Shakespeares Othello - Loving Desdemona :: Othello essays

Loving Desdemona William Shakespeare, in his tragical drama Othello, creates a nearly exquisite character in the person of Desdemona. Her many virtues clearly command that she be given detailed consideration by ein truth Christian member of the audience. David Bevington in William Shakespeare Four Tragedies describes the depth of virtue within this tragic heroine We believe her Desdemona when she says that she does not thus far know what it means to be apostate the word whore is not in her vocabulary. She is defenseless against the charges brought against her because she does not even comprehend them, cannot believe that anyone would imagine such things. Her love, both erotic and chaste, is of that a priori wholesomeness common to several late Shakespearean heroines . . .. Her preferring Othello to her father, like Cordelias placing her employment to a husband forwards that to a father, is not ungrateful entirely natural and proper. (221) Blanche Coles in Shakespeares Four Giants interprets the protagonists very meaningful four-word greeting to Desdemona which he utters upon disembarking in Cyprus Othellos four words, O, my dispositions joy, tell us that this beautiful Venetian girl has brought capital joy, felicity, bliss to the very depths of his soul. This exquisitely beautiful love that has come to a thoughtful, earnest man is indescribably impressive. For him it is heaven on earth. And all the while, near within arms length, stands Iago, the embodiment of evil, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden. (87) In Act 1 Scene1, Iago persuades the rejected suitor of Desdemona, Roderigo, to go with him to the home of Brabantio, Desdemonas father, in the middle of the night. Once there the twain awaken him with loud shouts about his daughters elopement with Othello. In receipt to Iagos vulgar descriptions of Desdemonas involvement with the general, Brabantio arises from bed and, with Roderigos help, gathers a search party to go and find Desde mona and bring her home. The fathers attitude is that life without his Desdemona will be much worse than before It is too true an evil gone she is And whats to come of my despised conviction Is nought but bitterness. (1.1) So obviously the senator has great respect for his daughter, or at least for the comforts which she has afforded him up the beginning of the play.