JC H2 Lit Group (with Cheryl and Nathan) paper on Othello (Fear X Aspiration)

“Fear, as well as aspiration, is the most dangerous sentiment” Discuss the tension between these 2 in Othello.

OI 

The fear of a lack of adhering to one’s obligation is harmful as it can result in active decisions to rectify the problem. The aspiration which arises from this might be detrimental both to the individual and to society through its physical and verbal manifestations. Although motivations behind the two might oppose each other, ultimately it is a combination of both that will lead to a negative deviation from the norm, and therefore poses a danger to Individuals and Society.

Body Paragraph #1: Fear 

Iago - fears  Othello might sleep with Emilia, manifested by his suspicion and jealousy.

Quote	Analysis
“And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets he’s done my office” (pg 239)	Iago is convinced that Othello has slept with Emilia despite the lack of evidence which in turn drives him to resent Othello over this. This fear of being cuckolded ultimately fuels his want for revenge, manifested in his attempt to make Othello believe that Desdemona is sleeping his Cassio.
“For that I do suspect that the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat” (pg 258)	This further emphasizes Iago’s suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife. Iago’s sexual jealousy is also suggested through his description of Othello as a “lusty Moor” to show how he is sexually energetic.
“For I fear Cassio with my nightcap too” (pg 259)  (should we be talking about Cassio here? Since our focus is on his suspicion of Othello rather than him)	Iago’s fear of being cuckolded does not only manifest in his suspicion of Othello but even spreads to Cassio. Highlighting the widespread and destructive nature of fear which escalates in the case of Iago. He begins to believe that Othello is not the only one who had slept with Emilia despite the lack of evidence to prove this. Hence, fear drives Iago into a state of constant suspicion which ultimately manifests in his want for revenge.

Othello - fears being made redundant should he fail his duty of maintaining order in Venice

Quote	Analysis
“Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you Against the general enemy Ottoman—” (pg 218)	Othello’s usefulness in Venice as a general is highlighted through his ability to protect Venice ; reinforced by his title as “valiant Othello”. This usefulness is what provides him with a place in society despite his identity as a foreigner. Hence, it is imperative for Othello to fulfil his duty in maintaining order. A failure to fulfil his duty would in turn lead to a loss of his job and place in the Venetian society
“Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you, and though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer voice on you. You must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boist'rous expedition.” (228)	Othello is recognized as someone with a vast amount of military knowledge which is what makes him so useful in the Venetian society. His fear stems from the loss of such usefulness to Venice. Without his place as a protector of Venice, he would in turn lose his job.
“I have done the state some service, and they know ’t….Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme” (pg 395)	Even when Othello fails to maintain order in Venice, his fear of losing his usefulness as well as place in Venice, drives him to justify his actions as well as restating his “service” to the Venetian society. He wishes to be remembered as someone who was useful to society rather that someone who was “easily jealous”.

Desdemona - fears that she cannot perform her role as a dutiful wife to Othello

Quote	Analysis
“‘Tis I meet should be used so, very meet. How have I been behaved that he might stick the small’st opinion on my least misuse?” (pg  349)	Desdemona wishes to perform her role as a dutiful wife but now, she is trying to figure out what she had done wrong. She fears and questions what she has done to offend Othello.
“She kneels” (pg 352)	Desdemona’s actions reflect her desire to be a loyal and dutiful wife to Othello. Her actions come right after Othello calls her a “whore”, highlighting her fear of failing in any of her duties towards Othello. This ultimately manifests in her kneeling to reassert her marital vows as if reassuring Othello of her innocence.
“If I e’er my will did trespass ‘gainst his love, either in discourse, or thought, or actual deed, or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense delighted them in any other form, or that I do not yet - and ever did, and ever will, though he do shake me off to beggarly divorcement” (pg 352)	Her speech reinforces her desire to fulfil her duty as a dutiful wife to Othello; knowing that the consequence of failing this duty would be “divorcement”.

Link: Fear of the lack of a societal expectation drives individuals to aspire to rectify the problem/address the root of the fear by performing their duty.

Body Paragraph #2: Aspiration

Iago - aspires to seek revenge on Othello directly and indirectly (How does Iago take revenge directly? All his revenge is done through the manipulation of others rather than him personally seeking out revenge with his own hands)  (manipulating the others) [detrimental to society due to his purpose and his ability to carry out his aspiration]

Quote	Analysis
“Though i do hate him as I do hell pains, yet, for necessity of present life, i must show out a flag and sign of love” (pg 206-7) (I dont get how this shows Iago’s aspiration to take revenge??)
“t I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety. He holds me well. The better shall my purpose work on him… to abuse Othello’s ear That he is too familiar with his wife.” (pg 239-240)	Iago’s suspicion towards Othello manifests in his revenge towards him. He wishes for Othello to go through the same pain that he had gone through (self - created suspicion and jealousy that comes from his fear) which is to feel cuckolded. Hence, this jealousy and resentment of Othello which stems from his fears, manifests in his aspiration to seek revenge.
“partly led to diet my revenge...and nothing can or shall content my soul till i am evened with him, wife for wife; or...at least into a jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure” (pg 258)	Iago’s fears of being cuckolded drives him down a path of revenge as he aspires to get even with Othello, “wife for wife”. Furthermore, the extent to which Iago’s fear has affected him has escalated to a point where “nothing can content (his) soul till (he) is even with him” suggesting the degeneration of Iago as his jealousy continues to escalate until it becomes his aspiration to seek revenge against Othello.

Othello - aspires to maintain order in Venice (from his POV) by killing Desdemona, preventing her from causing more disorder to society. [dangerous to his mind and Desdemona’s life]

Quote	Analysis
“Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.” (pg 372)	Othello’s fear of losing his job, manifest in his conviction to kill Desdemona. He views her as a source of disorder in Venice which he needs to remove. Hence, his fear towards the loss of order, results in his aspiration to restore this order by killing Desdemona and in turn, serve his duty as the protector of Venice.
“An honorable murderer, if you will, For naught I did in hate, but all in honor.” (pg 393)	Othello justifies his murder of Desdemona by calling it a “honourable murder”. His aspiration to restore order highlight this as he views her murder as him doing his job and duty. Furthermore, he states that the murder was not done “in hate, but rather all in honour to emphasize the idea that Othello was simply doing his job rather than being driven by his jealousy which is in turn, his aspiration to restore order,
“She’s a liar gone to burning hell: ‘Twas I that killed her” (pg 381)	Othello admits to killing Desdemona as he feels that he has done no wrong by killing her. Even after her death, he still views her as a “liar gone to burning hell” as if he had just served justice upon her. Hence, fulfilling his duty at keeping Venice safe. By killing her, he has restored order to Venice in his eyes and the aspiration to do his duty has also been fulfilled.

Desdemona - aspires to retain Othello’s affection despite being aware that it is fading/changing. 

Quote	Analysis
“Whate’er you be, I am obedient.” (pg 287)	Highlights the loyalty that Desdemona is willing to give to Othello despite everything that he has done to her. She remains “obedient” to her. Hence her aspiration to retain his affection is seen through her behaviour towards Othello, choosing to obey him in spite of Othello’s accusations.
“Out of my sight!” + “I will not stay to offend you” (“Truly, an obedient lady”) (pg 339)	Despite her innocence, Desdemona still listens to what Othello says. Her aspiration therefore manifests through her choice to do whatever he asks of her. She would rather pacify Othello and leave rather than going against Othello’s commands.
“Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight!” + “But half an hour? But while I say one prayer?” (I dont think this shows how Desdemona is trying to retain his affection? she justs wants some prayer time)

Link: The motivations between Aspiration and Fear may not be similar, which leads to tension between them. However, in cases where the aspiration is derived from fear, it is instead likely to compound the problem, making it a dangerous sentiment. 

Body Paragraph #3: Tension/which is more dominant AND explain how they work together/ fear produces aspiration

Iago reinforces and compounds Othello’s drive to kill desdemona by evoking jealousy and paranoia in him using rhetorics. eg “O beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” and confusion such as through the echoing of Othello’s words “by heaven, thou echo’st me, asf there were some monster in thy thought too hideous to be shown”. In Iago, his fear manifested through jealousy is the cause of his aspiration for revenge and is what motivates him to carry out his plan of driving Othello to madness.Fear breeds aspiration in an individual. When this aspiration is manifested verbally or physically, it leads to the danger posed by disorder in a society. 

• Othello’s degeneration of his mind. Shown through contrast between “ my parts, my title, my perfect soul Shall manifest me rightly” (pg 210) and “sweet desdemon” to “May she give that?” (pg 326) suggesting uncertainty to “Are you not a strumpet?...What, not a whore?” 
• Desdemona is “my captain’s captain” → serves as othello’s moral compass. she guides him. The loss of his faith in her and the realization of his fear pushes him to want to kill her.
• Despite this, his personal interests are that he still loves her and is reluctant to murder her even if it is for the sake of society’s stability and well being. 

“Most potent, grave, and reverend signors, My very noble and approved good masters; That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter, It is most true” (pg 220) → an eloquent speech suggests civility → the fact that Othello is being portrayed as a civil and reputable man shows that Othello is ‘in control’ of the situation at hand, undisturbed by the fact that Barbantio is accusing him of a capital crime (witchcraft) which can be seen that he is confident that he has done nothing wrong as well as that his military achievements will provide a ‘safety pass’ to allow him to marry Desdemona.

“Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live! No, my heart is turned to stone” + “Strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by an emperor’s side, and command him tasks” → On one side, Othello is cursing at his wife and swears to kill her but on the other weeps that she no longer loves him. The fact that he is still weeping for his ‘loss’ shows that he still cared and loved Desdemona. The conflicting of feelings of anger (revenge) as well as sadness (Love) serves to show that Othello now lacks reasoning and is unable to distinguish his feeling for Desdemona that he entangles love and murder.

“Get me some poison, Iago, this night. I’ll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again. This night, Iago.” (pg 336) → Highlights how Othello can no longer think rationally and is driven by his own rage. He does not listen to anyone but Iago. Othello is losing his sense of reason and plotting for murder. Deviates from his duty to protect and maintain order and instead causes chaos. However, in Othello’s mind, he is doing the right thing to get rid of Desdemona as he believes that she is the source of chaos in society and therefore his duty to rid it.

“(striking her) Devil!” + “I will chop her into messes - cuckold me?” → Othello Strikes Desdemona- physical violence. Madness > love for Desdemona. Resorting to violence + most savage of all his threats  → lost control → Madness clouds his judgement and it is manifested through his inability to control himself both in his actions and speech (striking Desdemona & threatening to brutally kill her) 

“O banish me, my lord, but kill me not!”

“Down, strumpet!” + “But half an hour? But while I say one prayer?” “It is too late.” → from “I will deny thee nothing” to refusing to listen to reason and ultimately killing Desdemona.

Fear reinforces the purpose of aspiration. However any tension between them further compounds the danger as it is often manifested in a clouding of the mind or sight (as in Othello’s case by Iago) resulting in harm to the mind and an inability to act rationally. A Combination of the 2 result in disorder and violence.  → danger is in the sentiment rather than the act itself. As a result, the impacts are often detrimental both to the Individual and Society.