I understand that pride and reputation are highly regarded in society, in both present times as well as past times, but Othello's decision to murder his wife in the name of honor is just unacceptable in my opinion. For this reason, I am inclined to question whether or not Othello even loved Desdemona and if he did, to what extend?
Othello claims that "She loved me for the dangers I had passed. And I loved her that she did pity them" (Shakespeare 1:3:169-170). Immediately, in explaining his love for Desdemona to the Duke, we see that it is about what she did for him that made him love her. He does not note her qualities as a person but rather refers to what she provides for him: pity. Shouldn't love be more about what beauty you see in another's soul and less about what they can offer you?
Additionally, Othello says that "I [Othello] won his daughter," suggesting that in his eyes Desdemona was nothing more than a trophy, another conquest or challenge (Shakespeare 1:3:96). In this language we see that Othello very likely viewed Desdemona as property or as one of his accomplished missions. By objectifying Desdemona indirectly, we can see that his love for her was not the eternal, true love that I would argue she felt for him.
The aforementioned ideas do not convince me that Othello did not THINK he loved Desdemona, but rather he did not love her in the way that proper, true love requires one to love another. I feel that real love involves a level of equality, forgiveness, communication and trust, all of which were lacking in Othello love's for Desdemona. Not once did he seek to hear her version or question the authenticity of Iago's claims. And when it came down to it, he valued his pride more than her life, which I find morally reprehensible, especially in the name of love.
While I admit that my interpretation of love may very well be evolved from its definition during the 1600s, I cannot help but feel that love has a basic fundamental principle that remains constant throughout time periods, cultures and people. Based on this idea, my instinct leads me to believe that Othello never really loved Desdemona in the way she deserved.
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2 comments:
I agree with you. I don't think that Othello loved Desdemona. I think that he was using her as a cover and to enhance his reputation.
Colleen,
I definitely agree with you. Othello had no authority, whatsoever, to take the matter of his wife's fate into his own hands. In fact, this truly bothers me. I mean, does God pop up one day and mysteriously grant Othello power to determine one's outcome or punishment? There is no way that he loves Desdemona if he could commit such a brutal act.
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