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Theme Of Guilt In Othello

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“Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one's own actions or lack of action.” This is a quote from Caribbean-American writer Audre Lorde. Many people express their opinion on guilt, but having written over 20 books, she is a very well-educated individual and her word is looked upon with adoration. Another successful and commendable person is the philosopher, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. Nietzsche is the philosopher that came up with the love, guilt, and redemption philosophy, in which Nietzsche believes that the amount of “guilt and debt, the act of giving (of love or money) must never overwhelm the receiver” (Cybulska). This statement means that not only should the negative influences be limited, but the positive influences …show more content…

In this play, Desdemona is loyal to her trusty companion, Othello. However, Iago has a devilish scheme to paint the image of cheat in Othello’s mind. Iago was disgruntled that he was passed over for a promotion and Cassio, “As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice” (1.1.27) was given a more substantial rank. He wanted Cassio dead and he thought that the way to do this was to have Othello kill him. During this time, when Othello spots Desdemona with Cassio, Othello takes it out on her, thinking that she didn’t really love him. Desdemona feels somewhat guilty after this. “Some critics respond to the issue of Desdemona's guilt by suggesting that Shakespeare deliberately makes Desdemona's character ambiguous in order to give Othello's jealousy a motive” (Smith). In every cheating relationship, there is jealousy and guilt. “From an interpersonal perspective, the prototypical cause of guilt would be the infliction of harm, loss, or distress on a relationship partner (Baumeister 3). The guilt that Desdemona feels radiates off her body, causing distress to Othello as he wonders if she really does love Cassio instead of himself. There are minor trips of guilt in this play. For instance, when Emilia picks up Desdemona’s handkerchief. She only does this because her husband tells her to so it didn’t cause her pain or guilt. However, Iago planted this item on Cassio, which caused Othello to become infuriated with Desdemona once he found out that it was not in her possession. Iago’s plans on making Othello jealous were working. He progressively gets angrier with Desdemona and he eventually ended up killing her due to his intense jealousy. After the word gets out that Iago made the whole thing up, Othello’s heart sank and he was filled with guilt for the loss of his beloved

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879 Words | 4 Pages

He tells him that she is having an affair with Cassio so that she is having intercourse with Othello. Iago shows signs of fixed mindset. His mind is fixed on getting revenge on Othello so he comes up with a “evil” plan to destroy Othello’s life. Iago is motivated by hate because he didn't move on from the thought that Othello is doing wrong by Desdemona. “ I hate the moor” ( Act 1 Scene 1 Line 171-174) .

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In dramatic literature, the characters are often responsible for the outcome. In Romeo and Juliet, guilt is drawn from every part of the play and affects the entire outcome of the play. Several characters are responsible for Romeo and Juliet's death. Those characters are the Capulets, Friar Lawrence, and Tybalt are all to blame for their deaths.

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1128 Words | 5 Pages

Iago, during the play, displays a notable lack of remorse or guilt for the many horrendous deeds he commits. This is seen twice in the scenes where Iago is confronted about his devilish plan. (2.) After Othello kills Desdemona and reveals to Emilia that it was Iago who convinced him about the affair. This causes Emillia to start to realize her husband’s plans.

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1316 Words | 6 Pages

Iago is planting the seeds for Othello’s relationship with Desdemona to crumble by putting images into Othello’s head about women and generalizing all women saying that they all act upon their temptations with no remorse. In these lines said by Othello, he is showing how someone’s deceit (having to do with his love for his wife) can really go as far as to make him criticize a whole entire gender based on one idea that his Desdemona has been unfaithful—and he does not even have proof that this accusation is true. Secondly, Iago successfully alters Othello’s pure and true love for Desdemona so much that his once fulfilling

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1477 Words | 6 Pages

Iago also betrays his wife during the play. Iago used his wife as a tool in order to make it seem like Desdemona and Cassio had an affair. Emilia later in the play no longer wanted to be his accomplice so she accuses Iago of criminal behavior in order to save Desdemona’s reputation. Of course, having Emilia around is no good for Iago so he decides to betray his wife and literally stab

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704 Words | 3 Pages

Brabantio and Iago both warn Othello that Desdemona’s act of love what something else entirely. Brabantio warns Othello by voicing, “Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to see:/She has deceiv’d her father, and may thee” (1.3.289-290). Iago tells Othello a similar message but the meaning behind is is very different, “She did deceive her father, marring you” (3.3.204). While Brabantio is actually warning Othello Iago is actually the one deceiving Othello. Iago knows the true motivation for Desdemona’s actions but successfully manipulates Othello into believing that Desdemona is deceiving him by having an affair with Cassio.

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750 Words | 3 Pages

In Act 4, Iago lies to Othello saying,“What if I had said I had seen him do you wrong?” convincing Othello of Desdemona and Cassio’s affair (4.1.24). Iago knows Othello’s jealousy overwhelms him at the thought of Cassio and Desdemona, giving Iago control over Othello’s emotions and

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970 Words | 4 Pages

Unfortunately for Cassio, it was all a part of Iago 's plan, he then planted the handkerchief that Othello gave Desdemona as a symbol of love, in Cassio 's room. He told Othello of the connection between Cassio and Desdemona, and as she kept bringing his name up to reinstate him, it became more evident to Othello. Iago gradually drove Othello to the edge, he convinced him of the affair between the two and so he felt the need to kill her. Afterwards Othello found out that she didn 't cheat on him, and so he killed himself. The ultimate payback, driven by

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494 Words | 2 Pages

She then says ‘But while i say one prayer!’ Othello responded ‘It’s too late’ and then he suffocates her. Without guilt Desdemona was killed by Othello’s blindness in falling for Iago’s trap. This would’ve ended up differently if only Othello had just talked things out with

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844 Words | 4 Pages

Othello starts to believe Iago’s lies about his friends and wife, leading Othello to change his behavior towards his closest allies. Iago instigates a fight between Cassio and Montano, and Othello must take charge of his soldiers, he says: Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee But never more be officer of mine. (2.3.210-213) Othello makes the decision to fire Cassio, and things get worse when Iago makes his wife, Emilia, steal Desdemona 's handkerchief.

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944 Words | 4 Pages

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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1327 Words | 6 Pages

Othello’s This rage at Desdemona’s infidelity signals destmetion of his identity as a successful and loving man. It shows that he now completely loses control of himself, he no longer is that gentle man. He has become so poisoned by the manipulation of Iago, he no longer hears out for his “fair

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1545 Words | 7 Pages

Throughout the play Othello’s blind trust in Iago led him to a perplexed state in which he was vulnerable to flaws that he did not usually struggle with. In a perplexed state Othello “becomes jealous and eventually a murderer” (Kliger 222). Without Othello’s blind trust in Iago Othello would never have become perplexed and would not have led to flaws that resulted in the murder of Desdemona. Othello recognized his growing problem as he said “There is no more but this: Away at once with love or jealousy” and yet Othello was still unable to shake his jealousy as Iago kept feeding him lies (Shakespeare III.iii.222-223). Othello became so jealous that he began to think he would be “happy if the general camp, pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body, so [he] had nothing known” (Shakespeare III.iii.397-400).

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457 Words | 2 Pages

He gets so angry that he smothers Desdemona, he soon realizes that this was a mistake. This is a very weak point for Othello, because he has let the world get between he and his love. He was not strong enough to carry the both of them

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773 Words | 4 Pages

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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