Othello

One of literature’s greatest tragedies, the story of Othello exemplifies in tragic clarity what can happen when mistrust and revenge take root in the lives of trusting individuals. Relational lines are blurred by assumption, and provocation on the part of the villainous Iago. From the very start, Iago plans Othello’s downfall and inserts himself into everyone’s lives, poisoning their ears with lies and half-truths. No one is safe. In the end, everyone’s lives fall apart only to learn the truth too late.

At the beginning of the play, Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, accuses Othello of bewitching his daughter. Only after hearing from Desdemona herself does he reluctantly acknowledge the marriage. When Othello is called to Cyprus to fight the Ottomans and Desdemona decides to follow him, Brabantio gives his new son-in-law some advice. “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: / She has deceived her father, and may thee,” (1.3.293-294). Having suddenly learned that his daughter has run-off and married a man he considers beneath her, the father feels betrayed. In retribution, he gives Othello the advice to watch his new wife so that she doesn’t surprise him like Brabantio was.

However, this line seems to bear more weight, and prophecy, in the course of the story. The major tragedy of the play revolves around Othello believing that Desdemona has deceived him when she really has not. Up until this point, there has been no suggestion of falseness or disloyalty on either side, known or plotted. It isn’t even until the second act that Iago concocts the plan to bring Othello down through distrusting his wife. I think this line plants the first seed in the Moor’s mind of the possibility that Desdemona would lie to him, insinuating that if she could deceive her doting, loving father, she could certainly do it again. Though they don’t seem to affect him at the moment, I believe that these words stayed with him, thus allowing Iago’s conniving words to penetrate further and take root.