife. When he felt that Desdemona is cheating him he got shattered not knowing how to handle the news. He could bear the fact that Desdemona does not love him the way he loved her. The true love for Desdemona made Othello kill her. ‘Love’ in ‘Othello’ is thus debated as genuine and fake. Othello’s strange act of killing his wife Desdemona, however, makes majority of the audience believe that Othello’s love for Desdemona was not true. If he had true love for her, he would not have killed her. True love is never jealous. True love can never initiate a murder. True love is unconditional love. All Shakespearian plays contain wonderful themes that are blended in perform form so that it makes a wonderful story, often a touching tragedy. Othello, the most famous of Shakespearian tragedies also involves touching themes that are merged beautifully to make up the story. The beautiful application of the most powerful theme ‘love’ makes the beautiful tragedy Othello. Love rules the characters too much that it resulted in their death ultimately. Majority of the people in the play is killed in the final phase. Love paved the way for betrayal and betrayal led to killings and deaths. Beautiful blending of the themes of love formed the wonderful tragedy Othello. Fragility and corruption of love and love's vulnerability to hate makes Othello a tragedy. ‘Othello’ thus become the greatest of all Shakespearian tragedies. Unlike Hamlet, Macbeth, or King Lear, the tragedy in Othello does not erupt from a quest for power, it stems out of the fragility and corruption of love and love's vulnerability to hate. Works Cited Shakespeare, Othello References Barthelemy, Anthony G. "Introduction" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 1-19) Bartels, Emily C. "Strategies of submission: Desdemona, the Duchess, and the assertion of desire" Studies of English Literature Spring 1996: (Online) accessed. April 27 1999 http://www. Galileo pechnet.edu Bloom, Harold. "Introduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (1-6) Hale, Steven. Class lectures. Georgia Perimeter College. April 20th –30th, 1999 Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55) Neely, Carol. "Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 68-90) Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (page 23-37) Read More