Othello

Without Trust, Love Cannot Prevail

Trust can be defined as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something (Webster’s 1246). In life many people are faced with the decision on who or who not to trust, especially in the realm of love. Trust is one of the main factors needed to determine a healthy, loving relationship. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the main character Othello is unable to trust his new bride Desdemona. In act one, scene three, Desdemona professes her love for Othello in front of her father, as well as the court. Regardless of Desdemona’s professed love for Othello, Othello fails to see her honest love and becomes blind of her devotion for her husband, when he should have had trust. Since Othello failed to have confidence in himself, when it pertained to love, he failed to have confidence in his wife and marriage, which led Othello to not trust his new bride. In society today lack of trust in one’s partner is able to ruin a good relationship just as Othello did with his new marriage. Trust is a key factor in a healthy relationship, without it love is unable to prevail.

In act one, scene three, Othello calls in his new bride to allow her to speak on behalf of their relationship. Without hesitation Desdemona speaks on behalf of herself and her love for her husband.

“That I (did) love the Moor to live with him

My downright violence and storm of fortunes

May trumpet to the world. My heart’s subduded

Even to the very quality of my lord.

I saw Othello’s Visage in his mind,

And To his honors and his Valiant parts

Did I my soul and Fortunes consecrate.

So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,

A moth of peace, and he go to the war,

The rites for why I love him are bereft me

And I a heavy interim shall support

By his dear absence. Let me go with him.”

(Shakespeare 45, line 283-293).

Desdemona professed her love for Othello in front of her father and the court. By doing so she reinforced the fact that no magic or mystical powers were used and she explained how she went with Othello freely, by doing so she redefines her own status as Othello’s wife (Calderwood 29). By confessing her love, Desdemona is presenting to Othello her faithfulness to him because she is allowing all of them (those in the court) to know about her love, which should allow Othello to see her love for him is real and that he is able trust her and love her.

Regardless of Desdemona’s professed love for Othello, Othello fails to see her honest love and becomes blind of her devotion for him. During this time Othello becomes consumed by jealousy, and is unable to trust Desdemona due to Iago’s deceitful lies about Desdemona committing adultery. Throughout the play Iago is antagonistic and fabricated views are constantly placed in front of Othello. An example of this is in Act three, scene three.

Iago: “….I speak not yet of proof.

Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;

Wear your eyes thus, not jealous nor secure.

I would not have your free and noble nature,

Out of self-bounty, be abused. Look to ‘t.

I know our country disposition well.

In Venice they do let (God) see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands. Their best

Conscience

Is not to leave ‘t undone, but [keep’t] unknown.”

Othello: I am bound to thee forever.

(Shakespeare lines 224-236 pg 131)

Here Othello has fallen into Iago’s trap of treachery about his wife committing adultery without even questioning Desdemona, who has only displayed unconditional love. Iago plays on Othello’s emotions to the point where Othello is unable to take the pain, which was put upon him by Iago’s lies and goes to the extreme of killing his wife. By allowing Iago’s words to control his (Othello’s) thoughts and emotional feels toward Desdemona, Othello was unable to trust his wife and in return destroyed their love.