Othello

Othello

Have you ever thought a play from over 400 years ago can relate to some of the things we experience today? Othello, written by William Shakespeare, contains many great examples of timeless human passion such as betrayal, revenge, love, loyalty, and many more. Because this play can relate to the readers of today, it makes an excellent and classic story.

First, readers see there is betrayal at the beginning of the play. Iago, ensign of Othello, tells his rich friend Roderigo that he hates Othello. One of the reasons why he hates Othello is because of his recent promotion of Cassio to make him lieutenant. Therefore, Iago wants to betray Othello. The first thing Iago does is tell Brabantio, a Venetian Senator, that his daughter, Desdemona, went off and married a black man. "Your heart is burst; you have lose half your soul; Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe" (I.i.88 - 89). This clearly states that Iago wants to get Othello in trouble and is betraying him. Without a doubt, this is a sign of betrayal and readers still see this happen today.

Secondly, audiences find out that Iago is looking for revenge. Before the end of Act I, Scene III, Iago delivers a soliloquy. It states that Iago is going to look for revenge because he suspects Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia. The lines that tells us this are, "I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets He's done my office" (I.iii.377 - 379). Iago suspects Othello for sleeping with Emilia so he plans to seek revenge on Othello. He tells the audience that he is going to cheat Roderigo out of his money and tell Othello that Cassio has been sleeping with Desdemona. In short, readers can relate to this because there is a good chance that they too would seek revenge in a similar situation.

Next, readers encounter love between Othello and Desdemona when Othello comes back from the Turks invasion. They kiss and Othello shows his devotion to her by saying, "It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O, my soul's joy," (II. i. 176 - 177). Othello expresses such love to