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Othello: Themes: Love - Coggle Diagram
Othello: Themes: Love
Play primarily focuses on Othello and Desdemona's relationship which is initially a genuine and reciprocal marriage of equals
'She loved me for the dangers I had passed / And I loved her that she did pity them.' (Act I Scene III)
The splitting of this sentence evenly across two lines of iambic pentameter indicates their reciprocal love, as their love is evenly shared and divided across the two lines.
However, by the end of the play, Othello begins to speak over her and for her. This change suggests how she had lost all control and identity in this marriage, with Othello overpowering her and not letting her defend herself.
This portrays Othello's own anxieties about harbouring and emphasising his male honour as well as retaining his masculinity. In order to re-establish his reputation, Othello must kill her.
However, Othello's love for Desdemona is used against him. Iago draws on Othello's marital insecurities- that fact that he married a white Venetian woman, and the her father disapproved of the match- to turn him against his wife.
Iago's committed hatred of Othello is the perfect antithesis to love; both are strong, personal feelings towards one person, and completely consume the individual's attention.
Despite societal expectations and Brabantio's disapproval, they defy the odds to be together.
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This is clear to the audience at the beginning of the play, where their exchanges are equal, with both parties holding power and stage-time. Their shared lines and joint imagery (e.g. the semantic field of religion) establish their union within the makings of the play itself.
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Desdemona does not regard Othello's skin colour as important. She falls in love with him after spending hours listening to his adventure stories, suggesting that she started loving him for his character. She draws strength from their differences rather than seeing the negatives of their relationship.
This might suggest the naivety and blindness of her love towards him, because she is willing to sacrifice everything for her love- even her own life.
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The play portrays the fragility of love and the ease with which it can be destroyed by mistrust and betrayal.
Othello's tragedy is not just the result of jealousy but also of the betrayal of trust, both between husband and wife and between friends.
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The way love is expressed, conceptualised and defined has changed dramatically since Othello.
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