Humanity and Reason in Othello Essays -- Othello essays

hu hu man race and Reason in Othello In Othello Shakespeare probes deeply into the human condition by creating characters, who, by their in dexterity to think rationally, surrender what sets them above animate beings. Before he succumbs to Iagos poisonous innuendoes, Othello himself expresses his clear understanding of this role of the human intellect. He initially refuses to listen to Iagos suggestions that Desdemona can non be trusted, Exchange me for a goat/When I shall bite the business of my soul/To such exsufflicate and blown surmises (3.3.194-96). Othello feels that he would be playacting like an animal if he became irrationally jealous because someone would tell apart my wife is fair, feeds well, hunch overs company (3.3.198). He tells Iago that he will not blindly fall into jealousy, especially when he never has had reason to suspect Desdemona, Ill jut before I doubt when I doubt, prove/And on the proof, in that respect is no more but this--/Away at once with love or jealousy (3.3.205-07). Othello is at this point a confident man, twain in his wifes faithfulness, and in his ability to think rationally. However, Shakespeare shows that this confidence is often not enough. In his Sonnet 129, Shakespeare describes lust as another force that destroys the ability to reason effectively. The poet depicts lust as desire that is Past reason hunted, and no sooner had,Past reason hated as a swallowed hookOn purpose laid to make the taker mad...All this human well knows, yet none knows wellTo shun the heaven that leads hands to this hell.(7-8,15-16) In his sonnet, Shakespeare laments that even when we know that lust is dangerously irrational, most pot cannot resist falling under its spell. Othello finds the same to be true ab... ...mplete full treatment of Shakespeare . Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. NY Longman, 1997. Soellner, Rolf. Shakespeares Patterns of Self-Knowledge . N.p. Ohio State UP, 1972. OUTLINE Thesis Statement When the characters in Othello cease to use reason they lose their humanity and are associated with animal imagery. Roderigo Irrationally in love with Desdemona Wants to drown himself like cats and blind puppies Iago calls him a snipe Iago Irrationally jealous of Othello and Cassio Equates love with animalistic lust Encourages others to be a man A man is decisive A man looks out for himself A man loves himself Roderigo calls him an inhuman dog, Lodovico a dangerous dog Emilia implores him to tell the truth if thou best a man Othello Irrationally jealous of Desdemona and Cassio Equates lack of reason with animals Refers to himself as a dog.