Love 2

• Love: Other Characters

  Love proves confusing for the characters of Cassio and Bianca, while the Renaissance and its view of love have affected the character of Roderigo.
• Cassio

  • Cassio does not seem to like Desdemona romantically. Cassio always responds to Desdemona formally. 
- But you could argue that it does seem he wants and needs love. 
- He falls into the arms of a courtesan, Bianca.
  • Bianca loves him very much—perhaps impressed by his military credentials, and even more so, now that he is promoted.
• Bianca

  
- You could argue that Cassio does not seem to be as fully committed to the relationship as Biana is. Shakespeare may be indicating that someone like Cassio would marry beneath his station if Bianca became his wife. 
- There is an indication from Iago that Bianca is a prostitute, although this is unclear.
• Roderigo

  • Roderigo has sought to woo Desdemona by putting a suit of love before her father Brabantio, but he has turned him down. 

  • Roderigo represents the way many men probably had to act in this period by demonstrating their acumen and wealth, as well as their ability to look after a young woman before a father would release her.
• Roderigo and Desdemona

  - This returns us to the idea of women being like property that exists throughout the play. 


  • Roderigo’s tragedy in love is that despite being refused first of all, he continues to pursue Desdemona; working through devious means with Iago.
  • Roderigo would have done well to have sought love elsewhere but in his obsession to gain Desdemona, Iago entices him into his web.
• Love's Different Forms

  Shakespeare touches upon platonic love in the play. He also examines the way love ignites strong feelings in people, and how different characters respond to this.
• Platonic love

  • Platonic love means a love that is respectful of and concerned for someone else, but it is not sexually motivated. It does not involve any kind of physical union.
  • The love between Cassio and Desdemona is of the platonic kind. 

  • Each is respectful to the other, but this love is used by Iago to incite jealousy in Othello. 

  • Othello is unable to see their connection as platonic.
• The power of love

  • Love ignites strong feelings in people.
  • Shakespeare explores this in the text by showing that if love is somehow thought to be betrayed in some way, then consequences will follow. 
- In the play, Othello first feels suspicions about Cassio—all of which has been insinuated and installed into his mind by Iago. 

• Othello and love

  • Othello then goes through a phase of jealousy about them being together and is hurt by the fact that he is excluded and has been made a cuckold. - The final phase he goes through is one where he feels he must take action against his betrayal of love. 

  • This is why he swears to kill both Desdemona and Cassio.
• Immaturity

  • One interesting aspect of the play is that both Othello and Desdemona are not good at dealing with difficulties in their relationship because it is not a very mature relationship.
  • A more mature relationship would have been able to withstand the assaults made upon them by Iago, and both of them would have been able to talk over and discuss what troubles them.
• Tragedy

  • Othello may be an experienced general but he not experienced in relationships.
  • Desdemona is in love with Othello but perhaps likes a ’romantic notion’ of him, rather than the reality on the ground. 

  • The pair suffer tragedy because their marriage is only a few days old and a true bond between them has not yet really been built.