Characters


Othello


for the dangers I had passed’ (Act 1, Sc 3). Othello’s pride in himself is challenged by his belief that Desdemona has been unfaithful.


Othello imagines her supposed infidelity as a challenge to his manhood. He sees Desdemona’s supposed affair as signalling the end of his military career, so wounded is his male pride: ‘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 circumstanceof glorious war! And O you mortal engines, whose rude throats The immortal Jove’s dread clamours counterfeit, Farewell! Othello’s occupation’s gone!’


In these lines Othello is not lamenting the loss of Desdemona, but the loss of his reputation. In the first act he relied on his reputation to defend himself against Brabantio and convince the Duke of his innocence; without it he feels completely undone, that he is no longer worthy to be thought of as a soldier. This highlights his excessive pride. Once his pride is challenged Othello succumbs to violent passions and destructive jealousy. He calls for bloody revenge: ‘Death and damnation!’, ‘I’ll tear her all to pieces!’ ‘O, blood, blood, blood!’ (Act 3, Sc 3). In an effort to restore his pride in himself as an honourable man, Othello casts himself in


the role of an agent of justice. This is reflected in his language as he prepares to kill Desdemona: ‘crime’, ‘perjury’, ‘O perjured woman’. He remarks ‘she must die, else she’ll betray more men’ (Act 5, Sc 2). It is his pride in himself as a good man that drives him here. Othello needs to feel that he is doing the right thing to restore his view of himself as a man worthy of respect. However, once Othello comes to learn the truth and Iago’s lies are exposed, he curses his foolish pride and sees the emptiness of his military boasts: ‘I have seen the day,


That, with this little arm and this good sword, I have made my way through more impediments Than twenty times your stop. But, O vain boast! …O fool! Fool! Fool!’


It is Othello’s pride that gives him confidence in the first act, but it is also his pride that contributes to his downfall.


Loving Othello’s love for Desdemona is readily apparent. Othello unreservedly expresses his love publicly and says that he values Desdemona above all else: ‘But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition Put into circumscription and confine For the sea’s worth’ (Act 1, Sc 2).


After Othello has survived the storm at sea and the encounter with the Turkish fleet, he lovingly


greets Desdemona and again testifies to the strength of their love. The joy and contentment he finds in his wife is evident to all:


‘It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O my soul’s joy! If after every tempest come such calms,


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