Who Is To Blame For Desdemona's Death

Cassio had liked Desdemona in the past and he Iago knew that he could use this against both Desdemona and Cassio. By getting Cassio in trouble and watching him lose his position in the military, Iago knew this would bring Cassio and Desdemona closer. Desdemona did not know this plan. She knew that her Cassio had lost his position and that she wanted to help him convince Othello to give him his title back. This meeting between the two characters was also used against them. This meeting between friends then turned into accusations that Cassio was with Desdemona. Iago later goes and plants this lie in Othello's ear. Desdemona is still unaware of what is going on. Desdemona will later know that Othello will eventually kill her and she accepts this. Only moments before Othello kills Desdemona does she know what she is being accused of. “And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not, since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel I fear.” (Othello Act V Scene II Page 82). She knows that Othello is accusing her of something but, she has no idea what it

Emilia yearns for attention and affection from Iago but when she realizes he Iago is a liar, she, “…abandons all loyalty to Iago and verbally attacks him for the villain he is” (“Character Analysis Emilia”). After Othello kills Desdemona, Emilia tries to reveal the truth. Iago stops her, tells her to stop talking, and to go home. Emilia disobeys Iago and says, “'Twill out, ’twill out.—I peace?

Even though Othello clearly trusts Emilia enough to ask her and the fact that she goes to the point of swearing her life on Desdemona’s faithfulness Othello still doesn’t believe what she is saying. Instead of questioning the legitimacy of his own claims he instead characterises Emilia as “a subtle whore, / A closet lock and key of villainous secrets” (4.2.23-24). Othello at this point is so invested in the idea of Desdemona being a whore that anything that says otherwise is a

Through Iago’s whispers, Othello becomes so consumed by jealousy, and later watches Iago and Cassio’s conversation of what is seemed to be the confession of unfaithfulness. Accusing his wife of being a whore, he dismisses her and Emilia’s protest of her being innocent. Iago reassures the only way Roderigo will have a clear path to Desdemona, he needs to

Desdemona truly loves her husband and that is her biggest downfall. Iago is easily able to take advantage of this fact and use it against her. His manipulation of Othello is what leads to her death. Once Othello believes Iago about her infidelity, he begins to treat her badly and she doesn’t do anything about it.

In the Shakespearean tragedy Othello, the blame for Desdemona’s death can be put on many characters through the play, but two characters stand out in this respect. The two characters that can most accurately be blamed for Desdemona’s demise are Othello and Iago. It is true that Othello is the one who actually smothers Desdemona, but it is due to the web of lies that Iago spins throughout the play. Iago is more to blame for Desdemona’s death than Othello is. Iago is the mastermind whose plan ultimately ended in Desdemona’s death.

This does not prevent Iago from attempting to ruin Othello 's marriage. Once again he tells the public that he will try to frame Cassio and Desdemona as lovers to make Othello jealous. Cassio goes to Desdemona to ask her to speak to Othello on his behalf. When Othello enters the room, Cassio quickly becomes very guilty. Iago seizes the opportunity to convince Othello that Desdemona is having a relationship with Cassio, he succeeds, and Othello gets more and more jealous. Iago designs a plan to bring Cassio into the room while Othello is near and says he will confess. Cassio enters with Iago, who has just told him about his lover White. To Othello, it seems that Cassio admits a relationship with Desdemona. For the rest of the drama, Iago created a flow of lies that affected everyone. These lies lead to the deaths of Emilia (wife of Iago) and Roderigo. Othello ends up killing Desdemona out of anger and jealousy, when he learns the truth of her innocence, Iago was discovered and without repentance, he was imprisoned.

However, this was one of the several lies that Iago told, building the conflict between the characters. Iago then turns to Cassio for friending Desdemona to have “proof” for Othello that Cassio and Desdemona were sleeping with each other. Iago thinks, “That Cassio loves her, I do will believe it/ That she loves him” (II.1. 286-287). This line is the beginning thoughts of Iago and how he will execute his plan using Cassio.

Iago is well aware of the scheme he is putting into action and plays on Othello’s weakness “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (Othello. 3.3.167-169). Iago takes advantage of his own wife, Emilia, retaining Desdemona’s scarf from Othello from her and placing it in Cassio’s possession. By doing, this Iago is able to prove his allegations of Desdemona and Cassio. Othello expresses jealousy and believes that Desdemona has been unfaith to him with Cassio and must kill her. He strangles Desdemona with his own hands. During this time, women were to be submissive to their husband, which makes it understandable why instead of fighting Othello she allows him to take her life. Moreover, it shows the respect and love she held for Othello. Emilia finds her woman dead and is furious because she knows the faithfulness of her woman. Emilia shows the most courage by speaking on Desdemona’s behalf against her own husband. She explains she gave the scarf to Iago exploiting him of all his lies. Iago instructs her to be quiet and she does not follow directions so he kills Emilia. There is a room full of men, guards at that, but not one go to her rescue. This exhibits the treatment society gives to women during this time. Women are more of an ownership than a human being. Society treats women as if they must earn their value through the type of wife they are to a man. Iago’s anger is the leading cause of

Desdemona says, “Nobody. I myself" when Emilia asks who murdered her (5.2.121). Desdemona finally dies asking Emilia to give Othello her love. Her love and loyalty for her husband abound so deep that she is willing to take the blame for a crime he committed. Even in her last moments, she wants her love to be given to her husband.

Othello is a black general in the Venetian army that secretly married Desdemona the daughter of Senator Brabantio. Soon Othello hired the jealous Iago, who was bent on revenge because he thought Othello had an affair with his wife and he promoted lieutenant Cassio over him. Iago had an evil plan to make Othello think his wife had been cheating on him with Cassio. First Iago planned a street fight, which was wrongfully blamed on Cassio and he was dismissed as planned. Desdemona defended Cassio’s case against Othello which created suspicion that his wife did cheat. Next Iago told his wife to steal the handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona. Iago’s wife Emilia got the handkerchief and gave it to Iago not knowing his intentions.Then Iago said

But in my point of view, the death of Desdemona lies in the hands of evil Iago. He did not necessarily kill her with his own hands, however he did everything possible for this murder to happen. Desdemona was a crucial part in Iago’s revenge from Othello. He was aware of the love that existed between Desdemona and the Moor.

Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, that he would steal away so guilty-like, seeing your coming.” This demonstrates that Iago was trying to make Othello hesitate of Desdemona’s love towards him in an indirect way. As Othello starts to think that Desdemona is being unfaithful, it is easier for Iago to create a wedge between them. In act 5, Desdemona

(IV.ii.19-22). At this point, jealousy has taken over. Othello completely disregards what Emilia has to say. Fabricating his own evidence, he is no longer the noble gentleman who let others speak of their perspective. He has already made his mind; he seeks to destroy Desdemona.

This demonstrates her loyalty to him, until the very end when the truth is revealed for all to know. This is when their actions speak at different volumes; Emilia’s loyalty to her husband is shattered, but her loyalty to her mistress is not, as she defends her name before her own. Emilia speaks out against her husband telling him, “I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak” (5.2.181). Later she mentions that Desdemona did not give her handkerchief to Cassio (5.2.228-229). In fact, Emilia found it and delivered it to Iago stating that “[Iago] begged me to steal’t” (5.2.226).