Degrees of Guilt in Othello - 2649 Words

Although the degrees of their guilt greatly vary, every major character in Shakespeares Othello contributes to the deadly chain of events that transpire. There are seven major characters in the play: Othello, Iago, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Bianca. Though some may seem to have greater roles than others in the tragedy, each one can be considered a major character because their specific actions are factors in the catastrophic ending. It is obvious that only a few of them have devious intentions, but that does not alleviate the responsibility of the others. Whether the individuals intentions are good or bad is not the concern. The issue at hand is whether or not their actions contribute to the tragic finish. Othello is†¦show more content†¦He is an illogical thinker and, even more so, an irrational character. Because of this, Othello is partially responsible for the deaths. Desdemona, though an obvious victim, is also responsible for her own demise and the deaths of the others. Though she is an honest and faithful wife, she also proves to be a foolish woman. There are two reasons why Desdemona can be shown accountable for the tragedies. The first reason is her ignorance. She has a conversation with Emilia about adultery by women. While she found it to be an outrageous and nonexistent deed, Emilias response should have planted a seed in her head. Women actually do commit adultery. Because of this, she should have known that Othello might perceive her meetings with Cassio as suspicious. She should have also realized that not only were her secret meetings with Cassio obvious, but she exacerbated the problem by constantly bringing up conversations with Othello about reinstating his former lieutenant to his old position. She bothers Othello about the issue very frequently and persists even when she could tell that her husband was getting more irritated at the subject by the second. Could she really be that naà ¯ve? Desdemona should have consi dered the possibilities Secondly, she lies about the handkerchief. Though she does not actually give it away to Cassio, she knows that it was misplaced. Her inability to produce theShow MoreRelated Fahrenheit 451 And 1984 - The Fear Of Utopia Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagesof a better life through sacrifice of individuality to the state. In the books Brave New World, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451 clear opposition to these subtle entrapments was voiced in similarly convincing ways. They first all established, to varying degrees of balance, the atmosphere and seductiveness of the â€Å"utopia† and the fear of the consequences of acting in the non-prescribed way through character development. A single character is alienated because of their inability to conform – often in protestRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare and Macbeth8813 Words   |  36 Pagesrepresent  the murder and the guilt Macbeth feels about it.    Scene 2:    †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lady Macbeth appears and announces that she has drugged Duncan’s guards and laid the daggers ready, but was unable to follow through with the murder herself because Duncan â€Å"resembled my father as he slept.† She leaves Macbeth to commit the murder. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After murdering Duncan offstage, Macbeth appears, jumpy and nervous.  Ã‚  He is horrified by the blood on his hands, a symbol of guilt. He also believes he heardRead MoreThe Tragic Hero and the Tragic Story in William Shakespeares Writing2842 Words   |  12 Pagescontrast, of the powerlessness of man, and the omnipotence--perhaps the caprice--of Fate or Fortune, which no tale of private life could possibly rival. Such feelings are constantly invoked by Shakespeares tragedies--again, in varying degrees. To this point, then, we can extend the definition of Shakespearean tragedy to a story of exceptional calamity, leading to the death of a man of high estate. Thats adequate for now. Clearly, there is much more to it than that