The play, Othello, penned by the stalwart playwright, William Shakespeare, is one his most intricately written works of art. The play delves deep into the subtleties of human emotions and explores the psyche of the human mind. The play goes on to look into the changes of the human heart, and also the factors which influence a man to change over the course of time. The character of Othello, the protagonist of the play, goes through several such events that make him evolve as a person over the time. His psychological journey is manipulated by several events that work as catalysts in shaping his emotions and psyche.
In the beginning of the play, Othello is very much committed to the love of Desdemona, whom he wishes to live with all his life. He is ready to brave all odds, and intrepidly faces the opposition of her father who is perturbed at their courtship. As strong he is as a soldier, he is as tender in love when it comes to Desdemona. He reveals how he has won her heart, and how much he is in love with her in front of everyone when her father accuses him of trapping his daughter.
Desdemona accompanies Othello to Cyprus as her husband needs to go there for combating the Turks. Othello, in spite of being a focused leader, never shows any disregard toward her feelings for accompanying him. However, at the manipulation of Iago, on the night of the consummation of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, Cassio gets involved in a bloody brawl. As planned by Iago, Cassio is stripped of his post of the lieutenant by Othello. In the course of events, Cassio tries to reach out to Othello by taking the help of Desdemona, who understands that Cassio had got involved by mistake, and he is repentant. Insinuations from Iago make Othello skeptical about the loyalty of Desdemona, the one person he trusted more than anyone else. As Desdemona advocates in favor of Cassio, Othello feels jealous and perturbed. His agitated outbursts give testimony to his insecurity about his wife.
Iago manipulates Emilia to steal Desdemona’s handkerchief- a gift to her from Othello. Iago plants this handkerchief in Cassio’s room as a proof of Desdemona’s infidelity to Othello. Othello, already half in suspicion of his wife’s loyalty to him is devastated. He seeks revenge and urges Iago to assassinate Cassio. The play shows how a man who was so much in love, who upheld the sanctity of love against all odds, was now transformed into a wounded soul seeking vengeance for the perceived betrayal.
Othello even goes on to plan the murder of his wife- someone whom he lived for some time back. In his eyes, she was no more his soul-mate. She had betrayed him, he perceived. All that the wounded lover wanted was revenge. He could not take betrayal from the person closest to him. In the play, he kills his wife. He is heartless when she pleads to him of being innocent. She herself cannot believe that Othello, the man she has left everything for, does not believe in her loyalty toward him.
Another transformation in his psyche comes when Emilia confesses to him that it was Iago who had urged her to steal the handkerchief that Othello took to be the proof of Desdemona’s disloyalty to him. He is shattered with repentance at his murderous act, having killed his love falling prey to Iago’s manipulation. He breaks down at the loss, and even tries to kill Iago for his treachery, but fails. In a speech, he explains his feelings, and how he wishes to be remembered by all. As he is stuck by his conscience, he kills himself with a sword which he had kept hidden.
Othello goes through a journey that changes his psyche, traps him in the brutal clutches of malice, and makes him commit a heinous crime- accusing his wife and killing her. The play delves deep into the subtleties of his emotion, and describes how this transformation in his psyche comes about due to the situations. Othello is a tragic character who is toyed with by fate. He fails to escape the vicious circle of manipulation and insecurity, and finally succumbs to the emotions of guilt and irreplaceable loss.
Works Cited
Kolin, Philip. (ed). Othello: Critical Essays. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print.
O'Meara, John. Othello's Sacrifice: Essays on Shakespeare and Romantic Tradition. Lancaster:
Guernica Editions Inc., 1996. Print.
Pechter, Edward. Othello and Interpretive Traditions. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1999.
Print.
