Othello Critics A05

Question 1

Critic? What does the statement mean or imply?
- ‘If Iago were a straightforward villain he would arouse little fellow feeling in audiences, yet of course he is anything but straightforward.’

Answer 1

• Honigmann argues that if Iago was straightforward he would evoke feelings of sympathy from audiences.
• He is anything but straightforward which makes him fascinating to watch.
• His motives remaining uncertain make him more intriguing.
• Audiences might admire his character despite condemning his actions, the duality generates a disturbing sense of ‘fellow feeling’ audiences do not sympathise with him morally, but are captivated by his brilliance.

Question 2

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘The character of Iago is so conducted, that he is from the first scene to the last hated and despised.’

Answer 2

• Dr Johnson argues that his manipulations, deceit make him deeply unlikeable.
• Shakespeare carefully constructed a character who is both despised and in someways fascinating - a villain who commands attention even as he invites hatred.

Question 3

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Iago enjoys another advantage, that he is the play’s chief humorist.’

Answer 3

• Honigmann argues that by chief humourist, he employs wit, irony, and dark humor to manipulate others and entertain himself.
• His humor often exposes the foolishness of those around him.
• His humor contrasts Othello’s tragic downfall, his lighthearted deception contrasts with the deep emotional suffering he causes, reinforcing his role as a cynical manipulator.

Question 4

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘His humor either intends to give pain or allows him to bask in his sense of his own superiority, very rarely at his own expense’

Answer 4

• Honigmann argues he uses pain as a weapon, targeting others in a cutting,humiliating,malicious way, reinforcing a sense of dominance and superiority over them.
• His humor is self serving, affirms his intelligence, wit, intellectual superiority reflects class tensions, his narcissism.
• Humour could also be a defense mechanism, sign of insecurity masked as confidence, or a deliberate attempt to exert control over others.

Question 5

Critic? What does the statement mean or imply?
- ‘Iago excels in short term tactics, not in long term strategy’

Answer 5

• Honigmann argues that his intelligence lies in his ability to manipulate people in the moment rather than constructing a grand scheme.
• Iago’s strength is his adaptability and quick thinking. He expertly manipulates Othello, Cassio, and Roderigo by exploiting their weaknesses (Othello’s jealousy, Cassio’s desire for reputation, Roderigo’s infatuation with Desdemona).
• He orchestrates situations in real time—for example, seizing on Cassio’s drunkenness to get him dismissed, or using Desdemona’s lost handkerchief to fuel Othello’s jealousy.
• Iago does not foresee the consequences of his actions. While he dismantles Othello’s trust in Desdemona with surgical precision, he fails to anticipate that Othello will murder her.
• ## He also does not account for Emilia’s potential betrayal—when she exposes his scheme, he is left without an escape plan.

Question 6

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Despite his cleverness, he has neither felt nor understood the spiritual impulses that bind ordinary human beings together, loyalty, friendship, respect, compassion - in a word, love.’

Answer 6

• Honigmann argues that he is a character who lacks human emotions, making him a character of pure intellect without empathy.
• Fails to comprehend others’ emotions and manipulates because he underestimates the power of human connection.
• These emotions that unify people are what Iago lacks, leaving him isolated
• Love is what he fails to grasp, aligns with his mockery of romantic love
• His lack of emotional connection makes him a machiavellian villain - driven by ambition and manipulation, unconcerned with morality
• Implies Iago is inhuman, perhaps sociopathic. - –
• Shakespeare presents him as a character who deliberately rejects the emotions that define humanity.

Question 7

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Othello really is, we cannot doubt, the stoic - captain whose few words know their full sufficiency.’

Answer 7

• F.R. Leavis argues that Othello is a character who embodies restraint, rationality, and emotional control- qualities associated with classical Stoicism. The phrase “captain” reinforces his identity as a military commander, someone whose authority and composure define his speech and actions.
• Othello, at the start of the play, exhibits calm rationality and self-restraint, hallmarks of Stoic philosophy. He is not easily provoked and speaks with weight and precision.
• The phrase “few words” implies that Othello understands the power of language and does not waste words, reinforcing his initial composure and wisdom.
• Othello’s tragedy lies in how he loses the very qualities Leavis praises, descending from a controlled orator to an impassioned, irrational figure.

Question 8

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Othello dies belonging to the world of action in which his true part lay.’

Answer 8

• F.R. Leavis argues that his downfall is linked to his fundamental identity as a man of action rather than introspection.
• Othello is introduced as a noble general, valued for his military prowess.
• However, his identity is tied to war, where decisions must be swift and decisive. This makes him vulnerable to Iago’s manipulation, as he applies the same black-and-white thinking (enemy vs. ally) to his personal life.
• Othello flourishes in war but struggles in the realm of love and deception. His soldierly directness cannot navigate the nuances of Venetian society, where cunning and rhetoric dominate.
• F.R. Leavis sees his downfall as stemming from an inherent weakness, his need for validation.

Question 9

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Othello is both a fantasy of interracial love and social tolerance, and a nightmare or racial hatred and male violence.’

Answer 9

• Loomba argues that Othello presents an idealized vision of love that transcends racial and social boundaries. Othello, a Black man, is a highly respected general in Venice, married to Desdemona, a white Venetian noblewoman. Their relationship suggests a progressive challenge to contemporary racial prejudices.
• Iago’s manipulation: Iago exploits racist fears, reducing Othello to an irrational, violent “other.”
• Othello’s internalised racism: As Iago poisons his mind, Othello begins to see himself through a racist lens, associating blackness with moral corruption. His insecurities about being an outsider contribute to his tragic downfall.
• Male violence: Othello’s transformation from the noble general to the jealous, violent husband epitomises the destructive nature of toxic masculinity. His murder of Desdemona, driven by a false sense of betrayal.

Question 10

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Iago’s machianations are effective because Othello is predisposed to believing his pronouncements about the inherent duplicity of women, and the necessary fragility of an ‘unnatural’ relationship between a young, white, well-born woman and an older black soldier.’

Answer 10

• Lomba argues that Iago is the play’s antagonist, who manipulates the other characters, especially Othello, into believing falsehoods. “Machinations” suggests that Iago’s actions are not only clever but also devious, indicating a calculated and underhanded scheme to manipulate others for his own benefit.
• Othello’s perception of women, particularly Desdemona, is shaped by negative stereotypes that Iago subtly exploits. Othello is an outsider in Venetian society—both due to his race and his status as a military man. This could make him more susceptible to viewing women through a lens of suspicion or mistrust, especially in a society where the roles of women were often seen as secondary and manipulative. Iago’s insinuations about Desdemona’s supposed infidelity exploit Othello’s insecurities about women and his own position.
• Othello’s marriage to Desdemona is framed within the context of racial and social expectations. The critic points out that Othello’s relationship with Desdemona, a young white woman of noble birth, is perceived as “unnatural” or “fragile” because it defies societal norms of the time. Othello, as an older black man, is vulnerable to believing that his union with Desdemona is inherently unstable or doomed, especially when it is presented to him as such by someone like Iago, who taps into racial prejudices. Iago exploits Othello’s fears that their love is not natural or accepted by society, feeding Othello’s doubts about Desdemona’s loyalty.
• Leavis is essentially arguing that Iago’s ability to manipulate Othello lies not just in his cunning or his falsehoods but in the way Iago exploits Othello’s existing fears and insecurities. These fears are rooted in Othello’s race, his outsider status, and his understanding of women, which Iago knows how to manipulate to make Othello vulnerable to suspicion. Othello’s predisposition to these anxieties makes him more likely to accept Iago’s lies, resulting in his tragic downfall.

Question 11

Critic? What does the statement imply or mean?
- ‘Othello is a victim of racial beliefs precisely because he becomes an agent of misogynist ones.’

Answer 11

• Loomba argues that Othello, as a black Moor in Venetian society, is subject to widespread racial prejudice. From the very beginning, his marriage to Desdemona, a white woman, is met with disdain and suspicion.
• Othello is not just a victim of racism, but also becomes complicit in the misogynistic values that pervade Venetian society. Misogyny in the play is seen in the way women are treated as property or objects of male control. Iago, for example, believes that women are inherently deceitful, and he projects this view onto Othello.
• Othello’s insecurity about his marriage to Desdemona—fueled by Iago’s insinuations that she is unfaithful—reveals his internalisation of these misogynistic views. Despite being deeply in love with her, Othello begins to see Desdemona as something to possess, something whose value can be diminished by infidelity. This belief leads him to murder Desdemona, reinforcing the tragic cycle of male control over women’s lives.
• Loomba argues that Othello’s tragedy stems from the intersection of these two beliefs. Racially, Othello feels like an outsider, and socially, he struggles with insecurity about his worth as a husband. This insecurity makes him more vulnerable to Iago’s manipulation, and he eventually adopts the very same misogynistic views Iago holds about women.
• This also brings in the theme of agency - Othello, though a victim of racism, becomes an active participant in perpetuating the misogynistic violence that culminates in the murder of Desdemona. He becomes complicit in these social structures rather than questioning or resisting them.