Additionally, he doesn’t display many of the characteristics associated with heroes, such as temperance, patience, and critical thinking skills. Othello is confident in every aspect of his life, to a fault. His lofty status is of the utmost importance to him. He’s well aware of his power and prowess on the battlefield and does not take insult well. Othello is an incredibly conceited character. He is willing to believe that she’s been unfaithful, and he starts his fall from grace. When confronted with the lie that Desdemona slept with someone else, Othello cannot control his rage, temper his emotions, or take the time to find out the truth. But, when one digs deeper, it’s impossible to ignore the villainous role Othello plays. It’s impossible to read this piece and not understand Iago as a villain in the story. Although today interracial marriages are common, in Iago’s eyes, this feature of Othello’s life set him apart even more than he already was.
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In some eyes, this act alone is one of villainy. Shakespeare had this in mind when he wrote the play and chose to have Othello elope with Desdemona. His skill and knowledge allowed him to rise to the point of extraordinary power, something that was undoubtedly unusual at the time. He was a Black man in a mostly all-white society, something that would alone have set him apart. As mentioned previously, Othello was an outsider in Venice. When considering Othello’s role in Othello, it is important to consider how Shakespeare sets the story up. By the end of the story, Iago is firmly entrenched in the reader’s mind as an unredeemable villain. He uses both of these things as an excuse to go after Othello, seeking Desdemona for his own bed and the destruction of Othello’s life as recompense. Whether he believes it or not, Iago also suspects that Othello slept with his wife (who Iago kills at the end of the play). He chooses to take his rage out on his general, Othello. The only one being that he was passed over for the role of lieutenant. He lacks a reasonable motivation for his actions. Iago is a true villain in the most obvious of terms. Laurence Fishburn as Othello… but is he a villain? Othello and Iago The heart of the play revolves around Iago’s deceit and his manipulation of Othello. His eloquence and thoughtfulness fall away, and his jealousy and rage take over. Othello eases away from his role as “hero” as Iago poisons his mind against his true love, Desdemona. His characteristics, role in society, and relationships with those around him, unfortunately, make it easy for Iago (generally considered to be the true villain of Othello) to manipulate him. He’s a strong and skilled fighter, and an eloquent speaker, and a loving partner (at least for a time). Additionally, Shakespeare imbued Othello with contrasting features. He’s in a position of power, but his racial background is something that consistently sets him apart from those around him. He’s a Christian Moor and the general of the armies of Venice. Othello is the main character in Shakespeare’s play Othello. Othello is generally considered to be the protagonist of the play Othello, but throughout the story, he doesn’t always play the role of “hero.” His life, just like his characterization, is far more complicated than that. He exhibits several contrasting features that make him incredibly interesting to analyze. This is due to his waning loyalty to Desdemona, his role as a soldier, the ease with which he’s convinced of Desdemona’s deceit, and overall eloquence. Othello is one of the more complicated characters in Shakespeare’s plays. In this article we’ll explore this idea in some detail. Othello is not usually a character that pops up in lists of Shakespeare’s villains, but it is possible to make the argument that Othello was a villain. Each Shakespeare’s play name links to a range of resources about each play: Character summaries, plot outlines, example essays and famous quotes, soliloquies and monologues: All’s Well That Ends Well Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Coriolanus Cymbeline Hamlet Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry VIII Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry V Julius Caesar King John King Lear Loves Labour’s Lost Macbeth Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor A Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado About Nothing Othello Pericles Richard II Richard III Romeo & Juliet The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus & Cressida Twelfth Night The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Winter’s Tale This list of Shakespeare plays brings together all 38 plays in alphabetical order. Plays It is believed that Shakespeare wrote 38 plays in total between 15.