Open Topic- To Love or Not to Love...That is the Question

After reading Act One of Othello, one question really stuck with me more so than anything else. This question revolved around the concept of love. Brabantio, the father of young Desdemona, is quick to proclaim to the counsel, "She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted by spells and medicines" (Shakespeare Act One, Scene Three, Lines 62-63). Here, we see that Brabantio views the secretive marriage between his daughter and Othello to be a union constructed through witchcraft. He accuses Othello of using spells and medicines to seduce his daughter and convince her to marry him. But isn't love supposed to feel as though we are under some kind of spell? Does it not make us act in ways that seem contradictory or even unlawful? Although I will not pretend to be an expert on love (but then again, who really is) I still imagine that love is one of the only things that can make us respond in unusual ways.

When Othello has the chance to refute Brabantio's accusations, he describes a much different view of how they came to love each other, "She loved me for the dangers I had passed. And I loved her that she did pity them" (Shakespeare Act One, Scene Three, Lines169-170). For Desdemona, the stories of Othello's life are what captivate her so much and her compassion is what mesmerizes Othello. I feel this illustrates that true love is expected to have a level of overwhelming emotions that take over our actions. What else would account for Desdemona's decision to secretly marry a man, knowing full well that her father, of whom she should have the greatest loyalty to, would be furious and feel betrayed? Also, what else would account for Othello's decision to marry a woman without her father's blessing, knowing that the law could punish him?

Thinking this over, I realize that while Brabantio is likely just an embarrassed and shocked father, he may have led to a greater argument. Maybe love is a spell of some sorts. The difference is that no one is to blame for this spell.