"Typically , men in Elizabethan texts are presented as primary being lustful towards their wives rather than demonstrating feelings of true love"

Use this view to discuss how the theme of lust is presented by Shakespeare in this extract and the play as a whole.

Significant characters throughout Othello explore themes of love and lust which are equally presented but equally confused. However, taking into account the context of the play at a particular time period, men regarded their partners and wives to become submissive and meek towards their betrothed at all times. Women with little delegation were visualised to become one of men's most valuable "jewels" rather than symbolised as an act of love which can merely become associated with lust. However, love is demonstrated to be touching upon Othello and Desdemona under the circumstances of her lost youth being sacrificed with the loss of her father.

However, the person who best illustrates the theme of lust is Roderigo. Focusing on act one scene three, Brabantio accuses Roderigo by "charge(ing) thee not to haunt about my doors", seemingly Rodrigo's desperate plea to display affection of his daughter is comprehended to become an obsession to merely "lust of the blood". Which creates the impression Roderigo believes Desdemona equally shares the same degree of love and desire, repelling women portray lustful acts to a mans advance. Roderigo and Iago are the main characters that depict irony for love and lust. They both are convinced that they are in love when realistically divert aspects of love because women are prone to carry upon lust to men leaving fragile characters such as Iago to become fragmented of having their reputation tainted by a women. Therefore, his power will overtime become diminished. Profoundly throughout the play Roderigo pays Iago to get Desdemona, not knowing that he really is not in love with her. This portrays lust on Rodrigo’s part, as " thus do I ever make fool of my purse", Iago is an absolute materialist and so may continue to line his own pockets he frames Rodrigo's prospects in material terms,suggesting there is no love money can't buy. Therefore, the accurate portrayal of Rodrigo's lust is identified amongst other characters. His lust can be interpreted as love because Iago convinces he is in love to fulfil himself of humour to own advantage. Iago's manipulation speculates to alter the mind sets of characters to change their views of relationships and to undermine the meaning of true love from material gain.

However, love is accurately presented in this extract between Othello and Desdemona however valued as a matter of lust. This is demonstrated through Iago's merciful reductions of animalistic undertones, he compares Othello and Desdemona to an "old ram tupping his white ewe" a derogatory to amplify their sexual purposes of wives to become only in their power, which is predictably implying love isn't present. Diminishing metaphors are extended for the couple to be "making the beast with two backs". A suggestive and crude comment to introduce beastility rather than an act of lovemaking, incivility to increase audience understanding Othello's purpose of marriage is for a lustful gain. However, Iago is certified under a character basis with the interpretation throughout the play marriage is bound of indefinite lies and adultery to which should be accepted by others, it dominates character interpretations in act one the idea Roderigo would change "humanity with a baboon" repulses Iago of the act of suicide in the declaration of love he has lost. Othello, on the other hand, is in love with Desdemona and doesn’t have sex with her until they are married, and because of his respect for her he had “rather be a toad".Othello evidently portrays love in this play however Othello’s love for her gradually diminishes to become hateful. On the contrary to hate becomes love, at some point Othello had fallen in love with his wife along with love lustful thoughts are seemingly present. He loves "thee gentle Desdemona",until the plot blackens towards her death his mind is poisoned with foul thoughts, he believes she has contaminated , poisoned him with her lust. It advances although she hadn't cheated, women are capable of engaging in lustful acts amongst their husbands rather in the act of commitment.

However, lust is explored by husbands through the theme of the play. Similar to jewels which pours "treasures into foreign laps", jewels with such sentiment referring to women should remain untainted, in colloquial terms discard any desire off men. Wives are aware they should degrade themselves to a double standard, Desdemona naively asks if there are women would would cheat on their husbands, Emelia replies it is men's fault for equally portraying lustful thoughts which arise from commitments of love to "make us fall". According to Emelia, husbands cheat on their wives and often abuse them physically, prompting women a stray from the love and attention required within a happy marriage. Like husbands, women have sexual desires, women are also "frail" and imperfect. Suggests the idea Emelia recognises there is a double standard when it comes to gender to which she heartily objects, the idea conveys expected romantic love in husbands and wives isn't honest love. However, inexperienced characters such as Desdemona her love of Othello can contextually be seen as naive and viewed by others as lustful. She implies Othello isn't the jealous type to accuse her a such "baseness" of cheating, she openly proclaims her love of possessions especially sentiment of the handkerchief being lost. However, her material possessions don't come close to her love she holds for her husband, suggesting she's naive to believe husbands are capable of such leverage and she continue to pursue her marriage sexually to her husband as a act of lust evidently shown to be "making the beast with two backs". It demonstrates both women and men are capable of deceiving one another however, men deroergotise women's power as an act of lust simply because they owe power themselves. However, all men really want to achieve is the sexual fragment of the relationship.

However, Othello is verisitle to be open to the interpretation he is loving towards his wife, the assumption of venetian periods assigned lust is the close feeling to love visualised by Iago, therefore little audience can relate if mutual feelings are present to overrule that men typically can present true love amongst their wives instead of singular infatuation. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago successfully manipulates others through treachery. Iago uses not only his impeccable ability to appear as something he is not, but he also finds clever ways to abuse the trust of others in order to achieve his goals. His singular goal is for others to share his ideology. Lust is the only interpretation of love and sexual powers are typically only reliant in men to succeed, women "full of game" can't demonstrate capabilities that wouldn't taint a man's reputation, which falls with the kind of thing present to belief in Ventian characters of this time.

	Created by Alicia Horrigan over 8 years ago

Note on Othello essay , created by Alicia Horrigan on 27/02/2016.