Essay on Abnormal Psychology and Othello - 1109 Words

To what extent is the science of abnormal psychology involved in the characterization in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello? This essay will answer that question. Blanche Coles in Shakespeare’s Four Giants affirms the Bard’s commitment to abnormal psychology, and his employment of same in this play: That Shakespeare was keenly interested in the study of the abnormal mind is commonly accepted among students. [. . .] The suggestion that Iago may have been intentionally drawn as a psychopathic personality is not new. [. . .] Even a casual scrutiny of a book on case histories of psychopathic patients will find Iago peeping out from many of its pages. Still more, Iago’s name will be found appearing occasionally in bold print in†¦show more content†¦(1.2) While he and Desdemona and Emilia are lounging about at the port in Cyprus awaiting the arrival of the Moor’s ship, Desdemona tries to analyze how his mind and feelings work, for he seems to be habitually critical of his wife. She concludes that he is a â€Å"slanderer† and that he is full of â€Å"old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh in th’ alehouse.† His clever machinations cause grief for every character who has continued contact with him. He deceives Roderigo about the affections of Desdemona: â€Å"Desdemona is directly in love with him [Cassio].† He deceptively lures Cassio into drunkenness where he is vulnerable to taunts and thus loses his officership. He further lures him into Desdemona’s presence so that Othello can find him there and be more suspicious: â€Å"Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?† Iago misinforms Montano regarding Cassio (â€Å"And ‘tis great pity that the noble Moor / Should hazard such a place as his own second / With one of an ingraft infirmity.†) Iago uses Emilia to pass the kerchief, which â€Å"so often you did bid me steal,† to him rather than to its owner. He manipulates the Moor into incorrect views about Desdemona, about Iago himself (â€Å"Iago is most honest†), about Cassio’s relationship with Desdemona, etc. Iago even diverts suspici on of the ambush against Cassio against his prostitute-friend Bianca. In cold blood he eventually murders his gift-giver, Roderigo, so that the wealthy playboy can’tShow MoreRelatedEssay Othello: the Abnormal1809 Words   |  8 PagesOthello: the Abnormal Five Works Citednbsp;nbsp;nbsp; William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello presents to the audience a very abnormal character in the person of Iago. Also can one classify the epileptic seizure of Othello as normal? Let us in this essay consider the abnormal in the play. The abnormal behavior of the ancient is partly rooted in his misogynism. In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne implicates Iago in sexism. He is one who is almost incapable ofRead More Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesIago in Othello  Ã‚      In William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello we see a morally depraved character, perhaps a very mentally sick individual, named Iago. His personality and development during the play is the subject of this essay. In Shakespeare’s Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the mental illness that appears to afflict the despicable Iago: When such old time critics as H. N. Hudson, who wrote nearly a hundred years ago, saw that Iago was not acting from revenge, one is moreRead More Shakespeares Othello - Iago Essay1670 Words   |  7 PagesOthello’s Iago  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   We find in William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello an example of personified evil. He is the general’s ancient, Iago, and he wreaks havoc and destruction on all those under his influence.    Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello† comment on how the character of Iago is the wholly expected type of villain for an Elizabethan audience:      Iago at once captures the attention of the spectator. He is the personificationRead More Shakespeares Othello - Troubled Iago Essay2005 Words   |  9 PagesShakespeare’s Othello is the cunning Iago. He spends his life, it would seem, taking revenge on the general and destroying nearly everyone around himself. Helen Gardner in â€Å"Othello: A Tragedy of Beauty and Fortune† elaborates on Iago’s exact function and place in the play: . . . Iago ruins Othello by insinuating into his mind the question, ‘How do you know?’ The tragic experience with which this play is concerned is loss of faith, and Iago is the instrument to bring Othello to this crisisRead More Villainous Iago of Shakespeares Othello Essay1841 Words   |  8 PagesVillainous Iago of Othello  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Who can compare in depth of evil to the villainous Iago in William Shakespeare’s tragic drama Othello? His villainy is incomparably destructive on all of those around him.    Iago’s very language reveals the level at which his evil mind works. Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† describes the types of base, loathsome imagery used by the antagonist Iago when he â€Å"slips his mask aside† while awakening Brabantio:    Iago is lettingRead More The Lost Iago in Shakespeares Othello Essay example2335 Words   |  10 PagesThe Lost Iago in Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s Othello the sinister nature of the ancient casts a pall of uneasiness over the narrative of the play. How can the evil influence of one character be so pervasive? Let us in this essay probe his character and find answers to our questions.    In â€Å"Historical Differences: Misogyny and Othello† Valerie Wayne exposes Iago’s inability to praise women when Desdemona asks him how he would do it:    Iago’s worry that he cannot do whatRead MoreTragic Drama According to AC Bradleys Theory of Shakespeare and a Comparison of Arthur Miller and August Wilsons Concept of Tragedy2899 Words   |  12 Pagesparticular paradox, we become fascinated. Bradley emphasizes on viewing the literary techniques used not as the basic constituents but as the expression of tragedy. Some of the major characters in Shakespeares renowned tragedies are Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth. Most of these characters are individual sufferers as in reality; a single man faces the paradoxes of life. In every work of Shakespeare, irrespective of the individually unique traits, we find a shattered hope or a failed ambition asRead MoreEssay Revenge in Shakespeares The Tempest3169 Words   |  13 Pagesnaà ¯vetà © when it came to handling a woman? (1.2.350) In this portion of the website, I will examine those questions and attempt to provide an answer and an insight into the psychology of Prospero. Further, I will examine the relationship between Prospero and Miranda. If there is some element of Prosperos psychology that causes him to be not only revengeful, but deceitful, then his relationship with his daughter, Miranda, must depict and further enhance any of his personality flaws. Their