Essay on The Theme of Self Esteem in Othello - 1475 Words

The Theme of Self Esteem in Othello For the theater-going people of the Elizabethan age, there were many hardships. Many of them experienced poor living conditions and treatment. All of them faced the dangers of a comparatively underdeveloped medical knowledge which often left the young and elderly to die of common diseases. The magic of Shakespeare is not only that historians can learn of otherwise undocumented details of the 1500s, but also that all readers can discover the many similarities between Shakespeares day and now. These similarities reside heavily not only in speech, but also the human condition. When compared with the people we know today, Shakespeares characters exhibit only skin-deep differences. Some identical†¦show more content†¦Were it not for Roderigos insecurity, Iago might never have managed to use him to such an extreme extent. Iago is initially tipped off to Roderigos weakness when he witnesses his despair following the public announcement of Desdemonas marriage to Othello. Roderigo t ells Iago, I will incontinently drown myself (1.3.305). It is silliness to live when to live is tornment (1.3.308). Abraham Maslow, an experienced psychologist, announced in the early 70s his theory of a hierarchy of needs (Myers, 426). This hierarchy states that humans are generally predestined to chronologically follow a set of five different requirements. From first to last, they are: physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs, and finally self-actualization needs. Myers states that humans will reach for higher needs only if (426) the lower ones have been met. Upon hearing Roderigo threaten suicide after a failed romance attempt, Iago saw an individual who had just recently begun to sense the need for love, and was nowhere near a stable level of self esteem. In this sense, Iago could be considered a metaphor for all treachery in the world--the evil forces working against the human spirit every day in the 1500s as well as the 21st century. After falling prey to this evil force, Roderigo is finally blindly led into a swordfight and is fatally stabbed by Iago himself. Already in this fairly secondary plot event, weShow MoreRelatedOthello by William Shakespeare1086 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the tragedy of Othello Shakespeare does an impressive job of quickly introducing and manipulating his main characters. His talents are no less when it comes to the creation and development of Emilia. Though it appears that Emilia is both a loyal and obedient wife, her actions speak much louder than her words. When Emilia betrays the sisterhood within the play of Othello much is revealed to the reader regarding her character. Through close reading and interpretation the reader may comeRead MoreOthello - Theme - Lack of Self-Awareness Essay1194 Words   |  5 PagesTheme – Lack of Self-Awareness Definition of the theme and its development through the play: * In Othello, characters not only deceive others, but deceive themselves. They lack self-awareness in that they fail to see or acknowledge their own flaws and weaknesses, and they never see themselves as completely as others perceive them. The truth is likely to destroy either their contentment or their perceptions of themselves * This theme is mainly developed through the major charactersRead MoreTheme Of Black And White In Othello1072 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare’s tragic play Othello is a tale of power, love, and deception. However, racial prejudice is also a critical component in the play’s larger assertations, and the abundance of black and white imagery throughout it suggests that white is synonymous with good and that black is synonymous with evil. As such, this imagery is vital to the play’s overriding paradox, which is that Othello â€Å"is far more fair than black† (Shakespeare 1.3.285). To clarify, Shakespeare portrays Othello as inherently ‘good’Read MoreJealousy, Love, And Death964 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare is known for his use of recurring themes, particularly those of betrayal, love, and death. These themes are present in Othello. However, the most dynamic of themes in this play is jealousy. White describes jealousy as a â€Å"complex o f thoughts, feelings, and actions which follow threats to self-esteem and/or threats to the existence or quality of a relationship† (qtd in UK essays par 1). Two types of jealousy are presented to the audience in Othello; the kind of jealousy that is fear of losingRead More Tragic Flaws Of Othello Essay1081 Words   |  5 PagesJealousy and Gullibility: The Devastating Flaws of Othello â€Å"The tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero and the events that occur in the work is a reflection of that flaw.† – Aristotle The plot of William Shakespeares Othello is a tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal; however, the characters, themes, and attitudes of the works are different, with Shakespeares play being a more involved study of human nature and psychology. Othello is considered to be a prime example of AristotelianRead MoreEssay about Tragic Flaws of Othello1137 Words   |  5 Pagesand Gullibility: The Devastating Flaws of Othello By: Ryan Mongon The tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero and the events that occur in the work is a reflection of that flaw. Ââ€" Aristotle The plot of William Shakespeares Othello is a tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal; however, the characters, themes, and attitudes of the works are different, with Shakespeares play being a more involved study of human nature and psychology. Othello is considered to be a prime example of AristotelianRead MoreInsecurity In Othello Essay1026 Words   |  5 PagesOthello’s insecurity about his skin color and heritage is a tragic flaw. He is the highly-respected general of the armies of Venice. He is not a native of Venice,Which makes him more likely to harassment from the people of Venice. Othello is easy prey to insecurities because of his self-consciousness about being a racial and cultural outsider. This is a tragic flaw because it leads to death. He is insecure about himself already, and when he finds out that the one person he truly loves and trusts has had anRead MoreThe Contemporary American Rendition Of Othello By William Shakespeare1191 Words   |  5 PagesOthello, co mposed by Shakespeare in 1603, is a standout amongst the most disputable and pertinent plays to both society and people. It investigates themes such as gender equality and Jealousy that are still pervasive today. The film O, on the other hand, is the contemporary American rendition of Othello. It too explores similar notions pertinent to society. At the core of both these texts there are universal themes that make it similar, however, each text has been altered by the composers, WilliamRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1273 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Othello would not be a dramatic tragedy if the smiling villain, Iago, were a deaf mute. There is no doubt that the destruction of each character can be blamed on jealous Iago. The theme of jealousy helps propel the plot naturally and demonstrates the consequences of being morbidly jealous. The circumstantial evidence Iago provides acts like a lethal poison, which surrounds Othello in suspicion and envy but also turns him into an inhuman murderer. Jealousy is the ‘monster’ thatRead MoreJealousy: The Green-Eyed Monster1576 Words   |  6 Pagesiii.165-167). Othello: The Moor of Venice is a play by Shakespeare that presents the theme of human relationship: jealousy. Jealousy often has no real basis, usually the loved one is faithful, but the lover interprets all evidence in the sense of being cheated. The protagonist Othello is the general of the armies of Venice respected by all those around him. In the first act a dispute between Desdemona and her father, Brabanzio the Venetian senator, arises because she marries Othello without consulting