Othello Literature Notes
Characters:
Othello:
Calm, dignified, courteous, wise and rational.
o Ironically, he will lose this wisdom and rationality as he is driven mad by Iago
Susceptible to manipulation because of his weaknesses and kind and honest nature.
o Othello is honest, trustworthy and straightforward. He expects others to be the same.
“and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are”
o Othello feels insecure, inferior and isolated because of his otherness. He is
inexperienced in love and that makes him vulnerable.
o He has sensitivity and lack of confidence because of his otherness
An outsider
o A foreigner, older than Desdemona, a black man.
Not accepted by Venetian Society as an equal
Experiences feelings of insecurity, inferiority and isolation
o Inexperienced
Foreign to love and to society
Had he been more rational in his understanding of his love for
Desdemona, he would have questioned.
Had he been more mature and wiser in his love, he would possibly not
have been so easily persuaded.
Had very extreme reactions because of his inexperience
Not mature and wise in his love, therefore he is easily persuaded.
Never been deeply hurt, he is thrown into turmoil
o After Othello’s mind is poisoned by Iago’s suggestions, he gives significant personal
reasons for her alleged unfaithfulness
He is black
He is unsophisticated
He is fairly elderly
His suffering comes from the wreck of his faith and love.
His loss of reason comes not just from jealousy, but from unbearable pain.
o His agony comes from devastating hurt
He loves Desdemona truly and completely “one that loved not too wisely, but too well”
o He loved so completely that he lost sight of reason.
o His deep love for Desdemona made him vulnerable
o He was overcome with jealousy at the thought of Desdemona’s infidelity
A man of great merit
o Resented and hated by Iago
Desdemona:
Pure goodness
o Makes her vulnerable
She is kind, loyal, generous, sincere.
Her innocent desire to help Cassio is used by Iago to stoke his jealousy and uncertainty
Loves completely and unconditionally, honours absolutely.
o To defend herself, to react negatively against his accusations would be to go against this.
Characters:
Othello:
Calm, dignified, courteous, wise and rational.
o Ironically, he will lose this wisdom and rationality as he is driven mad by Iago
Susceptible to manipulation because of his weaknesses and kind and honest nature.
o Othello is honest, trustworthy and straightforward. He expects others to be the same.
“and will as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are”
o Othello feels insecure, inferior and isolated because of his otherness. He is
inexperienced in love and that makes him vulnerable.
o He has sensitivity and lack of confidence because of his otherness
An outsider
o A foreigner, older than Desdemona, a black man.
Not accepted by Venetian Society as an equal
Experiences feelings of insecurity, inferiority and isolation
o Inexperienced
Foreign to love and to society
Had he been more rational in his understanding of his love for
Desdemona, he would have questioned.
Had he been more mature and wiser in his love, he would possibly not
have been so easily persuaded.
Had very extreme reactions because of his inexperience
Not mature and wise in his love, therefore he is easily persuaded.
Never been deeply hurt, he is thrown into turmoil
o After Othello’s mind is poisoned by Iago’s suggestions, he gives significant personal
reasons for her alleged unfaithfulness
He is black
He is unsophisticated
He is fairly elderly
His suffering comes from the wreck of his faith and love.
His loss of reason comes not just from jealousy, but from unbearable pain.
o His agony comes from devastating hurt
He loves Desdemona truly and completely “one that loved not too wisely, but too well”
o He loved so completely that he lost sight of reason.
o His deep love for Desdemona made him vulnerable
o He was overcome with jealousy at the thought of Desdemona’s infidelity
A man of great merit
o Resented and hated by Iago
Desdemona:
Pure goodness
o Makes her vulnerable
She is kind, loyal, generous, sincere.
Her innocent desire to help Cassio is used by Iago to stoke his jealousy and uncertainty
Loves completely and unconditionally, honours absolutely.
o To defend herself, to react negatively against his accusations would be to go against this.
