As a fan of Shakespeare’s plays I knew to expect a tragedy even before opening the book but this one seemed hopeless from the start. It was clear that Iago was too ambitious. There was no way out for Othello without actually questioning Cassio himself but he was unwilling to do that. He didn’t want to have to ask and have it confirmed but he allowed jealousy to take over anyway. Othello seems to be very stubborn in his way of thinking. When he believed in Desdemona he believed in her wholeheartedly and would defend her to anyone but once he see’s and hears what he believes is proof of her infidelity he becomes hell-bent on the idea that she is unfaithful. Nothing she or anyone else says will change his mind. That is until he has murdered her.
In acts one through four Iago is very sure of his strategy to become lieutenant. He see’s no way of his plan backfiring on him. But at the start of act 5 Iago comes to the realization that if Cassio survives his plans will be destroyed, and Othello could find out the truth. Which essentially set the stage for the finale.
I agree that this play is clearly a tragedy from the start. Othello’s stubbornness seems to only make the situation worse and he ignores that what he has heard is only rumors and refuses to think that they could be false. This leads to their downfall and Desdemona’s murder. Seeing the finale play out will be interesting for sure.
I also agree how Shakespeare’s works are very predictable. For Shakespeare, its always all or nothing, and in the case of Othello, it’s nothing.
Personally, I was pleasantly surprised when Othello believed in Desdemona and defended her when her father suggested that she will turn her back on him too. Although disappointed, I wasn’t surprised when Othello believed Iago’s accusation of Desdemona. Not only is Othello stubborn, majority of the male characters in the play are stubborn as well. Similar to Othello’s stubbornness, Iago is determined to get the position as lieutenant, Roderigo is set in getting Desdemona, and last but not least Cassio wants nothing more to be re-instated as lieutenant towards of the end of the play. With that being said, I also wonder if Shakespeare is trying to portray something about the men of this time period.
I had the same assumption because Shakespeare portrays most of the women as dainty, defenseless and unappreciated by men and authority meanwhile the men tend to be thick-headed and quick tempered and once they have their head set on something there’s no stopping them from destroying everything in their path to get what they want.
I definitely agree that Shakespeare plays are very tragic and hopeless sometimes even from the first scene. I think that the characters each contribute to the tragedy in their own way. Iago obviously with his actions against Othello, Desdemona going against her father’s wishes, and so on. The difference between Act 4 and 5 is very important to look at as well. As you mentioned, Cassio’s survival is essential to the outcome of the play.
I have also noticed Shakespeare’s recurring theme of tragedy and painful deaths. With Iago, I noticed many flaws in his plan from Act 1, it was odd that he was attempting to destroy Desdemona and Othello’s relationship when he was going after Cassio’s position. I think his plan went out of hand before he realized and he just had to continue along with it.
Although I agree that Othello is quite stubborn, I think it’s not that he is unwilling to go question and confirm with Cassio about his affair with Desdemona; it’s the fact that Iago is simply manipulating the entire situation. Iago is making Othello blind by his insecurities, awakening the monster within himself that grows bigger out of jealousy.
And even if he did go ask, he probably thought that Cassio would deny it anyway; Iago gets through this flaw in his plot (the chance that Othello actually confronts Cassio) by telling him to observe, objectively (though he wants him to be emotional and subjective), both Cassio and Desdemona. Overall, Iago is just shown as the ultimate villain of the play, as in the end he still won’t go down without “winning”-by not speaking of the motives/intent of his plots.
I agree with you that the tragedy had began from the start and it seemed like a hopeless play throughout. I believe that Othello is cowardly for not speaking to Cassio man to man and getting to the bottom of the situation. His cowardliness lead him into the wrong direction which brought him to the conclusion of himself dying and his beloved wife dying. I believe that Iago is completely manipulating every situation and for that I think Iago seems like the main character. Although the story is about the Moor, Othello and his tragedy it is Iago that creates the entire story. Iago’s attempts to ruin Othello made the entire story. I think it is more a story about Iago manipulating situations to get his way until all chaos breaks out. Iago is by far the antagonist of this play and nothing works out for anybody.