Shakespeare prominently used recurring themes throughout his work, particularly those of love, betrayal, hate, revenge, jealousy, deceit, politics and race. The play, “the Tragedy of Othello” is mostly about love and hate. These are two great themes in literature. Although the two are opposites, in the play, they are closely related to one another. The theme of love and hate can be said act as the backbone of this play. All the events taking place in the play until the downfall of Othello revolve around love and hate. The theme as portrayed by Othello Iago, Desdemona, Cassio, Roderigo and Brabantio, originates from Othello’s failure to promote Iago as a lieutenant and Othello falling in love with a white woman (Macaulay). This paper discusses the relationship between love and hate as depicted in the play “the tragedy of Othello”.
Love
The paly explores the theme of love in difficult situation. Love is a strong force that can overcome many challenges, however, it can also be tripped up by small ones. Shakespeare portrays the different kinds of love and its meaning through the different character in the play. love changes as people go through different stages in their lives. Shakespeare uses the changing nature of love that varies based upon the different stages in personal life in this play. This is illustrated in the love affair between Desdemona and Othello. According to Iago, the love between the two is portrayed as lust. This is evident when Iago makes a comment about Othello and Desdemona elopement “your daughter covered with the Barbary horse”. (Shakespeare 11). Although he was speaking out of hatred for Othello, the idea of elopement portrays their love as lust. Later in the play Othello and Desdemona’s, love changes to a compassionate and caring love as demonstrated by Desdemona claim “that I did love the moor to live with him” (Shakespeare 39). This shows that their Desdemona loved Othello compassionately and not barely lust as suggested by Iago at the beginning of the play. Othello also demonstrates his compassionate love for Desdemona when he claimed that he wanted her to go with him to Cyprus for support and care rather than sexual needs.
Love is also portrayed as being destructive and makes an individual to commit regretful acts. This is demonstrated through Othello’s downfall, who transforms from a brave commander to a tragic hero who is motivated by hate. Shakespeare suggest that love played a significant part in Othello’s downfall and made him vulnerable. This is evident through his reaction to the suspicion that Desdemona was cheating on him. Since Othello could not bear the burden of his wife cheating on him, he ended up killing Desdemona and himself. Shakespeare demonstrates how the destructive nature of love can lead an individual to remorseful acts. Although the destructive nature of love is illustrated, the big picture illustrated is that of a compassionate love. This is evident when Othello tries to talk to the dead Desdemona “I kissed the Ere I killed thee. No way but this killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” (Shakespeare 226). This demonstrates that although love can be destructive, compassionate love takes over just like it took over Othello when he was about to take away his life and found out that Desdemona was innocent. Their love has been compared to that of Adam and Eve because of the horrific acts that Othello commits at the end of the play. He learns from his mistakes and regrets his actions. Shakespeare uses Othello to remind people how weak they are and therefore accept themselves and others as they are.
Another aspect of love is demonstrated by the love between Emilia and Iago. Although Emilia is older than Desdemona, they have a close relationship. Emilia has a jaundiced view of love. She claims that men “are all stomachs and we are but food; they eat us hungrily and when they are full, they belch us”. (Shakespeare 158). The bitter and cynical take on love contrasts shapely with Desdemona’s. Desdemona is unprepared for the harsh realities of love. On the other hand, Emilia has no difficulties believing that people can be unfaithful. She does not only believe that women are capable of being unfaithful, she blames men for their wives’ unfaithfulness. She also claims that when men are unfaithful, or beat their wives or are jealous, they should remember that women can also revenge and get resentful.
Hate
Iago Hate Othello and Cassio
The theme of hate is insinuated through Iagos passion and drive for revenge. In act one, it is shown that Othello trusted Iago and regarded him as a close friend. However, it is clear that Iago was aggrieved. One of the reasons why Iago hated Othello is that he promoted Cassio as his lieutenant instead of him. Cassio was a mere counter caster and with far less experienced in the battlefield. Iago was deeply angered by this move and claims to hate Othello as he does “Hell’s pains”. Due to this anger and hatred, he is determined to ruin Cassio and Othello’s lives. His reaction is excess, although it is understandable why he felt cheated d. However, his hatred for Othello is demonstrated at the beginning of the play even before Cassio was promoted. This is evident when he tells Rodrigo about Desdemona and Othello’s elopement. Although it is not clear, whether he was lying to Rodrigo or it was out of hate for Othello, it adds another layer of mystery to this evil scheming villain. Furthermore, Iago talks too much about himself in act one, the pronouns I and My are used a lot to portray as a self-involved and self-absorbed character who is focused on his intention to destroy Othello.
At the end of Act one, Iago reveals another reason for hating Othello. “And it though abroad, that twixt my sheets/ he has done my office.” (Shakespeare 35). By abroad he means everywhere. Iago claims that’s it is believed everywhere, that Othello had slept with his wife Emilia. There is no other character in the play who claims that Emilia and Othello had interest on each other, and there is no other evidences in the play to supports his claim. However, Iago admits that he was not sure whether his wife had cheated on him but he claims that “for mere suspicion in that kind/ will do as if for surety”. (Shakespeare 32)
Iago hatred for Cassio is demonstrated when he and Emilia arrive from in Cyprus and Cassio greats Emilia with a kiss. Although it was harmless, Iago noticed it and says that he feared Cassio with his night cap. Career and sexual jealousy are not the only reason for Iagos hatred. He also expressed his envy for Cassio whom he claimed has daily beauty that makes him ugly (Shakespeare). Iago hated Cassio for attractiveness and natural grace; He felt that he did not have those attributes. Although at the end of the play, Iagos treachery is revealed, the reader is left unsatisfied and not sure why Iago did what he did.
Hatred should have a reason that inspires a lasting rage. But in the play, Iago is motivated by a hatred that eludes any reasonable definition. His hatred for Othello and Cassio is out of proportion with the reasons he gives for it. There reasons seem to be mere attempts to rationalize his actions. The real reasons were his love for power and his belief in his own superiority.
Othello Hate Desdemona
Hatred and love are two sides of the same coin. Love comes with vast array of emotions that reveals themselves at one time or another. Hate is one of these emotions. Sometimes people hate other because they truly love them. For instance in act II, Othello has too much hate for Desdemona because he truly loved her. This comes after Iago planted the though in Othello that his wife was cheating on him with Cassio. When asked about Cassio’s trustworthiness, Iago was reluctant to answer. It was all a performance aimed at getting in Othello’s head. The thought of Desdemona cheating on him brought a lot of insecurities. The self- proclaimed flaws brought hatred, anger making him to question whether Desdemona truly loved him or she was lying all along (Hadfield).
Desdemona’s Father Hate Othello
Desdemona’s father was against the love and marriage between Othello and Desdemona. During the time when the play was written, witchcraft was very common. Brabantio accused Othello of witchcraft. “Thao has practiced on her with foul charm, abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals”. (Shakespeare 21). During this time, black people were considered inferior and murderous heathens. It was very hard for a black man like Othello to obtain high ranks in a predominantly Caucasian army. Brabantio found it intolerable that a high class white woman marrying a black man. Brabantio stated that Othello was a foul thief, and had a sooty bosom, prove of how much he hated Othello.
Conclusion
Love and hate has brought many characters in the play to their downfall. Iago is the main character that causes the downfall of people because he was dishonest and filled with hate. Iago hate originates from Othello’s failure to appoint him as his lieutenant. This lead Iago to manipulate others to hate to get back Cassio who would lead those he influenced to their downfall including him. Love and hate consume the life of most characters in the play. These emotions drive them to do irrational things that destroy the friendship between Othello and Iago, the trust between Cassio and Othello and the love between Othello and Desdemona. Love and hate is part of being human but if these emotions are blown out of proportion, they can have devastating effects.
Works Cited
Hadfield, Andrew. William Shakespeare's Othello: A Routledge Study Guide and Sourcebook. Routledge, 2005.
Macaulay, Marcia. "When Chaos Is Come Again: Narrative and Narrative Analysis in Othello." Shakespeare and Others 39.3 (2005): 259-276.
Shakespeare, William. The tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice. Iowa: Fairfield, 2005.
—. The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice (English Spanish Edition illustrated). Clap Publishing, LLC, 2018.
