Othello - Victim Or Villain?

Ask a literature student to name the most morally reprehensible character they know of, and almost without fail, the name Iago from William Shakespeare's play, Othello, the Moor of Venice will come up. In fact, most would agree that Iago is, without a doubt, the villain of this dramatic tragedy; but is he really? Clarity of mind and a willingness to transcend normal reasoning is necessary for one to discover the true villain in this memorable tragedy. Most readers make a superficial assessment of two of the central characters: Iago and Othello. Analysis by its very nature requires one to reject the simple and convenient. It is a fact that Iago is a villainous man and a vital part of the tragedy this play becomes but he is not the real bad guy. Deeper consideration, coupled with an open mind, shows the truth, Othello is the actual villain. While lacking in malice of forethought he nonetheless allows himself to attain the status of murderer because he is conceited, jealous and emotionally dishonest.Conceited is not one of the adjectives most commentators use when speaking of Othello, yet conceited he is. Even as the scenes unfold it becomes increasingly evident that Othello is headed to a fall of dynamic proportions due to his enormous ego. First, he is aware that he is a warrior of high degree, capable of wielding a sword in hand to hand combat, and equally adept at marshalling troops and drawing lines of battle. These qualities propelled him to the top of the military defenses of the city of Venice, and into the limelight of its social elite. It was military expertise, which gave him a lofty status, and it is this same prowess, which gives him his conceit. While being informed by Iago of Brabantio's threats he says, "Let him do his spite: My services which I have done the signiory shall out-tongue his complaints" (1509). He exudes a confidence smacking of arrogance in stating that his reputation can withstand anyone's accusation. In addition, he demonstrates his lofty self opinion when he states, "I fetch my life and being from men of royal siege" (1509). The importance and status given him by men of stature have gone to his head. He begins to think of himself as great, infallible, and unfaultable man, thus giving his enemy crucial insight into what he must do bring about Othello's change from noble to ignoble, "the Moor already changes with my poison: dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons..." (1555).As the details of Iago's plot are revealed, we find another foible possessed by Othello, that of a jealous mind. It is important to understand the reasons behind his jealous mind. In act 3, scene 3 he is heard to say, "I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have, for I am declined into the vale of years" (1553). This demonstrates that he is insecure of his color, his age and his education. Iago senses what Desdemona can not; Othello's threefold insecurity feeds his unseen jealousy. He states, "As he (Cassio) shall smile, Othello shall go mad; and his unbookish jealousy must construe poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behavior quite in the wrong" (1569). He rightly reasons that he can get him "into a jealousy so strong that judgment cannot cure" (1532). Iago simply sets up the scene and Othello's jealousy will do the rest.Last, we examine his emotional dishonesty. From the moment Iago seeds his thoughts Othello's mind is rapidly overgrown with weeds of bitterness and contempt. Verbally he professes love for Desdemona, yet he is easily manipulated by Iago because he is disingenuous about how he feels. Consider this, in act 3, scene 3 he says, "If she be false, O then Heav'n mocks itself: I'll not believe it" (1554), the right answer for a truly passionate man. Yet soon thereafter he gets mad and dismisses Emilia as a "simple bawd" (1557) because she suggests that Desdemona has been faithful to him. Why the change? Because his love was no more than illusion, nothing more than an obsession and when he is spoon fed lies from Iago he willingly gobbles them up. His emotional insincerity is inexorably intertwined with his other foibles. It feeds off of them like a mental incubus and creates a living monster out of the once admirable man.While Othello possesses some virtuous qualities, there is little doubt that his conceit, jealousy and emotional dishonesty all add together to make him the true villain of this timeless Shakespearian classic. Ultimately it is the unwitting prophecy of Iago that comes true in the end, "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!"(1550). Yes, Iago is a villain, but we expect this of him, he simply lives up to our expectation. The true medieval bad guy, the one that gives this play its memorability is Othello the proud, suspicious, disingenuous Moor of Venice. dr seuss cat in hat history