Who do we blame? It's his race! He lied to me! She stole it! He told me to! A common theme in Othello is letting someone else take the blame. Well, how about they all stand up for once and take responsibility. Though we know it wasn't always intentional, each character did something in the play that put them where they ended up--dead or alive. | |
Desdemona never stood up for herself and went behind her father's back and married a man he didn't approve of. Desdemona's death at the end of the play was supposed to be a tragic surprise to the audience. While it was, Shakespeare also made a point that life cannot be lived if you don't ever stand up to those who suppress you. She died the way she lived: succumbing to others. She had only herself to blame.
Roderigo was easily fooled by Iago—like everyone else—but he also made the choice to murder Cassio. Today, attempted murder is a crime. Roderigo, no matter how blinded, plotted and attempted to kill someone. Shakespeare gives us a tragic death with Roderigo because he is killed by the man he trusted. Readers and the audience also learn a lesson in his death: be careful who you trust. (Also, it will help in the long run if you don't attempt to murder someone.)
Emilia followed her husband around the whole play blindly and did his bidding. Near the end, she stood up for herself and her friend, but it was too late. Shakespeare shows the audience in this that through life there are critical choices we must make. We must take the chance to make the right decision when we get it, because soon it will be too late.
Othello was duped, and for a leader, he should have been smarter. He should have taken the word of his wife over the word of a man he clearly didn't trust enough to work beside him: he didn't trust Iago enough to be his lieutenant! Othello lost sight of what was important. His wife and career were dear to him, and he risked it all for revenge. The audience could see that we cannot make brash decisions, and that there is always more than one side to a story. We must think of who and what is important in life.
Iago is a liar, a schemer, a devil, a killer. Iago does not die, but today we often consider torture, “suffering a fate worse than death” and that is what the audience assumes Iago has to look forward to. He does not act surprised at his fate however, which is understandable through closer observation. Iago's plan spirals out of control, and even he knows he cannot fix it. The audience believes Iago wants a position of lieutenancy, but when Othello give it to him, he replies, "I am your own forever" (III.III.546). He never says anything else about it. This shows that Iago's conclusion to his plan was not yet determined--he was just rolling with it. The audience can assume then that Iago was perhaps frantic inside about the outcome of his scheme. So when he is caught, he simply states, "From this time forth I will never speak a word" (V.II.356). Compared to his cocky soliloquies in the first few Acts, he seemed very tired, and almost grateful to be done with it all. He had himself to thank for it all though, and for whatever came next.
Micheal Cassio got drunk at the beginning of the play and quarreled with another man. He was stripped of his position, a fair reaction. Cassio doesn't die—this proves the theory because he didn't ever do anything drastically wrong. He never made a real coherent choice. He was the only totally flat character throughout the play; he stayed playing the good guy.
Shakespeare was making a point here: for every action, there is a reaction. You will pay a price for what you do. Obviously, the price for being too shy is a little extreme in Desdemona's case, but, as always, Shakespeare makes his point. If you don't stand up for yourself, don't use your own judgment, if you lie or steal, there is a reaction for that. Each character in Othello met their end according to their life before it. This was a distinct point and lesson from Shakespeare.