Othello

Drama | William Shakespeare

 Consider “Othello” as a domestic tragedy

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Consider Othello as a domestic tragedy A domestic tragedy is a play where personal faults and family issues bring downfall and death within a household Othello is a remarkable domestic tragedy in English literature It is different from Hamlet Macbeth or King Lear Its story centers not on kings or nations but on home and marriage The play tells the tragic story of a husband and wife destroyed by jealousy and deceit Its theme of love trust and betrayal is rooted in the private life of a family Therefore Othello is rightly regarded as a domestic tragedy based on personal emotions Domestic Basis of the Story The entire plot of Othello revolves around the married couple Othello and Desdemona Their love misunderstanding and destruction form the heart of the play Othello is not fighting a war for power or a kingdom He is struggling with doubt inside his own home

Iago s trick leads him to suspect Desdemona of disloyalty Thus the tragedy arises from the husband s jealousy and the wife s innocence These are the most personal and domestic emotions of human life Theme of Love and Jealousy The play deals mainly with marital love and sexual jealousy Othello s love is deep but blind He says with emotion Excellent wretch Perdition catch my soul but I do love thee His love later turns to suspicion under Iago s evil influence Iago warns him Beware my lord of jealousy it is the green-eyed monster This jealousy poisons Othello s mind and destroys his peace Thus Shakespeare illustrates how love when combined with jealousy leads to domestic ruin Private Life of the Characters The main events of the play take place inside Othello s private world The Duke the senators and the soldiers remain secondary The main actions happen within their family circle Even Iago s schemes Cassio s friendship and Emilia s loyalty are connected to this household Therefore the tragedy grows from minor domestic issues rather than significant political or royal conflicts Family Relationships and Betrayal Every relationship in Othello reveals a complex web of family bonds These are between husband and wife master and servant and friend and companion Desdemona disobeys her father Brabantio in order to marry Othello Brabantio warns Othello She has deceived her father and may thee This warning later returns to destroy trust between husband and wife Iago betrays both Othello and his own wife Emilia Thus Shakespeare s tragedy comes from broken faith within close relationships not from external wars or political plots Domestic Setting and Tragic End The final act of Othello takes place in the bedroom This is the most private place in a home Desdemona s death on the bed covered with her wedding sheets is symbolic Othello says with pain I kissed thee ere I killed thee no way but this killing myself to die upon a kiss This ending demonstrates that the tragedy is inextricably linked to domestic life The bedroom becomes the stage of love jealousy murder and repentance In summary Othello is truly a domestic tragedy It deals with the emotional world of love marriage and jealousy within a family Shakespeare does not show the fall of a state or kingdom but the destruction of a home The tragedy of Othello and Desdemona proves that mistrust and jealousy can destroy even the purest love Hence Othello stands as a perfect domestic tragedy

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