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"What is left when honor is lost?" This question from the first century BC play, Othello, plays a pivotal role. The question serves as a basis for the struggle between Othello and Iago. Both men are engaged in a battle over Othello's honor. Iago is intent on destroying Othello's honor and reducing him to a beast or animal like state.
Iago views Othello as a beast masquerading in warrior's uniform. Iago wants Othello to return his "natural" animal being and Iago realizes that to achieve this goal he must fool Othello into violating his code of honor. Ironically, as Iago tries to unmask Othello's animal like behavior and being, it is the beast. From the beginning of the play, Iago's view of Othello as a beast is obvious. Iago repeatedly describes Othello in terms of animals. When Iago attempts to make Brabantio's angry, he refers to Othello in vulgar, beast like terms.
He says to Brabantio, "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is thing your white ewe" (1. 1. 89 - 90). He continues with, "you " ll have your daughter cover'd with a Barbary horse; / you " ll have your nephews neigh to you; / you " ll have coursers for cousins and genes for germans" (1. 1. 110 - 114). He even exclaims to Brabantio that "your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs" (1. 1. 117 - 118). Each of these anomalistic phrases could be viewed only as Iago's attempt to anger Brabantio if it were not for the fact that Iago also refers to Othello as an animal when he is alone.
In his soliloquy at the end of Act 1, Iago says that Othello "will as tenderly be led by th " nose / As asses are" (1. 3. 395 - 936). He again refers to Othello as an ass in Act 2: "Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me, / For making him egregiously an ass" (2. 2. 302 - 303). Whether alone or accompanied, Iago's views on Othello are clear; he sees him as "an erring barbarian" (1. 3. 350) who can be fooled into committing murder. Iago's reasons for wanting Othello to murder Desdemona are never satisfactorily explained. As Iago says, "What you know, you know" (5. 2. 306). He gives various reasons for wanting to destroy Othello, none are really true.
He is upset because of Cassio's promotion over him. He suspects Othello of bedding his wife. But why is he determined to have Othello murder Desdemona? His plot seems based on sport rather than reason. Iago truly hates the Moor, but his hate is not grounded in any firm reason.
As the play progresses, Iago's motive never fully crystallizes, but his determination to fool Othello into murder, thereby destroying his sense of honor, grows stronger. Early in the play Iago realizes that Othello's idea of honor is intertwined with his concept of justice. Othello, more than any other character in the play, is obsessed with justice. Iago recognizes this and he realizes that in order for Othello to become a "beast" he has to violate his sense of justice. With this realization, Iago concocts his plan to have Othello murder Desdemona. He is convinced that in wrongfully murdering his wife, Othello's manhood will be destroyed and the beast within will be exposed.
Iago realizes that to destroy Othello he must convince him that murdering Desdemona is justified and then reveal that the act is unpardonable. To accomplish this, Iago provides Othello with proof. Othello repeatedly demands proof of Desdemona's crime. He says to Iago in Act 2, scene 3, "No, Iago; / I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove" (2. 3. 193).
He then demands that Iago give him "ocular proof" saying, "Make me to see't; or, at the least, so prove it / That the probation bear no hinge nor loop / To hang a doubt on" (3. 3. 368 - 370). These lines illustrate that Othello is not a rash and violent man. He would not unjustly incriminate someone without proof. Iago manipulates Desdemona and Cassio into providing this proof. Once Iago arranges for Desdemona and Cassio to incriminate themselves, thus providing Othello with his needed "proof, " he moves to the most important part of his plan. He convinces Othello to murder his wife with his bare hands.
Othello himself does not decide to strangle Desdemona, Iago plants the idea in his mind. Othello initially wants to "chop her into messes" (4. 1. 196). He then decides to poison her: "Get me some poison, Iago -- this night" (4. 1. 200). Iago, however, convinces him to strangle his wife. This is the justice that Iago seeks. Since Othello will kill Desdemona with his own hands, he is yet again turning into his beast like state of being.
Iago wants no man-made instruments to distance Othello from the act. To kill with a knife would be the crime of a man; to kill with the body would be the crime of an animal. He believes that by convincing Othello to strangle his wife that Othello will cease to be a well respected warrior and resort to his true self, that of a raging beast. Othello strangles Desdemona to death.
By having Othello strangle Desdemona, it shows the brutal, anomalistic nature of the act. Othello is treading on a thin line between man and beast. Iago believes that by convincing Othello to murder Desdemona with his bare hands that he will push Othello to the beast side of that line. Yet there is one major flaw in Iago's plan, Othello does not murder Desdemona for the sake of murder, but for the sake of justice. A beast murders without reason and and as Othello shows a man murders with reason. Desdemona's murder was not one of instinct, like a beast, but one with intellectual reasoning.
As shown throughout the story, Othello believes strongly in the justice system and defends it through the rest of the play. Iago believes that by tricking Othello into murdering Desdemona that he is guiltless in the crime. Yet the true guilt for Desdemona's murder does lie with Iago. Iago sees himself as bringing Othello back to his natural beast like state.
Yet who is the true beast in this situation? Othello who performs an anomalistic act that he has been led t...
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Research essay sample on Desdemona And Cassio Destroy Othello
