Lena: Othello and Power Essay

Submitted By 569816557
Words: 538
Pages: 3

In Othello, Shakespeare weaves the all relationships between each character by comparing different kinds of power, power between men and woman, power between Iago and Othello and power between love and jealousy. From the relationship between Desdemona and Othello, Shakespeare compares the power between man and woman, in this way, what Desdemona showed is more powerful. By using a normal way to think about the power between man and woman, man is powerful indeed because they have a stronger body and more aggressive. However, as a delicate woman, by saying “That I did love the moor to live with him, my downright violence and storm of fortunes may trumpet to the world”, she proves her power and courage to the whole society. She said it because she chooses to trust Othello so that she guarantees her hundred percentages of life to Othello. On the contrary, by comparing with Othello’s power, violent power, is definitely unworthy and lowliness. As a man, he is strong but cowardly because he even could not trust his “love” and ask for the truth from Desdemona but kill Desdemona without more time. Thus, his “violent power” will never be powerful in a positive way. Soul is the kernel of human; therefore, grasping “metal” power is more important than “physical” power. In the Othello, Shakespeare used Iago and Othello to explain two kinds of power. As a prince, Othello controls thousands of people’s life. Thus, there is no doubt that Iago is powerless in this way. But, the fact is absolutely in opposite. Iago becomes the player of the game, who put Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo…even the handkerchief into the situation of chess. He knows Othello’s weakness and because of his “metal” power, he becomes “ the men honest that but seem to be so” to get Othello’s trust so that he could make sure Othello’s strong physical power is useless for him. Consequently, Othello did “as tenderly be led by the nose as asses are” and his “physical” power is lower than Iago’s power indeed. Finally,