Othello the Outsider Essay -- Othello essays

Othello the Outsider Shakespeares tragic hero, Othello, was a man whose gifts far outnumbered his weaknesses. On the battlefield, he was accomplished in his profession, he was highly ranked and, in his life, he was blissfully married. Despite these great advantages, however, Othellos destiny was ruin. Everything he had so carefully do for himself would be destroyed by one flaw his fear of remaining an outsider. He feared this fate, only he harped on it continuously, tearing himself between his identity as a foreigner and his desire to live as a normal citizen. Even so far back as his front public speech, perturbations ca utilise by this internal unrest surfaced, and it was unrest that would ultimately lead to his horrible and complete undoing. Othellos first speech is an address to the Venetian council, through which he introduces himself to the council members. Brabantio, Desdemonas angered father, has accuse Othello of bewitching his daughter and stealing her away into marria ge, and Othello is defending himself against these charges. To start his case, he begins thusly, Most potent, grave, and reverend signors, / My very noble and approved good masters, / That I subscribe to taen away this old mans daughter, / It is most true true I have married her (page 19). Just by itself, this is perhaps the most poetic stanza of the play to this point, yet he continues it in short order with, ...Rude am I in my speech, / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace (page 19). Now, only seven lines into Othellos first public text, he has already made use of his outsider status. By humbling himself amidst spectacular oration, he is appearing non-threatening to the judges, while still making a great case. T... ... true true I have married her. The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace For since these arms of mine had seven years pith Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field And little of this great world can I speak More than pertains to feats of broils and battle And therefore little shall I grace my cause In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnished tale deliver Of my whole sort of love - what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic (For such proceeding I am charged withal) I won his daughter. Works Consulted The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, William Shakespeare, I.III.76-94