Character of Desdemona: Let us critically analyse the character of Desdemona, wife of the Moor in the play Othello, written by William Shakespeare.
Character of Desdemona:
Of all the heroines that the pen of Shakespeare has brought into this world, probably, Desdemona is the most down to earth, simple, faithful and dutiful wife that seems to have no earthly desires except the nobility of her nature she is born with. Though she is brave and bold in the decision of eloping and marrying Othello, a Moor. But she also has the insight into the moral character of the Moor.
Desdemona is in deep love for the character and personality of Othello. When asked for whether Othello used charms and black magic to corrupt her nature, she responds her father in the manner that she will obey her husband as her mother obeyed her father. She even shows her inclination to accompany her husband wherever he goes:
“That I did love the Moor to live with him,
My downright violence and storm of fortunes
May trumpet to the world: my heart’s subdued
Even to the very quality of my lord”.
The life of this delicate wonderfully faithful lady is supposed to bear the fruits of her innocent and pure love but the treacherous cunningness of Iago combined with the foolishness of Othello plays its role in ruining the happy state of his love life that the flower withers away so soon to fill our hearts with the pangs of her pain and misery.
The way she is killed at the hands of her own beloved Othello causes the hearts to feel the pain and agony of her soul. Her murder brings about the tragedy of Othello and shrinks the world for him. All ends and we are up with a mixed feeling of hatred and pity for the cruel deed of Othello, not the Moor but foolish general onward.
Read More to the Character of Desdemona:
- Othello Study Notes
- Othello Short Summary
- Othello Character
- Iago Character
- Emilia Character
- Othello as Tragedy