Download Shakespearean dramas are often studies of human frailty. Use

Shakespearean dramas are often studies of human frailty. Use Othello to focus a
discussion on the extent to what this is true. You may confine you discussion to
Othello or include other Shakespearean plays you have studied.
Shakespearean dramas are often studies of human frailty as seen in renowned
Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare’s Othello. Othello by William
Shakespeare is about the downfall of a well-respected dark-skinned general due to
his own moral weaknesses that all human beings share. Like anyone marrying into a
foreign country, Othello is insecure about being different, afraid he would not be
accepted. Othello also possesses excess feelings which were considered sins during
the Elizabethan era as well as the inability to distinguish appearance from reality
which is common in the Elizabethan times. nice introduction – clear understanding of
the text
An aspect of human frailty studied in the Shakespearean drama Othello is the
insecurity in marrying into a foreign country. From the beginning of the drama,
Othello is set apart from the other characters as he is a soldier among civilians in the
foreign country of Venice. Shakespeare shows the audience that being in a foreign
country, Othello is susceptible to the influence of Iago whom he thinks knows the
“country’s disposition well.” Othello’s moral weakness is the moral weakness of all
human being as every other human being under his circumstances would have also
been influenced. Everyone longs to be accepted into their new society, but the truth
is, even when a person makes a life in a foreign country, they may never be truly
accepted into the society and become one of its members. Moreover, Othello is also
a newly-wed to the fair, young daughter of one of Venice’s most influential senators.
During the court scene of Act 1 Scene 3, Othello also admits himself that he is more
used to the “flinty steel-couch of war” than he is to the “thrice-driven bed of down.”
Shakespeare shows the audience that Othello is utterly unable to understand the
sophisticated society of Venice that he has married into. Othello’s insecurity in a
foreign country could be the reason why he trusts Iago more than he trusts his
beloved wife. In Act 4 Scene 1, Iago challenges Othello’s conception of himself as he
not only cruelly reminds him that he is an outsider but also addresses him as an
ordinary “foolish cuckold.” Shakespeare’s Othello studies the aspect of human frailty
of insecurity in marrying into the foreign country of Venice. a very good argument in
this section
As well as studying the aspect of marrying into a foreign country, the Shakespearean
drama Othello also studies another aspect of human insecurity of being different.
Othello is as A C Bradley writes “almost from wonderland” with his exotic tales of the
past and his magical handkerchief. His speech is also full of a grace and eloquence
not seen in any of the other characters, not even the well-educated Desdemona and
Cassio. Othello’s speech is sharp, direct with no unnecessary circumlocutions and his
words are clear in meaning and never in doubt. Shakespeare uses his first line in the
drama of “rude am I in my speech” to illustrate to the audience Othello’s own
consciousness in being dark-skinned, in being an outsider. Shakespeare’s deliberate
construction of Othello’s speech further portrays to the audience Othello’s
differences to the rest of the Venetians. Later on, when Iago hints at his wife’s
insecurity the first reason that Othello thought of was “haply for I am black.” This
speech emphasises again to the audience his own consciousness in being
dark-skinned, in being an outsider. The Shakespearean drama, Othello, is not only the
study of the insecurity in marrying into a foreign country but also the insecurity in
being different, in being dark-skinned.
The third aspect of human frailty studied in the Shakespearean drama, Othello, is
the human moral weakness of excess feelings. Othello’s sexual jealousy and
passionate love towards his newly-wed wife are normal everyday human feelings.
In Shakespeare’s time in the Elizabethan era, feelings “perplex’d in the extreme”
are seen as a loss of control and a step closer to the road of chaos as when the
“blood begins [the] safer guides to rule”, the human being seem less in control and
less sane. Sexual jealousy is not only “the green-eyed monster, which doth mock
the meat it feeds on” but also “a monster, begot upon itself, born on itself.”
Shakespeare’s purposeful choice of this destructive and terrifying imagery is to
give the audience the impression of the strong sense of devouring as Othello is
being “eaten up with passion.” Othello, like every other human being in his
position, was consumed by the intensity of the sexual jealousy constructed mainly
based on his own imagination. Female chastity is significant because the security
of the Venetian society and a male’s peace of mind were dependent on women’s
chastity after marriage. A male’s reputation would be destroyed by an unfaithful
wife, as in Shakespeare’s time female chastity is a test of the nobility of males,
since only the noblemen were thought to be able to resist the temptation of female
flesh. Moreover, in a state of heightened passion such as sexual jealousy and
passionate love, any human being would make mistakes and act upon impulses
without sufficient consideration and be no longer in control of themselves and the
situation. Therefore, the Shakespearean drama, Othello, is also about the study of
the human frailty of human moral weakness of excess feelings.
A fourth aspect of human frailty studied in the Shakespearean drama Othello is
the human frailty of the inability to distinguish appearance from reality. In
Shakespeare’s time, external appearance was believed by many to be an indicator
of what lay within. If appearances, which are all human being have to go on, are
deceptive, and therefore character judegement is false, knowledge flawed and
truth intangible, then human being cannot be sure of anything. Othello is like any
other human beings in the Elizabethan era “that thinks men honest that but seem
to be so and because Iago looks “honest, honest”, Othello assumes him to be
incapable of villainy and evil intentions. Besides it was a grave insult in
Shakespeare’s time to call someone a liar. Thus Iago’s seemingly “honest”
outward appearance and Othello’s opinion that Iago is “a man…of honesty and
trust” contribute to Othello’s final downfall. Shakespeare’s Othello is the study of
the human frailty of insecurity and excess feelings as well as the human moral
weakness of the inability to distinguish appearance from reality.
It is true to a large extent that Shakespearean dramas are often studies of human
frailty. This is seen in William Shakespeare’s drama, Othello. Othello’s human
moral weaknesses of being insecure as a newly-wed, insecure as a dark-skinned
individual, possessing excess feelings and the inability to distinguish appearance
from reality results in his final downfall.
a lengthy essay – over 1100 words – how much will you do in the exam
however I cannot really add much to your essay – you have a very mature
perspective on the play and have used very relevant details to back these up.
ET5