Othello Is An Outsider Essay

Although Othello has risen to power in a society where he is an outsider, he still believes he may be inferior because of it. His inability to disprove this belief in his marriage leads to his tragic downfall. After Shakespeare has first introduced the audience to the newlyweds, he immediately sends them off to challenges at Cyprus. Along with their own physical differences, they now lack the time to find a common ground of interests. This is the first crack in the foundation of Othello and Desdemona’s love. However, before their marriage is further tested, the very basis for Othello’s love can be questioned. When making his case to Brabantio of his love he says, “She loved me for the dangers I had passed, / and I loved her that she did pity

However, these insecurities are justified, as he is constantly called the “noble Moor”, an epithet that only brings him discomfort. The fact that the word “noble” is needed before the word “Moor” reveals how his own name notifies people that he is not the usual Moor. The constant use of the name implies that Moors by nature are not noble. Next, the downfall of Othello cannot be explained without the manipulation by Iago. The noble Moor opened himself up to Iago’s manipulation because of his insecurities as an outsider. When Iago first brings up doubts about Desdemona, he recognizes that Othello lacks an understanding of Venetian women. Iago takes this opportunity to say, “I know our country’s disposition well. / In Venice they (women) do let God see the pranks / They dare not show their husbands / their best conscience / is not to leave’t undone but keep’t unknown.” Othello believingly responds to Iago, “Dost thou say so?” (3, 3, 232-37). Because Othello is an outsider to Venice, he has no choice but to accept the opinions of Iago as facts. Iago uses Othello’s ignorant position as an outsider to propagate his own false