Othello - Theme - Lack of Self-Awareness Essay - 1194 Words

Theme – Lack of Self-Awareness Definition of the theme and its development through the play: * In Othello, characters not only deceive others, but deceive themselves. They lack self-awareness in that they fail to see or acknowledge their own flaws and weaknesses, and they never see themselves as completely as others perceive them. The truth is likely to destroy either their contentment or their perceptions of themselves * This theme is mainly developed through the major characters of the play. They all employ this unconscious, protective self-delusion strategy that makes life possible. Through their susceptibility to Iago’s plotting, and the unfolding of their characters, their lack of self-awareness is demonstrated†¦show more content†¦Othello’s nobility and Cassio’s competencies a threat to his self-esteem – thus he must destroy it DESDEMONA: * Her romanticism and naivety are weaknesses that she is innocently unaware of. She is the victim of idealistic delusions about Othello * She cannot believe that he is capable of jealousy. She cannot allow herself to think that the romantic hero she married is far from perfect Othello is made of â€Å"no such baseness / As jealous creatures are.† She cannot conceive possibility â€Å"that there be women do abuse their husbands / In such gross kind.† She cannot bring herself to utter the word ‘whore’. She tried to believe that reasons, other than jealousy, account for his strange behaviour towards her – matters of state, or ‘some charm’. She is lying to herself. * Rather than come to terms to a less than perfect Othello, Desdemona takes refuge in denial and in desperate rationalisations of his increasingly violent behaviour * Her lack of self-awareness and her reluctance to face the facts causes her to believe that she is a victim of fate, and thus she becomes increasingly withdrawn and passive in the face of Othello’s escalating wrath. She contributed to her own demise by her romantic delusions BRABANTIO: * Refuses to accept a reality that he is uncomfortable with. Does not realise that he has racial and prejudiced beliefs Refuses to acknowledge that his daughter loves Othello and clings onto the belief that witchcraft has beenShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Manipulation In Othello1210 Words   |  5 Pages The play, Othello, written by William Shakespeare is full of betrayal, death, and manipulation. It is a tragic play which follows the theme Shakespeare carries throughout most of his plays. Othello is a play about love and death and everything in between. 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