Othello - debating the rationale of why Iago betrayed him and try to Essay

Othello - debating the rationale of why Iago betrayed him and try to argue a justification for it - Essay Example Perhaps for this reason, the earlier play is generally viewed as one of the playwrights lesser achievements despite its successful debut and significant modern restagings. Thereafter, Shakespeares relative emphasis on the revenge formula gradually diminishes. To be sure, the warring families in Romeo and Juliet fit the revenge motif, as does Antonys rabble-rousing speech against the conspirators in Julius Caesar. But by Hamlet, the heros interest in revenge becomes reified into artistic ornaments like the play-within-the-play entitled The Mousetrap. Thus, I agree with Judge Posner that Hamlet is "not really about revenge," though I am less certain that the "theme of maturing" bears heavily on the plot (Law 67). (2) My point is that revenge becomes less and less insistent in Shakespearean tragedy until in Timon of Athens the hero does no bloodletting at all. Othello is among those mature tragedies transcending vengeance even while representing brutal retribution. Othello commits rash deeds that precipitate the tragedy in a way that the revenge formula cannot comprehend, however bloody the results--and they are indeed bloody (Othello). Therefore, Iago’s betrayal was not justifiable because in this play, it was necessary to explain how society works with corruption Some people like Iago believe people should not express what they feel for another person because he thought Othello’s judgment was clouded by him being in love. His way of thinking may stem from his hatred of women and would explain the murder he committed. This forced him to betray Othello so that he would focus on politics more than his personal relationship. Iago’s murder of Emilia could also stem from the general hatred of women that he displays. Some readers have suggested that Iago’s true, underlying motive for persecuting Othello is his homosexual love for the general. He certainly seems to take great pleasure in preventing Othello from enjoying marital happiness, and he