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Reversal In Othello

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According to Aristotle, dramatic tragedy and epic poetry share several attributes, including a comparison in function, because tragedy evolves from the epic form (Kane, 2014). Aristotle classifies the most important amongst these elements are peripeteia, translated as “reversal,” and anagnorisis, translated as “recognition (Kane, 2014).” According to Chainani (2006), recognition is the change from ignorance to awareness, usually containing people coming to realize the identities of one another. In other words, recognition is when the character understands his/her circumstances and learns a lesson from his or her mistakes. On the other hand, reversal is defined as the change by which the main action of the story comes full-circle (Chainani, 2006). Specifically, reversal is when a character’s role is reversed. Recognitions and reversals are regularly used to cultivate character. Reversals are also used to improve the conspiracy of the focal point of the story. Writers use the reversal mechanism to assure that the main character or hero realizes what has happened throughout the story. Recognition compliments reversal. With Recognition, reversal is achieved. Reversal and recognition can also be used when the audience gains pity for the hero. According to Butcher, S. H. (2009), pity and fear is seen as a result of a mixture of reversal and recognition. …show more content…

Usually Othello is a calm and composed man. Obliviousness is more evident in Othello rather than tragic flaw. He simply makes the mistake of believing what Iago says, rather than doing some investigation for himself. At first Othello was a renowned leader who loved his wife dearly. But because of his jealous ways, he was gullible to believe Iago’s corrupted tales of Desdemona and Cassio. The greatest reversal in Othello began when Iago started to corrupt Othello’s thoughts. While, the greatest form of recognition is when Othello kills his

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The senator demonstrates an example of the pity that the discovery of Smith’s fate aroused in people, an emotion attributed to tragic heroes. Next, a tragic hero must have a recognition of their actions and change from ignorance to knowledgeable. When Aristotle is describing elements of a plot, he says that “Recognition, as the name indicates, is a change from ignorance to knowledge . . . The best form of recognition is coincidental with a Reversal of the Situation (Aristotle 20). A complex plot is where the reversal happens simultaneously with the recognition.

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This occurs when a hero’s fortune changes dramatically, often as a result of their own actions. In John Proctor’s case, his reversal of fortune occurs when he confesses to his adultery and signs a false confession to save his life. Although he has previously refused to lie or compromise his principles, he now finds himself caught up in a web of deceit that he cannot escape. The third element of tragedy is the hero’s recognition, or anagnorisis. This is a moment of realization in which the hero understands the true nature of their situation.

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Development of Othello The character of Othello transforms during the course of the play from a respected and revered general to a fallen and easily fooled man, due to the unfortunate sequence of events that transpire through both coincidence and Iago’s evil designs. He said that he wouldn’t be the jealous type unless he had seen it happen right in front of him, but with the help of Iago and a lot of coincidences it had happened in front of him. His judgment of the coincidence over ruled facts that could have changed the way it had ended drastically (Nwabueze, 167).

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Psychopaths have attributes of detachment, insincere speech, selfishness, and violence. In the tragedy, Othello, the playwright William Shakespeare constructs an antagonist with such traits. This evil character, Iago, is known for being one of the most sinister villains Shakespeare has even written. Through Iago’s psychopathic manipulations and detached persona, Shakespeare shows that psychopaths are not redeemable in the play.

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The following passage is significant to the play ‘Othello’ in retrospect to the plot progression, as it reiterates themes and introduces important facets to the plot development. Through Iago’s cunning manipulation and Shakespeare’s crafting of language, this passage is constructed as a pivotal point of the play, marking the transition of Othello’s personality and revealing his deepest insecurities that eventually lead to his downfall and tragic ending. Iago wields a lot of power over all the characters throughout the play, but in this passage in particular he is presented at his most powerful. The passage is riddled with subtle suggestions and insinuations by Iago to raise Othello’s suspicions of his wife’s fidelity, opening with the admonition to “beware, my lord, of jealousy!

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In the play Othello, by William Shakespeare we are introduced to Othello who is the protagonist and faces a lot of obstacles, one of them being betrayal. Throughout the whole play we witness betrayal from many of the characters through their irrational behavior and actions. However the biggest betrayal we see is from Iago, who is the antagonist, in other words, the villain of the play. Iago plans on having his revenge and betraying Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Rodrigo and even his wife, Emilia. Betrayal is wrong and something that can’t be forgiven, at the end betrayal breaks friendships as well as lives and trust which never works out well in the end.

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Unfortunately, he trusted the wrong person due to his growing lack of self-esteem. Iago, a hypocrite who hid his evil thoughts by appearing as a man of extreme honesty, saw that he could erode Othello’s self-esteem because of who he was, a moor living in European society. He realized he could manipulate Othello for his own evil ends. He slyly used pathos to gain his trust, saying, “My Lord, you know I love you” (III.iii.118) to convince him of his honesty and reliability. Then he suggested the unpredictable nature of Desdemona by saying, “Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you, not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, whereto we see in all things nature tends - Foh!”

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In the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.

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Unlike parallelism, antithesis is used to convey ideas in different ways. Antithesis portrays both the good and the bad when regarding each situation (“Antithesis” np). This allows for the examiner to create their own judgement, even if the material is bias. It is not only found within sentences, but it is also found within ideas, characters, or scenes (“Antithesis” np). Having been found everywhere, its extensive use allows for a more universal understanding.

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Throughout the play, he would often talk about Iago in the same manner as in Act 2, scene 2, “a man he is of honesty and trust”( II,ii. 323-324). Given that Othello trusted who he thought was his best friend, it was easier for Iago to bring Othello down. The root of Iago’s evil intentions is jealousy, which he describes to be like a “green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (III,iii. 196-197). He speaks of it in a way that captures how it affects man because that is what he was going through after Cassio got the lieutenancy.

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He is manipulative and tells Othello to “observe her [Desdemona] well with Cassio” (Shakespeare, 3.3:197). Iago feeds Othello with countless lies and makes him miserable with something that is not factual. He is determined to get revenge and he does not realize Iago stands insincere. Furthermore, Iago is selfish when he tells Othello, “I am yours for ever” (3.3:479). He betrays Othello yet still let’s him depend on him for his own

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Othello’s character undergoes a significant change due to a series of events at the hands of Iago, the play’s antagonist to enhance the fact that even a valiant heroes can become corrupt. In the beginning of the play, Othello adores

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Iago also manipulates Othello with jealousy. When Othello is gone at war, Iago tells him that Cassio and Desdemona were getting too close. At first Othello does not believe him, but by Iago saying “nothing,my lord; or if- I know not what” Othello starts to question if it is true (III. III. 39). Iago constantly uses his “innocence” to make Othello jealous and start to assume that it is true. These actions eventually lead to a tragic event.

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In William Shakespeare’s Othello the two main characters are Iago and Othello. The entire story centers around Iago 's plan to achieve revenge on Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. Throughout the story Iago tries to convince Othello that his wife Desdemona has cheated on him with his lieutenant Cassio. Iago’s plan is successfully and easily executed. Othello is tricked into believing that desdemona has been unfaithful and in the end he kills her.

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Iago’s powerfully disruptive insinuations torment Othello to fall precipitously into his intricate trap, believing in the prospect of Cassio and Desdemona’s fictitious affair. Through the use of linguistic techniques such as elliptical speech, subservient vocative choices and a hesitant tone, Iago is able to construct artful innuendoes to deceive and manipulate Othello. Supplementary to linguistic techniques, dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony reinforces Iago’s role as a two-faced villain, who is making a pretence of being Othello’s loyal ensign. Eventually, Iago’s villainy nature sows a seed of doubt in Othello that germinates into the murder of Desdemona. Through the characterisation of Iago as a notorious villain, Shakespeare is able to hold Iago’s actions accountable for the play’s tragic downfall, establishing a sense of powerlessness amongst the

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