I Think Othello Needs to Build Up Some Self-confidence
Comments(6) Throughout the first few acts of Othello, the audience is presented a two different depictions of Othello. One, presented to us by Iago is that of a warlike brute. The other, presented to us by the senators of Venice is that of a mighty protector and an invaluable member of society. What is not so apparent at first is that Othello suffers from a serious lack of confidence despite his many accomplishments. It is this lack of self-confidence that I believe leads to his downfall. He does not believe he is worthy of Desdemona, which makes it easier for him to fall into Iago trap.
The lack of confidence I am referring to begins to reveal itself in Act III, Scene 3. At the beginning of the scene, Othello has complete faith in Desdemona. He says, “Nor from my own weak merits will I draw/The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt,/For she had eyes, and chose me.” That’s what he says when Iago’s in the room anyway. Once Iago leaves Othello begins to reveal his doubts. But it sounded to me like he was doubting his value more so than his wife’s virtue. He says, “Haply for I am black/And have not those soft parts of conversation/That chambers have, or for I am declined/Into the vale of years-yet that’s not much-/She’s gone.” In my opinion, Othello has taken his own inner feelings of self-hate and turned them outward, aimed directly at Desdemona. At this point, Othello’s doubts have overtaken him.
I think this one dimensional depiction of Othello says a lot about Shakespeare as a playwright, maybe this is the place he intend to put where his money to draw his audience, rather than his historical name, i believe this is another definition of farsightedness, able to see a problem well before his time, even though from that description, i suspect racial discrimination and prejudice occurred well before our time, and how can he think that much, maybe he just cared about being him?
I think Othello was a capable and strong man. He was a Moor and that was his main source of inferiority complex. He couldn’t get over the fact that Desdemona was from a supposedly superior race and had married below her. The fact that Desdemona’s father never approved of the relationship and even wanted to annul the marriage added more fire to his suspicions that Desdemona might actually fall for another man and regret marrying him. In all this extreme agony, pain, jealousy and love, he was unable to see that Desdemona truly cared for none other than Othello. In this respect, I believe that Othello acted like any ordinary man because most men would go crazy if they suspect their wife is having an affair. Thus Othello in my opinion was just an ordinary man with his own set of biases, insecurities and issues.
Why are we not sympathetic to Othello? Certainly, we can relate to Othello in one or more ways. Othello represents the duality in all of us. He symbolizes the rational and irrational, the strong and the weak mind. We spend more effort trying to understand one side more than the other: some genders hide one more than the other. Shakepeare knows this and plays with the idea. He uses Iago to apply pressure on Othello’s unreasonable side. Keep in mind, the story began with a controlled and calm Othello. The prideful and wicked Iago paints a horrid picture of Othello: he sounds like a black monster. However, when Othello eventually appears, he is opposite of what the infuriated and vengeful Iago described to the audience Iago as a reliable source is in question period. Othello is calm, diplomatic and compels those around him to be rationale and peaceable as well. However, the moment Iago crosses paths with Othello, the main characters irrational side begins to surface. Iago’s words are poisonous. As a result, Othello went from an intelligent, Christian military commander who was respected by the country to an illogical, cruel and crazed husband. The outsider Othello made to believe that his love Desdemona, who was white and an insider like the rest, was being unfaithful. Additionally, there was evidence to prove her infidelity. These facts would change the attitude of any sensible human being. So, if this can happen to Othello, Shakepeare is saying it could very well happen to anyone of us. Therefore, we should have some compassion for Othello and it doesn’t change who he really is. If Othello is a leader and assured about himself 99% of the time, then lacks confidence regarding his relationship with his wife in this situation, why are we so quick to strip Othello of his “confidence badge”? In essence, we too become judgmental of Othello if not of his race but of his gender, or both. I think the fact that Othello is an intelligent male, a warrior and black, perhaps he not suppose to have feelings. Why can’t Othello be both strong and weak.
Othello’s murder seems to be kind of understandable because he loved Desdemona so much, and he couldn’t stand for it, however, it is not forgivable. He simply could break the relationship with her. Also, I think Othello kind of betray Desdemona because he believes Iago more than Desdemona. I mean, how can he kill her even he didn’t listen Desdemona’s side.
I think Othello needs to grow some common sense and leave behind the whole fact that he is a Moor and possibly being ridiculed by Desdemona, a white woman, and realize that Iago is brainwashing him. I completely agree that he is letting his own race and religion cloud his judgement about Desdemona.