Othello Speaking Task Transcript: Rachel Zhao

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~The universal appeal of 904stems from its exploration of trust and jealousy.
Shakespeare`s play Othello is an iconic tragedy oI human nature that is without a doubt,
appealing to audiences. I believe that trust and jealousy are timeless and unanimous Iaults oI
human nature that raise many personal questions about ourselves. In the play, the use oI irony
and metaphors in addressing trust and jealousy contribute to make the play engaging.
Trust is communicated in the play as a powerIul and raw human emotion that can either be
constructive or destructive; dependent on whom it`s placed in. Almost throughout the entire play,
Othello is very much unaware oI Iago`s true nature, due to his trusting and accepting personality.
Destructive trust placed in the wrong person is clearly shown to us in Act 1, Scene 3, when
Othello chooses Iago to be the one who takes Desdemona to Cyprus. He says this oI Iago to the
Duke: '...my ancient; a man he is oI honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wiIe.
|I.iii.279-281| It is in this crucial statement, where Shakespeare has applied dramatic irony in the
key phrase, 'a man he is oI honesty and trust. The use oI dramatic irony has a striking eIIect on
the audience because it allows them to recognize the signiIicance oI the huge mistaken belieIs
the characters have, clicking with us on a deeply personal level, and making us really think: how
well do we truly know someone? II a close companion oI mine told me their doubts about a
relationship, I wouldn`t believe them to mean ill; instead I would believe them to mean quite the
opposite. II you were in my position, wouldn`t you trust them too? Through the empathy we
have as humans, we can understand Othello`s reactions by putting ourselves in his shoes. The
employment oI dramatic irony also places a lot oI emphasis on the boundaries oI human
understanding, as things that appear plausible may not actually be what they seem to be. This is
seen to be true in Othello, a work oI Iiction, but it also applies to certain situations in reality.
Hence, dramatic irony makes the audience Ieel as iI they have a deep connection with the
characters, and this means that we can identiIy with the notion oI trust in the play by relating it to
ourselves. As a result, the exploration oI trust in the play is an important Iactor on the universal
appeal oI Othello.
Moving on to jealousy: it is what Irees the beast in man, changing human nature into evil turmoil,
and in doing so, becomes one oI the most intense human emotions that when possessed in excess,
is dangerous. This is evident in Act 3 Scene 3, when Iago warns Othello: 'O, beware, my lord, oI
jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it Ieeds on. |III.iii.167-169|
These two sentences paint a vivid image oI jealousy, through the application oI the metaphor.
Though dominated by verbal irony, the two sentences keep the 'green eyed monster metaphor
as the Iocus in Iago`s warning; that is, jealousy as an all-encompassing monster, and trust as the
meat it scavenges Irom. You can imagine it as being like a cat playing around with a mouse that
is the cat`s prey. By using a metaphor in describing jealousy, Shakespeare consequently adds
depth and a whole new perspective. This allows the audience to understand the parallels, and
realize that such is the monstrous and devastating power oI jealousy, that even a person 'great oI
Othello Speaking Task Transcript: Rachel Zhao

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heart like Othello can Iall victim, a rather daunting thought. Hence, the appeal oI Othello is
Iurther enhanced by the notion oI jealousy being addressed by metaphors and verbal irony.
In summary, by analyzing Othello in suIIicient depth, I hope it`s now understandable to you that
Othello is universally appealing through its exploration oI the two major themes which also
happen to be Ilaws oI human nature: trust and jealousy. Addressing them by metaphors and irony
add to the play`s allure because we as human beings, can identiIy with them. All in all, I think
Othello is undeniably Iascinating because it teaches about human vulnerability and how little we
know about trust and jealousy. I hope that you`ve learned something Irom it too. And the next
time you think you know someone, think again.