Inhumanity of MankindThe inhumanity of mankind is displayed all throughout Othello.
In every act and scene it is the main underlying theme from the simplest of degrading comments from Brabantio to the complex schemes thought up by Iago to ruin Othello, have his wife dead, and get money from Roderigo. This in my mind is what the play really revolves around. Othello never rises in this play. From the very beginning they show this man’s demise and the people who are doing it to him.
Othello’s death and destruction is forshadowed from the very first act of the play when Roderigo is putting pressure on Iago to get him the girl he promised and payed so much money tohave. Iago already dispises Othello for promoting Cassio instead of him to lieutenant and then says he is plotting against Othello to further himself and to help his rich nobleman friend, Roderigo. This is the type of undermining and digusting behavior you can expect from Iagothroughout the play who is the finest example of inhumane people in the play. Roderigo is also aperfect example in this situation because he knows that Iago is plotting against Othello in such away that will end up with him dead. Another perfect example of inhumane behaior in “Othello” is Barbantio’s taunting. When Othello was chosen to lead his men into war Barbantio could not help, but insist that Ohello some-how put his daughter in some sort of trance or flat out manipulated her into marrying Othello.
Hemade Othello look like a fool in front of the very people who felt he was a great man. In the placewhere Othello felt most comfortable and powerful Barbantio made him look and feel like he was two inches tall without the slightest bit of remorse for doing so. Another citation that could be used from the play to show inhumane behavior is the overall dedication of Iago to ruin Othello’s life. He plots to make Othello believe that his wife is cheating on him with Roderigo which leads to her death.
This is only because he didn’t get thepromotion to lieutenant that he felt he deserved. Iago single handedly destroyed Othello’s life,stole Roderigo’s money, and caused the death of Othello’s life; all with a smile on his face. All throughout Othello we are reminded of the inhumanity of mankind. Iago was the most prominent character with such behavior, but you could make a case that every character was atsome time was inhumane. Even from Othello who killed his wife because he simply thought she was being dishonest without actually finding out the truth.
If you ask my opinion the theme of this paper is the very them of the book “Othello.”
