Compare how flaws are shown in Othello and a range of poetry you have studied.

In my essay, I will be identifying flaws of characters in Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ and a selection of Robert Browning poems. I will be focusing on The Laboratory and Porphyria’s Lover as they both show similarities in terms of plot with Othello. Both poems also show several flaws that Othello has. These flaws are several factors that have led to the main character’s demise or downfall. Downfall means a loss of power. Furthermore by observing these poems and Othello, I am able to answer whether or not a flaw such as anger, can heavily dictate the conclusion of a story or the choices that is presented to the character.

Shakespeare exploits the human flaw of pride to influence Othello’s character and this flaw has evidently caused his downfall in the production. Iago suggests that Othello is self-centred and arrogant ‘loving his own pride and purposes’, which is further solidified with ‘I fetch my life from men of royal siege’. I have also speculated that his love for Desdemona is false because it seems that his relationship with her is only to flatter his own ego; ‘She loved me for the danger, I had passed and loved her that she did pity them’. Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to indicate that the character is speaking from the heart, which Othello is. This is further evidence of his interpretation of Desdemona. His only purpose in ‘targeting’ Cassio and Desdemona is his inability to swallow his pride which is shown through the quotation ‘I’d rather be a toad and live upon the vapour of a dungeon than keep a corner in the thing I love for others uses’. This flaw is one of many factors that have caused Othello’s downfall.

Robert Browning’s Porphyria’s Lover shows a story of arrogance and objectification. The character in the story is similar to Othello as they are both deeply (or appear to be) in love with their partners which causes them to result in murder. The Lover is very possessive in terms of his partner and that is his flaw and eventually his downfall. ‘That moment she was mine, mine, fair’ – Browning uses repetition to show the possessive attitude that the lover has and shows the physical and mental emotions that the character is presenting. This overly passionate and estranged love that he ‘possesses’ inevitably leads him to kill his wife and end with nothing (signalling his downfall). ‘Perfectly pure and good’ strengthens the theory that he is madly in love with her. The period that Browning wrote this was in 1836 when women were classified as objects or an item to be possessed. Pride can also be linked to the idea of possession because the Lover is prideful of Porphyria as there are several lines that intricately describe her, for example: her ‘smooth white shoulder’. The piece is also a dramatic monologue and since there are no stanzas can indicate his actions were performed swiftly, which shows his impulsiveness (another flaw that is shared with Othello). Browning presents Porphyria’s Lover’s flaw as possession and this flaw causes him to act irrationally and kills his wife as seen in Othello.

Shakespeare also uses Othello’s naive nature (he easily trusts anyone) to cause his downfall. This relentlessness in who he trusts is a major flaw; by having the ability to trust anyone can open avenues in which characters abuse that trust as shown in Othello. His blind faith causes him to be easily manipulated by his most ‘trusted’ companion Iago ‘the moor is of a free and open nature that thinks men is honest’ show that the moor (Othello) will trust anyone. Othello seems to choose his decisions through appearance rather than what is real therefore he does not further explore the possibilities that the truth is not what it seems. The use of metaphors in the entirety of that line can show Shakespeare’s intentions of Othello’s character and Iago’s views on him – ‘tenderly be led by the nose as asses’ reveals that Iago believes that the Moor is a fool, comparing him to a donkey. In Act 3 Scene 3, he questions his trust in Iago and senses that Iago is manipulating him “if thou dost slander her and torture her, never pray more, abandon all remorse on horrors head horrors accumulate” but as soon as Iago questions his loyalty, Othello backtracks on his decision and instead decides that he is in the wrong. The characters abuse of Othello’s nativity has caused his downfall.

Browning proposes the idea that the main character in the ‘Laboratory’ has the flaw of envy or anger; she shows similar characteristics to Othello as they are both fuelled by envy and are very impulsive. Both show the desire to end their partner’s life (previous partner), due to accusations of being unfaithful.  Browning uses structure to show the passing of time and each stanza is labelled with Roman numerals which references to the numbers on a clock. This structure presents the theory that the woman’s actions is occurring through the space of 12 hours. Her envy for her lover’s new partner is shown in stanza eight ‘What a drop! She’s not little, no minion like me!’ the term minion is used as a metaphor and its purpose is to belittle herself because she is insecure; this is also a reason for her partner leaving her as she is just a ‘minion’ and nothing more. This jealousy creates paranoia and drives her to create this potion and succeed in her actions (similar to Othello, as his envy drives him to kill his wife).

Shakespeare has used Othello’s occupation in the military to cause his downfall. He is a general, so must make quick decisions when on the battlefield. His brain is programmed to execute and command actions without having a deep thought on it. That characteristic is perfect for his occupation however in the production it has led it to his demise (impulsiveness); he had insisted to defend himself when accused by Brabantio of being a thief however when dealing with the accusations that Cassio has been sleeping with his wife, he does not have the same approach: (‘Cassio, I love thee, but never more be officer of mine’). Othello is being a hypocrite however his actions can be explained by him valuing his reputation and does not want other people to judge his personal life. His impatience in the story inevitably appeared when dealing with Desdemona ‘To be once in doubt, is once to be resolved’ ’I’ll have some proof’. But he continues to believe Iago’s accusations (he asks ‘Why did I marry?’) and proceeds to act without thinking (much like the narrator in Porphyria’s Lover). Cassio’s sleep talking and the discovered handkerchief did not help with Othello’s irrational decisions as it encouraged them. Othello cannot handle uncertainty or doubt and has a simplistic response to human emotions; he either loves Desdemona or he hates her with an equal passion ‘She is gone, I am abused and my relief must be to loathe’ and this questioned hatred pushes him to kill her and himself thus resulting in his downfall.

In conclusion, the flaws that have been presented in Browning’s poems and Othello have influenced the decisions of the character. All three pieces of texts that I was focusing on had a very similar theme or even the same genre: tragedy. I have noticed that a tragedy must consist of certain elements such as flaw because it can drive the plot and the audience can be theoretically connected with said character. There are clear links between Browning and Othello as the characters show equal traits – Othello being the insecure, rash and arrogant man that he is and the Lover being impulsive and insecure (same can be said with the woman in the Laboratory). Both writers also use a significant amount of language devices such as alliteration, metaphors or Iambic Pentameter, in the same purpose.