Freudian Reading on “Othello” Essay

Freudian Reading on OthelloIs it possible for other tidy sum to operate as our superegos? What argon the effects of never settlement your oedipal interlacing? And when a situation be adds to over whelming, do we project our thought and feelings on to our peers? I am using Through the Literary Looking Glass censorious Theory in Pr snatchice by Sian Evans and Othello by William Shakespe be to analyse the characters Othello and Iago as rise as the major(ip) theme jealousy through a Freudian lens. The aim of this psychoanalysis is to try and give a improve understanding of the characters motivations and unconscious, narcissistic desires. The theme jealousy is revealed by both these characters throughout the dramatic play shows us how we need to be tumesce rounded people, and the effects this has if we are not. The opening act of Othello begins with the marriage of Desdemona and Othello in Venice, Italy. Here we see a black, set aged man, marry a fair, young, Venetian woman in f ront of an upper class washrag society. (This was spicyly frowned upon at that point in history). As the play take Iago suggests to Othello that Desdemona is sleeping with Cassio, and tries to smirch their marriage.This behaviour seems somewhat childish coming from a grown man and shows us how Iago doesnt function his superego to control his id, as well as displaying his immense jealousy of Othello. except Othello believes what Iago is saying, as he has a reputation of being an good man. Iago continues to insinuate Desdemonas dis proficienty to Othello and provides fake evidence. Othello gets increasingly covetous by the poison that Iago is telltale(a) him and becomes so overwhelmed by this jealousy that he goes back to his natural instincts, resolving issues through arrive at. This is a result of him joining the army at 7 and since hence any he has known is war. The play ends with Othello acting on impulse and under the influence of his ruddy superego, offing Desdemo na, and whence Iago after he realises Desdemona was inno centime. He thus proceeds to commit suicide as he believed this act would be considered noble, restore his reputation, and relieve his conscious mind of his violent actions. Othello is a mentally and emotionally frail character in the play. He joined the army at a young age and in stages became recognised in society as something other than a then a middle aged, black moor, due to his high rank in the army and then marrying Desdemona.Howeverwhen a purportedly honest Iago starts suggesting Othellos wife is unfaithful, he is soft able to mentally control Othello through him never having inflexible his oedipal complex. Othello had never resolved his oedipal complex because we see him give his mothers handkerchief to Desdemona. Freud describes this as a method of transference and Othello is transferring his repressed love for his mother on to Desdemona. Iago then acting as Othellos id then reveals Othellos murderous superego w hich was ca employ by decades of warfare. We visually see this in the play when he says How shall I murder him Iago when Iago implies Cassio is sleeping with Desdemona. Here, Othello is also showing that his oedipal complex is still not resolved by transferring his repressed emotions on to new objects through his desire to murder Cassio (being the father) in order to be closer to Desdemona (being the mother). Later in the play we see his superego again when Desdemona (the woman he loves) becomes his enemy and he kills her. This act of murder was purely out of jealousy and the fear of him losing his reputation he has worked so hard for. Yet she must die, else shell betray more men, Shows us how Othello is subconsciously protecting his soldiers.Though a Freudian perspective it appears that Shakespeare has used Othello as a character to show us that if you are brought up with murder or warfare when you are young, you might never be able to overcome your violent superego as you get olde r and the pestiferous effects this has. Shakespeare has also shown us how sublimation is applied through Othello, as he is someone that has the urge to hurt and kill and thus joined the army, so that the act of killing is morally justified by protecting their region or soldiers. He may not kill the person he wants to kill necessarily, but they will release their feelings by killing the enemy, if unless these feelings are manipulated by an external factor (Iago). Although many years have passed since Othello was written, people can still relate to it because human nature does not change. We all question those who are close to us, and whether or not they are honest and loyal. Shakespeare is using Othello to warn us of disastrous consequences that may arise when you are manipulated by a person (Iago) that capitalises on the jealous nature of other human. Iago is an extremely jealous character in the play. He is envious of Othellos reputation, higher rank in the army, wife, and that he is more respected in a white society than him even though he is middle aged andblack. This shown through the quote only if for my sport and profit. I despise the MoorHe has done my office. Reputation means to a lot to Iago, and overall thats all he cares about most, which shows narcism and racism in his character. He believed that Othello robbed him of his reputation. We see this through the quote But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed.Iago doesnt use his superego to control his id so his urges and desires are unrestrained. This is shown throughout the play in his in(predicate) attempt to corrupt Othellos marriage. Nearly one hundred per cent of the time when Iago is with Othello he is using reverse psychology to act as Othellos superego and make him more jealous of Cassio O beware, my lord, of Jealousy It is the green-eyed monster. This is displaying two perspectives on Iagos physiological state. Either Iago has postal code control over his id, and just lets his jealous mind run wild. Or, he chooses not to control his psychopathic mind with his superego. This results in him tricking Othello into consciously view hes jealous when he unconsciously isnt. For example, when Othello asks for living priming coat (proof) that Desdemonas been disloyal, Iago tells him about an erotic dream that Cassio supposedly had one nighttime while he was lying in bed next to Iago. In sleep I heard him say Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves. After Iago tells these rumours he then covers his tracks by deceiving Othello. An example of this is when he says Men should be what they seem which is dry coming from him, as he is not what he seems. He is delusory and believable, and for Othello that is bad news for someone who is so easily jealous and mentally frail. He hath a person and a smooth dispose, to be suspected, frame to make women false. The Moor is of a free and open nature, that t hinks men honest but that seem to be so This quote is reinforcing how Iago believes Othello will be easy to manipulate and deceive.Through this psychoanalysis we have a greater understanding of Iagos motivations and unconscious desires. We see how he projected an overtake amount of jealousy he had for Othello on to him, and even though he thought he was in control of the situation and that he would come out on top, it led to both of their demise. For Iago jealousy played on the trust he developed in his relationship with Othello and whether Othello would believe him. However even though Othello did believe and trust Iago, Shakespeare still shows usthat jealousy destroys relationships and consumes the mind.My psychoanalysis of Othello has given me a new understanding of the play for a different perspective from what I would normally view it from. Iago and Othello both had major flaws in their characters which ultimately lead to their demise. Iago couldnt control his id, which meant he was forever acting on impulse without control of the superego and there was only a matter of time before he slipped up. Then Othello never resolving his oedipal complex meant someone like Iago could easily manipulate and mentally corrupt him. Both these characters have shown us as readers how we need to be well rounded people so we are not as easily susceptible to jealousy, and the effects this has if we are not.