Monday, September 23, 2013

In Act 5 Scene 2 of Othello, how is it like a tragedy? Is there anything that doesn't fit in with the idea of a tragedy?Also in Act 1 Scene 3 of...

There is tragic conditions featured in the closing scene.  The idea of Othello possessing a moment of doubt as Desedmona sleeps acquires tragic sensibilities.  These are enhanced when Othello understands the complete nature of the web that Iago has concocted.  There is a level of sadness, of tragedy, when Othello recognizes how his destiny has changed from the start of the play.  At the outset, he was an honorable and mighty military general, one of the few "outsiders," who had achieved a place amongst those who could be seen as "insiders."  Being of color in a society where representation was lacking, Othello's fall from grace is heightened by the fact that he assumes complete responsibility for not trusting Cassio and Desdemona.  It is tragic for him to have seen the shambles that resulted from a life with so much promise.  While it might not have been the direct intent, it is increased recognizing that he, being an outsider, suffered, confirming those whose entrenched power caused the crisis of representation as correct.

No comments:

Post a Comment