Commentary on Othello Essay

Othello

In the play Othello written by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare shows the conflict of being a good lover and a good soldier that results in a union made in hell. Shakespeare explains negligible detail of Othellos past life as a war hero. Othellos love for war has forestalled him from living a normal life and having interaction with the ordinary people, who live normal lives. Othellos failure to make the transition from a good soldier to an ordinary human being as a lover leads to a tragedy later on in the play.

Othello is a war hero as revealed in the earliest scenes in the play. The transition of Othellos career as an honorable soldier affects his married life. I crave fit deposition for my wife, Due reference of place and exhibition, With such accommodation and besort as levels with her bleeding(Act I Scene III 234-238), Desdemona accompanies Othello to Cyprus for she is the fair warrior, and he is happiest when she is right beside him in the middle of military conflicts. Desdemona is unperturbed by the threats of their crossing as revealed in Act II, scene iii. The military puts Othello in a high position of the society of Venetian even as a moor. Even though the Venetians may be scared of the possibility that Othellos entrance into the white society with the marriage of Desdemona. The people of Venetians merely respect him as a respectful and honorable war hero.

Othello asserts that his success in winning Desdemona makes him is more successful soldier. Othello seduced Desdemona through the process of telling stories of the war experiences he faced. He no longer has to prove his manhood and honor in public. The battle grounds where he fought in the past he feels strained in his own private battle ground, the bedroom with his wife Desdemona. Iago categorizes Othello as being unmanly because he is unable to take on the fight for keeping one of his warriors in control, Desdemona, upon himself as revealed in Act IV scene I, a passion most unsuiting such man, Cassio came hither; I shifted him away, And laid good scuse upon your ecstasy;(Act IV Scene I 75-78).

Desperate to keep his former identity as a war hero but in contrast to his current identity as a lover crumbles where Othello begins to confuse one with another. Farewell the plumed troops and the big wars, That make ambition virtue! O, farewell, Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump, The spirit-stirring drum, the ear piercing fife, The royal banner, and all quality,

Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war! (Act III Scene III 349354). Othello is saying farewell to the wrong things; he is completely preoccupied with his identity as a soldier. Even though his Othello's final speech is noble as the anecdote of the Nor set down, aught in malice: then, you must speak of one that lovd not wisely but too well; Of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought , (Act IV Scene II 342-344) even though in that speech, as in his speech in Act III, scene III, Othello relies on his identity as a soldier to praise himself in the public's memory, and tries to make the audience forget his and Desdemona's relationship. Othello is bringing back his military glory to replace his civilian affliction.

Consequently, Othello inability to separate his successful military career with his civilian life drives him over the edge and causes his annihilation. Othello used his military experience to dictate everything in his life, from his relationship with his wife to his relationship with his fellow noblemen. Othello did not want to live his military glory behind to pursuit civilian success such as his marriage slowing slipping into failure, he re-instate his military glory to save him and maybe his marriage. Military glory came second to nothing in his life; he felt as if his glory in war brought him love, prestige and friends, and thus this same pride would keep his life intact.