Moreover, he excluded such a moral notion as jealous because he categorically states that it cannot be a component of a soul of a nobleman. It should be mentioned that at the beginning of a play Othello shows his moral code which was evident in his treatment of his wife. Taking into consideration Othello`s behavior and actions at the beginning of the play and the end the question arises– does Othello truly have and believe in his moral code or he is convinced that he has one because he cannot clearly define good and evil? To answer this question, one should analyze Othello`s protagonist regarding his moral code and personality and his inability to distinguish good and evil. Interweavement of Iago`s deadly intrigues and Othello`s moral code and his hot temperament distort and blend morality with amorality making these two characters extremely complex and hard to interpret only from one standpoint.

By contrasting two opposite characters like Iago and Othello Shakespeare presents two divergent understandings of the moral code as well as the notion of morality itself. Moreover, with further analysis one may see that the theme of marital issues and betrayal in this tragedy is supported by another theme of morality and amorality which will determine the actions of not only the main character but that of everyone else. Difficulty in the interpretation of this tragedy is caused by its characters` questionable morals. Due to its complexity and controversy, Othello was and remains a stumbling point for a lot of critics and researchers. Iago’s false insinuations about Desdemona’s infidelity draw Othello into his schemes, and Desdemona is subjected to Othello’s horrifying verbal and physical assaults.The play Othello composed by William Shakespeare portrays the tragedy of a character whose blind jealousy deprives him of everything he has.

Yet most readers and audiences believe the couple’s strong love would overcome these differences were it not for Iago, who sets out to destroy Othello. Shakespeare builds many differences into his hero and heroine, including race, age, and cultural background. In Othello, William Shakespeare creates powerful drama from a marriage between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona that begins with elopement and mutual devotion and ends with jealous rage and death. William Shakespeare’s classic play Othello, featuring valuable tools for educators and readers, from the esteemed Folger Shakespeare Library, home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works.

Othello by William Shakespeare