Language: The Fatal Weapon in Othello Essay

Language is especi anyy tricky because of all the possibilities it brook manage. Be quiet versus Shut up is one example of the agent that language holds. Rumors are a nonher example of how powerful language quite a little be when it passes through and through a certain set of ear lobes slightly people are shattered by the rumors floating around to the highest degree them. Othello is a play that takes the intricacies of languagethe way something is said versus what is actually creation saidto show the dire consequences put into effect when someone hears something a certain way.The following three passages will examine how language hides and reveals something just about Othello, Iago and Desdemona, and how it is ultimately the downfall of the characters. Jealous Iago uses language like a maneuver fox, hiding behind his words to get to his prey. Othello in turn is slow deceived, himself wishful and paranoid because of the viral words strategically planted throughout. In the th ird scene of the third act, Iagos use of language makes him genuinely visible to the audienceby this point the audience is wholesome cognizant that Iago is jealous of Othello, save eager nonetheless to hide this fact from Othello. merely it is this scene that most reveals Iago to the world, when Iago may not be at all visible to himself. Saying of jealousy, It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/The meat it feeds on (166-167). Iago may be jealous of Othello by this point in the play, besides he seems either unaware of it or in denial of it. To announce of jealousy in this way directly to Othellothe object of his envyis to aim that Iago may not be fully conscious of his own jealousy. perhaps if Iago were to realize what he was saying, he might have changed course and decided against pointing a finger at Cassio. Yet clearly he goes on, That vagabond lives in bliss/Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger (166-168). Iago could very well be describing himself here, ignorant of his own jealousy toward Othello, whom he obviously does not unfeignedly love. He is hiding not only from Othello but from himself as well, but psychologically he is rather apparent to the audience, for which Othello will unknowingly kill.Desdemonas language reveals her purity even when verbalismd with accusations, even when she is unsure of what barely she is being accused. When Othello tells her she must die by his hand, when her sins are her love for him, and to begin with he tells her why he must kill her, she says, These are portents but yet I anticipate, I hope,/They do not point on me (45-46). She knows he is accusing her of something, but in her pure love for Othello she dares to hope that he is not charging her.hither she is hiding from herself, knowing full well that, Some bloody passion shakes your very frame (44) means that Othello is hence pointing on her for some crime. Desdemonas purity, revealed through her speech, further enrages Othello, for in hi s jealousy he sees her shock and fear as further proof that he must kill her for dishonoring him and their marriage. The audience, however, is fully aware of Desdemonas purity and reality straightforwardy in the marital sense to Othello, even if she is not honest with herself at this crucial time.This self-deception reveals how pure her love is by masking how she does become self-righteous or quick to anger and resentment. In the face of an unjustified accusation and obvious mistrust, Desdemona stands her ground in her love, taking her penalization though protesting it, That deaths unnatural that kills for loving (42). Yet she dies for loving. Othello shows through his speech how utterly ignorant and blind he has been throughout the play, O vain boast /Who can control his fate? tis not so now (264-265).Here he is resigned to his fate, to falling to his weaknesses despite his obvious strengths, Here is my journeys end (267). For killing Desdemona he feels incredible guilt, and do es not wish to go on. This reveals Othellos regret, and in turn reveals his acknowledgement of actus reus and sorrow at his actions. Othello could very well have stuck to Iagos figment without implicating himself, but through his jealousy he was able to see that genus Emilia was telling the truth, and for that he is truly sorry.Language is the fatal weapon in Othello. Jealous Iago uses it to verbally plant seeds of doubt and jealousy into Othellos mind. Desdemona in turn can say nothing to save herself from Othellos jealous rage. Othello himself ultimately realizes he was duped by it into killing the woman he love and who loved him in return. The subtle complexities of language can turn a normally level headed person into a foaming, jealous beast who mistrusts his gut, and Othello was no exception.