Shakespeares Othello - Othello and Desdemona :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Othello and Desdemona In the play, The Tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare really tests our conception as to what love is, and where it can or can't exist. Judging from the relationship between Desdemona and Othello, the play seems to say that marriage based on an innocent romantic love or profane love is bound to fail. Shakespeare is pessimistic about the existence and survival of a true type of love. There is a common thread of betrayal and deceit among his female characters, especially. Othello and Desdemona, as portrayed in the play, are the two greatest innocents there ever were. The two appear to love one another romantically at first, but this romantic love becomes more of a profane love, or more likely was truly a profane love all along. This comes to pass because there is no foundation for a relationship here. There is no trust, no communication, and no understanding. Othello has spent most of his life in battle, which makes him good at some things-- namely, battle. Othello says "Rude am I in my spee ch,/ and little bless'd with the soft phrase of peace;/ for since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,/ Till now some nine moons wasted, they have us'd/ Their dearest action in the tented field;/ And little of this great world can I speak/ More than pertains to feats of broils and battle" (1113). Desdemona is little more that a girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world. She is taken in by Othello's war stories. Desdemona takes one look at the hunk of burning love that is Othello, his virility and manliness, and she is swept off her feet. But is this a true love? She speaks so fondly of him, yet hardly knows him. As she defends her newly born love for Othello, Desdemona says (among other things), "My downright violence, and storm of fortunes,/ May trumpet to the world. My heart's subdu'd/ Even to the very quality of my lord./ I saw Othello's visage in his mind,/ And to his honors and his valiant parts/ Did I my soul and fortune consecrate." (1118). I can say from experience t hat in the "Magic Time", the first part of the relationship, some things are said that maybe affected by Love's blindness. Put these two together, and you have the equivalent of a couple of kids playing doctor. The two big clumsy babies "fumbling towards ecstasy" might have actually made it if they were free from outside forces.