Othello Themes & Topics: Top 6 prime and important themes in the play Othello, the Moor e.g. Aloofness, Swiftness, Companionship, Loneliness, psychological Complex.
Othello Summary Act 1, Othello Summary Act 2, Othello Summary Act 3, Othello Summary Act 4, Othello Summary Act 5
Othello Themes: Loneliness
The play is all about seclusion of the main characters into an island where they are confined either by their own thoughts or by the sound of the echoing waves of the surrounding sea. It i presumable that Othello would not have murdered his own wife, provided, he were not bound by the loneliness created by the stay in Cyprus. Othello, a busy general would have haply ignored several of the minor incidents which Iago has mischievously cast no less than a net for the brave Othello.
Othello Themes: Swiftness or haste
Another reason for the downfall of the great Othello is his swiftness of action. This is, indeed, a great quality to take firm and quick decisions but the unfortunate Othello forgot the fact that true love is sometimes tested even by putting you into uneasy circumstances which he fails to comprehend. He, instead of being open to discussion, gets wrapped into the fit of taking immediate action as he is used to do on the front. But the matters like love and matrimonial delicacies remain immune to our poor Othello and thinking he is swift, he acts rather in a haste and ends up losing his all.
Othello Themes: Aloofness
It is note-able in the courser of play that Othello gets aloof from all other Characters in the play. He has lost all his good advisers and assistant except the evil assistant Iago who nearly forces the misfortune upon Othello and upon himself. Had Othello been not so aloof, the catastrophe could have been avoided.
Othello Themes: Role of Society
Society does play an important role in the lives of men and women. In society there are one’s peers as well as near ones and dear ones to resort to in cases of mental agony and psychological fixations. Further, there is a pressure of moral and legal obligations enforced by society upon individuals; the lack of real world society also forced Othello to reach the climax he would not have reached in normal circumstances.
Othello Themes: Companionship
Well, an age old maxim: ” A man is known by the company he keeps”. Othello keeps the company of warriors and a brave warrior he is. But in the company of his rather “dear” assistant Iago, he becomes evil just like Iago himself. Othello forgets all the good deeds and favors of his wife and very easily reaches the plan of killing her. He does not even care for her fidelity and sincerity which she has had for him. He just falls a victim to bad company.
Othello Themes: Matrimonial Relationship
Love demands belief and trust between two persons. The feeling of love evaporated from the heart of Othello as soon as Iago starts nourishing the seeds of suspicion in the heart of the Moor. Probably, Othello lacked the confidence in his wife. He could not inculcate the understanding between himself and his wife which badly damaged the relationship between the two. Moreover, Desdemona idealized Othello but could not understand him completely nor could she develop him into a completely social person. He remained a warrior: a man at war with even his wife.
Othello Themes: Jealousy
The prime cause of the fall of Othello is jealousy: the jealousy of Othello, the jealousy of Iago and the jealousy of Rodergio. The triangular relationship continues till the complete destruction of the happy union of Othello-Desdemona.
Othello Themes: Psychological Complexes in Othello
It can be assessed that Othello does suffer from inferiority complex. He is by no means able for Desdemona if considered on the merits of apparent beauty; however, the unfortunate Othello undermines the fact that his selection has been on the basis of character, the inner beauty. He fails to overcome his internal fears and doubts nourished by Iago. He merely becomes a play-some tool in the hands of Iago.
Read More to Othello Themes:
- Othello Study Notes
- Othello As a Tragedy
- Downfall of Othello
- Where Should Othello Go?
- Othello Short Summary
- Othello Character
- Character of Iago
- Character of Emilia
- Character of Desdemona