Deception and Betrayal

(http://www.art-archive.com, search: Othello, title: Othello from play Othello by William Shakespeare)

This painting showcases an image of Othello, trade card for Riquet Chocolate, 1900. The artist uses chromolithography (a method for using multi-color prints); he gives Othello this peculiar look, a not so attractive look. The artist gives him greenish skin pigmentation instead of dark skin pigmentation, as described in the play. Othello is positioned what seems to be a garden, dressed in fine silky clothes (gold and red). He’s holding the handkerchief, that he later gives his wife Desdemona as a present, which later gets stolen and it the center piece of evidence that Iago uses to manipulate Othello into murdering his own wife. Throughout the play the characters use offensive slurs against Othello, just because he does not have the same skin color than them. When Iago and Roderigo first plot against Othello, Iago hidden shouts out to Desdemona’s father,” Zounds, sir, you’re robbed! For shame, put on your gown. “Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul. Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise, Awake the snorting citizens with the bell or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise, I say!” (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 90). Iago calls him “a old black ram” that’s a pretty direct racist slur and later on calls Othello a African horse, saying that if Desdemona gets married to Othello, they’ll have children that look like black horses (Act 1 Scene 1 Line 110). Later on the in the play as well, Iago uses this self-image problem that Othello has to his own advantage. Iago plants the seed in his head that Desdemona is a whore she’s not truly satisfied with him, that she needs someone that resembles her physical appearance, someone like Cassio. I just really found this image interesting, really made me think back to all the times within the play that there were these racist comments that were used against Othello.

 

(http://www.art-archive.com, Search; “othello” by Marchett Ludovico”

This illustration, which was also painted by the Italian artist, named Marchett Ludovico around 1853-1909. Showcases the scene where Cassio and Roderigo get into an altercation, a sword fight. The image shows two men dressed in classic attire, swords drawn and one of is lunging towards the other one with his sword striking him, a fatal blow to the chest area. Iago manipulates the foolish individual Roderigo into thinking that Desdemona is now after Cassio, that she is a whore that looks for new attractive men to satisfy her needs. Iago then manipulates and explains to Roderigo that he must eliminate Cassio, they find a perfect chance and Iago tells Roderigo to stab Cassio while he hides “Here, stand behind this bulk, straight will he come. Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home. Quick, quick! Fear nothing. I’ll be at thy elbow. It makes us, or it mars us. Think on that, and fix most firm thy resolution” (Act 5 scene 1 Line 5). Roderigo actually does not want to commit this murder, but his obsession with possessing Desdemona leads him to go through with this horrendous act. “I have no great devotion to the deed and yet he hath given me satisfying reasons. ”Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword: he dies” (Act 5 scene 10 Line 10). Iago doesn’t care who dies in this brawl, even if both of them die, that works in his favor (Act 5 scene 1line 15). Roderigo lunges towards with his sword and stabs Cassio but gets nothing but under armor, then Cassio lunges his sword towards Roderigo and stabs him, killing him. Iago comes in the very end and stabs Cassio in the leg (without letting him see that it was him), making him a cripple. The whole scene is probably the climax of the entire play, this when things get really intense leading to the tragic ending.

 

(http://www.art-archive.com, title; “Othello observes Cassio’s reaction while Iago”)

The image illustrates a very interesting scene where Iago tries to present his evidence to Othello that his wife Desdemona is in fact cheating on him with Cassio. In the painting, painted by artist Marchetti Ludovico (1853-1909 Italy) you can see three figures all male, one hiding (Othello) and the other two individuals (Cassio and Iago) deep in conversation. Iago tells Othello to hide while he tries to ask Cassio about his relations with Desdemona, but Iago is secretly acquiring/conversing with him about the prostitute he’s been sleeping with. “Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, A huswife that by selling her desires? Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature That dotes on Cassio, as ’tis the strumpet’s plague To beguile many and be beguiled by one. He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain from the excess of laughter. Here he comes.” (Act 4 Scene 1 line 85). Iago later on asks Cassio if he wants to marry the prostitute Bianca, and Cassio starts laughing and say he would never, calling her a whore. This infuriates Othello, causes him to go mad and believe everything that Iago has been saying was in fact true. Then to add to the fire, as the prostitute Bianca enters she states,” Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you mean by that same handkerchief you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the work? A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx’s token, and I must take out the work? There, give it your hobby-horse. Wheresoever you had it, I’ll take out no work on ’t.” (Act 2 scene 1 line 125). That handkerchief put the nail in the coffin, Othello rages and states,” Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone. I strike it and it hurts my hand. Oh, the world hath not a sweeter creature, she might lie by an emperor’s side and command him tasks”. ( Act 4 Scene 1 line 140).

 

(http://www.art-archive.com search; “Othello” by Kharbine-Tapabor)

This image is illustrating the scene when Othello confronts Desdemona, in, Act V Scene II. The image shows Othello (the male standing with the dark skin pigmentation) slowly creeping up on the beautiful lustrous Desdemona (the white women) laying on her bed in her deep slumber. “It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul. Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars, It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood, nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light. If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, Should I repent me. But once put out thy light, Thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat, that can thy light relume. When I have plucked thy rose I cannot give it vital growth again, It must needs wither” (Act 5 scene 2 line 5-15). This when Othello is staring at his wife Desdemona sleeping, he’s trying to talk himself into going through with murdering his wife. He doesn’t want to leave a scar on her beautiful skin, so he ends up using a pillow to strangle her to death. He still shows signs of love and affection towards her, by kissing her a couple of times and stating that he’ll love her again once she is dead. He even gives her time to pray and confess for her so-called wrong doing, “If you bethink yourself of any crime unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace, solicit for it straight. Well, do it, and be brief. I will walk by. I would not kill thy unpreparèd spirit. No, heavens forfend, I would not kill thy soul!” (Act 5 scene 2 Line 30). This entire scene just really go to me when I was watching the film adaptation, it brought me to tears.

 

(source; http://www.art-archive.com (search; “The Arabian Nights”)

The Arabian Nights and Othello have many similarities, both written pieces have some soft of betrayal, adultery, deception and manipulation. Within the Arabian Nights both Shahrayar and Shahrazad’s wives betray them by sleeping with other individuals and in Othello, Desdemona’s is perceived to have committed adultery as well. In both texts women are said to be lustful, unfaithful and promiscuous. This is Iago stating his view on women and bashing/labeling all of them as mere whores that look to satisfy their desires. “There’s none so foul and foolish thereunto, but does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do. She never yet was foolish that was fair, for even her folly helped her to an heir” (Act 2 scene 1 line 150). In the Arabian Nights, after being betrayed and witnessing/participating in having sex with a woman captured by a demon, Shahrayar has come to a conclusion that all women are unfaithful whores, the author Husain Haddawy states, “He swore to marry for one night and one night only and kill the woman the next morning, in order to save himself from the wickedness and cunning of women, there is not a single chaste women on anywhere on the entire face of the earth” (12). There are also many connections of forgiveness and mercy. In the Arabian Nights, the Tale of the King’s son and the She-Ghoul, the king who suspects the sage of being a powerful superhuman that is after his throne, tries to get him killed just based on suspicion planted in his by his vizier, right before the sage is about to get his head cut off he states, “Spare me your majesty and God will spare you; destroy me, and God will destroy you” (45). The king does not spare the sage and ultimately pays the price and dies later on. Just like the king, Othello was also forced to murder his wife based off of suspicion raised by Iago and Othello did pay the ultimate price for that, he was so terrified, ashamed and disgusted in himself that he killed his innocent wife that he committed suicide.

(source; www.picture-desk.com) (From Baruch’s digital image database)

This illustration is titled Desdemona At her Father’s Feet, painted in the 19th Century (1798-1863) by a French man named Delacroix Eugene. The image shows exactly what the title states, it’s Desdemona wearing a brown colored dress on her knee’s facing her father Signor Brabantio (dressed in the red gown) asking for either forgiveness or acceptance, but he has disappointed/disgusted look on his face, he seems to be somewhat pushing her aside, while the onlookers in the background are curiously watching, waiting to see that occurs next. From the text this when Desdemona’s father finds from Roderigo and Iago that her daughter is sleeping with and married to the Moor Othello. The duo initially make Desdemona’s father believe that Othello has used some sort of witchcraft to steal his daughter away. “Oh, heaven, how got she out? Oh, treason of the blood! Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters’ minds by what you see them act. Is there not charms by which the property of youth and maidhood may be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo, of some such thing?” (Act 1 Scene 1 line 160), and also later on when Signor Brabantio confronts Othello and states,”O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter? Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her! For I’ll refer me to all things of sense, If she in chains of magic were not bound, whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy, so opposite to marriage that she shunned, the wealthy curlèd darlings of our nation” (Act 1 Scene 2 Line 65). Othello then asks for a trial within which he states that he has used no witchcraft or magic, he and Desdemona are in love with each other. The Duke then calls out Desdemona to confirm that they are in fact in love. She states,“My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty. To you I am bound for life and education. My life and education both do learn me How to respect you. You are the lord of duty. I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband. And so much duty as my mother showed to you, preferring you before her father, So much I challenge that I may profess Due to the Moor my lord.” (Act 1 Scene 3 line 185). This is what the illustration is trying to capture, Desdemona and her father Brabantio debating about the decisions she’s made.

(http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/othello-1995)

The Othello adaptation called  Othello directed by Oliver Parker was great success in my eyes. It was amazing to actually visualize the play with our eyes instead of just reading it. One key difference between the play and the adaptation was the sex, in the actual play; Desdemona and Othello never consummated their marriage. This I believe is a better interpretation than the original play. In the original text, Othello could’ve just had sex with Desdemona to see if she’s pure as she claims. If she had bleed after they had sexual intercourse, than that would’ve ultimately proved her loyalty and pureness. But Othello is an irrational individual who does not use basic logic and never seems to have had sex with Desdemona. I feel as if the name of this play should’ve been “Iago” instead of “Othello’, the entire story is about Iago the evil envious villain that manipulates individuals. It’s extraordinary the way Iago plants the seeds of doubt in Othello’s head, using the handkerchief as the main source of evidence for Desdemona’s adultery. “By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it. Thou saidst—Oh, it comes o’er my memory, as doth the raven o’er the infectious house, Boding to all—he had my handkerchief” (Act 4 scene 1 Line 20). The handkerchief is the driving force of Othello’s madness, it causes him to be suspicious and jealous of Cassio which therefore causes him to be mentally unstable, ultimately leads him to murdering his innocent wife Desdemona and committing suicide. Iago is by far the most villainous character we’ve encountered in all of our readings, it’s truly astonishing how he gets away with all those things. Kenneth Baranagh did an amazing job playing Iago in the film; his phenomenal acting truly showed the great villainous individual Iago is. Overall this adaptation was a great success, with its minor differences then the original play, the director Oliver Parker did a splendid job creating this wonderful visualization.

(http://library24.library.cornell.edu:8280/luna/servlet/detail/FOLGERCM1~6~6~8434~100244:Othello-and-Iago–Othello,-III,-3–)

In Act 2 scenes I-II, while waiting for the ship to arrive, this when lago, Cassio Emilia, Desdemona, and Roderigo are all chatting. Iago starts to generalize and starts to badmouth/criticize all women, saying they’re all lying, deceptive and lustful creatures. “Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, saints in injuries, devils being offended, Players In your housewifery, and housewives in your beds” (Act 2 scene 1 line 115). It’s interesting somewhat compelling how much of a deceptive, envious individual Iago’s is, he later on comes up with an elaborate plan to make Othello think that Cassio in sleeping with his wife. Iago uses Cassio’s simple holding of Desdemona hand, against him. “You say true; t is so, indeed; if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft. Which now you again you are the most apt to play sir in” (Act 2 scene 1 line 150). It seem Iago is somewhat jealous of Cassio’s position and rank, he might be jealous that Cassio got promoted to a higher rank before him. Iago in my mind is a great villain; it’s extraordinary how he plots and gets away with certain things. Later on he succeeds in convincing Roderigo that Desdemona is an adulterous, lustful women that is sleeping with Cassio. “Now sir, this granted- as it a most pregnant and unforced position- who stands so eminently in the degree of this fortune as Cassio does? A knave mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection? The knave is handsome, young and hath all those requisites in him that folly and green minds look after a pestilent complete knave” (Act 2 Scene 1 line 200). It’s remarkable how Iago doesn’t have to really do much to persuade individuals to what he wants; he’s a very manipulative/deceptive person, which I find very interesting for some odd reason.