PRAGMATISM IN OTHELLO

Plots and Intrigues

The tragedy of Othello is largely based on plots and intrigues. It is in this respect that G .Wilson Knight in “The Wheel of Fire” said: “Othello is a story of intrigues rather than a visionary statement”2 In general these plots and intrigues cause the death of innocent characters of the play.That is the reason why Bradley said: “In Othello life and death depend on intrigue; it becomes the source of tension in which pain almost overpowers pleasure.”3 These words from Bradley mean that there are some characters in the play whom own pleasure derives from the pain that they put on others.In fact this wicked attitude is in great part in the play imbodied by Iago the villian of the play.The latter, out of jealousy,wickedness uses plots and intrigues to ruin those around him.And the first one of whom he plots against is Brabantio , one of the character of the play and the father of Desdemona a protagonist in Othello.In other words,Iago starts out by recruiting Roderigo to help him.This first plot by Iago consists in, with the help of Roderigo,a wealth jealous suitor of Desdemona reporting that Brabantio ‘s daugther Desdemona has been seduced by Othello who is using withcraft in order to gain the love of Desdemona.And in so doing the two of them ,meaning Iago and Roderigo break the news to Brabantio that his daughter and the moor are secretely getting married.He urges Brabantio who was sleeping to wake up :“Roderigo: Here is her father’s house, i’ll call aloud, Iago: Do, with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when (by night and negligence) the fire Is in polulous cities. Roderigo : What hoa : Brabantio, Signor Brabantio, Hoa Iago: Awake: what hoa ,Brabantio :thieves ,thieves”4 Through these words we discover how cunning Iago is. He managed to innocent characters to get to Othello is displayed. Besides, Iago’s plots do not stop there.Theye are incessant and terrible. He does the same thing for Cassio, another character of the play who is chosen by Othello as his lieutnant.Endeed ,Iago’s plotting and intriguing mind arouses him to talk to Othello into believing that Cassio is having a love affaire with his wife Desdemona.In so doing Iago advances that : “I know not that :but such a handkerchief (I am sure i twas your wife’s) did I today See Cassio wipe his beard with.”

Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy constitutes another form of manifestation of pragmatism.but the question is what does it mean ? In fact hypocrisy can be defined as someone who spends all his time on hurting, doing wrong to others but by hiding it. In Othello Iago imbodies this hypocritical attitude to destroy his environment.Endeed Iago ‘s hatred for Othello which is revealed in the very first lines of the play is one of the main cause of his hypocrisy.He uses the latter as a weapon to ruin Othello.His hypocrisy manifests itself through ironies , soliloqies ,asides. The first one who is victim of his hypocrisy is Othello. In fact when the latter made Cassio his lietnant instead of him he carries on to serve Othello hypocritically for his own interest.It is inthis respec that he said to Roderigo : « Were I the Moor I would notbe Iago : In following him,Ifollow but myself Heaven is my judge, not for love or duty, But seeming so, for pecular end But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at ; I am not I am » 14 14William Shakespeare,Othello,act1 ,scene1,p25 12 Here we realise Iago’s hypocrisy.He is even the first one who recognises his hypocrisy because when he said « Iam not what I am » 15this displays that he embodies a double personality.He in a one hand shows gentleness and goodness to Othello when the latter is before him.The significance of this speech is that Iago is not what he seems to others.He does not put his mask of honesty on after the action starts, he presumably worn it from the beginning of his military career.And it is this mask of honesty of Iago that deceives all Venice.All through the play, Iago claims to be Othello’s close friend and this is displayed through his following words: 16“I am your own forever”.In fact when he says this at the end of the temptation scene,Iago means by this that Othello is now his Othello.This means that the latter is now stolen from himself by Iago who has taken possession of his soul. His hypocrisy is also displayed when Brabantio hurried to come to Othello’s house in order to prevent him from marrying his daughter Desdemona.In reality Iago is even the author of Brabantio’s anger because it is him who with the help of Roderigo warns Brabantio against his daughter’s secret marriage with Othello.But when Brabantio has come Iago said to Othello to hide himself in order to not be seen by him and this constitutes a prove of his hypocrisy because he does not this for love to Othello but for self interest.However Iago does not stop there he continues to behave more consistent in his hypocrisy.This is displayed when he seen Desdemona alone with Cassio.Endeed in this scene Iago immediatly sets work on Othello by bringing him to the location and begins to imply Desdemona’s infedility. Iago at first plays the violet, acting as if he does not want to arouse Othello’s suspicion