Terror in \"The Tell-Tale Heart\" the Contrasts

Terror in "The Tell-Tale Heart"

The contrasts of life show us the true nature of things. William Shakespeare knew this about humanity and we see it displayed in many of his plays. Opposites allow us to see the true nature of man as we look at Othello. Contrasts balance things in this play, allowing to see the best of mankind alongside the worst of man. Emelia and Desdemona are women living in the same society but their views on love vary. Desdemona and Othello also have contrasting views on love even though they are newlyweds. Othello is a play that uses contrasts to explore the strengths and weaknesses of man.

Emelia and Desdemona are opposites because of their beliefs toward men and love. Both women experience a different experience with intimacy with their husbands. When Desdemona asks her about faithfulness, she asks, "Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch?" (IV.iii.73-4). She also says men are "all but stomachs and we all but food; / They eat us hungerly, and when they are full / They belch us" (III iv 100-2). With Emelia, there is no real intimacy between husband and wife. Desdemona, however, experienced something deeper with Othello, which gave her reason to believe Othello would come through for her. While we do not see a lot of love between Emelia and Iago, we do see a healthy amount of love between Desdemona and Othello. Desdemona loved her husband too much. She acted against her father's wishes for the sake of love. Essentially, she trades everything for her relationship with him. Emelia settles for Iago and does not believe there can be anything different for her. Her loathing of love lives with her secret loathing of Iago.

Another example of contrasting characteristics can be seen with husband and wife. Desdemona and Othello might seem on the same page at the beginning of the play, but as time goes on, we see how the two are opposites when it comes to the bounds of love. Desdemona marginalizes herself when she closes her eyes to Othello's dangerous behavior. She believes in him and can not sense danger. She watches Othello come apart at the seams but she does not do anything about it. She never loses control of her emotions and acts mature while diverting Othello from the handkerchief incident. Even as he suggests infidelity, Desdemona is composed. She refuses to believe her husband would be jealous and chooses to believe in the good of man rather than believe he might think she would betray him. She says, "Alas the day, I never gave him cause" (III.iv.154). This may be true, but it is not enough of an excuse for the man. She believes "some unhatched practice" (III.iv. 137) has "puddled his clear spirit" (III.iv.138) and he will get calm down eventually. In contrast, Othello, loses all sight of what he knew of love and decided his wife betrayed him based solely on hearsay.