The Question: How does Shakespeare present death and violence in Othello?
Line of Argument Othello as a tragedy- traditionally a Greek tragedy was about high-ranking characters who make
fatal errors of judgement (hamartia) because of either ambition or pride. This explains the death
of many characters- Othello, Roderigo, Iago…
Death and violence at the hands of men- commenting on the patriarchy and
power/powerlessness
Violence as a major flaw of human nature.
Violence can be found in several different ways- it can be expressed physically, mentally, and
verbally. The play also displays how mental violence can promote physical violence, and
continues on in that cycle.
Introduction Shakespeare presents violence and death as tragic in ‘Othello’, while also suggesting that this
destruction is inevitably the direct consequence of human nature and its flaws. All the
characters in Othello seem to have their own personal flaw, whether this be Othello’s jealousy or
Iago’s corruption, and this is ultimately what causes their downfalls by the end of the play.
Possibly inspired by Dante’s Inferno, which plays upon this idea that humans are morally corrupt
by nature and must pay for their sins in the layers of hell, Shakespeare may be presenting the
theme of death and violence therefore to illuminate a hard truth to his audience. Because much
of the violence and death also comes at the hands of the men in the play, perhaps also this is a
message about gender and power.
Point 1 At the heart of all disruption and violence in the play lies Iago- through the power of his words
Iago is able to bring out the worst in his victims, changing the once well-respected Othello to a
Iago as the cause savage, jealous husband. Through Iago’s powers therefore, Shakespeare is highlighting the
of violence in the power of words and the prevalence of not only physical violence, but verbal emotional abuse.
play
We first see xenophobia and violence towards Othello because of his race- ‘beast with
two backs’ ‘old black ram tupping your white ewe’
o A05- Karen Newman says that the play exposes ‘fear of racial and sexual
differences’ of Renaissance culture- this explains the source of much violence in
the play; fear of the unknown.
Act 2.3 Iago is able to encourage the violence in Cassio as he gets into a brawl.
Iago’s language is a form of violence in itself - ‘I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear’ ‘‘The
Moor already changes with my poison… but with a little act upon the blood burn like
the mines of sulfur.’ ‘Work on my medicine, work!’ Lots of reference to poison. It is
Iago’s abuse that brings Othello to his fit in Act 4.1
Changes in Othello’s language signifies his growth in violence and similarity to Iago. Calm
and measured blank verse--- prose, violent imagery, exclamations. EG- ‘I’ll tear her all to
pieces’ ‘O blood, blood, blood!’ ‘I will chop her into messes.’ Othello becomes the
bestial and violent man that Iago first presents him as.
Consider different interpretations of Othello’s violence- should we hold him or Iago
accountable?
o A05- Dr Johnson blames the ‘cool malignity’ of Iago.
o A05- Marian Cox- ‘he makes his superiors his puppets.’
o A05- Leavis argued that Othello was instead responsible for his own downfall:
Iago’s role is ‘subordinate and merely ancillary’. Leavis claims that Othello has a
propensity to jealousy and possesses a weak character- he argues that he is
‘weak minded’, inferring that lack of intellect contributes to his tragedy.
o A05- Thomas Rhymer does not see him as a victim- nothing more than a ‘jealous
Line of Argument Othello as a tragedy- traditionally a Greek tragedy was about high-ranking characters who make
fatal errors of judgement (hamartia) because of either ambition or pride. This explains the death
of many characters- Othello, Roderigo, Iago…
Death and violence at the hands of men- commenting on the patriarchy and
power/powerlessness
Violence as a major flaw of human nature.
Violence can be found in several different ways- it can be expressed physically, mentally, and
verbally. The play also displays how mental violence can promote physical violence, and
continues on in that cycle.
Introduction Shakespeare presents violence and death as tragic in ‘Othello’, while also suggesting that this
destruction is inevitably the direct consequence of human nature and its flaws. All the
characters in Othello seem to have their own personal flaw, whether this be Othello’s jealousy or
Iago’s corruption, and this is ultimately what causes their downfalls by the end of the play.
Possibly inspired by Dante’s Inferno, which plays upon this idea that humans are morally corrupt
by nature and must pay for their sins in the layers of hell, Shakespeare may be presenting the
theme of death and violence therefore to illuminate a hard truth to his audience. Because much
of the violence and death also comes at the hands of the men in the play, perhaps also this is a
message about gender and power.
Point 1 At the heart of all disruption and violence in the play lies Iago- through the power of his words
Iago is able to bring out the worst in his victims, changing the once well-respected Othello to a
Iago as the cause savage, jealous husband. Through Iago’s powers therefore, Shakespeare is highlighting the
of violence in the power of words and the prevalence of not only physical violence, but verbal emotional abuse.
play
We first see xenophobia and violence towards Othello because of his race- ‘beast with
two backs’ ‘old black ram tupping your white ewe’
o A05- Karen Newman says that the play exposes ‘fear of racial and sexual
differences’ of Renaissance culture- this explains the source of much violence in
the play; fear of the unknown.
Act 2.3 Iago is able to encourage the violence in Cassio as he gets into a brawl.
Iago’s language is a form of violence in itself - ‘I’ll pour this pestilence into his ear’ ‘‘The
Moor already changes with my poison… but with a little act upon the blood burn like
the mines of sulfur.’ ‘Work on my medicine, work!’ Lots of reference to poison. It is
Iago’s abuse that brings Othello to his fit in Act 4.1
Changes in Othello’s language signifies his growth in violence and similarity to Iago. Calm
and measured blank verse--- prose, violent imagery, exclamations. EG- ‘I’ll tear her all to
pieces’ ‘O blood, blood, blood!’ ‘I will chop her into messes.’ Othello becomes the
bestial and violent man that Iago first presents him as.
Consider different interpretations of Othello’s violence- should we hold him or Iago
accountable?
o A05- Dr Johnson blames the ‘cool malignity’ of Iago.
o A05- Marian Cox- ‘he makes his superiors his puppets.’
o A05- Leavis argued that Othello was instead responsible for his own downfall:
Iago’s role is ‘subordinate and merely ancillary’. Leavis claims that Othello has a
propensity to jealousy and possesses a weak character- he argues that he is
‘weak minded’, inferring that lack of intellect contributes to his tragedy.
o A05- Thomas Rhymer does not see him as a victim- nothing more than a ‘jealous
