Ignorance And His Downfall Of Othello By William Shakespeare

Madilyn Hazlett

02/10/2023

Humane Letters 1 Othello’s Ignorance and His Downfall Ignorance is a very dangerous thing making decisions and judgments while lacking information and knowledge can have detrimental consequences. The Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare is a great example of this. Othello’s ignorance causes him to kill Desdemona and himself. His ignorance causes him to believe Iago’s lies, who makes him believe that Desdemona is unfaithful, which causes him to murder her and himself. Othello’s ignorance is his first mistake, he makes a judgment with a lack of knowledge and this causes his downfall. Othello’s ignorance causes him to believe Iago’s lies. Othello starts questioning why he married after he talks to Iago and

Othello talks to Desdemona and asks her to swear that she is loyal and honest, she says that heaven knows she is. Othello responds, “Heaven truly knows that thou art false as hell.” (4.2.47) While confronting Desdemona after she swears she is loyal and he claims that even heaven knows that she is not. Further showing that he truly believes that she is unfaithful because of Iago’s “proof” against her. Othello then tells Iago that he must kill Desdemona because she has had an affair.” Get me some poison, Iago, tonight. I’ll not / expostulate with her lest her body and beauty / unprovide my mind again.” (4.1.225-227) Othello, now convinced that Desdemona is unfaithful, decides that he must kill her. He has nothing but Iago’s words and “proof” to go on when he makes this decision. His belief in Iago is what leads him to his conclusion. Another mistake he makes is believing his wife has been with another

Right before he is about to kill her, he explains that he is killing her because Cassio confessed that they had been together. “He hath confessed…/ That he hath used thee.” (5.2.85…87) Othello believes that he must kill Desdemona because of her unfaithfulness, says that he does not pity her as he cries, and that she must pray for heavenly grace. Even as she says that she has never done anything with Cassio, he says that Cassio has confessed and he will kill her. After Othello finds out that he killed Desdemona on a false accusation, he sees no other way but that of killing himself. “I kissed thee ere I killed thee, no way but this, / killing myself.” (5.2.420-421) Othello’s reason for killing Desdemona was because he believed that she was with another man. Othello then kills himself because of the grief and regret that he feels for wrongly killing Desdemona. In the end, Othello's belief that Desdemona is unfaithful is what brings about his suicide and her