28/10/15

Critical Analysis Of Othello

Jelani Greer

William Shakepeares Othello the Tragic Moor also known as Othello the Moor of Venice was
published between 1604 and 1605. The plot of Othello came from the following tale, written by
Italian novelist and poet Giovanbattista Giralidi Cinthio (1504-1573) and published in the 1505
in the collection of one hundred tales called Gli Hectammithi. Shakespeare changed most details
Shakespeare is Othello has been critiqued by many writers with similar opinions. Thomas
Rhymer an English critic was extremely influenced in the 18th century although his work was
ridiculed later for being too narrow minded. In the following from his book. A short view of
Tragedy 1693. Rhymer explains why in this view Othello is simply a Bloody farce with little
or no value to the theatergoer. Samuel Coleridge is best known for his lyrical poems which are
classics of English Romantic literature. The first two excerpts were published in Literary
Remains between 1836 and 1839. Finally British Literary critic A.C Bardley 1851- 1935 was
well known as a critic and scholar of Shakespeare tragedy is a classic which has helped to shape
our modern understanding of Shakespeare.

Rhymer and both Bradley agree that Othello was out of his element and something needed to be
done to fix the instability of the social order in play. English literary critics Rymer and Bradley of
the 18 eighteenth century England both gave their views on Othello place in Venetian Society.
Rhymer found utterly ridiculous that His love and his jealousie are no part of a souldiers
charaters unless for comedy. Rhymer thinks that Othello despite being a general has been
caught with all this passion for his love and jealousy Which were treats for a solider at those time
It questions whether Othello position suited his character Since Othello lacks a sense of
digressions Bradley states that Othello mind is very simple . Ryhmer questions his position as
a General and as man since he allows his jealousy had to wrought him up to a resolution of
taking revenge for the supposd injury, he sets Jago to the fighting part, to kill Cassio, and chuses
himself to murder the silly woman his wife, and was like to make no resistance Othello wasnt
think clearly therefore people suffered in the outcome he didnt even take into considered that
was married two days before Cassio and Desdemona were having an affair. In the Second Act
Othello and his brides go bed for the first time to bed and the Third Act opens the next morning
Rymer finds Othello to be irrational for his own good of Honest Iago words. Bradley concurs this
by saying Othellos Nature is all of one piece. His trust where he trust is absolute Bradley sees
that Othello had no prior knowledge of Venetian women thus Iago exploited his naivety of little
experience of the corrupt products of civilized life, and is ignorant of European women.
What a full fortune does the thick lip owe if he can carryt this These are one of the many
racial slurs exchanged between Iago and Roderigo to give the audience an idea of his race. Critic

Samuel Coleridge believes that Othello was not done justice in the when it comes to the color of
his skin. Samuel in his excerpts states Can we imagine him so utterly ignorant as to make a
barbarous negro plead royal birth at time too when Negros were not known except as slaves
Samuel is finding it hard to believe that Shakespeare could be so oblivious to create Othello as
black man when in Elizabethan England, blacks were merely slaves and could never rise to
nobility the social order would forbid it. Coleridge is convinced and that Shakespeare himself,
from want of scences . it basically Shakespeare desperate attempt to make a spectacle since
just following an uninterrupted tradition of the theatre Bradley states that Othello was most
defiantly a black man Since her name that as fresh as Dian visage is now begrimed and black As
mine own face. Othello basically confirmed to the audience in Act three that he is a black man
of Moorish decent. Bradley goes on to give acknowledge Aaron the Moor and Prince in
Merchant of Venice co from Titus Andronicus He is twice called coal black. Even
Shakespeare himself uses negro and moor for the same character. It is evident that back in the
sixteenth century playwrights thought that any black North African a Moor. Coleridge is still
baffled at how the Dramatis personae in the play are labeling Othello based on his physical
features since Othello was thick lips owe he fit the description of a negro through and through.
Iago language to Barbationo it implies merely that Othello was a moor who was coincidently
black. Samuel believe the term to be used out of context similar to Barbary horse Since Othello
was not from Barbary this clear Barbary was a part of North Africa at the time which most moor
reside from but no evidence says he is from Barbary it is just an assumption. Shakespeare wants
the audience to figure out what Othello race was at the same time he sending mix signals that
implies other logic. In the end it doesnt matter cause Desdemona still had to parish to regain
order in social order He believes Shakespeare little to know consideration to Othello race at
all .it would argue a disproportions, a want of balance in Desdemona which Shakespeare does
not appear to have in the least contemplated While Bradley states in the end it doesnt matter
the audience would still be satisfied with the death of Desdemona for disrupting the natural flow
of things It would allot her the same reward when we consent to forgive her for loving a brown
man, but find it monstrous that she should love a black one. Bradley states that Desdemona saw
beyond the blackness of Othello but that was her downfall her love for was true though
Coleridge says otherwise that she loved him for his visage which is still no excuse her fate
was sealed. Colderidge is more fascinated in the character of Iago The motiveless maglinant.
Iago is dubbed passionless because he is not driven by love but hate he has for the moor Othello.
He is a master manipulator praying on mans insecurity This here the true Iagoism of alas Go
Make money! He persuades Roderidge to the point where Im am change Ill go sell all my
land. He repeats his triumph over the dupe farewell put money enough in your purse Iago is to
evil for himself he cant even own up to his In the second soliloquy Act1 scene 111 lines 383404. Bradley focuses more on the character of Othello is in one sense of the word by far the
most romantic figure among Shakespeare heros Bradley looks as Othello as amazing poet and
complex entity whos lived a life of adventure and trials but he is seen as simple man. He lacks
good judgment he is to easily moved by emotions and its clouds his perception. Bradley
contrasted him to Hamlet cause unlike hamlet he could make up his mind and take action. On

this side he is very opposite to Hamlet, he has no knowledge of Venetian society and little
experience of the so irrupt products of civilized and is ignorant of European women. After all
he knew his place a great a naturally modest but fully conscious of his worth proud of his
services to the state Othello was new to the idea of love and he comes to have his life crowned
with the final glory of love, a love as strange, adventurous and romantic as any passage of his
eventual history filling his heart with tenderness and his imagination with ecstasy.

Othello in the end was blinded by his absurd passion to see his hubris had changed him from
the Noble Moor that he once was and revealed to be the Black ram that he was thought to be
in the first place although according Lodovico Othello was whom passion could not shake. He
sealed his doom fate by ending Desdemonas life as an act of atonement. Honest Iago is revealed
to be the devil that he truly since he was too fiendish for himself. That demand me nothing
what you know you know from this time worth I never will speak word. Iago is no longer
pretending to be honest Iago He wont speak to them no matter what he not revealing his motive
to Othello whos life he destroyed with his lies. Both are seen for what they truly are in the end
of the tragic play. Sources of analysis Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lectures and Notes on
Shakespeare and Other English Poets (London : George Bell and Sons, 1904), p. 531. Thomas
Rymer, "Short View of Tragedy," in Critical Works of Thomas Rymer, ed. by Curt A. Zimansky,
New Haven, London, 1956: 132, 164. Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on
Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 199

In his tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare presents his audience contradictory impressions of the plays
tragic hero, Othello, and his intentions. He does through the characterisation of Othellos
dramatic manner, which is simultaneously naturalistic and stylized and which is sufficiently
ambiguous that it allows the audience to develop their own feelings about Othellos character.
Othello is given the title the noble Moor to which some believe he fulfills, being described
This view is shared by writer, A. C. Bradley, in his work, Shakespearean Tragedy. However,
Othellos actions throughout the play suggest a degree of irony to these claims, as they present a
contradictory impression - one of an egotistical and self-deluding man as expressed by F. R.
Leavis in Diabolic Intellect and the Noble Hero, The Common Pursuit.

At first, Othello seems to follow a similar structure to that of Shakespeares earlier work,
Macbeth, with the establishment of the great Aristotelian tragic hero, though also pressing the
audience to constantly question the polarizing nature and acts of the Othello. A. C. Bradley sees
Othello as by far the most romantic figure among Shakespeare's heroes (Bradley, 1950). In
Bradleys interpretation of Othello, Othello is to be seen as a near-perfect hero who is subjected
to the malevolent works and cunning of the devilish Iago. Bradleys belief that Othello is
virtually faultless (Bradley, 1950) stems from his belief in Othellos divine perfection,
declaring him as a man who does not belong to our world one who seems to enter it we not
know whence almost as if from a wonderland (Bradley, 1950). Bradley synonymizes Iagos
character with his actions, Iagos plot is Iagos character in action (Bradley, 1950), which
reinforces his idea that Othellos actions are reasoned by Iagos manipulation of his virtue and
trusting nature (rendering it his tragic flaw his great strength becoming his weakness). It is on
20 occasions that Iago is referred to as honest, of which 12 are from Othello, which according
to the Bradley view, is a demonstration of his trust. However, upon closer examination of
Othellos trust, we begin to see the cracks in Bradleys argument. For example, Othello
demonstrates no trust towards Desdemona, his devoted wife. Furthermore, one could question
why Bradley judges Iago on account of his actions in the one hand, and yet excuses Othello from
his (much more severe) actions on the other. While he is pushed it is difficult to see how an
idyllic human being, pure and virtuous, trusting and good, can be pushed to such an extent, even
if he be, wrought in the extreme (Othello, Act V, Sc. 2, 363-364)

It is this contrary perspective in Othellos character, stemming from his actions and behavior
throughout the play, that is taken up by F. R. Leavis, who focuses on a deeply flawed human
being, whose ugliness is exposed with very little effort. Leavis analysis which contradicts
Bradleys idyllic assessment, also reflects the view taken by T. S. Eliot, who saw Othello as a
terrible exposure of human weakness (Eliot, 1927) and Iagos manipulations as a mere
corollary action to this tragic display. Leavis sees Bradley as pertinacious in his views, stating
the plain fact is that Othello is the chief personage in such a sense that the tragedy may fairly

be said to be Othellos character in action, (Leavis,1952), blatantly opposing Bradleys

assessment of Iago, saying Iago is a subordinate and merely ancillary who brings forth the true
nature of Othello. The motiveless malignity (Leavis, 1952) of Iago is what brings out the
egotism within the fatally self-centred Othello and Shakespeares characterisation is the key
factor leading to the limitless interpretations of Othellos nature. This allows the audience to
place their own level of importance on the actions of Iago, and this level of importance placed on
Iago determines from which view Othello is seen - the naturalistic or different. Although Bradley
believes there is not a syllable to be said against Othello (Bradley, 1950), this view seems
fairly ignorant when the play and Shakespeares dialogue is looked at from the perspectives of
the likes of Eliot and Levis. It is evident from the quote she loved me for the dangers I had
passed/and I loved her that she did pity them (Othello, Act 1, Sc. 3, 171-172) that Othellos
egotistical nature, which Leavis holds so strongly, is present within the early stages of the play.
In this line, he claims himself that he loves Desdemona for loving him, suggesting the idea that
he is marrying Desdemona not out of love for her, but out of love for himself. Although Othello
is described as a valiant Moor who is true of mind, it is this praise that leads the questioning
of how strongly Othello holds this opinion of himself. T. S. Eliots writings on Othellos final
speech describe Othello as feeling sorry for himself, which is evident after close analysis of his
dialogue. After committing murder of his sweet Desdemona, Othello asks, Soft you, a word
or two before you go. Eliot sees this as evidence for his fatally self-centered nature as he is
asking for the attention on himself, whereas Bradley regards this line as poetic and a start to
many of Othellos many famous speeches. Bradley sees this final speech with overwhelming
truth and beauty (Lewis, 1927) and, as described by Wyndham Lewis, the clearest expression
of the favour of Shakespeares heart and mind. However, Eliot believes Othello is cheering
himself up in this final apologetic. Othello has a strong desire to think well of himself and
Eliot defines this defect as bovarysme, the human will to see things as they are not (Harding,
1984) and essentially is calling Othello delusional, indicating the end of Othellos selfdestruction in the plays denouement. In his final speech, Othello desperately pleads, speak of
me as I am (Act 5, Scene 2, 338), echoing the chilling admission of dishonest Iago, I am not
what I am (Act 1, Scene 1, 65). However, Eliot criticizes the finer points in this final speech in
order to dislodge the halo Bradley placed on the noble Moor (Harding, 1984) and this
hypersensitivity to the smaller details is evident in his critical analysis of the plays words. Eliot
demonstrates that Othello mitigates his crime, avoiding responsibility by taking the time to
elaborate on his pride in his services to the state.
Bradley gives more literal and naturalistic interpretation of Othellos final speech: "As he speaks
those final words in which all the glory and agony of his life--long ago in India and Arabia and
Aleppo, and afterwards in Venice, and now in Cyprus seem to pass before us, like the pictures
that flash before the eyes of a drowning man, a triumphant scorn for the fetters of the flesh and
the littleness of all lives that must survive him sweeps our grief away, and when he dies upon a
kiss the most painful of all tragedies leaves us for the moment free from pain, and exulting in the
power of 'love and man's unconquerable mind. (Bradley, 1950)

It is clearly evident that Bradley is supportive of Othellos reclamation attempts of his noble and
virtuous nature in his final words. He accepts that Othello was not easily jealous and portrays
him as a great figure that has been brought down by the work of a manipulative villain (Iago).
Contradictory to the views of Eliot and Leavis, Bradley believes that Othello is one whom the
audience are to sympathies for, and not one who is sympathizing for himself, but rather making a
rehabilitative effort in order to retain his dignity after being wrong done by. It is for this reason
that it is questionable whether or not Othello followed the path of a tragic hero.
Due to Shakespeares language and equivocal method of characterization, there are limitless
interpretations of the character of Othello, stretching from those of A. C. Bradley to those of F.
R. Leavis and T. S. Eliot and then there are those in between, such as the interpretation of
William Hazlitt who describes the nature of Othello as noble, but his blood is of the most
inflammable kind, incorporating both the natural and stylized sides of the play. Shakespeare
writes with a degree of ambiguity which is in a sense, empowering. He allows the audience to
put themselves in Othellos shoes so to speak, allowing them to develop their own perspectives
as to whether they would succumb to the devilish work of Iago or they would be consumed by
their own fatally self-centred nature. In conclusion, it is impossible to assess whether Othello
is the egotistical person Eliot claims he is or whether he is the noble and romantic figure Bradley
sees as Shakespeare has written is such a way that the characters are open to different
interpretations with the sending of mixed messages from their characterisation through dialogue
and dramatic devices.

References:

F. R. Leavis, Diabolic Intellect and the Noble Hero, The Common Pursuit
(Harmondsworth, 1962), pp. 259-283

A. C. Bradley, Shakespearean Tragedy (London, 1950), p. 175-207

T. S. Eliot, Shakespeare and the Stoicism of Seneca, Shakespeare Association,

(London, 1927)
J. Arthos, The Fall of Othello, Shakespeare Quarterly, (Spring, 1958), pp. 93-104

M. Doran, Good Name in Othello, Studies in English Literature, (Spring, 1967), pp.
195-217

Shakespeare, William, and Norman Sanders. Othello. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire:

Cambridge University Press, 1984. Print.

5.
Othello lacked