“I have neither given nor
received nor have I tolerated
any other’s use of
unauthorized aid”
Kathleen Williams
English 200
Final Paper
Misjudgment In Othello
Judgment is an interesting personal interpretation of the truth. It may be
interpreted as someone’s opinion of an event or a person’s character. However,
people sometimes mask the real truth with their misjudgments. For example, a
person without knowledge of the theorems of Copernicus back in the early eras
of time could easily interpret the Sun as revolving around the Earth and would
have been accepted this as “fact” by that person’s peers during that time
period. Well, how valid are people’s judgments? Finding a truth from limited
information is difficult, but by considering the factual information, one is better
off at catching a “misjudgment” rather than making a biased one. For example,
Othello could have easily dismissed Iago’s personal judgments about
Desdemona’s marital fidelity as hearsay but instead; Othello embraced those
opinions as truths because he thought Iago as honest. People can be very
deceptive. In other words, one cannot judge someone solely on what is heard
spoken or seen done. These words and actions can be quite deceiving.
Consider the misjudgments of Iago and how those misjudgments had
major effects on the play. Iago guiltlessly plays with simple meaningful things
such as handkerchiefs or more significant objects of affection such as lover’s
hearts. Although Iago purposely causes many misjudgments by the other
characters, he, himself, is a poor judge. For example, one of his primary
motives for despising Othello is because Othello promoted Cassio and not
Iago to Lieutenant. Iago did not really consider the possibility that Othello had
made a wise decision to promote Cassio. Iago did not accept that maybe Cassio
was better qualified for the position, “a fellow… That never set a squadron in a
field nor the division of battle knows” (1.1.20-22). This is a bad misjudgment
and motivates Iago to revenge Cassio and the moor. Another reason for Iago’s
hatred of Othello is that Iago judged the moor to having an affair purely on
hearsay. How did he know for a fact that his wife was having an affair? He
would have to catch his wife in the act to prove this and not rely on hearsay.
Iago aims to punish the moor with a similar offense. Another important that
Iago makes in the play is the role of women. He thinks that women ought to be
silent and obedient, pretty as pictures, “you are pictures out of doors, bells in
your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils
offended..” (2.1.109-111). This judge of the role of women effects the ending
when Iago threatens his wife to be silent about the handkerchief that she had
originally stolen to please her husband. Iago successfully stabs Emilia out of
hate for her disloyalty proving his misogyny for both Emilia and Desdemona.
Now consider Othello’s oversights. Othello loved so much, but so
unwisely. It is my opinion that he was also a poor judge of character and quick
to make judgments on so little facts. He was even superstitious in thinking that
his handkerchief has special powers to keep or break a marriage. To believe
that a simple piece of cloth can tie someone’s marriage is a weak conclusion.
Othello is also very critical of Cassio’s actions and words all because of Iago’s
“thoughts” about the lieutenant. Othello is quick to judge Cassio on his
drunkenness and on his reputation with women, especially with the prostitute
Bianca to use this judgment to misjudge Desdemona’s fidelity. Othello’s biggest
misjudgment was to think Iago as “honest”; “This fellow’s of exceeding honest
and knows all qualities, with a learned spirit of human dealings (3.3262-264). If
Othello had consulted with both Cassio and Desdemona together and then
privately, he probably would not have been in this catastrophe in the first place.
Emilia was correct to call him foolish at the end of the play. Othello was
foolish enough to take hearsay seriously. For example, during the scene when
Iago misconstrued the conversation to talk about Desdemona’s supposed
relations with Cassio, when, in fact, Cassio really talked about his mistress
Bianca, Iago not only twisted a specific conversation without throwing Cassio
of guard but also caused Othello to misinterpret that dialogue as well. This
exemplifies an important lesson- do not always trust everything heard.
Unfortunately, after this conversation, Othello’s mind was already set on
Desdemona’s guilt. Emilia, who was closest to Desdemona, could not even
convince Othello of his wife’s marital fidelity. Othello would believe Iago’s
“thoughts” before he believed the observations of his wife’s personal maid.
Perhaps a few gender issues were at play when Othello ignored Emilia. Emilia
was right when she called him foolish after she found out that he killed his
wife.
Roderigo is also flawed in his judgments. He has been helplessly
desperate for Desdemona’s affection for quite a while as exemplified at the
beginning of the play "Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly That thou,
Iago, who hast had my purse As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of
this" (1.1.1-3). Roderigo gives Iago money for news about Desdemona. He is
Iago’s pawn in the slaying of the King and Queen of Iago’s chessboard. This
little pawn has done a lot to affect the outcome of the play, especially by
provoking Cassio into a brawl, which lead to his dismissal as lieutenant.
Roderigo probably thinks that if Cassio and Desdemona are both exposed as
having a secret affair, then the moor will divorce Desdemona and then she will
be his for the marrying. This poor fool misjudges Desdemona’s love for the
moor and Iago’s false tales of her secret affairs with Cassio. Most of all, he is a
sucker to pay Iago for his lies.
At the end of the play, Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Iago
are tragically found dead. Each of their misjudgments affected this tragic
outcome. Their deaths signify the importance of learning how to make good
skeptical judgments and not biased ones. This tragedy would have been
prevented if Iago had realized that he was not the best qualified for the
lieutenancy and that his wife Emilia was not having an affair with him. Othello
should have been wiser in believing one’s person’s account of events. He
should have been more attentive of the conversation and not misinterpreted it.
Most of all, he should have judged Iago’s character better. Roderigo paid dearly
both financially and in his blood for believing the devilish lies of Iago in hopes
of being united with his courtly lover who is far away from him. All of these
characters have made foolish decisions on who to trust and why they carried
out their actions. As a result of a collage of hearsay, slander, and reputation five
people were tragically killed.