Othello Essay

Betrayal is the main theme in Othello and is revealed through the actions and
often irrational behavior of the characters. First of all, there is the perceived betrayal of
Desdemona when she marries Othello without her father's knowledge or consent.
Ironically, Brabantio warns Othello, when he says, "She has deceived her father, and
may thee.” He is suggesting that she has shown a potential for disloyalty. Immediately
after this warning, Othello significantly leaves Desdemona in the care of "Honest Iago”;
the same Iago who alerted Desdemona's father to her marriage in the first place so that
he could cause a disturbance and who even admits that he merely shows solidarity with
Othello in order to "serve my turn upon him,” in other words, he acts for his own benefit.
Iago feels slighted, offended, and even betrayed by Othello's choice of Michael Cassio
as his lieutenant, when he believes he is far more qualified and deserving and intends
to make not only Othello pay for his own (Othello's) apparent poor choices.
Therefore, Iago ruins Cassio's reputation for his part in being chosen by Othello.
Iago is also delusional, believing that Othello has been unfaithful with Iago's wife and
this is just another reason why Iago ensures everyone's downfall. He is determined to
exact his revenge on anyone who has disappointed him or benefited when Iago feels he
should have been the one to benefit. There is no foundation on which he bases his
claim that Othello has been unfaithful with Iago's wife but this does not stop him making
the claim. From the perspective of destroying Othello, it will not be enough to cause
Othello pain. He intends to incite Othello sufficiently until Othello does something so
heinous and unforgivable which is what he means when he refers to, "a jealousy so
strong that judgment cannot cure." The judgment to which Iago refers is rational
judgment and discernment.
It is Iago's intention to use whatever opportunity he can to make Othello doubt his
friends and trust Iago without hesitation. This will enable him to completely discredit
Othello. For example, even though Othello must know in his heart that Desdemona
would not betray him, he is so affected by Iago's efforts and his ability to manipulate him
that all rational thought abandons Othello. At the end, even Othello can hardly believe
what he has done because he thinks of himself as, "One not easily jealous, but, being
wrought, perplexed in the extreme..." meaning that he has acted out of character and
only in the interests of honor. Iago has successfully destroyed everyone, himself
included.