Othello — plot setting and themes
In the opening, Rodrigo, a rich man, is seen conversing with Lago. He complains to Lago who is an ensign, asking why is it that he has not told him about the secret marriage between Desdemona and Othello. Desdemona is the daughter of Senator Brabantio and Othello is a Moorish General in the Venetian army.
On hearing about Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello, Rodrigo gets upset because he loves Desdemona. Lago on the other hand has hatred for Othello because he promoted Michael Cassio above him in the army, and he thinks that Othello slept with his wife, Emilia. So, he goes on to tell Rodrigo that he plans to use Othello to achieve his plans.
Lago affirms that Cassio is less a worthy soldier to deserve the promotion given to him, but Michael Cassio is a warrior of proven tactics and experience. Lago uses the resentment that he and Rodrigo have for Othello to manipulate Rodrigo into an evil scheme. He tells Rodrigo to go to Brabantio and inform him that his daughter is about to elope with Othello. Then, Lago finds his way to Othello telling him that Brabantio is coming to kill him.
Othello — plot setting and themes
On hearing about the elopement, Brabantio gets annoyed and impatient to decapitate Othello. Unfortunately, before he could reach Othello’s home, news have arrived that the Turks are on their way to attack Cyprus. Hence, Othello is called to come and break words with the senators on how to go about the attack. As Brabantio arrives Othello’s house, the guards and messengers of the Duke that are there hinder his desire to meet Othello. Brabantio can only but accompany Othello to the duke’s residence.
There in the assembly of the Duke himself, Brabantio’s kinsmen, Gratiano, senators and Lodovico, Brabantio accuses Othello of seducing his daughter Desdemona with witchcraft and Othello defends himself in the presence of everyone saying that Desdemona is enchanted by the adventurous story of his life before he came to Venice which he told her and not by any kind of witchcraft. The case is sealed when Desdemona comes to clear their doubts, saying that she loves the moor and would want to accompany him wherever he goes. Brabantio being vexed by his daughter’s utterance, tells Othello that Desdemona will betray him since she can betray her own father.
Othello — The plot, setting and themes
The Duke orders Othello to prepare his army and leave to defend the Island of Cyprus against the Turks. He is accompanied by his new wife, Desdemona and Emilia as Desdemona’s maid. Cassio, Lago are also in his entourage.
On arriving the Island of Cyprus, news came that a tempest has destroyed the Turkish fleet. Othello calls for celebration, and he leaves to have a quiet time with his newly found love, Desdemona. Cassio reveals to Lago that he easily gets drunk, and Lago secretly schemes to get him drunk. He them persuades Rodrigo to lure Cassio into a fight. This results into a turmoil and Othello comes to calm everywhere. He blames Cassio for the event, and strips him of his rank. However, as part of his plan to tell Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona, Lago advises Cassio to go and implore the aid of Desdemona to plead with Othello to reinstate his office.
Othello — The plot, setting and themes
Lago, tells Othello to be watchful of Cassio and Desdemona for he suspects that they are having an affair. Then, he goes on to persuade his wife, Emilia to get him Desdemona’s handkerchief, the one that Othello gave her as a gift. He demands for this particular handkerchief because Othello has told him that he gave it to Desdemona as a first gift and it means a lot to him. Emilia gives him the handkerchief without knowing his gameplay with it. Lago implants it inside Cassio’s lodgings to use it as evidence that he is mingling with Desdemona. Then, he goes on to engage Cassio in a discussion about the handy and triggers a talk about Cassio’s lover Bianca where Othello will be hearing them. Lago, mentions Bianca’s name silently so that Othello will not hear who the object of their romance discussion is, and Othello would think Cassio is talking about Desdemona.
Othello — The plot, setting and themes
Bianca on seeing the handkerchief nags Cassio. Othello sees this and Lago was able to convince him that Cassio got the handkerchief from Desdemona. Out of vexation, Othello is out to terminate his wife and he asks Lago to kill Cassio. Othello goes on to humiliate his wife by hitting her in the presence of his noble visitors from Venice.
Rodrigo complains of having gotten nothing from Lago in return for his money as regards efforts to win Desdemona’s heart. But the crafty Lago goes on to persuade him to kill Cassio instead. As Cassio Leaves Bianca’s lodgings, Rodrigo attacks him on the street and Cassio gives him a serious injury. As the fight is going on, Lago who has been hiding in the dark cuts badly into Cassio’s leg from the back, and then hides his identity. When Cassio started calling for help, Lago comes up to help with other people around pretending to be a friend. When Cassio identifies Rodrigo as one of his attackers, Lago quickly kills Rodrigo, to seal his plans, and then accuses Bianca of the conspiracy to kill Cassio.
Othello — The plot, setting and themes
In the night, Othello confronts his wife and renders her to the cold hand of death. On seeing this, Emilia calls for help and Othello tries to justify his actions by affirming that Desdemona is an adulteress. Lago, Cassio, governor and others arrive as they hear Emilia’s alarm. Emilia begins to explain the situation. While defending himself, Othello mentions the handkerchief, and then it dawned on Emilia that her husband has done something bad. She exposes Lago’s actions and Lago kills her. Having realized that Desdemona is innocent, Othello stabs Lago but not fatally for he would rather have Lago live the rest of his life in pain. Lago refuses to express his view on why he perpetuated such scheme. He chooses to keep quiet. Lodovico, apprehended Othello and Lago for their crimes, but Othello kills himself with a knife he hide. Gratiano is promoted by Lodovico to replace Othello, and Cassio is ordered to have Lago punished.
Settings
The setting is Venice Italy. The Jealousy, passion, wickedness and sexual tension illustrated in the work is, according to Elizabethan Era belief, typical of Italians. It is on this stereotypical belief that, Shakespeare set the work in Italy.
Othello — The plot, setting and themes
Themes of Othello
- Jealousy – Predominant in this drama is the theme of jealousy. Lago is jealous of Cassio’s promotion and Rodrigo is jealous of Othello for winning the heart of Desdemona. Hence, both of them collaborate to see to the downfall of Othello and Cassio. More so, it is as a result of jealousy that Othello fling life out of Desdemona owing to the fake fact that she is having an affair with Michael Cassio.
- Hatred – Lago is filled with hatred for Cassio and Othello for he is not the one that was promoted. Rodrigo incited by Lago, also shared a hatred for Othello for taking away Desdemona. In fact all the conflicts that developed in the story were all triggered by hatred. Othello has ordered Lago to see to Cassio’s death when he thought he was meddling with Desdemona, and as a result of this same hatred he goes on the kill his wife Desdemona.
- Deceit – There is only one king of deceit in the story, Ensign (A junior commissioned officer in the 18th and 19th Centuries whose duty was to carry the unit’s ensign) Lago the husband of Emilia. His major aim is to do away with Othello and probably Cassio. Hence, he started by deceiving Rodrigo that Othello is his enemy for taking away Desdemona. He also deceived Othello into believing that Cassio is mingling with Desdemona. Brabantio was also deceived with the idea that his daughter, Desdemona, has been bewitched by Othello with love portion. Lago also deceives his wife Emilia to give him Desdemona’s handkerchief which is Othello’s first gift to Desdemona.
- Betrayal/treachery – All plots of Lago are betrayal unto Othello and Cassio. He betrayed his boss’ trust at first by letting Rodrigo Know that Othello is about to Wed Desdemona. Planning against Othello is also a betrayal. Then, selling Cassio cheap in front of Othello and going on to Kill him by the hand of Rodrigo are also signs of betrayal. Hence, Othello and Lago share in this betrayal for it is Othello who ordered Lago to assassinate Cassio. Then, Lago betrays the trust Rodrigo placed on him as brothers in crime when he stabbed Rodrigo to death so as to seal the secret of his plans.
- Trust – Lago goes further to plan against Othello. Othello trusted him and his service and believes him to bring him credible information. But Lago poured the trust to the mud. It was because of trust that Othello believed that Brabantio is coming to kill him and Brabantio too trusted Rodrigo and believed that Othello has bewitched his daughter. Othello’s trust on Lago make him vulnerable that Lago was able to confuse him into believing that Desdemona is a cheat, subsequently leading to Desdemona’s death and that of Othello. Othello also betrayed the trust Desdemona vested on him by killing her sheepishly. He, Othello also betrays the trust Cassio has for him by telling Lago to kill Cassio.
- Manipulation – this theme is evident in Lago’s ability to lure Rodrigo in his scheming by his art of manipulation. He manipulated Rodrigo as pawn to deceive and manipulate Rodrigo and Othello. It was also out of manipulation that he made Cassio drunk and set Rodrigo his pawn to lure Cassio into a fight. He also manipulated his wife Emilia into giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief.
- Love – one can say that this is the bone of contention in this story. It was for love of position that Lago needed to do away with Cassio and Othello. It is Rodrigo’s love for Desdemona that made him to go on as far as fighting for her heart which leads to his death. Brabantio loves his daughter so much and is ready to face a General when he heard that he, Othello, has enchanted her with love portion. And Othello and Desdemona shared a well laced love for each other so marvelous that Othello felt heart broken when Lago came with his scheming that she is fondling with Cassio.
- Victory – this theme is only depicted in the accidental victory the Venetians had over the Turks on the Island of Cyprus to which Othello called for a celebration.
- Anger – the theme of anger flows the same with the theme of love in the story. Lago and Rodrigo’s scheming started out of anger. It was also out of anger that Brabantio and Othello went on to killed each based on Lago and Rodrigo’s lies. Anger brought Othello to order Cassio’s assassination and the killing of Desdemona.
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Othello — The plot, setting and themes
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