Othello is a Jacobean calamity by William Shakespeare and is frequently felt to be his most absorbing and anguished drama. Othello is a calamity about a soldier who is propelled into homicidal rage by his married woman ‘s evident unfaithfulness, of which the character Iago convinces Othello, is true. The subject of who is to fault is a controversial one as there is no clear reply. I do non believe Othello is wholly to fault for what happens to him. His ruin is due to his green-eyed monster and deficiency of opinion but Iago is besides responsible with his manipulative ways, repute and the manner he uses his repute. Desdemona can besides be deemed responsible due to her naivete.
Aristotle proposed the tragic supporter would endure a ‘Tragic ruin due to a fatal defect or mistake ‘ , Therefore if Othello is a tragic hero he is finally responsible for his ain ruin. The critic A C Bradley claimed that Othello was blameless for his ruin and laid all the duty on Iago, However the critic F R Leavis claimed that the tragic supporter, being Othello, was responsible for his ain death. Bradley argues that Othello is immaculate and that it is his strengths which are manipulated by Iago. He besides argued “ [ Othello ‘s ] sentiment of Iago was the sentiment of practically everyone who knew him ” proposing that everyone saw Iago as ‘Honest Iago ‘ and many other people in the drama were deceived by him. Othello ‘s trust has besides been stated by Bradley as being ‘absolute ‘ which could be his defect nevertheless Leavis argues that Othello ‘s trust is non strong plenty to be his defect. He besides argues that Iago ‘s function in the drama being lone ‘subordinate and simply accessory. ‘ , saying that ‘Othello ‘s interior lumbers begin to portion at one time, the material of which he is made Begins at one time to deteriorate and demo itself unfit ‘ , Othello has a leaning to jealousy along with a weak character, and both of these failings are tested by his matrimony to Desdemona. However deficiency of judgement can be seen as his tragic flaw as he decides to swear Iago and when demanding cogent evidence of Desdemona ‘s infidelity is satisfied with circumstantial grounds. Iago states “ If imputation and strong circumstance, / Which lead straight to the door of truth, / Will give you satisfaction, you might have’t ‘ ” ( III.3.457-459 ) . If this deficiency of opinion can be seen as his tragic flaw, the defect which will finally take to his death, Othello would look wholly responsible for his ain ruin. Othello ‘s deficiency of opinion enables him to swear Iago wholly, even though he had no ground to believe Desdemona is unfaithful. However, his hapless opinion could hold been caused as his green-eyed monster clouded his head and logical thinking. A C Bradley suggested that “ if such a passion as jealousy seizes him, it will swell into a well-night incontrollable inundation ‘ this supports the thought of Othello ‘s tragic flaw being green-eyed monster, which would be out of control therefore taking him to move viciously. “ It is the green eyed monster, which doth mock/ the meat it feeds on ” ( III.3.4.168-9 ) . Iago describes Othello as being ‘eaten up with passion ‘ ; one time he becomes convinced that Desdemona has been unfaithful. Othello ‘s green-eyed monster will feed itself, taking to him acting viciously. This ferociousness which kills Desdemona finally leads him to kill himself, which would propose he is entirely responsible for his ain ruin.
Iago is considered as one of Shakespeare ‘s most evil characters and is presented as a Machiavellian character. Professional green-eyed monster motivates Iago to destroy Cassio. He uses use to do Othello ‘s death. Iago is an self-seeker who manipulates state of affairss in order to lead on Othello. His jury-rigged manner of deceiving is highlighted in his first monologue ‘Let me see now/ to acquire his topographic point and to overcharge up my will/ in dual dishonesty – how, how? -Lets see ” . In act III, his reluctance has black effects as he pretends that he does n’t wish unwrap his ideas, he has put himself into a place where he can thoroughly toxicant Othello ‘s head. Iago can pull strings his victim ‘s defects and exploits them. He controls his victim ‘s destiny until discovered by his married woman. In IV.1.82-87 Iago ‘s control is shown when he tells Othello how to construe Cassio ‘s expressions ‘encave yourself/ And tag the fugitives, the shots and noteworthy scorns/ That dwell in every part of his face ; ‘ his confident bids highlight his cruel features. Iago workss the seeds of uncertainty in Othello ‘s head ; Cassio is despairing to recover favour with Othello and takes his instance to Desdemona. Othello and Iago walk towards them but when Cassio see ‘s Othello he decides to go forth. Iago manipulates this state of affairs when Othello asks “ was that no Cassio parted from my married woman? ‘ ( III.3.37 ) to which Iago replies “ No, certainly I can non believe it, / That he would steal off so guilty like ” ( III.3.38-39 ) Iago ‘s improvisation aid him to lead on Othello, when he receives the hankie from Emilia, and leaves it in Cassio ‘s flat thought that “ This may make something ” ( III.3.36 ) . Iago is besides a good justice of character and as planned Othello now possesses “ a green-eyed monster so strong/ That opinion can non bring around ” ( II.1.300-1 ) . Iago has the ability of a marionette maestro and his control enables him to pull strings any state of affairs in order to lead on Othello even more.
Iago besides uses his pre-built repute to derive Othello ‘s trust and besides aid his ruin. His repute is the polar antonym of his true nature. Iago states the importance of his repute in scene 3 “ Good name in adult male and adult females, beloved my Godhead, / Is the immediate gem of their souls. “ ( III.3.155-156 ) . His repute is seen to many as honest and trustworthy. He describes his position of repute in act 2 when Cassio is speaking about his loss of repute “ I thought you had received some bodily lesion ; there is more sense in that than in repute. Repute is an idle and most false infliction, oft got without virtue and lost without deserving: you have lost no repute at all, unless you repute yourself a also-ran. ” II.3.271-276 ) . Cassio, who is deceived by Iago, recognises his honest repute when he thanks Iago for promoting him inquire Desdemona to intercede for him with Othello, “ I ne’er knew/ A Florentine more sort and honest ” ( III.1.37-38 ) and besides tells Iago “ You advise me good. . . Goodnight, honest Iago ” ( II.iii.332-340 ) . Iago ‘s repute means he can pull strings Cassio ensuing in Desdemona pleading with Othello for Cassio ‘s instance. The more Desdemona pleads for Cassio, the more she convinces Othello that he is her lover. Desdemona is besides deceived by Iago ‘s repute as she asks him for aid with Othello “ Good friend, travel to him, for, by this visible radiation of Heaven, / I know non how I lost him ” ( IV.5.150-151 ) . Till the really last scene, Iago is still regarded as ‘Honest Iago ‘ . In act 2 Iago provinces “ When Satans will the blackest wickednesss put on, / They do propose at first with heavenly shows, / As I do now ( 2.3.351-352 ) . ” Iago is touching to St. Paul ‘s statement, “ And no admiration, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of visible radiation ( 2 Cor 11:14 ) . “ , Othello ‘s trust and friendly relationship with Iago is illustrated in scene three when Iago declares “ I meekly do bid you of your pardon/ For excessively much loving you ” to which Othello replies “ I am bound to thee everlastingly ” ( III.3.212-214 ) .Without his camouflage, Iago would non hold been able to lead on his victims, and would non hold been able to convert Othello that Desdemona was unfaithful, Othello would hold most likely killed Iago for his claims if it was n’t for his good name.
In decision, I do non hold with the statement that Othello was entirely responsible for his ain ruin. I believe Othello ‘s ruin was due to a figure of grounds. First, Othello himself had defects of which Iago was able to work. His green-eyed monster which is described as ‘eating him up with passion ‘ finally unleashed a barbarous monster interior. However I do n’t believe this ‘monster ‘ would hold been released without the use of Iago. Iago used his repute to pull strings Othello ‘s defect and deceive Cassio to convert Othello that Desdemona was being unfaithful. Both Iago ‘s repute and his manipulative ways assist Othello ‘s ruin. Conversely, in my sentiment there is non one individual who is entirely responsible for Othello ‘s ruin but I do believe that Iago had the most input into his death. Othello himself is non entirely responsible as his green-eyed monster which clouds his head and causes his deficiency of opinion, is caused by Iago ‘s suggestions of unfaithfulness and Othello was non the merely 1 to be deceived by Iago. His repute enables him to lead on all his victims. Iago workss the seeds of green-eyed monster into his head ”I ‘ll pour this plague into his ear ‘ ( II.3.336 ) . I think you can besides fault Desdemona ‘s naivete, which is exploited by Iago. The whole clip she is seeking to recover Cassio ‘s repute she in wholly incognizant she is merely fostering Othello ‘s intuition. Overall, I think Iago is largely to fault but is non wholly responsible for Othello ‘s ruin. Othello ‘s credulousness, naivete and insecurity with his matrimony to Desdemona are all exploited by Iago. All these defects are manipulated by Iago, taking to the tragic death of Othello and Desdemona.
