The famous play, Othello, by William Shakespeare is a play in
which the personality of each character changes incredibly. Throughout the play
you do every character change in some way or another in the play due to others actions. During the play the one character whom most dramatically changes would be the famous Othello.
Throughout the play Othello goes from one complete type of person to another. At the beginning of the play everyone knows the type of person that Othello is, and they use that to their advantage. The main character who plots the story—Iago—talks to other characters about how Othello is, “"The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are" (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 399). Iago says this because he doesn't like Othello because Othello didn’t give him the promotion that he wanted.
Everyone knows that Othello is, “"A man…of honesty and trust" (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 284). Having everyone knowing these things about Othello, people used him to their advantage. Iago even admits after Othello falls in a trance, “Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught, / And many worthy and chaste dames even thus, / All guiltless, meet reproach” (Act 4, Scene 1, Line, 35). Othello was an honest character who believed everyone was as he was, seemingly like a young child—innocent, and gullible.
Later on in the play during Act III, is when the radical personality change takes place. During this Act and for the rest of the story, Othello’s new personality is witnessed extremely. It’s during this scene when Othello takes a turn for the worst; he begins turning on everyone he once kept so close to him, trusted so much, and ruining everything he had. Iago is to blame for this personality flip, but it is also Othello’s problem, for being his gullible self and believing anything anyone told him. Othello goes crazy and begins, “My lord is fall'n into an epilepsy. / This is his second fit. He had one yesterday” (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 40). Othello’s fits show his transformation from one type of person, to the next type. Othello at the end of the play in Act IV are completely different from Act I Othello. You can see this form his treating Desdemona one way and saying things such as, “ Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus, / I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet, / I prattle out of fashion, and I dote / In mine own comforts” (Act 2, Scene 1, Line 191).
Othello treats his Desdemona as though she is his everything, his pride and joy—after lies are told and Othello is turned into a new person however, Desdemona is nothing to him. Othello later after he kills Desdemona says that, “Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, / for she shall not live. No,
my heart is turned to / stone. I strike it and it hurts my hand. (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 143). Othello admits that he has changed, he has “turned to stone”.
Othello goes from one extreme to the next. The great difference in the two polar opposite Othello's, wasn't just to make Othello turn into some nutty guy because Iago wanted him mad. This division in Othello's character was extremely clear and purposeful. This split shows Othello's true personality--how he was before Iago began his scheme--he believes in the good in everyone and that's all. Shakespeare is trying to add a moral to this story--you can't trust everyone or it will actually hurt you in the downfall. Othello's insane amount of trust and optimism makes his easily molded by just about anybody who can tell a pretty dang good lie.
The Moral lesson is one to still be taken today by anyone. People go through these changes still today, and generally because of the effects somebody else has had on them through past experiences, like Othello. Othello was played by the people he trusted but
turned himself into something he completely never was.
which the personality of each character changes incredibly. Throughout the play
you do every character change in some way or another in the play due to others actions. During the play the one character whom most dramatically changes would be the famous Othello.
Throughout the play Othello goes from one complete type of person to another. At the beginning of the play everyone knows the type of person that Othello is, and they use that to their advantage. The main character who plots the story—Iago—talks to other characters about how Othello is, “"The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are" (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 399). Iago says this because he doesn't like Othello because Othello didn’t give him the promotion that he wanted.
Everyone knows that Othello is, “"A man…of honesty and trust" (Act 1, Scene 3, Line 284). Having everyone knowing these things about Othello, people used him to their advantage. Iago even admits after Othello falls in a trance, “Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught, / And many worthy and chaste dames even thus, / All guiltless, meet reproach” (Act 4, Scene 1, Line, 35). Othello was an honest character who believed everyone was as he was, seemingly like a young child—innocent, and gullible.
Later on in the play during Act III, is when the radical personality change takes place. During this Act and for the rest of the story, Othello’s new personality is witnessed extremely. It’s during this scene when Othello takes a turn for the worst; he begins turning on everyone he once kept so close to him, trusted so much, and ruining everything he had. Iago is to blame for this personality flip, but it is also Othello’s problem, for being his gullible self and believing anything anyone told him. Othello goes crazy and begins, “My lord is fall'n into an epilepsy. / This is his second fit. He had one yesterday” (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 40). Othello’s fits show his transformation from one type of person, to the next type. Othello at the end of the play in Act IV are completely different from Act I Othello. You can see this form his treating Desdemona one way and saying things such as, “ Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus, / I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet, / I prattle out of fashion, and I dote / In mine own comforts” (Act 2, Scene 1, Line 191).
Othello treats his Desdemona as though she is his everything, his pride and joy—after lies are told and Othello is turned into a new person however, Desdemona is nothing to him. Othello later after he kills Desdemona says that, “Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, / for she shall not live. No,
my heart is turned to / stone. I strike it and it hurts my hand. (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 143). Othello admits that he has changed, he has “turned to stone”.
Othello goes from one extreme to the next. The great difference in the two polar opposite Othello's, wasn't just to make Othello turn into some nutty guy because Iago wanted him mad. This division in Othello's character was extremely clear and purposeful. This split shows Othello's true personality--how he was before Iago began his scheme--he believes in the good in everyone and that's all. Shakespeare is trying to add a moral to this story--you can't trust everyone or it will actually hurt you in the downfall. Othello's insane amount of trust and optimism makes his easily molded by just about anybody who can tell a pretty dang good lie.
The Moral lesson is one to still be taken today by anyone. People go through these changes still today, and generally because of the effects somebody else has had on them through past experiences, like Othello. Othello was played by the people he trusted but
turned himself into something he completely never was.