To What Extent Are the Moral Choices Made by the Main Characters in the Text Affected By

To what extent are the moral choices made by the main characters in the text affected by the changing values of their society?

Othello deals with the conflict created by the changing values of society at the time. The changing values create strain and pressure upon expectations and become greatly influential to the choices made by characters. Social values become the reasons and motives behind various choices and actions made by the characters. Desdemona being with Othello shows the tensions in the changing social values. The tension they create is mainly due to their differences in social strata, class and ethnicity. Although Othello is a noted soldier, he is treated differently from the white people of society. The changing values of the time influence the views and positions characters take on their perspective of Othello, his wife and society. How a character treats and acts towards others is a direct result of the social values they follow and hold close at heart.

The choice made by both Othello and Desdemona to marry reveals attitudes and values about gender, marriage, race and tolerance. How they are treated shows how these values are changing. When Desdemona elopes with Othello without her father’s permission, Brabantio’s response shows that he considers it socially unacceptable. To Brabantio the union between Desdemona and Othello is “treason of the blood” (act 1, scene 1, line 157) and feels that society’s acceptance of Othello will reduce Venetian statesman to “bond slaves and pagans” (act 1, scene 2, line 99). He also believes that Desdemona could not love “the sooty bosom of such a thing” (act 1, scene 2, line 70). By Desdemona making her own decisions in marriage, she represents betrayal in her father’s eyes. It would appear to him that Desdemona has undermined her position in society and evaded his authority by marrying without his consent. However the changed value of marriage is shown by the support of the duke. The duke is quite tolerant, and believes Othello to be “far more fair than black” (act 1, scene 3, line 290) and refers to him as “valiant Othello” (act 1, scene 3, line 48). He dismisses Brabantio and allows Desdemona to go with Othello to Cyprus. This shows that the marriage is supported by the rising, more tolerant social values. Othello reveals that “she loved me for the dangers that had pass’d, and I loved her that she did pity them” (act 1, 3, line 167-168). Othello sees his marriage as based on love and admiration, which are expectations that make up the changed social values. Iago is led by the older values and believes that is unnatural for her to be in love with Othello.He says that Desdemona’s “very nature will instruct her in it and compel her to some second choice” (act 2, scene 1, lines 231-232).

Iago’s choice to convince Othello of his wife committing adultery shows many changes in social values. Iago was motivated by the changing values and also uses the values to convince everyone of his honesty. Iago is motivated by jealously of Othello, and says that “in following him, I follow but myself” (act 1, 1, line 59). Othello is an honorable man; however Iago only follows him to serve his own purposes. Honour is a greatly influential social value held by Othello, as he finds respect in the “pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war” (act 3, 3, line 355). Iago is greatly affected by Othello’s marriage, seeming envious when saying “his soul is so enfettered to he love” (act 2, 3, line 312). To him, women appear differently than how they appear to Othello. Iago believes women “rise to play and go to bed to work” (act 2, 1, line 113). He believes that women’s sexual desires are unnatural appetites, and make them unstable and likely to betray. Iago is affected by the change in social values as he sees that love is now a desire in marriage. The changing views on marriage give him some reason to hate Othello, as he compares his marriage with Emilia to Othello’s with Desdemona.

Iago is also prejudiced against Othello, and often refers to him as “the Moor” and associated to animals such as “Barbary horse” (act 1, 1, line 112) and “old black ram” (act 1, 1, 89). The rising acceptance and tolerance of black people angers Iago, this can be seen as he continues without repent to shame Othello. The fact that Othello’s is not referred to by name is significant, as it shows that he is not fully accepted in society. The eventual downfall of Othello is partly caused by his racial insecurities. “Haply, for I am black..” (act 3, 3, line 265) shows the doubts Othello has about his acceptance in society. Desdemona conforms with the older social values of society by saying “I think the sun where he was born drew all such humors from him” (act 3, 4, lines 26-27). This attitude may have been encourage by the widespread belief in society at the time that legend had it that blacks were descendants of Ham in Genesis story, punished for sexual excess by their blackness. By appointing Cassio lieutenant, Othello encompasses a new social value for characteristics and accomplishments of soldiers. Previously, and as Iago believes best, soldier in higher ranks were appointed based on experience and nobility. To Iago, Cassio is a “mere prattle without practice” (act 1, 1, line 26) and this shows how he has been affected and influenced by the changing values. War was becoming seen as a science or art, and Cassio was chosen for his theoretical knowledge. The changing values affect Iago to the point where he seeks revenge and reveals his evils in order to drive Othello to madness for his own “sport and profit” (act 1, 3, line 368).

How society felt about women is shown by their influences on Othello’s behaviour and who he believes about Desdemona’s infidelity. Othello believes Iago over Desdemona, despite the fact she is his wife. Othello says believes Iago, this is shown by his saying “Iago is most honest” (act 2, 3, line 7). Othello’s masculinity is questioned from the start of the play, and when Iago convinces him that Desdemona has cheated on him. The remark “what are you a man?” (act 3, 3, line 375) shows the pressures on men to “keep” their wives. It also implies that if a man’s wife is cheating on them, they are not considered to be men. “That we can call these delicate creatures our own – but not their appetites” (act 3, 3, lines 271-272) shows Othello’s view on women. It’s clear from this that the social value that is changing is to have, control and to “own” a woman. The change is seen in Emilia, as she believes “is their husbands faults if wives do fall” (act 4, 3, line 87). This social value is at question, as is the view that women are unstable, potentially or actually unchaste and morally frail. Othello reasons that Desdemona “must die, else she’ll betray more me” (act 5, 2, line 6). Othello believes that he never did have Desdemona’s loyalty, which shows the changing values of marriage where loyalty is something that is earned.

The characters in Othello are greatly influenced by the changing values of their society. Throughout the play, many different values and attitudes were revealed. As the values were slowly changing, it was obvious that there were many conflicting expectations needing to be dealt with. The play questions the necessity of the pressures put on both gender to live up to what society expects them to be, and whether they are appropriate for society. It is shown that expectations from society can lead to tragic and unnecessary consequences as they largely influenced the moral choices made by the characters.