Desdemona of Athens or Cyprus

"Cassio: She that I spake of, our great Captain's captain,/ Left in the conduct of the bold Iago,/ Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts/ A sennight's speed. Great Jove, Othello guard,/ And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,/ That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,/ Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,/ Give renewed fire to our extincted spirits,/ And bring all Cyprus comfort.. Oh, behold,/The riches of the ship is come on shore!/ Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees./ Hail to thee, lady! And the grace of Heaven,/ Before, behind thee, and on every hand,/ Enwheel thee round!" II.i.v 74-87

Desdemona of Cyprus reminds me very much of Helen of Athens. Helen is renowned legend as the woman whose face started the war. Desdemona's intelligence and beauty is starting all sorts of similar battles that I think will inevitably erupt into a full out war. First, she marries Othello, infuriating and deceiving her father, Brabantio. Then, with help from Iago, just about every man falls in love with her in turn. Roderigo is smitten from the start. Cassio, as quoted above, admires her beauty; he seeks her counsel and perhaps more. Even Iago has conceded that he might try to sleep with her for revenge. "Wife for wife" was his specific claim. Something about her has all these men seeking her affection out and causing all sorts of problems and jealousy.

Now, she is not the protagonist. Iago is clearly driving the action. He has a large part in convincing Roderigo to pursue her, and then Cassio to seek her help. So Desdemona's own merit isn't always the cause of the main action, but she has a lot to do with it.

Perhaps Desdemona's beauty cannot compare to that of Helen of Athens, but her face is spark enough to inflame this play by Shakespeare.

Manipulation (question 1)

"Iago: ... And will as tenderly be led by the nose/ As asses are." II. ii. v 381-382

The plans and schemes that Iago starts to hatch around the second act of the play are extremely brilliant and complicated. However, I can't help wonder whether they are realistic. The conventions and assumptions that Shakespeare uses to make the characters follow Iago's bidding seem far to convenient. While I realize that Iago is incredibly smart, and character's like Roderigo that his is trying to control are inferior to him, I still can't help think that things are flowing a little too smoothly for this play to be very realistic.

For instance, Iago's attempts to make Roderigo forgo the drowning and play as his puppet in getting Cassio to drink then fight Montano are just a little to perfectly performed. With a few turns of phrase, Iago can make Roderigo do anything. Another example is Cassio. It is made clear that there is nothing wrong with Cassio, he is an upright, smart, and respectable man. Then why does he drink so heavily, fight Roderigo so readily, and stab Montano so swiftly? Is peer pressure a plausible reason for the entire incident? Iago barely had to utter a few sentences and press another drink on his friend and the whole event unfolded exactly as he wanted it to. As seen in the quote above, he clearly sees all the other characters a stupid and easily manipulated, but it is hard to believe that they are this stupid.

Shakespeare's ability to use Iago to manipulate the other characters is very well done and all in all, believable. Every now and then, it all seems a little too easy for the conniving villain: Iago.

Hero Complex (Characters question 3)

"Iago: ... And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets/ He's done my office. I know not if't be true,/ . 366But I for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety. He holds me well,/ The better shall my purpose work on him./ Cassio's a proper man. Let me see now,/ To get his place, and to plume up my will/ In double knavery -How, how?- Let's see.-/ After some time, to abuse Othello's ear That he is too familiar with his wife./ He hath a person and smooth dispose/ To be suspected, framed to make women false/ The Moor is of a free and open nature/ That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,/ And will as tenderly be led by the nose/ As asses are." - II. i. v. 367-382

The concepts of protagonist and antagonist are usually very simple. The protagonist is the hero. This character drives the action, and is perspective used to narrate in a novel (or soliloquy in a play). Since this the character usually closest to the audience, they identify with him/her the most and see them as the hero of the story. The antagonist the is the one responsible for stopping the forward motion of the hero, causing problems and complications that the hero will solve with their outstanding wit and incredible daring. Because of these fair and normal stereotypes, the protagonist is the hero and the antagonist the villain. This is not true of "Othello", a factor that makes it's already complex characters. 

Iago is the clear protagonist up to this point. He is in every scene so far and his actions are the ones that move the plot along. He give many soliloquies, the first of which is quoted above. The soliloquy here is the first hint the readers get to where the general idea of Iago's plan is unfolded. It is obvious that his numerous plans drive the novel and its actions. However, it is also revealed that he is not the hero; he is clearly the villain.

Othello's personal thoughts are far less displayed than Iago's. Othello doesn't seem to be an antagonist because he does not try to actively block any of Iago's plans. However, it is his demise that Iago seeks, therefore his mere existence is an opposition to Iago. 

The other characters in the novel are mostly typical foil characters, like Emilia and her typical quietness, but they all serve a purpose in Iago's plan. The character shuffle Shakespeare orchestrates with the personalities of his antagonist and protagonist make "Othello" and confusing, but uniquely interesting play.