Analyzing Shakespeares Literary Works: Othello Response

Othello Reflection
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When critically analyzing Shakespeare’s literary works, it is often more like an indirect message to ourselves. It indirectly calls us out to self-reflect and hence criticize part of our general conduct as human beings. There is often that hidden, overarching piece of advice or criticism, which each character in Shakespeare’s works, brings out. Paul Gerson, in his editorial column titled Ourselves in Shakespeare, puts this plainly and in a simplified manner when he says that Shakespeare tries explaining the conduct or behavior of people to people. In Othello, issues of identity, appearance, perception, honor, love, jealousy, revenge, power, race, and relationships are clearly illustrated, as is going to be discussed in this paper.
Othello was a great warrior. This is because he was very wise when it came to decision making. His major undoing, however, was that he became consumed with jealousy, a great deal of it to an extent that it overshadowed his wisdom. The jealousy was the work of Iago, his closest friend, who fed him with a lot of misinformation in order to land on his wife, Desdemona. We often go through various experiences in life, which shape us either well, or badly. Perhaps the most eye-opening of personal experiences is betrayal by the closest people around us. It usually hits and eats us up at the same time. The mistrust that is born from then henceforth, usually affects much of what we do. A combination of jealousy, love and lies leads Othello to the murder of his wife and Roderigo, then later on, he also loses his life.
There is also the aspect of reality and appearance. It is surprising how Othello falls for the lies of Iago, asks for visual proof, but Iago has none, “Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore, be sure of it, give me the ocular proof" (Act 3, Scene 3). It is a reminder that we should never be so trusting. I have always lived by the mantra that I should not trust anyone, not even myself. It has served me well so far. Usually, people often tend to look for weaknesses in others, so as to bring them down quickly. In the current global environment, information moves so quickly from one end to the other. Half of the information we encounter, usually consists of lies. Acting on such information without a second-checking can be gravely detrimental.
The play also brings relationships into sharper focus. As earlier discussed, Othello is in love with the wife. Relationships can be categorized into two; romantic ones such as marriage, and normal ones such as friendships. The play brings to the fore the delic...