Othello in the play appears to be strong and brave. He is a combination of greatness and weakness. Othello is intelligent and confident in military matters but socially insecure, one of the reasons that lead to his downfall. Othello is self-conscious and defensive about his difference from other Venetians. He sometimes even talks about himself as an outsider. He is different from those around him, due to his origins and his life history. More importantly, he is visibly different due to the color of his skin, due to being a Black among white people, which is saw as wickedness, while white is saw as purity and innocent. Even though he wins Desdemona’s heart with his story and tale but deep inside he does not believe that his words would win her. Othello’s inexperience weakens his confidence. Iago finds it easy to drive Othello to jealousy and think that Desdemona loves another man, because he already feels that her love for him is too good to be true. Othello sees Cassio as the man who most Venetian women would like to marry and as the man she would turn to if she stopped loving her husband.
He is waiting for the dream to come to an end, for Desdemona to decide that she has made a mistake in marrying him. His self-conscious becomes a weakness that Iago uses to manipulate him. Othello is lack of judgment. He lets his guard down after arriving at Cyprus. He thinks the Turks are defeated, and there is no more enemy. Iago uses his honest reputation and starts with the believable suggestions in building up Othello’s jealousy. Therefore, after listening to “Honest” Iago’s innuendo, everything he sees leads to the conclusion that Desdemona has an affair behind his back with Cassio. Othello places too much faith in the one he considers as a friend, Iago, who is full with hidden jealousy for Cassio’s position and the rumor about his wife, Amelia, and Othello. Iago easily takes advantage of Othello’s trust and plants the jealousy in Othello’s mind. Othello is also full with male pride. He does not believe his own wife. He chooses to trust Iago’s opinion above his wife’s and his own. He has no reason to suppose that Desemona is truly unfaithful, only Iago’s lies which he holds to heart. He never question Cassio about his suspicious.
The Term Paper on How Does Iago Attempt to Poison Othello Against Desdemona and Cassio and to What Extent Is Iago’s Plan Working
... moments of seemingly scandalous moments shared between cassio and Othello's wife Desdemona just as iago whispers into Othello's ear ‘pestilence’, with the build-up of ... or it could be because of iagos jealousy or the newly ignited rage he found when cassio was promoted to a point where ... for Othello as for someone to say this about their own daughter it must have some truth within it. Iago says ‘men ...
However, he asks Amelia, who tells him that Desdemona is faithful, which he does not trust her word, because his belief that women are wicked and untrustworthy. His male pride causes him to trust what Iago says and no one else. Iago only puts a few words of hint and innuendo into Othello’s mind, makes him believe that he is betrayed and lets Othello does the rest actions, falling into Iago’s trap, judging, violating and killing Desdemona. The downfall is largely influenced by Iago, but Othello was highly responsible for his own downfall as he was easily manipulated by Iago. The majority of the causes are his own flaws. His insecurity damages his marriage life for Othello does not wholeheartedly believe that he has won Desdemona with his great story and that his wife truly loves and is royal him. Othello’s lack of judgment is an advantage for Iago to build up trap, then has Othello confronts himself with his own judgment and finish up everything. Othello destroys the best of himself with his own weakness. After realizing his own mistake, he judges himself and performs execution to die with his beloved.
