Othello

How are Flaws presented in Othello and a range of poetry you have studied?

In this essay, I will be discussing the flaws presented in Othello, by William Shakespeare. I will also discuss the flaws presented in ‘The laboratory’ and ‘Porphyria’s Lover’, written both by Robert Browning. Both authors include characteristic flaws to support the structure and theme of their piece. I shall also be discussing the similarities and differences between these three pieces and give an in-depth analysis of specific language devices and their roles.

In Othello Shakespeare purposely creates characteristic flaws to support its theme and structure. The play Othello is a tragedy and Shakespeare gives the characters specific flaws that help lead towards their downfall, hence supporting the tragedy structure. Similarly, Robert Browning also uses this technique but instead to support the dramatic monologue structure of his pieces.

Repetition is used widely in both Browning’s and Shakespeare pieces. However, both authors adapt this language device depending on the context.

Shakespeare uses repetition to represent Othello’s main flaw, which is his innocence. Its Othello’s innocence that makes him become vulnerable and unaware of Iago’s deceit and manipulations,” The Moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men honest that but seems to be so”. Iago is openly identifying Othello characteristics and intends to use it for his own gains. Shakespeare has created the dramatic irony by allowing the audience to know more of Iago’s intentions than Othello himself. One reason that Shakespeare may have used this style is to support the play’s theme of a dramatic ending, where Othello’s downfall is due to him unaware of the situation he’s in. The repetition of ‘honesty’ comes when Othello questions Iago’s intention, but when Iago hastily turns defensive Othello is convinced Iago is full of honour and loyalty, “I know thou art full of love and honesty”. This reoccurs throughout the play with Othello too trustworthy to question Iago’s motive. Similarly, Shakespeare used the repetition of honest to support the play’s structure of a dramatic ending, where essentially its Othello’s innocence and unawareness that contributes dearly.

There are several themes in Porphyria’s Lover by Robert Browning, such as love and ignorance. These flaws are specifically created by browning to support the structure, dramatic monologue and theme of the poem. Similar to Shakespeare, Browning also uses repetition in his pieces.

Porphyria is murdered because her lover believes that her death is the only way the two can be together. This illustrates his vigorous love for porphyria and browning has presented this flaw by the use of repetition of “she was mine”. Once he realised that his love for porphyria has ended in her death, he immediately becomes melodramatic and becomes repetitive, and this is a similar trait that we see in Othello. Browning has used this technique to emphasise the characters regret and remorse to the audience. Also, the flaw of love plays a strong part towards the structure of the play as it allows the speaker to take control of the audience by his speech, hence having a dramatic monologue structure.

Othello is full of resentment and Shakespeare presents this flaw by the use of metaphors. Othello downfall is caused by his anger. Once Iago manages to plant the idea of infidelity into Othello’s mind, Othello immediately becomes melodramatic and Shakespeare uses metaphors to show this rage towards Cassio. “Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge had stomach for them all”. Othello compares Cassio’s life with all the hairs on a being and implies that he would be able to kill them all to satisfy his revenge. Shakespeare has used metaphors to represent Othello’s flaw of resentment to emphasise the scenario to the audience, as it is Othello’s anger that plays a pivotal part in the murder of his wife Desdemona and supports the theme of the play which is love and anger.

The laboratory, by Robert browning, has several themes, such as jealousy, resentment and love. Also, the poem is a dramatic monologue, which means some of the flaws presented in the poem could be to support the structure of the poem.

The main characters actions are motivated by resentment and this acts as a flaw. Once she found out about her husband unfaithfulness, she is soon overcome by anger and plots to poison her husband’s lover. Robert browning represents this flaw by the use of alliteration.” Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?” She is asking which poison will work the best. The three main words in that sentence all start with the letter P, browning has used this alliteration not only to represent the flaw of resentment but to also support the theme of the poem which is about love, revenge, jealousy and anger.

Othello is insecure and it is his insecurities that lead to his downfall. Othello is not ignorant of his position in Venetian society and more uncivilised nature, “for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation”. Othello believes Desdemona does not love him as he is black and lacks manners. Iago is eager to capitalise on Othello’s flaw and manipulates the scenario so that Othello believes his wife is unfaithful. As Othello is already insecure, he quickly succumbs to the thought. Once Othello firmly believes he has been cuckolded he immediately becomes melodramatic and Shakespeare uses repetition to represent this, “Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her!” Othello is condemning Desdemona to hell and is clearly being melodramatic by repeating it several times. Shakespeare has used this device to draw attention to Othello’s insecurities, as it is Othello’s own insecurities that contribute to the tragic ending structure of the play.

Othello is swamped by jealousy. Iago uses Othello’s flaw to his advantage to manipulate his thoughts. Iago does this by pretending to give Othello words of advice, “beware jealousy, it is the green-eyed monster that dost mock the meat it feeds on”. Iago is advising Othello not to become jealous as it could prove fatal. This cunning from Iago grants him safety if Othello ever dare suspect Iago of ill deeds. Notice that Shakespeare has personified jealousy by giving characteristics, describing it as a “green-eyed monster”. Shakespeare has used this piece of figurative language o highlight Othello’s flaw of jealousy. As jealousy is a key theme in the play, also its Othello’s jealousy that leads him to kill his wife, so by putting emphasis on jealousy Shakespeare is effectively supporting the dramatic ending structure of the play.

In the laboratory, the characters motives are based upon humiliation. Meaning the characters flaw is her pride. Angered by the thought of her husband and his new lover are laughing at her, “While they laugh, laugh at me”. Believing she is being humiliated, she quickly begins to plot their murders. Browning has created this as a focal point by the use of repetition. The repetition of laugh indicates that it’s her pride that’s causing her to plot revenge. Meaning it’s her motive and hence browning’s use of repetition to represent her flaw.

To conclude, the poems/plays had very similar flaws. Browning and Shakespeare have created these flaws to acts as motives for the characters actions. They hold similar consequences as well. In Othello, his flaws of jealousy and pride cause him in murdering his wife that he cherished, yes this was due to some manipulation by Iago but he was blinded by the truth through his insecurities. Analogically, in the dramatic monologue created by Browning, the characters flaws influence their action. With similar themes as Othello, such as love and murder. The characters in the laboratory and porphyria lover both, murder or plot to murder in the name of love.