Well...I agree, kind of.

This person's opinion about Othello's true character are very critical. While I understand a little bit of where he is coming from, I can't bring myself to agree whole-heartedly. For starters, I do believe that Othello loved Desdemona with all his heart. Shakespeare introduces his readers to Othello in the way that a tragic hero should be presented: full of all things good and pure like honor and compassion and a certain "soft center" that makes anyone who meets him take an immediate liking to him. He's a great warrior; fully committed to his country. He sees the best in people, as is clearly demonstrated by his perverse love for the villain, Iago. Finally, He's in a relationship that is bursting at the seams with boundless love. Being in love with Desdemona is just one of those things that makes the reader like him that much more.

True to the form of a tragic hero, as the story progresses, we see Othello's good personality start to slip a little. I don't think it's because he's becoming less of a good person; I'm sure he is still quite as honorable and heroic as he was in the beginning of the story. However, his pure heart has developed a blemish: Iago. Iago planted ideas of awful doubt into Othello's head. Doubt about his own insecurities and flaws and at the center, the catalyst for bringing out these fears about himself was Desdemona. Iago's lies wove a story around chance and circumstance that made Othello truly doubt Desdemona's faithfulness and his own "worthiness" of her love.

It is proven that human nature leads us to cover our fear with rage and anger. I think when Othello finally gets around to disposing of his wife, this is kind of what he's doing. Othello is afraid that he's not good enough, so he covers it up with anger and jealousy. This is the part where I kind of agree with the article. Othello killed Desdemona simply because of what she was accused of to "save face" so to speak. He felt he needed to protect his own reputation and the only way to do that was to get rid of what he thought was destroying it. He was scared of looking bad and he reveals that he already had some deep-set uncertainties with his own likability and a combination of those two would bring out the worst in anyone, I think. With all his anger in the way, Othello couldn't even think strait. So, at the end, when he kills Desdemona, she was not a person to him until after she was dead; she was simply a crack in his well-built protection around his insecurities. Unfortunately, that's what happens when a person like Othello with deep down uncertainties about himself.

In conclusion, this article brings up some good points about Othello and his actions, but I don't really think it's all that accurate. Othello was in love, and that is what ultimately killed Desdemona.

---Taylor