Justice and morality in Othello

Othello and Justice

Like many of Shakespeare's plays, Othello demonstrates how emotion and a strict personal ethic can lead to tragedy. The play is filled with intrigue, mainly on the part of Iago, another trait of Shakespeare's plays, and the characters seem to twist around their own insecurities. Linking this play to a central theme is difficult because there are so many threads that could be taken as the primary driver behind the story. But, justice, especially Othello's sense of that trait, seems to be the one thing that shapes the events of the play. In this paper, the play and its characters are examined from the perspective of justice, as it is developed in the play, and a determination is made as to who was the character most wronged.

Othello is a foreign general in the army of Venice. In the play, he is seen as somewhat insecure, even having the high position he occupies, because of his differences from the rest of the society. Early, it is possible to see the justice he believes in when it is explained why he chose to promote Cassio over Iago. Even though Othello himself may not know the reasons it seems that he sees something in Iago that disqualifies him as a more responsible leader. Othello is seen as someone who takes his honor and personal ethic very seriously, but because he has this particular stance, he seems blinded to the failings of "honest Iago."

One prominent part of the play is the fact that intrigue seems to be following the actors throughout as different members of the cast get involved in this action. Desdemona and Othello seem to rise above it as both remain true to their characters throughout the play, but Rodrigo, Cassio, Iago, and Barbantio (to name a few) are all bent on some sort of destructive action. Barbantio believes that his daughter has married beneath herself and due to witchcraft (a very serious charge back then), Iago has been wronged in the selection of Cassio as lieutenant over himself, Rodrigo was in love with Desdemona, and Cassio is just one of the pawns in Iago's machinations.

Othello's sense of justice can be seen in several events that take place through the narrative. Most of these happen at the end of the play after the reader/watcher has been given a glimpse of each of the major players and their faults and/or virtues. Cassio is found to have cavorted with a young prostitute and to have taken part in some of Iago's schemes (which, at the time, are not known to have involved Iago), and he is removed from his office. Othello does this because he believes he sees character flaws in Cassio that make him unworthy to serve as an officer in the army. Othello also acts with dispassion when he is performing this act or any other. It seems that he sees what he does as his duty. When the senate questions him about the accusations Barbantio makes, he is calm and forthright. He knows that his actions are not a result of witchcraft and he tells them so. This is the same manner he displays when releasing Cassio of his duties.

However, he does show passion and regret when he believes that he must execute the wife who has been unfaithful to him. Desdemona is a completely innocent pawn in Iago's schemes. She has no idea what Othello is talking about in relation to the handkerchief, and when he does not believe her, she seems resigned to her fate. This killing is justified in the mind of Othello because he believes that this is just punishment for her supposed wrong.

The same can be said of his own suicide and his refusal to kill Iago. When the schemes of Iago are laid bare, and everyone realizes what he has done, Othello wants him to live with the pain he has caused throughout the rest of his miserable life. Iago probably believes that he got off easy after all that he had done. But, Othello cannot forgive himself for his unjust killing of Desdemona. After he hears what truly went on, he takes his own life rather than live with the knowledge of what he has done. Othello makes others the victim of his sense of honor and justice, and he expects the same from himself that he does from others. In this sense, Othello can be seen as a sympathetic character, but also as someone who should have been able to add some gray to his black and white thinking.