Othello – CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Introduction
Shakespeare’s Othello (1603–1604) is one of his four great
tragedies, alongside Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth. It is unique among them for its tight, almost
claustrophobic structure and its relentless exploration of jealousy,
manipulation, and racial prejudice. The play draws on Cinthio’s Italian novella
Un Capitano Moro but deepens its
psychological complexity.
What sets Othello apart is that its tragedy is domestic
rather than cosmic—its battleground is the marital bed, and its victims are
undone not by fate or gods, but by human malice.
Summary
Act I:
·
In Venice, Iago, Othello’s ensign, is angry that
Cassio has been promoted over him.
·
He tells Roderigo about Othello’s secret
marriage to Desdemona, daughter of Senator Brabantio.
·
Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft to
seduce her. Othello defends himself before the Duke, explaining their love
story.
·
War breaks out in Cyprus against the Turks.
Act II:
·
The Turkish fleet is destroyed by a storm.
·
Othello and Desdemona reunite in Cyprus.
·
Iago begins sowing seeds of doubt in Othello’s
mind about Desdemona’s fidelity, suggesting she loves Cassio.
Act III:
·
Iago manipulates events so that Cassio meets
Desdemona privately to request help in regaining his position.
·
Iago uses the sight of them together to inflame
Othello’s jealousy.
·
The handkerchief, Othello’s first gift to
Desdemona, is planted in Cassio’s room.
Act IV:
·
Othello becomes convinced of Desdemona’s
infidelity.
·
He publicly insults her and vows to kill her.
·
Iago persuades Roderigo to attack Cassio.
Act V:
·
Roderigo wounds Cassio but is killed by Iago.
·
Othello strangles Desdemona in bed.
·
Emilia exposes Iago’s plot, but is killed by
him.
·
Realizing the truth, Othello kills himself.
·
Iago is arrested and refuses to speak further.
Major Themes
1.
Jealousy
The “green-eyed monster” is the central force
of the play. Othello’s transformation from a loving husband to a violent
murderer shows how jealousy distorts reality.
2. Race
and Otherness
Othello is a Moor in a predominantly white
Venetian society. His outsider status makes him vulnerable to insecurity and
manipulation.
3.
Manipulation and Deceit
Iago’s genius lies in using half-truths and
suggestive hints to make others destroy themselves.
4.
Gender Roles and Patriarchy
Women in Othello—Desdemona,
Emilia, Bianca—face constraints and expectations, and their virtue is
constantly questioned.
5.
Appearance vs. Reality
The tragedy hinges on Othello mistaking
seeming evidence (the handkerchief) for truth.
Critical Perspectives
·
Aristotelian
Tragedy: Othello has a tragic flaw (hamartia)—his
insecurity and jealousy—which leads to his downfall. The play fulfills
Aristotle’s requirements for catharsis.
·
Psychoanalytic
View: Othello’s jealousy can be read as a projection of his own fears
of inadequacy and racial difference.
·
Feminist
Criticism: The play exposes the fragility of women’s positions in a
male-dominated society and critiques their objectification.
·
Postcolonial
Reading: Othello embodies the tensions between the “civilized”
Venetian world and the “exotic” outsider, reflecting anxieties about race and
empire.
MCQs (UGC NET-style)
1. In Othello, who says, “I am not
what I am”?
A. Othello
B. Iago
C. Cassio
D. Roderigo
Answer: B
2. Which
source did Shakespeare adapt for Othello?
A. Holinshed’s Chronicles
B. Cinthio’s Un Capitano Moro
C. Plutarch’s Lives
D. Boccaccio’s Decameron
Answer: B
3. Who
is the last character to speak in Othello?
A. Cassio
B. Lodovico
C. Iago
D. Gratiano
Answer: B
4. What
is the significance of the handkerchief in Othello?
A. A love token and symbol of fidelity
B. A war prize from Cyprus
C. A Venetian emblem of rank
D. A family heirloom from Brabantio
Answer: A
5. “The
green-eyed monster” is a metaphor for:
A. Greed
B. Envy
C. Jealousy
D. Anger
Answer: C
UGC NET Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Q1.
Arrange the following plays of Shakespeare in chronological order of
composition:
I. King Lear
II. Hamlet
III. Macbeth
IV. Othello
Answer: II – IV – I – III
Q2.
Match the Shakespearean villain with the play:
I. Iago – a. Macbeth
II. Edmund – b. King Lear
III. Macbeth – c. Othello
IV. Claudius – d. Hamlet
Answer: I–c, II–b, III–a, IV–d
Q3.
Which of the following pairs is correct?
A. “Green-eyed monster” – Othello
B. “To thine own self be true” – Macbeth
C. “Et tu, Brute?” – Julius Caesar
D. “Sound and fury” – King Lear
Answer: A and C are correct; D
is from Macbeth, B is from Hamlet.
Q4.
Identify the correct statement:
In Othello, the Turkish fleet is
destroyed by:
A. A Venetian attack
B. An internal rebellion
C. A storm at sea
D. Othello’s strategic maneuver
Answer: C
