Othello’s Diabolism Essay -- Othello essays

Othellos Diabolism In Shakespeares tragedy Othello, there is present by most of the play such an overwhelming amount of evil that the earreach can scarcely remain undisturbed. Alvin Kernans Othello an foundation garment ex perspicuouss the diabolism be under the name of honest Iago Honest Iago conceals beneath the exterior of the plain soldier and blunt, practical man of the world a diabolism so intense as to defy rational explanation it must be taken like lust or pride as precisely a given part of human nature, an anti-life spirit which seeks the destruction of everything outside(a) the self. (75) Even the imagery in the drama has its evil aspect. Kenneth Muir, in the Introduction to William Shakespeare Othello, explains the instances of diabolic imagery in the play as they relate to the infecting of the truss by the past The same transference from Iago to Othello may be detect in what S. L. Bethell called diabolic imagery. He estimated that of the 64 images relatin g to hell and damnation some of them are allusions rather than strict images Iago has 18 and Othello 26. But 14 of Iagos are used in the first two Acts, and 25 of Othellos in the last three. The theme of hell originates with Iago and is transferred to Othello only when Iago has succeeded in infecting the Moor with his jealousy. (22) In his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, A. C. Bradley gives an in-depth analysis of the brand of evil which the ancient personifies Iago stands supreme among Shakespeares evil characters because the greatest intensity and subtlety of idea have gone to his making, and because he illustrates in the most perfect combination th... ... 1996. http//www.eiu.edu/multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos. Wayne, Valerie. Historical Differences Misogyny and Othello. The Matter of Difference Materialist womens liberationist Criticism of Shakespeare. Ed Valerie Wayne. Ithaca, NY Cornell University Press, 1991. Wilson, H. S . On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada University of Toronto Press, 1957. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. The Engaging Qualities of Othello. Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p. Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957. -- -- --. Introduction. The Folger Library general Readers Shakespeare The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. New York Washington straightforwardly Press, 1957.