Role of Peripeteia In Othello Tragedy

The following academic paper highlights the up-to-date issues and questions of Peripeteia In Othello. This sample provides just some ideas on how this topic can be analyzed and discussed.

Othello fulfils the criteria of a domestic tragedy as it focus on the marital relationship between Othello and his wife, Desdemona. Shakespeare follows patterns of Aristotle’s theory of tragedy which enables him to elicit “pity” and “fear”. For example the tragic hero is a man of noble rank, he reaches pinnacle of happiness and worldly success.

In Act II, with his position as commander of Cyprus and reunion with his wife Desdemona: Othello proclaims to Desdemona and those gathered in Cyprus:

“If I were to die to die, ‘Twere now to be most happy; ( Act II.i.181-182)

His hyperbolic speech conveys Othello’s happiness, as it is at its peak at this point in the play. His tragic flaw however, leads to reversal of fortune (peripeteia). Othello’s tragic flaw is manifested as his gullibility, by his “free and open nature”, that Iago exploits to bring about Othello’s down fall, creating “pity” and “fear” which is elicited during the play.

After Othello’s death, order is restored in the end, leaving the audiences to experience catharsis and feel a sense of loss, just as Aristotle intended it to be.

What Is Othello’s Tragic Flaw

The portrayal of Othello in Act I is juxtaposed to the Othello in Act III and IV, he is very different, he is portrayed as a physical and psychological wreck.

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Whereas in Act, Othello is afforded epithets, such as “valiant” and “noble moor”: the use of the hyperbole creates a heroic tone, enabling the audience to identify Othello as the tragic hero. Othello fits the first criteria of an Aristotle theory of tragedy, a man of noble character, in Act I and II. However through Iago’s gulling, Othello begins to lose control, which is shown through his language “Zounds.” He becomes crude in his language like Iago. He exclaims “Goats and Monkey” echoing Iago’s earlier words:

“ Were they as prime as goats, as hot as moneys,

As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross

As ignorance made drunk.

This portrays Othello’s peripeteia, following his harmatia ; his trust in the opportunist Iago which elicits “pity and fear”. The fact Othello uses taboo blasphemous language reflects the Jacobean perception of typical moor. At this point on stage, Shakespeare is conveying the stereotypical image of moor; a savage black man. One could say Shakespeare was using such a portrayal to please and entertain his racist audience. Or Shakespeare’s purpose could have been to educate his audience about how Othello’s tragic flaw can cause jealousy to unravel the “green eyed –monster”, which consumes Othello’s noble character and evokes “pity” and “fear”. As Othello deteriorates, his jealousy, anger and subsequent thirst for revenge is reflected in his language. Othello’s own words seem to prophesy his downfall:

…perdition catch my soul

But I do love thee! And when I love thee not .

Chaos is come again., III.3.90-92)

This is the first time Othello’s admitted vulnerability to Iago, the Machiavellian. At this point Othello loves Desdemona unequivocally but ironically his words foreshadow the “Chaos” to come. The audience know Iago’ has hatched a plan to “turn her virtue into, pitch” and “emesh them all” (II.iii.329) .This rising fear, prepares the audience to predict inevitable events “chaos.” Act III scene iii, also known as temptation scene; it is here that Othello begins to disintegrate; his peripeteia comes with the relentless pressure placed on him by Iago. At this point the fear evoked from the audience as the equilibrium of Act II deteriorates into “Chaos”.

Othello’s inter-racial marriage with Desdemona was frowned upon in sixteenth century. At the time interracial marriage were considered unnatural and immoral act. Even the sixth president of America, John Quincy Adams regarded this marriage as: ‘The great moral lesson of Othello [Shows] black and white blood cannot be intermingled in marriage without a gross outrage upon the law of Nature.’ I disagree with this critic, it is a lack of Christian morals of the characters (Iago, Barbantio and Roderigo) that has made Othello seem like an outsider, resulting in this “outrage” to occur.

For instance the hostile environment has forced Othello to trust “honest Iago”. Iago abuses Othello’s trust makes him feel racially inferior. We feel pity for Othello has he is alienated from the great dignitaries of Venice as well as his wife. Perhaps this is why Othello’s rude behaviour is justified in Act IV onwards as “he is black man responding to racism” [Actor Patrick Stewart]. In Act I, Othello responds to racism in non-passive approach, through eloquent dialect “pardon me”, However in Act Iv Othello feels racially inferior, alienated and loses control and responds in aggressive manner “strumpet” . I think his behaviour is justified as he unaware of the real situation, and feels alienated.

As the play progresses and Iago’s machinations and plans take shape, Othello’s speech declines from prose to verse; he speaks in broken sentences:

“ Lies with Her? Lie on her? we say lie on they belie on her.

(IV.1.135-136)

The structure of Othello speech signifies that Othello is not in right state of his mind; his speech is quick paced and lacks coherence reflecting his “broken” mind. Even Desdemona has noticed the poignant change in the Othello “my lord is not my lord”. This begins to create “pity and fear” for Desdemona, she is too naive to realise his jealousy. The audience feel great pity for Desdemona and fear Othello as he [strikes her]. The stage directions play an important role.

Dramatists have often portrayed Desdemona being thrown dramatically and her cheeks appearing bright red. The eponymous hero at this point could be seen eponymous villain, as begins adopt anti- hero like qualities. For instance Othello “be whoring” of Desdemona, the slap in public follows his vow to “chop her into messes”; such a change indicates the pollution Iago has created in his mind. This highlights the chaos emerging and destruction of order, inspiring pity and fear Desdemona as well for Othello.

The fact that Shakespeare initially portrayed Othello as honourable and brave amplifies his peripetia; and reduction to a mad vengeful, abusive husband and incoherent speaker, all due to Iago’s influence. Othello’s incoherence ramblings reveal his jealous and confusion, culminating in a physical and emotional breakdown at his lowest point he falls into epilepsy. His noble character is abolished through Iago “”pour pestilence into his ear”. The metaphorical “poison” Iago use to “pour” in Othello’s ear is symbolic of Iago’s nature, to destruct and to kill. We feel pity for Othello as Iago “poison” is metaphorically killing him.

The handkerchief is a useful prop that provides “ocular proof.” The “handkerchief”, was seen as a romantic token of love, in sixteenth century and in the play it was Othello first gift to Desdemona. The fact Desdemona does not have the handkerchief turns Othello’s doubt into certainty. Othello values the handkerchief and Iago takes advantage of this and makes malicious use of the handkerchief:

Her Honour is an essence that’s not seen:

They have it very oft that have it not.

But for the handkerchief- (Act IV.1.16-18)

Although his tragic flaw will precipitate his inevitable downfall, it is the cruelty of Iago that results in this. Iago exploits Othello’s insecurities. He relates “her honour” to the “handkerchief”, enabling him to subtly plot an honour killing in Othello’s mind. This infers Othello is much more self-conscious about his honour then Desdemona fidelity, because in Venetians and Renaissance society a man’s honour was closely linked to his wife’s behaviour. Iago will use this insecurity to gain control over Othello. Iago’s lies are so successful that it results Othello echoing his words “handkerchief” ( Act IV.1.22). This attitude of Othello elicits the audience’s pity.

In addition Desdemona’s lie about the handkerchief “It is not lost “[Act III . IV.79], forces the audience to lose sympathy with her as they did with Othello in Act III, as it could be seen that she was partially responsible for her own death. This act gives Iago luck, allowing him to present handkerchief as “ocular proof” to Othello. Although it may been seen that Desdemona is partly responsible for this outcome, we can also infer that Othello ‘s hubris ; his arrogance and belief in Iago has prevented him to confront Desdemona. The society at the time, believed that men were superior to women. Perhaps such a great general and man of authority believed it was beneath him to directly ask about Desdemona infidelity.

It is not only Othello that evokes fear, Iago’ s soliloquies can also create fear in the audience. They illustrate his true motives; his soliloquies support the theme of deception, “I am not what I am” the declarative allows the audience to see a Machiavellian character emerge. It also infers Iago has duplicitous nature. The Audiences will fear Iago as he presented as dangerous figure. Also this statement mimics the Biblical God; in exodus God says “I am what I am”; and just like a god, Iago controls the dynamics of the play. The monosyllabic declarative create suspense as well as anticipation, as we are unaware of his abilities. The fact that he is referred to “Honest Iago” creates dramatic irony, as the audience are aware of his duplicitous nature and the characters on stage are not.

Desdemona is “honest” to Othello, she remains faithful, and her innocence is juxtaposed in his perception of her character as the “whore of Venice”. The use of ironies evokes the audience to feel pity for Desdemona, as she the helpless victim. They also feel pity for Othello as he being manipulated.

The final scene of Othello is very cathartic. It purges emotions, as the audience feel both “pity” and “fear” for both Desdemona and Othello. We feel there is a sense of waste and loss. The deaths of Desdemona, Othello and Emilia were “unnecessary”, because these characters were innocent puppets of Iago’s game. Othello briefly returns to his former glory through his Ananogrosis “O fool” [ActV.ii.320], he regains his dignity returns to speak in former figurative language “Drops tears as fast as the Arabian trees”. In my opinion, Othello suicide was way to redeem him. The sense of loss in the play is profound by evoking “pity and fear.”

Reference

• http://www.jstor.org/stable/3122719