Character Analysis in Othello

Iago’s choice to swear by Janus is important for two reasons. Janus is the Roman god of transitions, of beginnings and endings. In this transitional moment, on the brink of Brabantio’s clash with Othello, Janus is the pertinent god. Janus, in his looking forward and backward through time, is also two-faced. Shakespeare draws a comparison between Janus and the deceitful, two-faced Iago.

In this case, “ancient” would have been pronounced “ensign,” Iago’s rank in the troops. The ensign would have been the lowest-ranking commissioned officer. The rank of ensign is particularly fitting for Iago because it was traditionally the ensign’s role to bear the general’s flag. This is an apt metaphor for Iago in that he is a character who holds up a thin image of loyalty to Othello.

The opposing reactions of Iago and Othello in the face of Brabantio’s approach speaks volumes about their differences in character. Iago’s impulse is for Othello to hide. Othello, ever authentic and secure in himself, chooses to stand his ground.

In the audience’s first encounter with Othello, the man himself is clearly different from the portrayal offered forth by Iago. Othello is not the beastly figure Iago portrays him as. He is refined, well-spoken. By his own word, he married Desdemona out of love, not animal lust as Iago has suggested. Othello also understands the confinements of marriage and finds Desdemona worthy nonetheless.

Iago has just told Othello of Rodrigo’s desire for Desdemona, and here he claims to wish to have attacked Rodrigo. This is, of course, a lie. Othello’s response is typical of his character: just and even-keeled.

This statement perfectly encapsulates Iago’s character. Iago is deeply iniquitous—or immoral—and all the more so for the fact that he claims not to be. A great many of Iago’s words are steeped in irony.

Iago’s thesis is that human emotions must be controlled by reason, lest they run our lives. Iago firmly believes in a self-aware cultivation of the soul, and that industry and moderation can be practiced through rational thought. While Iago’s message of self-control is valid, it goes hand in hand with his ruthlessness of character.

In other contexts, a father calling his daughter a “jewel” would register as a mark of affection. Considering Brabantio’s pattern of referring to Desdemona as valuable property, this line takes on a different meaning. Brabantio is lamenting the loss of a prized possession as well as a daughter.

Not only does Desdemona make it clear that she has married Othello by her own choice, she evokes her mother’s path in life—husband before father—as a justification for her dedication to Othello. In an interesting way, she reverses Brabantio’s notion of nature’s course. Her love for Othello is natural because it was her mother’s way.

According to Othello, his relationship with Desdemona has blossomed out of their connection over his war stories. Othello’s language blurs any sense of which side held the greater interest. He first says that Desdemona would “with a greedy ear/Devour up my discourse,” indicating her intense interest. He then claims to have “found good means/To draw from her a prayer” to continue telling his stories. Othello thus intends to paint a picture of mutual infatuation in order to defend their marriage.

Othello addresses his race, understanding that his position as a Moor is problematic in his courtship of Desdemona. Most intriguing is that he depicts his race in a negative light: he “confesses the vices of [his] race.” It is not clear whether Othello actually considers his race a vice, or whether he means to debase himself to appeal to the Duke and Brabantio.

The Duke and senate have not heard of Othello’s elopement with Desdemona, nor his subsequent clash with Brabantio. To them, he is still the prized general and the Venetians’ best chance to repel the Turks.

Roderigo, who is hopelessly in love with Desdemona, frequently falls into Iago's snares. Iago convinced Roderigo to send gifts (via Iago) to Desdemona, though Iago always keeps them for himself. Whenever Roderigo becomes frustrated and discouraged by his lack of success with Desdemona, Iago urges him to "put money in thy purse"; of course, Iago will just keep the money for himself.

"Passing strange" means "stranger than strange," or "exceedingly strange." Othello is telling the story of how he convinced Desdemona to marry him; not with black magic, as he is accused, but with anecdotes. The "passing" strangeness of his story effectively seduced Desdemona, who responded with "a world of sighs" and fell in love with him.

The opposing views of Desdemona shared by Roderigo and Iago in this exchange represent two archetypes of Shakespearean characters. Roderigo is a romantic; Iago is a classicist. Romantic types—think Romeo—are driven by emotion and idealism. Classical types are colder and more analytical. The dialogue between Roderigo and Iago in Act I about emotion versus reason is a perfect example of a clash between romanticism and classicism. In this exchange, Roderigo idealizes Desdemona. Iago, who idealizes nothing, retorts with the humorous, sobering truth that “the wine she drinks is made of grapes.”

Iago paints an ironic portrait of Cassio as the right “knave” to steal Desdemona’s heart: he is charming, sly, handsome, and young. Good qualities aside, Iago’s personal hatred for Cassio finds its way into the description: “a devilish knave!… a pestilent complete knave.” Despite Iago’s speech in Act I about using reason to control the emotions, Iago often allows his emotions to guide his words and actions.

Iago’s praise for Desdemona comes down to her combination of “fairness and wit”—her beauty and intelligence. As he puts it, beauty is a resource meant to be used by one’s wit. The rhyming couplets Iago uses to praise Desdemona underscore the irreverence and frivolity of his words.

Desdemona subtly admits to putting on a lively façade. She claims that she is not truly merry, but that she appears so in order to amuse herself. This statement adds depth to Desdemona and parallels Iago’s infamous utterance: “I am not what I am.”

As soon as Emilia enters the play, we come to understand the nature of her relationship with Iago. Disrespectful as ever, Iago publicly scolds Emilia for “her tongue she oft bestows on me”—in other words, her talkativeness.

Cassio’s characterization of Desdemona cleverly places her in a militaristic hierarchy above Othello. Though Othello is used to a position of command, his love for Desdemona puts him in a position of servitude.

Iago again uses the tension between heaven and hell to describe his motives. Iago is a “Divinity of hell,” a devil whose “blackest sins” project “heavenly shows.” This passage shows why Iago is such a perplexing character. Whereas many unfavorable characters think themselves noble, Iago is a villain who owns his villainy. He is a devil who admits to his sins and relishes them.

For the first time in the play, we witness Othello subject to his own temper. It is uncharacteristic of him to leverage his authority in such a tyrannical way. Once again, we see the interplay between emotion and reason; in this case, Othello’s passions collie—or control—his “best judgment.”

Iago tries to convince Roderigo to remain in Cyprus, where his evil plot is in full force. Iago pretends to help Roderigo, who is in love with Desdemona, while at the same time cheats him out of money. Roderigo, however, is impatient to return to Venice. Impatience is the undoing of many of Shakespeare's characters; those who "have not patience" are usually ill-fated.

As the scene draws to a close, Othello agrees to the plot Iago has devised. When Iago beseeches Othello to let Desdemona live, he may be employing his often-used tactic of reverse psychology. By expressing a desire to let her live, Iago further coaxes Othello into choosing to kill her.

Othello expresses his internal shift from love to hate. He characterizes his vengeance as “black,” drawing upon both racial and moral connotations. Othello’s self-awareness in this passage is fascinating. He understands how toxic his shift in perspective is—“‘tis of aspics’ tongues”—and yet he is helpless in controlling his emotions.

For the first time in the play, Othello directs his anger towards Iago, calling him “villain.” It is a shallow label; Othello does not understand the depths of Iago’s villainy. Rather, he projects his confusion and rage about the possibility of Desdemona’s faithlessness onto Iago, demanding “the ocular proof.”

True to his character, Othello does not believe in Iago’s stance of jealousy. In a reiteration of the theme of emotion versus reason, Othello uses reason to suppress any potential flarings of emotion. As he judiciously puts it, “I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove.”

Othello refers to himself as an “excellent wretch,” an oxymoron that characterizes his status as a foolish, out-of-control lover. Othello acknowledges that his love for Desdemona has the power to influence him negatively. Iago knows this well and capitalizes on it.

Desdemona promises to take up Cassio’s cause and to torment Othello about it incessantly. The scene she paints represents a fascinating overlap between the domestic and the political. The images of Othello’s home life—his bed, his dining table—become political locations where affairs of state are discussed. That Desdemona characterizes her relationship to Othello in this way indicates the level of power she commands in both her marriage and the political sphere.

Iago pretends to be reluctant to reveal the fictitious affair between Cassio and Desdemona because stealing a person's honor is far worse than stealing his/her money. According to Iago, "Who steals my purse steals trash" because money doesn't compare to honor; honor can only belong to a specific person, whereas money doesn't change based on who possesses it. The idea of reputation is the idea on which Iago will build all of his deceit.

A "vale of years" is the flat stretch between middle age, beyond the slope of youth. In Shakespeare's time, a vale (which is a broad, flat valley) was often used as a metaphor for the span of life between the peaks of life and death. Othello thinks that his decline into the vale of years may be a reason for Desdemona to cheat on him.

"Pomp, and circumstance" are the glories and ceremonies of warfare. Othello swears off his profession, as well as marital bliss, because Iago has convinced him that Desdemona has been unfaithful. Othello can no longer enjoy the "pomp, and circumstance" of his occupation because he believes he has been cuckolded (betrayed by his adulterous wife).

Iago has convinced Othello that Desdemona had an affair with Lieutenant Cassio; however, Iago is pretending to downplay it by insisting that he only heard Lieutenant Cassio dreaming (audibly) about Desdemona. Othello, however, interprets Cassio's dream as a "foregone conclusion" that Desdemona betrayed him.

Othello insists that only the collapse of form and order (chaos) would cause him to fall out of love with his wife, Desdemona. Desdemona is essentially tasked with maintaining the sanity of her husband.

Bianca echoes the disgruntlement Emilia often expresses. Emilia operates according to Iago’s orders, and she feels like nothing more than “food” to his “stomach,” to use her metaphor. In much the same way, Bianca feels that she “must be circumstanced,” as if she were a tool or resource to be used.

Iago appears stunned by the news of Othello’s temper. He offers an anecdote to illustrate Othello’s typically calm demeanor. In battle, an enemy cannon once killed Othello’s own brother and the general remained undisturbed.

Desdemona accurately detects that Othello has become divided in his dealings with her. Now that Othello has fallen into Iago’s schemes, he is two-faced like Iago. Thus, Shakespeare reshapes Iago’s signature line: “I am not what I am.”

In these lines, Emilia attempts to offer words of consolation to Desdemona. According to Emilia, men reveal their true nature “a year or two” into marriage. To her, men are driven by their appetites and view women as nothing “but food.” Emilia’s perspective tells us more about her personal experience than about marriage in general. Emilia inaccurately projects her frustrating marriage to Iago onto Desdemona’s situation.

In this exchange, we can see how Othello struggles with his shifting view of Desdemona. He begins with “Ay, let her rot” but loses this steely edge when he says “O, the world hath not a sweeter creature.” Indeed, after each of Othello’s lines, Iago must renew the general’s anger for Desdemona with a “Nay, you must forget that” or a “Nay, that’s not your way.” Despite the evidence of adultery before him, Othello’s feelings for Desdemona are mixed.

Iago claims that Bianca is a prostitute: a “strumpet” in Middle English. As he puts it, Bianca draws in many men but loves only Cassio. Iago plans to use this relationship between Cassio and Bianca to his own ends. Iago will encourage Cassio to talk about Bianca while the eavesdropping Othello will believe that Cassio is discussing Desdemona.

It is up for debate whether or not Othello’s fit is a result of epilepsy or entirely triggered by his rage at the thought of Desdemona’s adultery. As is the case with much that Iago says, the truth is difficult to discern. If Othello is not epileptic, his fainting indicates the extremity of his jealousy.

Having handed his money over to Iago in exchange for the promise of Desdemona’s affections, Rodrigo understands that Iago has lied to him. With the exception of Emilia, Rodrigo is the only character who suspects that Iago is not as “honest” as his reputation suggests.

Emilia gets to the heart of Desdemona’s suffering. Desdemona sacrificed a great deal in order to marry Othello. She abandoned her family and her status for her husband, only to be abandoned by him now as well.

This is a fascinating and, in some ways, accurate metaphor. Othello compares Desdemona to a book upon whose pages “whore” has been written. We can indeed think of Desdemona’s reputation as a book that Iago has soiled with stories of adultery. Othello does not recognize that the word “whore” is a lie in Desdemona’s book.

Othello claims that any other hardship would be preferable to Desdemona’s adultery. He could accept disease, shame, poverty, and scorn. The thought of Desdemona’s faithlessness leaves Othello with a feeling of desolation. He refers to her as “the fountain from the which my current runs.” Much of his pain comes from the idea that her womb—the “fountain” her refers to—has been violated.

This is a tragic and powerful line. Desdemona defines herself in terms of her faithfulness to Othello, but he does not trust her. Shakespeare chose to construct Desdemona’s statement as a line of perfect iambic pentameter in order to heighten its impact.

Othello has undergone a significant shift since the play’s beginning. In the opening act, the general is calm, collected, and eloquent. After hearing and believing the lies about Desdemona, Othello can no longer express himself coherently. His communication here is defined by his snarling tone since his words do not explain his anger.

Not only does Othello discard Emilia’s words of reason, he calls her a “bawd”—a brothel mistress—responsible to the “subtle whore” that is Desdemona. Othello believes that the two women are colluding and concealing the truth. Othello’s reaction reveals his inability to consider reason and his broader disrespect for women.

In Emilia, Shakespeare has created a spokeswoman with a female perspective on the play’s events. In this speech, Emilia calls into question the causes for the supposed failures of women, citing the thoughtless actions of men. Emilia humanizes women too, for women “see and smell/And have their palates for both sweet and sour/As husbands have.” Emilia’s perspectives are central to the play’s approach to gender relations.

Emilia’s cleverness and pragmatism shine through in this exchange. While Desdemona would not cheat, even if the prize were the world itself, Emilia claims that she would. Her argument is that by gaining the world, one could judge adultery to be moral, thus undoing the crime. This shows us the difference in character between the classical—that is, practical—Emilia and the romantic Desdemona.

These lines illustrate how innocent Desdemona is—innocent of the crime of adultery and innocent about the ways of the world. That Desdemona doubts whether women are capable of cheating underscores how distant she is from committing such an act.

Othello’s command to Desdemona to go to bed and dismiss Emilia is suspicious, and it foreshadows events to come. It is curious, too, that Desdemona follows these orders without question despite her recent dispute with Othello. This is evidence of her continued, if unwise, devotion.

The “fable” of Iago’s feet refers to his metaphorical nature as a serpent, as suggested by Lodovico. Othello equates Iago’s snake-like character to that of “a devil” who cannot be killed. This equation originates in the Bible, wherein the devil appears in the form of a serpent. Much like the serpent in the garden of Eden, Iago is a tempter and corrupter.

Just as Iago’s famous line “I am not what I am,” Othello’s alludes to the Bible passage in which God utters “I am that I am.” Othello is dissociated from himself, pointing to a self that “was Othello.” This dissociation of self marks his fall from grace. Where Othello once had a sense of divine wholeness, now his identity has become separated into a past and present self.

In his lament over Desdemona’s death, Othello resorts to wordless moans. The letter “O” is of critical importance here. As the first letter of Othello’s name, the cry of “O!” signifies that Othello equates his identity with his own suffering.

Othello understands that he has reached the end of his life. The word “butt” takes on two meanings here. First, a “butt” refers to the end, or bottom, of an object. Second, a “butt” is a target, which in this context suggests the scorn and hatred Othello will receive for his actions. A “seamark” is a navigation mark to help guide sailors home on their journeys. Othello can sense his own end.

In her final words, Emilia reiterates The Willow Song that Desdemona sang in Act IV. This reiteration both touches upon Othello’s guilt and expresses Emilia’s undying affection for her mistress. In her final breaths, Emilia believes that her truthfulness will lead to salvation and her “soul to bliss.”

As the play comes to a close, Emilia’s great importance becomes clear. Emilia is the truth-teller, the sole character capable of unraveling Iago’s schemes. In this way, Emilia represents the play’s heart. She is the one who sees clearly amid the confusion created by Iago.

Throughout the play, Emilia champions the perspective of women, who are consistently accused and derided by men. In this moment, Emilia makes the bold move of disobeying her husband in order to share the truth. Emilia understands that there is a finality to this moment since she admits that she “will ne’er go home.”

By “most filthy bargain,” Emilia refers to Desdemona’s marriage to Othello. The word “bargain” frames the relationship as a financial transaction, specifically an unbalanced one. Emilia seems to think that Desdemona received the worse side of the deal.

Desdemona’s final act is to protect Othello from the guilt of the murder. Her desire to protect him despite his actions represents one of the play’s most tragic moments. Othello can not forgive Desdemona’s alleged adultery, but Desdemona can forgive his murder of her.

As Desdemona looks back on her actions, her only misdeed was her decision to marry Othello. Those “loves” she bears to Othello are sinful in the sense that their marriage is considered scandalous to many. The tragedy here is that her choice to commit the sin of loving Othello has led to her undoing.

Othello argues that he was driven to suffocate Desdemona because he "loved not wisely but too well," meaning he simply got carried away after hearing the (erroneous) charges made against her. He believes he is guilty of loving too deeply, as opposed to being jealous, rash, and violent.

The word "chaste" is an intriguing adjective to apply to the stars. They seem cold and isolated, as well as desirable and yet infinitely unattainable. Since Othello is inside a room, he is presumably looking out a window. Perhaps he does not even look at the sleeping Desdemona until he says, "but once put out thy light..." At that point he would have to turn and look at her. If this is what Shakespeare intended, then the audience would perhaps assume that Othello was not only reluctant to kill his wife but was even afraid to look at her. He looks at the stars, he looks at the flaming torch, and finally he turns and looks at the woman he loves and intends to murder.

Faced with death, Desdemona realizes how precious every moment of existence can be. She starts by asking to be banished rather than killed. Then she reduces her request and asks just to live for one more night. Then when Othello remains adamant, she asks for "But half an hour!" And finally she pleads, "But while I say one prayer!" In other words, she is just begging for a minute or two more of precious life before entering eternal darkness. Shakespeare had an uncanny ability to places himself in his different characters' positions. He can be Othello and then Desdemona, moving back and forth in his imagination as he creates his moving dialogue.

Iago's villainy drives the action throughout the entire play, yet many people have wondered about his motivation. Here at the very end he is refusing to explain himself even under the threat of torture. He remains a mystery.

This is an example of specious reasoning and rationalization. In all likelihood, Othello is not concerned about any "betrayal" of other men. More pressingly, he can't stand the thought of what Desdemona might do with "more men" if he were to divorce her or separate from her and allow her complete freedom to indulge in the sort of dissolute behavior of which he wrongly suspects her. Othello is characterized as a man who is governed by his emotions rather than by his reason.