How is Othello’s Morality Represented Throughout the Play? Consider How Shakespeare Represents This.

Shakespeare’s Othello is represented as a complex tragedy with key themes of manipulation fueled by jealousy, internal conflict, and religious overtones that demonstrate how the character Othello’s moral compass is gradually distorted and manipulated. As the play unfolds, Othello’s moral compass, initially aligned with honour, is gradually corrupted by Iago’s deception, exposing the vulnerability of his noble nature. Shakespeare meticulously illustrates Othello’s downfall by weaving together themes of manipulation and trust, highlighting how the external force of Iago’s scheming intertwines with Othello’s internal insecurities. This moral unravelling not only reflects Othello’s weakening psychological fortitude but also mirrors the broader societal concerns of Shakespeare’s time, such as religious morality, honour, and redemption. As Othello succumbs to jealousy, his journey encapsulates Aristotle’s concept of hamartia, where his tragic flaw of being easily manipulated, generates his inevitable fall from grace. Shakespeare represents Othello’s morality through a series of dramatic shifts, from public honour to private despair, ultimately culminating in a tragic act of self-destruction that symbolizes both his moral failure and a desperate attempt for redemption. 

Although Iago persistently and strongly pushes his manipulation on Othello, it does not fully take over Othello right away. Othello, as the play progresses, slowly becomes more manipulated by Iago, with his doubts about his wife as well as Iago being showcased only to the audience and himself in different moments throughout Act 3. 

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more. Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, Iago…(Aside) Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. (3, 3, 244) 

In this pivotal moment from Act 3, Scene 3, Othello expresses deep internal conflict as he struggles with doubt about Desdemona’s loyalty. His growing suspicion, spurred by Iago’s manipulative suggestions, reveals a significant shift in Othello’s moral stance. By instructing Iago to set Emilia, Iago’s wife, to spy on Desdemona, Othello demonstrates the first signs of distrust in his wife, a stark departure from the honour and confidence he once embodied. Othello’s aside, “Why did I marry” further highlights his internal conflict, as he questions the very foundation of his relationship. This phrase is critical in illustrating Othello’s moral decline. It reflects his growing uncertainty and insecurity in his marriage, a relationship that he initially cherished. The use of the word “honest” to describe Iago, who is anything but honest, demonstrates Othello’s misplaced trust and his inability to see through the manipulation of Iago. The repetition of “more, much more” in reference to what Iago knows emphasizes Othello’s deepening paranoia, as he becomes increasingly convinced that he is not aware of the full truth. Shakespeare’s use of asides in this line underscores the private and conflicted nature of Othello’s thoughts. The aside “Why did I marry” allows the audience to witness Othello’s internal dialogue, revealing a man who is beginning to doubt his decisions and, by extension, his own moral judgement. The shift from public commands to private asides reflects the play’s overall trajectory, where Othello’s once public and steadfast persona crumbles into private uncertainty and moral decay. In discussing the manipulation of Othello’s morality, it is essential to analyze the role of jealousy as a corrupting force. William B. Toole’s analysis of Iago’s jealousy in the South Atlantic Bulletin published by SAMLA, which is a well-established language association used in universities, offers a compelling exploration of how Iago’s jealousy and envy become the driving force behind his manipulation of Othello. 

In the character of Iago the play suggests that the primary attribute of a base mind is jealousy. Iago is jealous of Cassio because he got the position which he wanted and because there is "daily beauty in his life" that makes lago appear "ugly" (V.i.19,20). He is also jealous because he believes that both Cassio and Othello have cuckolded him. His suspicion of Othello's relationship to Emilia in particular gnaws him inwardly like "a poisonous mineral" (II.i.306) and leads to his desire to put the Moor into his place either by cuckolding him or by directing him into a "jealousy so strong / That judgment cannot cure" (Toole, 72)

Toole’s analysis of Iago’s jealousy provides a vital perspective on how Iago’s envy is not merely a personal flaw but a calculated tool that he uses to manipulate Othello. The idea of jealousy as “a poisonous mineral” gnawing away at Iago’s mind mirrors the way Iago’s manipulation begins to erode Othello’s own moral compass. By planting seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello’s mind, Iago exploits Othello’s vulnerabilities, leading him into a “jealousy so strong / That judgement cannot cure.” Furthermore, Shakespeare’s Othello was written during a time when societal values heavily emphasized Christian morality and the importance of honour. Othello’s internal conflict and eventual downfall would have resonated deeply with the audience, particularly in the context of religious themes such as sin, repentance, and damnation. Othello’s inability to overcome his jealousy and his ultimate succumbing to violence could be interpreted by the audience as a failure to adhere to religious values, further reinforcing his moral decline. Additionally, Aristotle’s concept of hamartia, a character’s tragic flaw that leads to a character’s downfall, shapes the audience’s understanding of Othello. His fatal flaw, his susceptibility to manipulation and jealousy, makes him an archetypal tragic hero. His moral journey reflects the broader Aristotelian framework, wherein the character’s flaw propels the tragic consequences, leading to catharsis for the audience. Thus, Othello’s moral decline is not only a personal tragedy but a reflection of broader societal and philosophical principles of Shakespeare’s time.   

Throughout the play, it is known that Iago pushes his manipulation on Othello, but there are only a couple of moments where Iago comes to the realization that his plan, fueled by jealousy, is properly working against Othello.

(Aside) I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense, and he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, every way makes my gain. (5, 1, 11)

In this quotation, Iago reveals his complete control over the events that are unfolding and demonstrates how far his manipulation has gone in affecting Othello’s morality. This scene encapsulates Iago’s cynical and calculated approach to using other people’s emotions and actions to further his own gain. By this point, Iago has already succeeded in manipulating Othello into a state of moral corruption, where he is willing to consider murder as a solution to his insecurities. Iago’s aside reveals the depth of his scheming nature and underscores the moral degradation that has taken over Othello. While Othello is unaware of Iago’s manipulation, his morality is already in shambles, reduced to acting on jealous impulse rather than reason. The phrase “whether he kill Cassio or Cassio him” reveals Iago’s complete indifference to the morality of murder or its consequences. This phrase also underscores how Iago views the unfolding events purely as instruments of personal gain, as indicated by “every way makes my gain.” The word “quat,” a derogatory term for a minor irritation, reflects Iago’s disdainful attitude toward both Cassio and Othello, reinforcing his complete detachment from any moral considerations. His use of the word “rubbed” evokes imagery of irritation and manipulation, highlighting how Iago has methodically stoked tensions between Othello and Cassio. Shakespeare’s choice of such condescending language emphasizes Iago’s perspective of others as mere pawns in his plan, contrasting starkly with Othello’s moral confusion. Shakespeare’s use of an aside in this scene is crucial in revealing Iago’s true thoughts and intentions to the audience while keeping Othello and the other characters in the dark. The aside format allows Iago to break the fourth wall and expose his manipulative tactics to the audience, reinforcing the dramatic irony and tragedy that runs throughout the play. The language used by Iago in this aside—calculated, detached, and almost gleeful—serves to highlight his role as the primary agent of moral decay in the play. The absence of any emotional or moral conflict in Iago’s language contrasts sharply with Othello’s earlier struggles with jealousy and insecurity, emphasizing the complete moral inversion that Othello undergoes by the play’s climax. Additionally, the brevity and straightforwardness of Iago’s statements enhance the audience’s understanding of just how calculating and cold-hearted his manipulation has been, in stark contrast to the emotional turmoil brewing within Othello. In analyzing Iago’s manipulation and Othello’s subsequent moral decline, Hugh Grady’s discussion of power dynamics and manipulation in Othello, as found in the Criticism journal, published by Wayne State University Press.

Greenblatt, as we have seen, described this process in terms of a Machiavellian anthropology in which lago was a colonialist manipulating the beliefs of the native informants in order to control them, and the analogy is powerful and illuminating. In a context of emerging discourses of power and modernity, however, Foucault's theories have important applications and a persuasive "fit" with lago's tactics of manipulation.26 lago's tactics are carried out through an interwoven textuality of strands from discourses on the natural, on women, on Venetians, and on (what we call) "race" to bring Othello to that perplexity in the extreme that proves his undoing. (Grady, 547)

Grady’s analysis highlights the broader socio-political dynamics at play in Othello, particularly how Iago manipulates various discourses—race, gender, and Venetian identity—to destabilize Othello’s moral center. By framing Iago as a cunning figure who leverages power and control, Grady offers a nuanced explanation of how Iago’s manipulation extends beyond simple deceit to encompass a calculated exploitation of societal structures. With Othello’s moral decline, Grady’s reading of Iago as a “colonialist” figure echoes the way Iago exerts control over Othello’s identity and beliefs, reducing him to a state of moral confusion. Shakespeare’s audience would have viewed Othello’s tragic decline through the lens of contemporary moral and religious values, where concepts of honour, trust, and Christian virtue were paramount. The religious overtones in Othello’s struggles with jealousy, deception, and murder reflect broader anxieties of the time surrounding sin and redemption. Othello’s internal conflict can be understood as a moral failing, where his susceptibility to manipulation leads him away from religious forgiveness and toward sinful vengeance. Furthermore, Aristotle’s concept of hamartia plays a crucial role in shaping the audience’s perception of Othello. His fatal flaw, being easily manipulated, aligns with Aristotelian tragic principles. For the audience, Othello’s inability to resist Iago’s manipulations would have resonated as a profound moral failing, reflecting both individual and societal concerns about integrity, trust, and the destructive nature of unchecked emotions like jealousy. Othello’s ultimate moral and physical downfall serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting external forces overpower one’s internal moral compass.

In the final moments of Othello, Shakespeare portrays the tragic hero’s suicide as a symbolic act of moral recognition and an attempt to correct his fatal flaws. Othello’s acknowledgement of his love for Desdemona, connected with his guilt for killing her, reflects the culmination of moral collapse, created by Iago’s manipulation. 

“Stabs himself… (to DESDEMONA) I kissed thee ere I killed thee. No way but this, killing myself, to die upon a kiss. Kisses DESDEMONA, dies” (5, 2, 373). 

In this final moment, Othello’s act of suicide serves as both a recognition of his moral failure and a brief redemption for the horrific acts he has committed based on Iago’s misleading and manipulative information. His acknowledgement that he “kissed thee ere I killed thee” reflects a tragic irony, where the same love that brought him so much joy ultimately leads to his destruction. Othello’s suicide, performed in the presence of Desdemona’s lifeless body, is not simply an act of despair but an attempt at moral atonement. He recognizes the gravity of his actions, that his jealousy and inability to discern the truth led him to murder his innocent wife. The act of kissing Desdemona one last time before his death symbolizes his final effort to reconcile the love he feels with the guilt he bears. The scene thus captures a fleeting moment of moral clarity in a play defined by Othello’s moral disintegration. The phrase “killed thee” is central to Othello’s tragic realization, as it underscores the culmination of his moral downfall. His use of the word “kissed” connected with “killed” reinforces the duality of love and violence that defines his relationship with Desdemona. This highlights the complexity of Othello’s morality—his love for Desdemona is genuine, but his actions have been corrupted by Iago’s jealous manipulation. The final phrase, “die upon a kiss,” demonstrates Othello’s desire to reconcile his love and guilt through death, suggesting that he sees no other way to atone for his sins except by ending his own life. The imagery of the kiss serves as a symbol of his remorse of his desire to return to a state of moral purity, even if only in death. Shakespeare’s use of the stage direction “Stabs himself” is critical in conveying Othello’s final act of moral judgment. By taking his own life, Othello not only accepts responsibility for his actions but also reclaims a sense of agency that had been lost throughout the play as he fell under Iago’s manipulation. The stage direction emphasizes the physicality of Othelo’s guilt and the irreversible consequences of his actions. Additionally, Shakespeare’s use of a declarative structure in Othello’s final lines mirrors the certainty that Othello feels in this moment—he finally understands the full extent of his moral collapse and seeks to bring resolution through death. The repetition of “kiss” and “die” underscores the cyclical nature of his love and guilt, suggesting that Othello’s morality, though flawed and manipulated, was rooted in genuine emotional love. His tragic flaw, however, lies in his inability to see past the manipulations of others, which ultimately leads him to this final, redemptive act. In examining Othello’s morality, it is important to contextualize his actions within the broader framework of Shakespearean tragedy which Haupt’s analysis in Interpretations perfectly displays. This author, published by the well-established and known Scriptorium Press, argues that many different characters, including Othello, possess inherent nobility but are ultimately undone by a fatal vulnerability to manipulation. 

In both Brutus and Othello we find characters who are supremely noble but whose nobility has within itself, as part of its nature, a weakness.24 Both are naive about reality, both are duped. Cassius works upon Brutus' sense of nobility and public responsibility to make him kill Caesar even though he knows no personal or concrete reason for doing so. Iago works upon Othello's sense of honor to make him kill what he loves most, Desdemona. Neither Brutus nor Othello is a match for the machinations of the evildoers in our world, and the tragic causation hinges upon a combination of the world's evil and a kind of excellence which is inherently vulnerable rather than flawed by a separable hamartia. (Haupt, 27)

Haupt’s analysis supports the argument that Othello’s morality is not simply the result of a personal flaw but is intrinsically linked to the external manipulations of Iago. Like Brutus, Othello’s inherent nobility makes him vulnerable to deception, as his sense of honour is exploited to bring about his downfall. The source reinforces the overarching thesis that Othello’s moral compass, while initially strong, is gradually distorted by external forces. Haupt’s interpretation also aligns with the idea that Othello’s hamartia is not solely an internal weakness but is exacerbated by the manipulations of those around him. This reading of Othello’s character emphasizes the complexity of his morality, as it suggests that his downfall is the result of both internal and external forces working in tandem. The interplay between Othello’s nobility and Iago’s evil manipulations ultimately leads to the tragic ending, where Othello attempts to regain his lost morality through an act of self-destruction. For Shakespeare’s audience, Othello’s final act of suicide would have carried significant moral and religious implications. In Shakespeare’s time, suicide was viewed as a grave sin, reflecting the ultimate rejection of God’s authority. However, in the context of Othello’s moral journey, his suicide can be interpreted as an act of penance, a recognition of the enormity of his sin and an attempt to reclaim some form of moral agency. The religious overtones in Othello’s internal conflict—his struggle between love, jealousy, and guilt—mirror different sets of religious concepts of redemption through suffering. Aristotle’s concept of hamartia also plays a central role in understanding Othello’s downfall. Othello’s tragic flaw, which is his ability to be easily manipulated, fits perfectly into the Aristotelian model of tragedy. For Shakespeare’s audience, Othello’s hamartia leads to his undoing. His inability to discern the truth and control his emotions make him vulnerable to Iago’s manipulations, aligning his character with Aristotle’s vision of a tragic hero whose downfall is both inevitable and deeply rooted in his moral failings.  

Shakespeare’s Othello masterfully portrays the tragic unravelling of a nobleman’s morality, emphasizing how manipulation fueled by jealousy and internal conflict joins together to corrupt Othello’s once-honourable character. The play demonstrates the gradual deterioration of Othello’s moral compass as Iago’s deception preys on his insecurities, culminating in a tragic fall that aligns with Aristotle’s concepts of hamartia. Through key moments in the play, such as Othello’s increasing suspicion of Desdemona and his ultimate act of self-destruction, Shakespeare explores the profound impact of manipulation on personal morality. Othello’s internal struggle between love, honour, and jealousy not only reflects his own downfall but also mirrors the broader moral and religious values of Shakespeare’s time. The progression from public virtue to private despair is intensified by the manipulation of external forces, as seen in Iago’s ability to exploit Othello’s vulnerabilities and manipulate societal discourses of race, gender, and power. As the play draws to a close, Othello’s final act of suicide serves as a symbol of both his moral failure and his desperate search for redemption. His tragic end offers a cautionary reflection on the devastating consequences of allowing external forces of human frailty, where the boundaries between nobility and moral corruption are tenuously defined, leaving the audience with the unsettling realization that even the greatest of men are vulnerable to moral corruption when manipulated by forces beyond their control.  

Work Cited

Grady, Hugh. “Iago and the Dialectic of Enlightenment: Reason, Will, and Desire in ‘Othello.’” Criticism, vol. 37, no. 4, 1995, pp. 537–558, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23118252. 

Haupt, G. E. “A note on the tragic flaw and causation in Shakespearean tragedy.” Interpretations, vol. 5, no. 1, 1973, pp. 20–32, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23239812. 

Shakespeare, William. Othello (No Fear Shakespeare). Vol. 9, SparkNotes, 2003. 

Toole, William B. “‘Iagothello’: Psychological Action and the Theme of Transformation in ‘Othello.’” South Atlantic Bulletin, vol. 41, no. 2, 1976, pp. 71–77, https://doi.org/10.2307/3198802.