A Motivational Analysis of Othello

A Motivational Analysis of Othello In the play, Othello, by Shakespeare, the motivation of Othello, as well as Iago, has been questioned by various critics. Can a man, heroic as Othello’s character is depicted, fall so helplessly before the petty trickery of Iago? Did Iago lack sufficient motivation in destroying the lives of three innocent people? Many critics with opposing views have answered these questions. From the first scene of the play, Iago’s …

…violence about it into a lie and takes his only refuge in his hopeless trust in Iago” ( Brooke 445 ). It is in fact this incident which first brings Othello to the conclusion that he must kill his wife. With one small object Iago fuels Othello’s jealousy to the point of murder. Othello is so enraged he exclaims, “ Damn her, lewd minx! O, Damn her! Come, go with me apart. I will withdraw to ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**