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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