It is clear from my reading of Shakespeare's Othello that my impression of the GVV (general vision and viewpoint) has been shaped by the personal integrity, more specifically the lack of, of the character Iago. The GVV is defined as the outlook on life that emerges from my reading of the text and the outlook the author tried to portray. My impression is that the GVV of this play is disparagingly negative based on the terrible acts committed by Iago in this text. Iago's dishonesty and lack of morals allow him to lie, manipulate and murder others.
Iago’s lack of integrity can be seen through manipulation. Iago has a gift for identifying people's fears and exposing them. He uses this gift to destroy Othello. It is Iago that brought racism into the play by playing on Brabantio's fear of his daughter losing her virtue "An old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. His lack of personal integrity allows him to have nothing off limits. He uses his gift once again when he recognizes Othello is an outsider. He knows he has a lack of knowledge about the Venetian culture. He uses this to convince him that Desdemona is a typical Venetian woman of the time. “In Venice they do let Gods see the pranks //They dare not show their husbands”. He turns Othello and Desdemona's loving marriage into nothing. He pries on Othello's insecurities further by recognizing the colour of his skin causes him insecurity and Desdemona's acceptance of this is central to his pride. This is how he convinces him to kill her. He uses the idea of her betraying him for a white man as the ultimate betrayal and even that he would be doing other men a favor if she dies. "strangle her in bed- even the bed she hath contaminated” Not only does he manage to play on people's fears and manipulate them like pawns on a chessboard he manages to do it while maintaining the façade of “honest Iago”. The lack of awareness people have of his actions cause the audience to view this play with a terribly uneasy feeling as they know he is going to get away with his actions. His lack of personal integrity which allows him to deepen and expose peoples deepest wounds and fears cause me to view the GVV in a negative light due to emotional harm Iago is causing with no care.
My GVV was affected by Iago's lack of personal integrity that caused him to treat woman with such malice. I read this play in utter disgust when observing his actions. Not only does Iago describe woman in a derogatory manner in private asides and soliloquies “wild-cats in your kitchens” but it is his manipulation that leads to the violent death of Desdemona. It also appears that it is women that truly evoke Iago's rage, as it is Emilia’s betrayal of him for Desdemona that finally cause him to drop his perfect façade and commit murder, showing his true colors. His hatred for women causes me to ask myself what Shakespeare was trying to say about women. Did he feel that Emilia should be punished for betraying her husband and therefore he kills her to carry out this maligned sense of justice? It can be said that Iago’s misogyny is the driving force of the play. Iago can be thought to commit these terrible acts in response to Othello sleeping with Emelia “He's done my office. I know not if 't be true, But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety”. However, in my opinion his hatred stems much further. In my opinion it is possible that Iago did in fact have romantic feelings for Othello. This could explain his never-failing wish to split up Desdemona and Othello. Would it not have been possible for Iago to destroy Othello without a brutal murder of Desdemona. The infatuation of Iago with Othello is central to his character and raises the suspicion of his sexuality. This infatuation can be seen in the pact the pair makes at the end of Act 3 kneeling together as a couple in a moment that mirrors a wedding .”In the due reverence of a sacred vow// I here engage my words” “ I am your own forever” This does not however excuse his horrid actions towards women, and it reveals the flawed nature of Iago's soul compromising his own sense of honesty and integrity. This lack of integrity is particularly sorrowful and informs my negative view of the GVV.
In my opinion Iago's lack of integrity reaches its peak when he refuses to speak about why he has done these villainous things once he is uncovered “demand me nothing. What you know you know”. This is the ultimate revenge as it leaves Othello in inner turmoil unsure of what he did to deserve such fate. Iago once again strikes with his pure evilness and takes away the little closure Othello might have been able to find. This also creates a negative GVV for the reader and they leave this play truly heartbroken for Othello and Desdemona but also unsettled. Shakespeare did not just rob Othello of closure but also the audience. The audience are aware of the apparent reason of his anger at a rumored affair and being overlooked for a promotion, but I simply do not feel these things to be motivation enough for murder. Iago’s lack of personal integrity adds to the plays tragic GVV as it leaves a depressing and confusing outlook cast over the play.
In conclusion, the lack of Iago's personal integrity helped shape my view of the GVV of this play. Iago's manipulation, misogyny towards women, and refusal to tell the truth all contributed to my sense of despair I felt when reading this play and that caused me to view the GVV as disparagingly negative.
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