Analysis of the Significance of Othello’s last speech Essay

This last speech of Othello is his way of expressing to sceneers how he would have liked them to analyse the events of the run absent. However, his speech, albeit handsome and feature film of Othellos extravagant and Romantic use of linguistic communication, is flawed, ironic and thus it is impossible to see the events of the play in the light that Othello would like us to. His account is merely how he would like the interview to view the play and not necessarily how the events of the play have indeed unfolded.Othello is a man very certified and in some ways obsessed with reputation. He himself is aware of this, as shown in the preceding lines I pray you, in your letters, / When you shall these unlucky deeds relate, / Speak of me as I am. Aware of the spectacularness of opinion, which is inevitably affected by ones reputation, he apace jumps to tell people of how he would like to be remembered. With this obsession with reputation, it is already clear that Othello has a stro ng condition to put a positive spin on his actions. Indeed, his preoccupation with his reputation and public image was one of the reasons that he killed Desdemona. Also, it is Iagos reputation as an honest man which allowed him to deceive Othello without Othello at a time questioning his words. Thus, Othello has a strong motive not to portray himself as he really is, but how he would want us to see him and so it is already possible to see that his account of his behaviour may not necessarily be an accurate one.The preceding lines state that he tells the others to speak of me as I am. However, on that point is great irony in this statement as he promptly goes on to misinterpret himself and his motives in golf-club to retain his noble and righteous reputation. He says that he is not easily jealous. However, the notion that green-eyed monster has the power to destroy is a significant theme of the play. His jealousy that Desdemona might love Cassio is a major(ip) part of his downf all. Despite claiming to be one not easily jealous, not only is his better judgment quickly overcome by his jealousy when Iago first begins to make the allegations, but he lets his jealousy give in over and his jealousy begins to control his actions.Also, he says that he has been wrought, / Perplexed in the extreme, and although it is undeniable that he has been deceived by Iago, as mentioned above, he lends himself to being wrought asquickly realises that Othellos jealousy is his weakness. With Iago quickly realising very early on in the play that jealousy is Othellos weakness, it is obvious that it is simply a mere enterprise to keep his reputation intact that Othello denies that he is not easily jealous and that the reversion is true.Othello also claims that he is one who Drops tears as fast as the Arabian trees / Their medicinable gum However, Othello was so consumed by jealousy and thus anger that, although he did love Desdemona, he showed little emotion immediately after k illing his wife. He had already set up the murder in an execution-style killing, and was not distressful afterwards until he had found out that he was in fact wrong. Again, we see another mistaking by Othello in an attempt to Romanticise and justify his actions.Othello likens his action of killing Desdemona to that of an Indian, throwing a pearl away / Richer than all his tribe. Although this is a beautiful metaphor indicative that Othello has once again returned to his mastery of language, it fails to enshroud the cruel and gruesome action that Othello had just carried out. Desdemona is represented by the pearl and so once again, there is a biblical resonance, with the pearl, being perfectly spherical and white, representing Desdemonas purity and perfection. Again, we see Othello downplaying his own actions and representing a gruesome execution with beautiful imagery. Thus, it is very difficult to see the transit as anything but an attempt by Othello to die with some honour and reputation. Despite being filled with beautiful and heroic language and imagery, the passage is ultimately contradictory and misleading and in the end, not an accurate description of the true events of the play.This passage is especially significant in relation to the play as a whole as it is the characteristic recognition speech of a Shakespearean tragedy. Having finally realised, albeit too late, that he has made a mistaking for which he must now live with, Othello has finally regained his natural ability with language. No longer is he bumbling along muttering lines such as O fool, fool, fool, but his language is once again coherent andelegant. He has regained his composure and sets upon sentencing himself to death, through confessing and then killing himself. This action reiterates in the audiences mind the sense of tragic loss and thus ends the tragic play.