Themes in Othello :: essays research papers

Themes in Shakespeares OthelloThroughout Shakespeares play, Othello, in that respect are many themes interwoven to describe the authors spot of the true nature of a mans soul. Three themes unfavorable to the play are interrogative versus trust, monstrous imagery and the fallible lovemaking of man. One central theme of the play is the major contrast of doubt versus trust. For whatever reason, Othellos trust of Desdemona is too weak to resist Iagos accusations. As happens in many of Shakespeares works, miscommunication and mistrust lead to "prepostrous conclusions" (1. 3. 323). Othellos heart tells him that Desdemona loves him however the precise Iago can dismantle Othellos trust in his wife by planting seeds doubt through what appears to be rational proof. Having built Othellos curiosity about Cassios supposed public opinions Iago manipulates Othello into seeing a space between Desdemona and Cassio that does not exist. Be seduce Othello suspects that Iago is aware of more details than he is telling, he begins questioning Iago. "Why of thy thought?"(3. 3. 108), "What dost thou think?" (3. 3. 116). The superficially answered questions cause Othello to make demands for further clarification "If thou dost love me, show me thy thought" (3. 3. 127-28), "give thy worst of thoughts the worst of words" (3. 3. 145-46), then "By heaven, Ill lie with thy thoughts" (3. 3. 175). Due to Othellos equating of Iagos thoughts with factual knowledge, he is anxious to mistrust Cassio and does not fully scrutinize the evidence. It is because he trusts Iago that he trusts the ridiculous facts and doubts the virtue of his wife, Desdemona. In addition to inferring Desdemonas un congregatingness to Othello, Iago alludes to Desdemonas duplicitous invocation of her father, Brabantio -- she was able to "seel her fathers eyes up close as oak tree"-when he re looks Othello that "She did deceive her father, marrying you&q uot (3. 3. 224, 220). As Othello makes his final desperate attempt at trust by saying, "I do not think just Desdemonas honest," Iago again exploits the line between thinking (or having trust) that Othellos wife is faithful and knowing (through evidence) whether it is actually true (3. 3. 241). Othello fails to see that honor cannot be subject matter to empirical proof. Shakespeares exploration of the concept of jealousy leads to the theme of the human minds predisposition to favor the "monstrous." Monsters of the human psyche are self-generating, however without the prodding of an evil manipulator such as Iago.