Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Othello - themes - Coggle Diagram
Othello - themes
appearances vs reality
in the very first scene, he declares 'I am not what I am' 1.1
he neglects to mention Bianca's name when having his lewd conversation with Cassio, convinces Desdeomona to advocate for Cassio, and convinces Othello his suspicions are valid by planting Desdemona's handkerchief with Cassio.
in contrast, Emilia sees reality clearly from beginning to end
she warns D about O's jealousy and cakes him out after he murders her. she also declares that she will speak of her husbands crimes no matter his threats, costing her life
most characters in the play do not see reality clearly, which makes them easy prey for Iago
Iago convinces them their worst insecurities and fear are reality, while projecting a different persona to each of them
-
Othello is already insecure in his identity as a respectable man and thus, with Iago's encouragement, prone to seeing what he fears
love
Desdemona's eloping with Othello at the cost of her family and societal position show that love can help free people from a prejudiced society; however er willingness to leave her family and their secretive passion are both utilised by I to make O question whether D can really be a faithful wife
is a powerful yet neutral force, it can be used for good or for evil.
Love has the power to light the way out of societal prejudices, but it can also be smothered by said prejudices.
Othello's reputation would be ruined if his wife cheated on him, and while he is aware that society dehumanises him and actively seeks to counter that by living up to society's vision of manliness, he does not consider that in doing so he dehumanises Desdemona
identity
O was once dehumanised as a slave in Venice, he reinvented himself s a respected military leader, a representation of physical power and control
however this respect always comes as a caveat about his skin colour. despite nobly for Venice, he is still seen as more of an outsider than those who grew up there and never fought; hence, O has understandable insecurities
-
-
manipulation
-
-
Iago manipulates O, Roderigo, and Cassio by targeting their insecurities and desires
he uses racist accusations of bewitchment, appealing to Brabantio's pride in his social standing to isolate D.
then convinces O he is his only friend while stoking his jealousy of Cassio, who was promotes in Iago's place
-
manhood and honour
-
-
society within Othello defines masculinity by violence such as military renown and by control of the women in their lives
such a definition would be seen as toxic masulinity today, and within the play, it does poison the men and the women around them
womanhood and sexuality
their moral value is specifically ties to their sexuality: virgins prior to marriage and then faithful to their husbands after the wedding
-
women are regarded as the property of their father before marriage and of there husband post-marriage rather than as human beings with ageb=ncy of their own
justice
O believes killing his unfaithful wife is just, but she was innocent
Rodrigo believes it is just to alert Brabantio to his daughters elopement, but this results in the woman he loves, D, being isolated from anyone who could protect her
-
race
main theme
-
even when other men defend him, they do so by saying his skin is not that dark: 'your son-in-law is more fair than black' (1.3)
when Othello elopes with D -white woman - Iago tells B that 'even now, an old black ram/is tupping your white ewe' (1.1) thereby equating Othello and D with animals
jealousy
another major theme
-
-
Emilia, comments to D that 'jealous souls... are not ever jealous for the cause/But yealous for they are jealous. It is a monster/Beget upon itself, born on itself (3.4)
-
power
ultimate power is arbitrary: it rests with societal expectations (class, race, gender)
O is a powerful military commander, yet is vulnerable to attacks upon his character and mindset because of racism.
Desdemona is daughter of a wealthy man, but her father has the ultimate say in whole she weds because of sexism; hence she opts to elope with O
Cassio is also a successful military man, but he still cannot. marry Bianca because of classism