laves and pagans. Brabantio reflects popular prejudices"("Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays 42). For these reasons, Othello is weary; he is always seen as an outsider despite constant effort and service to Venice. Shakespeare sets the tragedy of Othello in type of hostile environment to enable an audience to understand the unfairness and struggles that a person like Othello would have to cope with in real life.In the tragedy, sexism is in many ways seen as more acceptable than racism. Iago openly jokes about a womans worth by saying to Desdemona,Come on, come on! You are pictures out of the door,Bells in your parlors, wildcats in your kitchensdevils being offended, players in your housewifery and housewives in your beds. (act 2.1 lines 108-112) Although a joke, Iagos speech represents a type of mistrust in all women. Furthermore Brabantio reminds Othello that Desdemona may be unfaithful to him. These kinds of perceptions make women very susceptible to the whims of men. However strong the emotional attitude of prejudices may be in Othello, Love is the most powerful emotion and ironically the emotion that leads to the most vulnerability. Loves of all kinds are tested in the tragedy and ultimately all fail to rectify the horrible situation. Marital love for Othello and Desdemona serve as both a heaven and a hell on earth. As Othello portrays by saying,If I were now to die'Twere now to be most happy; for I fearMy soul hath her content so absoluteThat not another comfort like unto Succeeds in unknown fate. (act 2.1 188-191)Such statement gives mixed messages suggesting happiness yet weariness about the future. Susan Snyder has cited the same irony in Othellos statement " Othello celebrate his peak of joy, yet so markedly his invocations of death and fear make us apprehensive" ("Beyond the Comedy" Critical interpretations 24). Emilias love for her husband, Iago, leaves her nothing but regret and deep despair. Emilia, out of love for...
