Among the 37 plays created by Shakespeare, one of the most outstanding was the tragedy Othello. The plot of the work, like many other plays by the English playwright, is borrowed. The source is the short story “The Moor of Venice,” written by the Italian prose writer Giraldi Citio. According to researchers of Shakespeare's work, the playwright borrowed only the main motives and the general outline of the plot, since Shakespeare did not know Italian well enough to perfectly understand all the nuances of the story, and the work was translated into English only in the 18th century.

The conflict in the play is based on conflicting feelings of trust, love and jealousy. Iago’s greed and desire to climb the career ladder by any means are stronger than Cassio’s devotion and the pure and true love of Othello and Desdemona. Knowing Othello’s strong nature, his military-like clear and strict views, his inability to perceive the world around him in halftones, Iago turns his intrigues on only one doubt sown in the Moor’s soul. One hint, carefully dropped by the “faithful” lieutenant, leads to a tragic outcome.

In the work "Othello", the basic laws of the tragedy genre are clearly observed: the collapse of hopes, the inability to change reality, the death of the main characters.

"Othello": a summary of the play

The action of the dramatic work takes place in the 16th century in Venice, and later moves to Cyprus. From the first lines, the reader witnesses a dialogue between Iago, Othello’s lieutenant, and the local nobleman Rodrigo. The latter is passionately and hopelessly in love with the daughter of Senator Brabantio Desdemona. But Iago told his friend that she had secretly married Othello, a Moor in the Venetian service. The lieutenant convinces Rodrigo of his hatred of Othello, since the Moor took a certain Cassio instead of Iago to the position of lieutenant, that is, his deputy. To take revenge on the Moor, they report the news of Desdemona's escape to her father, who, in a frenzy, begins to look for Othello.

At this time, news comes that the Turkish fleet is approaching Cyprus. Othello is summoned to the Senate because he is one of the best generals. Brabantio also arrives with him to the Venetian Doge, the main ruler. He believes that his daughter could marry a black military man only under the influence of witchcraft. Othello tells the Doge that Desdemona, listening to stories about his military exploits, fell in love with him for his courage and bravery, and he fell in love with her for her compassion and sympathy for him. The girl confirms his words. The Doge gives his blessing to the young, despite the senator's anger. It was decided to send Othello to Cyprus. Cassio, Desdemona and Iago follow him, who convinces Roderigo that all is not lost and persuades him to follow them.

During a storm, Turkish galleys drowned, and the young people enjoyed happiness. Iago continues his evil plans. He sees Cassio as his enemy and tries to get rid of him using Rodrigo. On the eve of the celebration of the wedding of Othello and Desdemona, Iago gets Cassio drunk, who loses control from drinking. Rodrigo deliberately hurts the drunken Cassio. A fight breaks out, causing general confusion. For unworthy behavior, Othello excommunicates Cassio from service. The lieutenant asks Desdemona for help. She, knowing Cassio to be an honest and devoted man to Othello, tries to persuade her husband to relent. At this time, Iago sows a seed of doubt in Othello’s head that Desdemona is cheating on her husband with Cassio. Her ardent persuasion in defense of the lieutenant increasingly inflames her husband's jealousy. He becomes not himself and demands from Iago proof of betrayal.

The “faithful” lieutenant forces his wife Emilia, who serves Desdemona, to steal her handkerchief that belonged to Othello’s mother. He gave it to Desdemona for her wedding with a request to never part with the thing dear to him. She accidentally loses the handkerchief, and Emilia gives it to Iago, who throws it at the lieutenant’s house, telling Othello that he saw the little thing with him. The lieutenant arranges a conversation with Cassio, where the latter demonstrates his frivolous and mocking attitude towards his mistress Bianca. Othello overhears the dialogue, thinking that it is about his wife and is absolutely convinced of their connection. He insults his wife, accusing her of treason, without listening to her vows of fidelity. The scene is witnessed by guests from Venice - Lodovico and Desdemona's uncle Gratiano, who brought the news of Othello's summons to Venice and the appointment of Cassio as governor of Cyprus. Gratiano is glad that his brother Brabantio will not see such a low attitude towards his daughter, since he died after her wedding.

The jealous man asks Iago to kill Cassio. Rodrigo comes to the lieutenant, angry that Iago has already extracted all the money from him, but there is no result. Iago persuades him to kill Cassio. Having tracked down the victim in the evening, Rodrigo wounds Cassio, and he himself dies, finished off by Iago’s blade. Othello, hearing the screams, decides that the traitor is dead. Gratiano and Lodovico arrive in time and save Cassio.

The culmination of the tragedy

Othello, having asked Desdemona to repent of her sins, strangles her and finishes her off with a blade. Emilia runs in and assures the Moor that his wife is the most holy creature, incapable of betrayal and meanness. Gratiano, Iago and others come to the Moor to tell about what happened and find a picture of the murder of Desdemona.

Othello says that Iago's arguments helped him find out about the betrayal. Emilia says that it was she who gave her husband the handkerchief. In the confusion, Iago kills her and escapes. Cassio is brought on a stretcher and the arrested Iago is brought in. The lieutenant is horrified by what happened, because he did not give the slightest reason for jealousy. Iago is sentenced to death, and the Moor must be tried by the Senate. But Othello stabs himself and falls on the bed next to Desdemona and Emilia.

The images created by the author are lively and organic. Each of them has both positive and negative traits, which is what makes the tragedy vital and always relevant. Othello is a brilliant commander and ruler, a brave, strong and courageous man. But in love he is inexperienced, somewhat limited and rude. He himself finds it hard to believe that a young and beautiful person can love him. It was his certain uncertainty that allowed Iago to so easily confuse Othello. The strict and at the same time loving Moor became a hostage to his own strong feelings - crazy love and frantic jealousy. Desdemona is the personification of femininity and purity. However, her behavior towards her father allowed Iago to prove to Othello that his ideal wife is capable of cunning and deception for the sake of love.

The most negative hero, at first glance, is Iago. He is the initiator of all the intrigues that led to the tragic outcome. But he himself did nothing except kill Rodrigo. All responsibility for what happened falls on Othello's shoulders. It was he who, succumbing to slander and gossip, without understanding it, accused his devoted assistant and beloved wife, for which he took her life and gave his own, unable to withstand the remorse and pain of the bitter truth.

The main idea of ​​the work

The dramatic work “Othello” can rightfully be called a tragedy of feelings. The problem of confrontation between reason and feelings is the basis of the work. Each character is punished by death for blindly following his desires and emotions: Othello - jealousy, Desdemona - boundless faith in her husband's love, Rodrigo - passion, Emilia - gullibility and indecision, Iago - a frantic desire for revenge and profit.

The best dramatic work of William Shakespeare and one of the most significant masterpieces of the world classics is tragedy - a symbol of tragic and unfulfilled love.

The comedy is based on a very instructive idea about female character as the basis of true female happiness.

Iago’s game was almost a success, but he was unable to control it to the end due to the scale of the intrigues and the large number of its participants. Blindly following feelings and emotions, devoid of a voice of reason, according to the author, will inevitably result in tragedy.

Verdi played a leading role in the creation of the libretto for Othello. According to his instructions, Boito changed the plan several times and rewrote entire scenes. Shakespeare's plot has undergone significant changes. The composer concentrated the action around the main conflict - the clash between Othello and Iago, giving it a universal sound, freeing the intrigue from small everyday details.

Having completed the work in November 1886, Verdi took direct part in its production. The premiere took place on February 5, 1887 in Milan and resulted in a true triumph of Italian national art. Soon this opera was recognized throughout the world as Verdi's best, most perfect creation.

Music

“Othello” is a musical tragedy that amazes with its truthfulness and depth of embodiment of human characters. The musical portraits of Othello - a hero and warrior, a passionate loving spouse, a trusting man and at the same time furious in his rage, the meek and pure Desdemona, the treacherous Iago, trampling all moral laws - are marked by extraordinary relief and dramatic power. Choral episodes complement the images of the main characters, expressing the attitude of the people towards them. An important role in the opera is played by the orchestra, which conveys the emotional atmosphere of events and the exceptional richness of psychological shades.

The first act opens with a grandiose vocal-symphonic picture of a storm, which immediately introduces you into the thick of intense struggle and sharp clashes. The climax of this dynamic scene is the appearance of Othello, accompanied by a joyful chorus. In the feast scene, the whimsical choir “Joy of the Flame,” with its melody and picturesque orchestral accompaniment, seems to depict the flaring fires of festive bonfires. Iago's drinking song is permeated with caustic sarcasm. The duet of Othello and Desdemona “The Dark Night Has Come,” preceded by the soulful sound of solo cellos, is replete with melodic melodies. At the conclusion of the duet, a passionate, ecstatic melody of love appears in the orchestra.

In the second act, the characteristics of Iago and Othello take center stage. The image of Iago - a strong, unwavering, but spiritually devastated person - is captured in the large monologue “I Believe in a Cruel Creator”; in the firm, decisive musical phrases there is a hidden mockery, enhanced by the orchestral accompaniment (at the end there is an explosion of caustic laughter). An expressive contrast is created by the Cypriot chorus “You look - everything will sparkle,” emphasizing the purity and purity of Desdemona; the enlightened nature of the music is created by the sound of children's voices, the transparent accompaniment of mandolins and guitars. In the quartet (Desdemona, Emilia, Othello and Iago), Desdemona’s broad melodies, full of calm nobility, contrast with Othello’s agitated, sorrowful phrases. Arioso Othello “I say goodbye to you forever, memories”, accompanied by warlike fanfare, close to a heroic march; this is a brief musical portrait of a courageous commander. In contrast to this is Iago’s story about Cassio, “That Was in the Night”; its insinuating, bewitching melody and swaying accompaniment pattern resemble a lullaby. The duet of Othello and Iago (oath of revenge) in the nature of the music echoes the arioso of Othello.

The third act is based on a sharp contrast between the solemnity of the mass scenes in which the people greet Othello, and his deep mental turmoil. The duet of Othello and Desdemona opens with the gentle melody of “Hello, my dear husband.” Gradually, Othello's phrases become more and more anxious and agitated; at the end of the duet, the initial lyrical melody sounds ironic and ends with an angry exclamation. The torn, gloomy, seemingly frozen phrases of Othello’s monologue “God, you could have given me shame” express depression and numbness: the melodious melody of the second part of the monologue is permeated with restrained sorrow. A wonderful septet with a choir is the pinnacle of drama: the leading role here belongs to Desdemona, her soulful melodies are full of sorrowful forebodings.

In the fourth act, the image of Desdemona takes precedence. A mournful orchestral introduction with a solo English horn creates a tragic atmosphere of doom, predicting an imminent denouement. This mood is intensified in Desdemona’s simple, folk song with repeated melancholy exclamations of “Willow! Willow! Willow!". A short orchestral intermezzo (the appearance of Othello), ending with a passionate melody of love, is distinguished by a wide range of feelings. The dialogue between Othello and Desdemona, built on short, nervous remarks, is accompanied by an alarming pulsation of the orchestra. The last characteristic of Othello is a short monologue “I am not terrible, although armed”; short phrases convey a feverish change of thoughts. At the end of the opera, highlighting the dramatic denouement, the melody of love again plays in the orchestra.

M. Druskin

“Othello” is Verdi’s highest realistic achievement, one of the best works of world opera classics.

Using the means of his art, the composer was able to convey the true spirit of Shakespeare's tragedy, although, according to the laws of the specifics of musical dramaturgy, a number of side moments and scenes were released in the opera, the turn of events was given more concisely and quickly, the contrasts of characters and dramatic situations were more sharply defined.

At the same time, a number of additional episodes were introduced, which made it possible to more widely reveal in the music the spiritual world of the characters and their characteristics. Such are the duet of Othello and Desdemona at the end of Act I and the “Cypriot chorus” in Act II, which gives an indirect characterization of Desdemona, praising the nobility and chastity of her moral character.

Act I is divided into three large scenes; Let's call them “Storm”, “Tavern”, “Night”. Each of them has its own musical and dramatic centers, which anchor the development of action and characters. The opera begins without an overture, replaced by a large dynamic choral scene; it is at the same time an indirect characteristic of Othello - the people's favorite and leader. In the second scene, the intrigue unfolds and the initial exposition of the image of Iago with his wonderful drinking song is given. The third scene is a love duet, in which the poetic appearance of Desdemona and the lyrical aspects of Othello’s character are outlined (for the two main themes of the duet, see examples 167 a, b). The end of the act - the highest bright point of the tragedy - is captured in a love theme of amazing beauty:

In Act II, the insidious and evil Iago comes to the fore. In showing a strong negative image, Verdi uses, as usual, not satirical, but dramatic means of expression. This is Iago’s monologue - the best example, along with the images of the priests in Aida, of this manner of Verdi. Angular, seemingly grinding chord progressions, frantic explosions of passages, tremolos, piercing trills - all this serves to outline the image of an inhuman, cruel enemy:

Further key points of Act II are presented in the “Cypriot chorus”, the quartet and the final “oath of revenge” - the duet of Iago and Othello, which is demonic in nature.

The development of Act III is marked with great purpose. Its first half shows the growth of Othello's jealous feelings (the duet of Desdemona and Othello; the trio of Iago, Cassio and Othello), which leads to the climax of the opera - a septet with a chorus, where the contradictions between the two polar images of the tragedy: Desdemona and Iago are expressed with great force. The intonation of the lyrical themes that sounded in the love duet of Act I served as the basis for two Desdemona themes in the septet.

Its initial section (Es-dur, choir comments - As-dur) is dedicated to the exposition of these themes, which has a closed form, being framed by the first of the given themes.

In the second section, Iago becomes more active, the chorus’s remarks become more and more alarming, but they sound wary, in a whisper. This is the calm before the fierce battle that will break out in the third section (the main stages of the battle are As-dur, F-dur). Both themes of Desdemona are also used here, which gives this section a reprisal character. But the balance of forces has changed: the chant of the second lyrical theme in the bass is answered by Iago’s menacing phrase. Thus, throughout this masterfully written septet, the action moves inexorably towards a tragic denouement.

Act IV is the pinnacle of tragedy. With unusually restrained, stingy means, Verdi conveys the feeling of intense anticipation of a terrible catastrophe and its fulfillment, and - which is wonderful! - the music is dominated by muted tones and shades rrr(even ppppp!). Unexpected outbreaks of violent manifestations of despair or anger stand out all the more clearly. Such, for example, is the following phrase from Desdemona’s farewell to Emilia:

The atmosphere of guarded silence is brilliantly conveyed in the orchestral introduction. The melancholy melody of the cor anglais is accompanied by the mournful sigh of the flutes; Later, the opening “empty” fifth of the clarinets sounds like an inexorable sentence:

The thematic theme of the introduction permeates the entire first scene of the act with the song about the willow tree and Desdemona's prayer - these outstanding examples of Verdi's folk song lyrics. Echoes of this thematic theme also penetrate into the intonations of Othello, who regained his sight after the death of Desdemona. At the moment of his death, a wonderful melody of love appears from the duet of Act I (see example 165): thus, through the means of music, the composer cements in the memory of the listeners the noble and courageous, deeply humane image of the unfortunate Moor.

The musical dramaturgy of Othello develops rapidly and intensely. Verdi finally breaks with the principles of number structure: the action breaks up into scenes, but the transitions between them are smoothed out. The amazing skill with which Verdi combines end-to-end development with the internal completeness of the central dramatic moments is amazing. Iago's drinking song, love duet in Act I, Iago's "credo", "Cypriot chorus", "oath of revenge" - in Act II, Othello's aria, septet - in III, song about the willow tree and Desdemona's prayer, Othello's dying monologue in Act IV - all of these are, to one degree or another, completed, internally complete numbers, arising, however, in the process of the end-to-end development of music.

In this coherence of development, the role of both vocal and instrumental factors is great.

Verdi found in Othello the ideal balance between the recitative-declamatory and song-ariat beginnings. That is why the transitions from recitative forms to arioses are so organic in opera. Moreover, Verdi’s melodic generosity did not dry out, and he did not move away from the folk song origins that permeated the music of his creations. At the same time, her harmonic structure became bolder and brighter, and her tonal movement became more flexible and varied. All this helped convey the emotional nuances and richness of the characters’ spiritual world.

Verdi's orchestra also became more colorful and varied, without losing, however, its individual qualities - the rich and courageous sound of “pure” timbres, bright juxtapositions of contrasting groups, light and transparent coloring, powerful dynamics. And most importantly, the orchestra acquired the importance of an equal participant in the action and was imbued with songfulness to the same extent as the vocal part was imbued with declamation (Verdi said: “Good instrumentation does not consist in the variety and unusualness of effects - it is good when it expresses something.” Rimsky-Korsakov wrote enthusiastically about the “dramatic orchestra” of Verdi.).

Thus, all the musical resources of the opera appeared in organic unity, which is a distinctive feature of the best realistic works of the world musical theater.

"Othello" as a "tragedy of betrayed trust"

“Othello” is a tragedy by W. Shakespeare. It was first staged on the stage of London's Globe Theater on October 6, 1604 in honor of King James I, who shortly before granted the theater troupe the right to be called "His Majesty's Servants." The tragedy was probably written in the same year. It was first published in 1622 by the London publisher T. Walkley. The source of the plot was the short story “The Moor of Venice” by D. Cintio from the 1566 collection “One Hundred Stories”, in which the story is presented as “the story of the ensign’s wife.” This story was translated into English only in the 18th century, so it remains to be assumed that either Shakespeare was familiar with its Italian or French text, or heard someone else’s detailed retelling. While maintaining the general plot line, in key moments, in creating the psychologically complex characters of the heroes, Shakespeare significantly reworked the source material: he modified the motive of revenge of the scoundrel Ensign, in the story, in love with Desdemona and rejected by her, gives an elevated character to the love of Desdemona and Othello, whom she “loved” valor,” he also said “for her sympathy for him.” The motive for Othello's jealousy was also significantly changed: in Shakespeare it is not dictated by a wounded sense of honor or the insulted pride of the husband-owner, but is the fulfillment of the real duty of a hero seeking to destroy evil in the world. Othello is not a melodramatic villain who kills out of jealousy; under such conditions, the poet could not interest us in his fate, much less create in us a touching and sublimely tragic impression. The drama here loses its narrowly personal, love meaning and rises to the highest tragic motive - to the collision of the individual with the environment.

In all mature Shakespearean tragedies, the events depicted on stage are moved away from the viewer into the depths of centuries - into antiquity or into the legendary Middle Ages. Such a chronological distance was necessary for the poet so that he could, in a generalized form, solve the biggest and most pressing problems raised by modernity. And only “Othello” is an exception in this regard. The historical event that Shakespeare introduces into his play - the attempted Turkish attack on Cyprus - took place in 1570, just 30 years before the premiere of Othello. If we consider that the English of Shakespeare's era, despite all the hostility towards their main enemies - the Spaniards, continued to admire the victory of the Spanish fleet over the Turks at Lepanto in 1571, then it becomes clear that the audience of the Globe had to react to the tragedy of the Venetian Moor like a play about modernity.

In Othello, the development of the play's action, to the greatest extent, compared to all of Shakespeare's mature tragedies, is concentrated around personal events. There is neither the Trojan War nor the clash between Egypt and the Roman Empire. Even the military conflict, ready to flare up between Venice and the Turks, turns out to be exhausted already in the first scene of the second act: the storm that spared the ships of Othello and Desdemona sent the Turkish squadron to the bottom.

Such a construction of the play can easily lead to an analysis of Othello as a tragedy of a purely personal nature. However, any exaggeration of the intimate-personal principle in Othello to the detriment of other aspects of this work ultimately inevitably turns into an attempt to limit Shakespeare's tragedy to the narrow framework of the drama of jealousy. True, in the vernacular of the whole world, the name Othello has long become synonymous with a jealous person. But the theme of jealousy in Shakespeare's tragedy appears, if not as a secondary element, then in any case as a derivative of more complex problems that determine the ideological depth of the play.

The gallery of images representing various products of Venetian civilization is crowned by the image of its most terrible representative - Iago.

The text of the play allows us to fairly fully reconstruct Iago's biography. In this case, however, one has to rely mainly on his own statements; and the properties of Iago's soul are such that many of his statements should be treated with caution.

Iago is young - he is only 28 years old, but he is no longer a newcomer to the Venetian army; Apparently his entire adult life is connected with military service. This is especially clearly demonstrated by Iago’s sincere indignation at the fact that it was not he, but Cassio, who was appointed to replace Othello’s deputy; In Cassio’s promotion, Iago sees a challenge to the normal army order, in which the one who is higher in rank and who has more years of service can first apply for promotion.

It is clear that, in Iago’s opinion, he has enough years of service.

In the same scene, Iago mentions his participation in battles in Cyprus and Rhodes, in Christian and pagan countries; in the future, he also repeatedly recalls episodes of his combat life.

One way or another, Iago's track record is quite rich. Commentators have long paid attention to the lexical coloring of Iago’s remarks, noting in them a large number of naval metaphors that characterize the character and thus perform a very significant function. In Shakespeare's time, the image of a sailor was associated not only with the romance of overseas discoveries and pirate raids. In the eyes of the spectators of that time, the sailor was “smelly, independent, drunken, loud-mouthed and pugnacious,” in other words, the sailor of Shakespeare’s time was a typical representative of the very bottom of a democratic society. Therefore, the abundance of nautical terms and metaphors in Iago’s speech served as a precisely calculated means of emphasizing Iago’s rudeness and lack of education.

Iago's uncouthness is striking. Desdemona rightly calls the jokes that Iago makes in her presence entertainment worthy of pub regulars:

Flat tavern jokes for the amusement of old fools.

But Iago does not seek to hide his rudeness; on the contrary, he flaunts it and derives unprecedented benefits from this rudeness for himself: the guise of a simple, straightforward soldier, which Iago wears with such success, makes the rest of the characters believe in his honesty and frankness.

Iago's main, powerful and effective weapon is his sober, practical mind. Iago is a person endowed with remarkable powers of observation, which helps him form an unmistakable picture of the people around him. Very often, Iago, insidiously pursuing his secret goals, tells deliberate lies about other characters in the play. But in the moments when he, left alone on stage, speaks frankly about the people he encounters, his assessments are striking in their insight; they succinctly, but clearly and objectively express the innermost essence of the characters.

Thus, even from reviews of Cassio, about whom Iago cannot speak without irritation, the viewer learns that the lieutenant is handsome, educated, lacks practical experience, is prone to frivolous relationships, and gets drunk quickly. And all these elements of Cassio’s characterization are immediately confirmed by his behavior on stage.

Iago repeatedly calls his accomplice Rodrigo a fool; and indeed the stupidity of this character turns out to be the main feature that ultimately determines his fate.

The social characteristics of Rodrigo are very clear. He is a rich heir, a social scoundrel, squandering the estates that he inherited from his ancestors. Rodrigo belongs to polite society; he even wooes the daughter of a respected Venetian senator, one of the most influential people in the city.

Rodrigo is ridiculous: he is stupid and cowardly, he is weak-willed to the point of tearfulness. However, the comic side does not exhaust the entire content of Rodrigo’s image. This representative of the golden Venetian youth is not endowed with the ability to think or act independently. Therefore, it is not surprising that Iago managed to make Rodrigo an obedient executor of his plans. But Iago is a smart man; he could not choose as an assistant in his atrocities a nonentity who could only amuse the public. Why did he choose Rodrigo?

It is very significant that Iago does not let Rodrigo know the essence of his plan. By pursuing his own goals, Iago simultaneously strengthens Roderigo's weak will and opens up to him a certain scope that he needs to fulfill his desires. And in the name of these desires, Rodrigo, spurred on by Iago, turns out to be capable of any crime, even murder from around the corner, as his night attack on Cassio proves.

This happens because Rodrigoli is devoid of any moral principles. Brabantio refused him the house, Desdemona married a Moor. But the lust that drives Rodrigo makes him hope that with the help of a pimp he will still be able to get into Desdemona’s bedroom. That's the whole circle of his desires.

And in the eyes of Rodrigo, Iago acts as a pimp. The remark that opens the tragedy testifies to this more than convincingly:

Say no more, this is baseness, Iago.

You took the money and hid this incident.

Apparently, Rodrigo paid money to Iago, who promised the young dandy to arrange a love date. Rodrigo no less than Iago believes in the power of gold, which Shakespeare, through the mouth of Timon of Athens, branded as the universal whore of humanity. But if the pimp says that gold alone is not enough to win, that it is also necessary to stealthily kill the one whom the pimp points out as a rival, Rodrigo is ready to kill.

At the end of the play, Rodrigo makes an attempt to break with Iago, but this decision is not at all dictated by high moral considerations. Roderigo is indignant only because Iago robbed him; he intends to turn to Desdemona and ask her for the jewelry that Iago allegedly gave to her. A magnificent touch that completely exposes the pettiness and huckstering nature of Rodrigo! The disagreement between Iago and Roderigo makes Roderigo’s weak-willed meanness even more clear: as it turns out later, he agrees to kill Cassio, while at the same time having in his pocket a letter in which he, albeit in an unclear form, dissociates himself from Iago.

Iago's comments about women are usually full of embittered cynicism; and yet he makes an exception for Desdemona, speaking of her virtue and kindness.

Finally, it is Iago who provides the most accurate definition of the spiritual essence of his main antagonist Othello.

If we add to everything said above that in moments of frankness Iago gives an absolutely correct assessment of himself, then it becomes clear how deeply Iago understands people. Moreover, Iago's reviews of all the characters essentially completely coincide with what Shakespeare himself thinks about them.

The ability to understand the true nature of the people around him helps Iago quickly navigate the situation. Taking into account the peculiarities of the psychological make-up of the characters participating in a particular situation, created by himself or arising against his will, Iago can predict its further course and use it for his own purposes. A brilliant example of this is the scene in which Iago, in the presence of the hidden Othello, asks Cassio about Bianca. Iago is convinced that jealousy has already taken possession of the soul of the naive Othello; on the other hand, he knows that Cassio cannot talk about Bianca except with frivolous laughter. Comparing this data, Iago develops a plan to influence Othello.

Othello's reaction confirms that Iago's plan was calculated with utmost precision.

Iago's mind is somewhat reminiscent of the mind of a chess player. When sitting down at the board, a chess player has the main goal in front of him - winning; but he does not yet know in what specific way this gain can be achieved. However, an experienced player, observing how the responses of an insufficiently prepared opponent expose the weaknesses of his position, very soon creates a tactical plan of attack and begins to foresee what consequences his moves will lead to and how the combination of these moves will allow him to achieve victory. So Iago declares war on Othello, without yet having a specific plan of attack.

Iago uses the best qualities inherent in Othello and Desdemona in order to destroy them.

In addition to his insightful mind, Iago is armed with one property that allows him to carry out his dark plans. This is his excellent ability to hide his essence under the guise of a soldier's directness and simplicity.

Iago's ability to wear a mask and his artistic ability to transform has no equal among all Shakespeare's villains. At his first appearance before the audience, Iago utters an aphorism in which he most accurately defines the very essence of his character: “I am not what I seem.” But until the finale, none of the characters in the play can notice Iago’s duplicity; everyone continues to consider him honest and brave.

As the action progresses, Iago demonstrates not only his brilliant acting abilities, he also acts as the director of the criminal play he has conceived. Intelligence and the ability to disguise his plans allow Iago to use the character traits of other characters for the purposes he needs and make them instruments of his politics.

Iago behaves like a predator, guided by selfish aspirations. Almost all of his thoughts and actions are subordinated to one idea - to achieve success for himself personally, in whatever form - promotion, enrichment, etc. - this success was not expressed. The only exception to this rule is Iago’s desire to destroy Othello. The play does not contain any hint that Iago could count on the position of Moor after he succeeds in overthrowing Othello.

This predatory egoism of Iago appears in the tragedy not just as a subjective trait of his character; Iago’s self-interest is the practical application of the very harmonious system of views he developed on man and society.

Iago formulates the initial premise of his social philosophy already in the first scene. According to it, society consists of disconnected individuals. Among them there are people who follow certain moral principles and enter into relationships with other people without pursuing selfish goals; but these are fools and donkeys. Smart people serve themselves: they achieve success by relying on themselves, and achieve their goals at the expense of others. In this struggle for success, the main means is deception, the ability to hide your true intentions.

Generalizations like those on which Iago’s philosophy is based could irritate the people of Shakespeare’s era and cause an indignant reaction on their part, but these generalizations were no longer something isolated and exceptional. They most clearly reflected the disintegration of old feudal ties under the blows of new bourgeois relations based on a war of all against all.

The view of society as a collection of people in which there is a constant war of all against all also determines the assessment of individual human individuality. In this war, one of the most effective means of defense and attack is deception. A person’s appearance not only can, but must also correspond to his essence, hidden under the mask of virtue.

Iago’s all-pervasive egoism, based on the conviction that man is a wolf to man, excludes the very possibility that in Iago’s soul there would be room for love for anyone other than himself. The entire system of Iago’s relationships with other characters is built in strict accordance with this.

All of Iago's hatred is concentrated on Othello. It is so great, it takes over Iago’s soul so completely that it even goes beyond the scope of that selfish self-interest that serves the villain as a reliable compass in other cases of life.

Telling Rodrigo about his hatred of the Moor, Iago refers to some specific - justified or unfounded - reasons (“I have often told you and I repeat: I hate the Moor”). However, the true source of hatred is in the soul of Iago himself, who is organically unable to treat noble people differently

But just as all the subjective qualities inherent in Iago are ultimately determined by the social philosophy of this character, so Iago’s hatred of Othello has a social basis. Othello and Desdemona for Iago are simply noble people; by their very existence they refute Iago’s view of the essence of man - a view that he wants to present as a law that does not tolerate exceptions.

Polar opposites such as Othello and Iago cannot coexist in the same society. Where there is room for Iago, there is no room for Othello. Moreover, Othello's honesty and nobility pose a potential threat to Iago's well-being. That is why all the power of hatred for people inherent in the convinced egoist Iago is concentrated on Othello.

Iago's hatred is increased tenfold by the fact that his antagonist is a Moor. Not only racial prejudice is to blame for this, but not taking into account that Othello’s skin color exacerbates Iago’s hatred of him is tantamount to turning a blind eye to Othello’s African origins.

In the first scene, Iago utters some very remarkable words: if he were a Moor, he would not be Iago. The Moor has everything that Iago lacks - a pure soul, courage, and the talent of a commander, which ensured him universal respect. And the Venetian Iago, who considers himself by birth to belong to the highest, white breed of people, is condemned to eternal subordination to the Moor, just like Iago’s wife to the role of a servant to the Moor’s wife. This alone cannot but cause “noble” indignation in his soul.

This attitude towards the Moor is important not only for the interpretation of Iago’s individual characteristics. It makes it clear that Iago’s hatred of Othello is not just a purely personal feeling.

Othello, in appearance, is the generally recognized savior of Venice, the support of its freedom, a revered general with royal ancestors behind him. But morally he is alone and not only alien to the republic, but even despised by its rulers. In the entire Venetian council there is no one, except the Doge, who could believe in the naturalness of Desdemona’s love for the Moor, and everyone is quite seriously asking whether he resorted to “forbidden, violent means in order to subjugate and poison the young girl’s feelings?” Othello instinctively understands his role, with pain in his heart he admits that he did not have the slightest hope of captivating Desdemona, the first beauty of the proud aristocratic world, and even now he cannot explain to the senators how this happened. And his only explanation, which does not at all indicate self-confidence: “She fell in love with me for my torment.” This is what Othello says, obviously not daring to attribute Desdemona’s feelings to any of his merits. He accepts her love as an undeserved gift, as happiness, at the moment of which all that remains is to die.

When the thought that he might lose Desdemona first creeps into Othello’s soul, the Venetian commander, with a feeling of doom, remembers that he is black.

Why and for what purpose did Shakespeare make his hero black?

Much more important for answering this question are observations of the system of contrasts, with the help of which the playwright repeatedly showed the possibility of a discrepancy between the elements of a person’s external characteristics and his true essence.

No one doubts that the blackness of Othello serves as the most important means of showing the exclusivity of the protagonist of the tragedy. But the impression of Othello’s exclusivity is created not only by the color of his skin.

Black Othello comes from a royal family; in childhood or at a conscious age he converted to Christianity. He happened to stand at the deathbed of his mother, who gave him a scarf with miraculous properties. Like the epic hero, from the age of seven he learned military labor and for a long time fought together with his brother, who died before his eyes. During his wanderings, he visited distant, mysterious lands inhabited by cannibals; was captured, sold into slavery and regained freedom. During the last quite long time he served faithfully in the Venetian Signoria. He experienced some strange adventure in Syria, when in Aleppo, a city that was part of the Ottoman Empire, he stabbed a Turk to death for that. that he beat the Venetian and insulted the republic. as a commander of Venice, he fought in Christian and pagan lands, in Rhodes and Cyprus, where for a certain time he also performed some administrative or military-administrative functions, gaining the love of the Cypriots. Only 9 months immediately preceding the events depicted in the tragedy, Othello spent in idleness in the capital of the Venetian Republic.

The only area of ​​contact between Othello and the Venetian state is military affairs. You don’t need to have any rich imagination to imagine a Moor being the first to break into besieged enemy fortresses or galloping at the head of Venetian troops into enemy redoubts. In countless campaigns, another quality of Othello developed and strengthened, distinguishing him from the Venetian: he became a knight in the highest sense of the word.

A number of elements in the characterization of Othello show his internal opposition to Venetian society. The Moor can serve Venice in almost any position, up to the post of commander of large military formations. But he cannot organically enter this society and merge with it. And the blackness of Othello serves as a stage device of exceptional expressiveness, brought to the intensity of the symbol, which constantly reminds the viewer of the essence of the relationship between Othello and Venetian civilization.

“Othello is not jealous by nature - on the contrary: he is trusting.” This cursory remark by Pushkin allows us to understand the deepest origins of the tragic fate of the Venetian Moor.

In the face of death, Othello says that jealousy was not the passion that initially determined his behavior; but this passion took possession of him when he was unable to resist the influence exerted on him by Iago. And Othello was deprived of this ability to resist by the very side of his nature that Pushkin calls the main one - his gullibility.

However, the main source of Othello's gullibility is not in his individual qualities. Fate threw him into a republic that was alien and incomprehensible to him, in which the power of a tightly stuffed wallet triumphed and strengthened - secret and obvious power that makes people self-interested predators. But the Moor is calm and confident. Relations between individual members of Venetian society are practically of no interest to him: he is not associated with individuals, but with the Signoria, which he serves as a military leader; and as a commander, Othello is impeccable and extremely necessary for the republic. The tragedy begins precisely with a remark confirming what was said above about the nature of Othello’s connections with Venetian society: Iago is outraged that the Moor did not listen to the voice of three Venetian nobles who petitioned for his appointment to the position of lieutenant.

But then an event of great importance occurs in Othello’s life: he and Desdemona fell in love with each other. The feeling that arose in Desdemona’s soul, much more vividly than the Senate’s recognition of Othello’s military merits, proves the internal integrity, beauty and strength of the Moor.

Othello is not only delighted with Desdemona's decision; he is to some extent surprised by what happened. Desdemona's love for him is a discovery that allowed him to take a new look at himself. But the event, which was supposed to further strengthen the peace of mind of Othello, also had a downside. The Moor was well protected by his own strength and courage as long as he remained only a commander. Now, when he became the husband of a Venetian woman, in other words, when he had new forms of connections with society, he became vulnerable.

And Iago is perfectly prepared for his attack. He is armed to the teeth with knowledge of the morals prevailing in Venetian society, with his entire cynical philosophy, in which deception and lies are given such an honorable place.

To deal Othello the fatal blow, Iago uses both his deep understanding of the character of the straightforward and trusting Othello, and his knowledge of the moral standards that guide society. Iago is convinced that a person’s appearance is given to him in order to hide his true essence. Now all he has to do is convince the Moor that this statement is also true of Desdemona.

But Desdemona fell in love with the Moor and, by marrying him, thereby proved that she was an exception among all the other Venetians. This means that we need to question the high spiritual union that arose between Othello and Desdemona.

And Iago manages to gain a partial victory for some time. The thought that Desdemona is as deceitful as the entire Venetian society displaces in Othello’s brain the thought of the high purity of feeling connecting him with Desdemona.

The comparative ease with which Iago managed to win this victory is explained not only by the fact that Othello believes in Iago’s honesty and considers him a person who perfectly understands the true nature of ordinary relations between the Venetians. Iago’s base logic captivates Othello primarily because similar logic is used by other members of Venetian society.

For Venetians like Roderigo or Iago, the idea that a woman is publicly accessible has long become a truism; Since wives are also publicly available, the offended husband has no choice but to, in turn, cuckold the offender. But Othello cannot give up his ideals, cannot accept Iago’s moral standards. And so he kills Desdemona.

Desdemona's true beauty lies in her sincerity and truthfulness, without which there is no love, no happiness, no life for her.

Love for Othello is the greatest truth for Desdemona. In the name of this truth, she is ready to deceive her own father; In the name of this truth, she, dying, makes a last desperate attempt to save her lover. And this great truth of love makes Desdemona one of the most heroic female characters in all of Shakespeare's drama.

The break with Venetian society that Desdemona makes is a decision heroic in its courage. And yet, the theme of Desdemona’s heroism acquires its fullest resonance in the scene of her death.

These last words of Desdemona are the highest manifestation of selflessness in love. Leaving this life through the fault of Othello, Desdemona still passionately continues to love her husband and at the last moment tries to protect Othello from the punishment that should fall on him for the crime he committed.

It is possible that Desdemona’s last words also carry deep psychological implications: knowing about her complete innocence, Desdemona, at the moment of her dying epiphany, understands that her husband was the victim of some tragic delusion, and this reconciles her with Othello.

Desdemona's faith in people makes her an easy prey for Iago, her very frankness and honesty make her an object of suspicion in a world where few people seem to be what they really are; her purity is inevitably called into question in a world where almost every significant character bears the mark of corruption. Desdemona is the complete opposite of Iago; she has no need to hide her actions and thoughts. And Othello believes Iago and suspects Desdemona of deceit and hypocrisy. The Moor wants to drive lies out of the world, but instead he kills with his own hands a man for whom truth is the highest law.

Othello's recognition that chaos reigned in his soul until this soul was illuminated by the light of love for Desdemona can, in a certain sense, serve as the key to understanding the entire history of the relationship between the main characters of the tragedy.

At first glance, from the confident, calm and self-possessed manner that characterizes Othello’s behavior at the beginning of the play, it is impossible to assume that there was room for doubts and conflicting feelings in his brave soul. However, let us remember that the contrast between a person’s external appearance and his inner essence underlies the entire poetics of Shakespeare’s tragedy. As a commander, Othello could indeed be a model of self-control and poise - qualities without which even the bravest soldier cannot dream of a marshal's baton. But if the Moor tried to remember his entire life, full of fierce battles, brilliant victories and bitter defeats, it would inevitably seem to him a chaotic heap of ups and downs.

And together with Desdemona, a hitherto unknown harmony entered the life of the stern warrior. Even the most severe dangers and adversities that befell him now appeared before him in a different light, for for the torment that he had once endured, the most beautiful of women fell in love with him. In a sea of ​​evil and violence, Othello discovered the promised island - not just an island of love, but a stronghold of truth, faith and sincerity. For Othello, Desdemona is the focus of all the highest moral values, and therefore the blow that Iago delivers essentially exceeds in its consequences even the expectations of the slanderer himself. Having defamed Desdemona, Iago deprived Othello of faith in people in general, and the world again appeared before the Moor in the form of terrible chaos.

As the end of the tragedy approaches, the darkness deepens almost with physical perceptibility. On the dark streets of Cyprus there are murders and attacks from around the corner; and at this time Othello, preparing to execute Desdemona, turns off the light in her bedroom. But the most terrible darkness reigns in Othello's soul. The Moor's darkened consciousness paints him an image of the deceitful and depraved Desdemona - an image all the more terrible for Othello because his love for his wife is still immeasurable. What previously seemed a stronghold of goodness and purity, before his eyes, plunges into the abyss of vice, which rules the chaos of life.

The theme of light and darkness found its last, most expressive embodiment in Othello’s monologue, with which he enters the room where Desdemona sleeps.

One line combines the most ordinary - after all, people turn out the lights every day, blow out candles - and something supernatural, terrible: the idea that Othello must kill an infinitely loved person, kill, realizing that with the death of Desdemona he will lose that only source of spiritual light, who was able to dispel the darkness of the cruel and treacherous world that surrounded Othello from childhood. Kill - and plunge yourself into endless pitch darkness.

Thus, the theme of chaos organically develops into the theme of Othello’s suicide.

In Othello, in his passionate love for Desdemona, all faith in bright ideals is concentrated. If Desdemona is bad and vicious, then the world is a continuous, hopeless kingdom of evil. Who will remain in this world when Desdemona leaves it? The answer is given by the enraged Othello himself, who has lost control of himself, when he hatefully throws in the faces of the Venetians around him: “Goats and monkeys!” Is it conceivable to imagine that Othello, after the death of Desdemona, would continue to eke out an existence in the society of those whom he considers goats and monkeys?

The feeling that life without Desdemona is impossible arises in Othello much earlier than the decision to execute his wife. For the first time thinking that he might lose Desdemona, Othello is ready to set her free, like an untamed bird. But he knows that for this he must break the bonds that hold Desdemona.

This is how the theme of Othello’s suicide arises in the play. It still sounds vague and muffled, but these are the distant rumbles of a thunderstorm that will very soon break out over the Moor’s head.

The fact that the prospect of suicide appears to Othello long before the end of the play is of great significance. For all her beauty and even heroism, Desdemona remains only a means in Iago’s struggle against Othello. As criticism has rightly noted, Iago is practically not interested in the fate of Desdemona, or interests him only insofar as he can use the heroine to deal a fatal blow to the Moor. The greatest success that Iago achieves is not the death of Desdemona, but the suicide of Othello, for the main theme of the tragedy is the story that the forces of evil managed to destroy Othello.

Iago's success shows how powerful the evil lurking in the depths of Venetian civilization turned out to be. And the death of the heroes makes the play about Othello one of Shakespeare's most difficult tragedies.

And yet, this work does not leave us with the pessimistic conviction that good is initially and inevitably doomed to defeat in a collision with evil.

Othello's dying insight, his return to faith in high ideals, faith in the reality of the existence of honesty, devotion, purity, selflessness, love - this is not so much a victory as Othello's salvation.

The real triumphant in the tragedy of the Venetian Moor, the winner of Iago and the savior of Othello is Desdemona. With her entire stage life, the young heroine refutes Iago’s vile philosophy. It is in the very image of Desdemona that lies the main, deep source of optimism that illuminates the ending of the dark tragedy.

Shakespeare shows that the ideals of truth and nobility are a reality; but the very existence of ideals in the conditions of Venetian civilization is under mortal threat. And in any case, the world of selfish egoists is strong enough to deal with specific bearers of these high ideals.

Having told the world about the tragic fate that befell the heroes of his play, Shakespeare seemed to say to his audience: yes, ideals exist, their triumph is possible, but not in the conditions of this civilization. Thus, the problem of optimism organically grows into the problem of utopia, in which the bearer of the highest values ​​is a black warrior, both by the nature of his soul and by origin, alien to a civilized society, the main principle of which is expressed in the words of Iago: “Put money in your wallet.” And the Moor’s only true ally turns out to be a woman who breaks with Venetian society. The happiness of these beautiful people, the harmony of their pure and truthful relationships - harmony, without which they cannot exist - is possible. But the sphere of happiness, the sphere of the triumph of high ideals is not civilized Venice, but the utopian kingdom of “natural man.”

Shakespeare's tragedy fills the hearts of the audience with hatred for the society that destroys Othello and Desdemona - a society terrible for its businesslike, selfish depravity, in which Iago feels like a fish in water. But it also inspires pride in humanity, which is capable of giving birth to people like Othello and Desdemona.

This is the great power of Shakespeare's tragedy, which opened before it a centuries-long triumphant path across the stages of the whole world.

Othello is considered his best work. The action is structured clearly, the cause-and-effect relationships are logical, and the events are consistent. This is a realistic tragedy of the writer, excluding the presence of a magical element and describing the real world. The characters are authentic and represent people without magical characteristics.

William Shakespeare became the author of a perfect work for the era in which he worked. The innovation of the 1604 play lay in the absence of reference to ancient and medieval motifs. The setting was Venice, a modern and popular city of the period described.

History of creation

The writer used historical data and compiled it with fiction. The plays were based on legends, parables, and sailors' stories. Othello is a clear example of this fact. The Venetian Moor, who became a key figure in the story, was in reality light-skinned.

The prototype of the character was the Italian soldier Maurizio Othello, who commanded the troops in Cyprus from 1505 to 1508. The man was married. His wife, who accompanied him during the war, did not return home. Residents of Cyprus still show Othello's castle in Famagusta, where, according to legend, he strangled.

Othello's prototype castle in Famagusta, Cyprus

There is an alternative version of writing the tragedy. According to it, Shakespeare relied on the plot of Giambattista Cintio’s short story entitled “The Moor of Venice.” In 1566, characters who may have become the prototypes of the characters in Shakespeare's work excited the minds of audiences. The plot of Cintio's creation is similar to the description of the action in Shakespeare.

One of the differences for the writer who first told this story to the world was the appearance in the play of a child who steals Desdemona's handkerchief. Shakespeare writes that Desdemona loses the gift herself. The “pioneer” also talked about the death of the main character at the hands of his wife’s relatives, and in Shakespeare Othello commits suicide.

The specificity of Shakespeare's work lies in the fact that the main leitmotif of the action is social relations, breaking up against barriers created by origin and prejudiced attitude towards it. A member of a different race, Othello becomes a stranger to society, regardless of his achievements and service to the state. For a society recently liberated from classes, true freedom is not available.

Image and plot

The play takes place in Venice. The main characters are the military leader Othello, his wife Desdemona and secretary Iago. The Moor meets Brabantio's daughter Desdemona and falls in love with her. Their union is disgusting to the girl’s family, and the secret wedding suggests that Othello took Desdemona as his wife by force. Having been assigned to a remote garrison, the hero leaves there with his wife. Iago's secretary and Roderigo's assistant plot to overthrow Othello from office. The men slander Desdemona, assuring the boss that the girl is cheating on him with her subordinate, Cassio.

The petty intrigues that Iago weaves prove to the Moor that his wife is unfaithful to him. The proof of betrayal is Desdemona's handkerchief, which Iago planted on Desdemona's “lover.” He advises Othello to strangle his wife. The subordinates Othello, Cassio and Rodrigo are caught in the net set by the cunning secretary. A big deception leads to the death of military personnel.

On the marital bed, Othello tries to force Desdemona to repent of her sin, but the girl is adamant and is not going to admit to what did not happen. The Moor strangles his wife and then stabs her to death. Upon the arrival of the guards, Iago's wife reveals his plans and dies at the hands of her husband. Othello commits suicide.

The central character is the Moorish commander - a noble man capable of pure thoughts, brave actions and true feelings. The image of Othello is the embodiment of the Renaissance ideal. The hero strives for harmonious coexistence of mind and heart.

It is not without reason that Othello feels like a stranger in Venice. A member of a different race, he is not accepted by society, despite Desdemona's all-encompassing love. The imaginary betrayal of his wife in the eyes of the hero is confirmation that he does not fit into the world of which he is trying to be a part. Iago convinces the boss that the love of a beauty of noble birth does not make Othello a full member of society. His exploits remain unimpressive, and his life at risk means nothing to those around him.

Othello's jealousy is not the feelings of an offended man, but a deep mental trauma associated with the social order. In Desdemona, the hero saw a combination of ideals, and the alleged betrayal denigrated and destroyed them. Faith is the main category for the character. Having revealed himself to his beloved, he trusted her. At the time of the murder of his wife, Othello experiences a strong intrapersonal conflict. Love for his wife and the thought of deception are fighting in him. In the battle of mind and heart, reason wins. Desdemona's death restores moral balance to a world where heroes exist.

Film adaptations

The plot of Shakespeare's play formed the basis for many films. Thanks to the intricate collisions and twists and turns described by the poet, the producers received material for screen interpretations. The film Othello was first shown to audiences in 1906. The actors and roles were curious to the audience, and cinema at that time was in its infancy.

In the period from 1906 to 1922, new film versions of the play were released on cinema screens almost every year. In the 1950s, the first video recordings of television productions and opera performances on this plot appeared. Among the famous performers of the role of Othello are, who played the role in the film of the same name, filmed at Mosfilm in 1955, and, who appeared in the image of the Moor in 1965.

In 1976, he portrayed the famous commander on the opera stage. He performed this role more often than other opera artists. In 1981, he decided to embody the hero on camera.

The plot of a jealous husband capable of killing his beloved wife because of his own doubts is still relevant today. They inspire theater workers and cinematographers. The favorite performance of the Moscow audience is “Othello”, in which the main role is played by.

The play Othello is one of the most visualized works of Shakespeare. In the repertoire of any drama theater you will find a production based on the tragedy. It is included in the list of the most studied literary works; experts note that readers are often mistaken and misinterpret some facts of the story. For example, many are sure that Othello strangled Desdemona. But, if you read the remarks, it becomes obvious that the Moor was unable to do this quickly and, taking pity on his wife, he stabbed her with a dagger.

Maxim Averin in the play "Othello"

Those who do not remember the text of the play are sure that the famous phrase “The Moor has done his job, the Moor can leave” belongs to Othello. In reality, this is a phrase from the work “The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa,” written in 1783.

William Shakespeare knew the recipe for a successful literary work. He wrote Othello in 1604, when the military events that had occurred in Cyprus were still fresh in the audience's minds. Thus, the writer added context that would surely attract the attention of the audience.

Quotes

Shakespeare confirms the positive essence of the main character, who is often perceived in a negative way, with similar remarks:

“She fell in love with me for my torment,
And I give her - for my compassion for them.”

The Moor, who values ​​faith and responsiveness, does not remain indifferent to attention. The majestic nature of the hero is emphasized by the phrase:

“Honor is something that many who boast of it do not have.”

Tormented by terrible guesses, Othello doubts his wife’s betrayal. His numerous remarks like:

“But the spirits of lies, preparing our death, first beckon us with the semblance of truth,” the author demonstrates the spiritual confusion of the noble hero.

Inner demons attack Othello gradually, and Iago, taking advantage of the shaky harmony of the heroes’ family relationships, manages to turn Othello against his wife. The author correctly notes:

“Doubts do not flare up suddenly, but slowly, like sulfur under the ground.”

This philosophical thought is still relevant today.

The main plot discrepancy between the works lies in the conflict reason: in Cintio, the Ensign loves Disdemona and takes revenge on both her and Mavra out of jealousy; In Shakespeare, Iago hates Othello because of his lost officership and suspicions that Emilia cheated on him with the Moor. A scarf with a characteristic Arabic pattern, presented by the main character to his wife as a wedding gift, in both stories becomes the main evidence of Desdemona’s betrayal: only from Cintio it is stolen by the three-year-old daughter of the Ensign, and in Shakespeare the Venetian herself loses the thing, which Emilia then, as a faithful wife, steals. reports Iago. The murder of Desdemona in the Italian novel is committed by the Ensign. He also develops his plan: to beat the unfortunate woman with a stocking filled with sand, and then bring the ceiling down on her body. Shakespeare's Othello, as a noble hero avenging his insulted honor, independently deals with his wife, first killing her and only then stabbing her to death so that she does not suffer. The death of the Moor in Cintio occurs at the hands of Disdemona's relatives; in Shakespeare, the hero takes his own life, realizing that he has made an unforgivable mistake and destroyed the only thing worth living for.

Artistic images of heroes tragedies are lively, bright, realistic. In each of them you can find both positive and negative features. The purest heroine of the work - Desdemona and she, according to English literary scholars, is not without a tendency to deceive: her father - at the moment when she leaves her father’s house and runs into the arms of the Moor, Othello - when she does not admit that she has lost her handkerchief, Emilia, who is convinced that the murderer is she herself. The first deception of the Venetian woman is due to love, the second is due to fear and reluctance to upset her beloved husband, the third is an attempt to protect Othello. Meanwhile, it is to the first deception (of the once beloved father) that Iago appeals in his cruel game, convincing the Moor that if Desdemona was able to neglect her parental feelings, then nothing would stop her from doing the same with her husband’s feelings.

Character of Iago is a combination of cunning cruelty and incredible logic that accompanies all his actions. The lieutenant calculates every step in advance, guided in his machinations by an exact knowledge of the psychological characteristics of the people he plays with. He catches Rodrigo in his passionate love for Desdemona, Othello in the fear of losing the harmony that he found in his relationship with the Venetian, Cassio in kindness and natural naivety, Emilia in weakness.

Iago’s immorality finds no barriers due to his communication with people who are morally pure and cannot imagine that someone (especially a close friend) could stoop to lies, slander and betrayal. At the same time, each of the heroes periodically tries to comprehend the words and actions of the lieutenant (Rodrigo several times suspects him of betraying his given word, Othello for a long time resists the idea of ​​betraying Desdemona inspired by Iago, Emilia tries to figure out why her husband needs her mistress’s scarf, Cassio refuses the lieutenant’s offer drink), but Iago thwarts every attempt to bring him into the open with a new trick. The lieutenant’s arsenal includes fictitious stories (the story of how Cassio talked to Desdemona in his sleep), stolen objects (Othello’s handkerchief taken from his wife), playing on other people’s passions (Rodrigo’s desire to possess Desdemona, Cassio’s inability to give up drinking), constructing a conversation through omissions and omissions (to give the conversation a sense of authenticity and truthfulness), passing off some facts as others (Iago’s conversation with Cassio about Bianca, which Othello takes at Desdemona’s expense), the physical elimination of people who pose a danger to his machinations (an attempt to kill Cassio at the hands of Roderigo, murder of Rodrigo, attack and subsequent murder of his wife, Emilia).

It is not enough for Iago to take revenge on Othello alone: ​​at the same time, he also wants to cash in on Roderigo, get Cassio out of the way and destroy Desdemona, whose existence disgusts his ideas about the feminine essence. The latter is most clearly manifested in the Venetian woman’s conversation with Emilia: Desdemona does not believe that wives are capable of cheating on their husbands, while Iago’s wife believes that women are built exactly the same as men, and accordingly, nothing prevents them from behaving similarly. Emilia does not see anything bad in betrayal, when a husband leaves his wife or for cheating on her husband, a woman is offered a whole world in which she can give her action any color she wants. This conclusion (cunning, subjectively colored) is similar in nature to the positions that Iago expresses throughout the play: it is true in logic, but false in essence.

Othello commits the murder of Desdemona, but the responsibility for this lies with Iago. The Moor loves his wife to the last and, even killing her, tries to do everything carefully - without causing her additional harm, without making her suffer. The death of Desdemona for Othello is terrible, but necessary: ​​a collapsed ideal, according to the Moor, cannot exist in the world in any form. The tragedy of Othello is not jealousy, which is usually discussed in relation to this play by Shakespeare. Othello's tragedy lies in the loss of harmony and destruction of the living space around him.