Shakespeares Othello - Character Development of Iago,...

Character Development of Iago, Desdemona and Othello The three characters of Iago, Desdemona and Othello are gradually revealed to the audience as Act One unfolds. All three are linked to one another and talk to and about each other. Their characters unfold through their interaction with others and how they behave in isolation. The first impression formed of Iago comes from what Roderigo says. Being gullible, Roderigo has given Iago his purse. A character who accepts an offer like this is likely to be of doubtful reputation. The first words spoken by Iago are a strong oath. Already it is obvious that he has little respect for religion. Iago also sees little point in fighting purely in theory. He despises Cassio, partly because he†¦show more content†¦He has a disrespect for most things and cannot even be truthful to himself. He declares that Heaven will be his judge. This is unfortunate, taking into account the sort of curses he uses. Desdemona is described by others before the audience sees her speak for herself. Despite Iago s coarse references, her father and husband describe her as being a gentle, loving woman. Even Iago dares not refer to Desdemona in anything other than glowing terms in the presence of her father. Brabantios assumption that she must have been drugged to fall in love with Othello stems not only from his racial bigotry, but also from his belief that his daughter is tender, fair and happy (1,2,66) Desdemonas reported sympathy and interest for Othellos tales of bravery paint a picture of an ordinary, kind young woman. When she is summoned to support Othellos story, she realises that her loyalties are divided. Her consideration for her fathers anger is shown by the way she asks not to live with him. Her reasoning is that he would then not be angered by her presence. Both Desdemona and Othello are respectful towards the lords while explaining their story of love. Perhaps this is simply their polite manner. However, their way of dealing with a tricky situation is clever. Flattering the lords and showing all due respect is destinedShow MoreRelatedOthello: Good vs Evil1525 Words   |  7 PagesMain Characters William Shakespeare’s Othello is a classic depiction of a struggle between good and evil. In the play,, the characters are faced with the choice to either conquer or succumb to the overpowering force of evil. Shakespeare places his characters on a sort of spectrum in which a character’s amount of god or evil can be represented by a shade of color: black representing pure evil, white representing absolute goodness, and a shade of grey exemplifying the nature of all characters thatRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1599 Words   |  7 Pages William Shakespeare’s 16th century play Othello is a duplicitous and fraudulent tale set alternatingly between Venice in act 1, and the island of Cyprus thereafter. 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