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Selene Rodriguez
Ms. Gongora
English 12
10 February, 2016
Othello
In the tragic drama, Othello, written by William Shakespeare, Othello shows signs of his
love not being as sincere as Desdemonas. His love for Desdemona can be discredited by the fact
that he is very materialistic about the handkerchief, cared more about his reputation than
anything else, and killed himself out of remorse than love. Othellos love for Desdemona can be
seen in the fact that he did defend her when Iago was first making the claims that she was
cheating on him.
Othello gave Desdemona a handkerchief as a symbol of his love for her. It should be well
known that objects are just objects and nothing more. Why do you speak so startlingly and
rash? Is't lost? Is't gone? Speak, is it out o' the way? Heaven bless us! Say you? It is not
lost; but what an if it were? Fetch't, let me see't (3.4). Othellos reaction to Desdemona losing
the handkerchief was very hostile. It did not matter to Othello what Desdemona would try to say,
he would still be insisting about the handkerchief without fail. It does not make sense to be mad
if someone loses an item that they received from you. Desdemona losing the handkerchief or
even having it should not be something that Othello needs to physically see to know that her love
for him is genuine. Had Othello truly loved Desdemona, he would not have acted so angry and
ruthless to her. Had Othellos love been real, he would have understood that it was not her
intention to lose the handkerchief or that in doing so; her love is automatically seen as in
genuine.

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Throughout the story, Othello has been looked down on for the simple fact that he is a
moor. This leads to Othello trying to make up for the fact that he is a moor by doing other things,
such as having a white wife and power. And I loved her that she did pity them (1.3). Othello
only loved Desdemona because she pitied him. Once Othello saw that Desdemona was willing to
love him when no one else did, he went out and got her. Othello knew that Desdemona was a
woman that many men wanted so in having her; it would boost his social status. Perplexed in
the extreme; one whose hand threw a pearl away. (5.2) Othello compares killing Desdemona to
throwing a pearl away, which supports the idea that he doesnt see her as more than an object
of possession.
In the final scenes of the tragic drama, Othello killed his one true love Desdemona.
Shortly after her death, the truth about everything is revealed and that leads to Othello killing
himself shortly after. This scenario can be related to when a shooting occurs and the person, who
is responsible for the deaths of so many people, kills himself afterwards. This action is not done
out of love, but rather due to the immense remorse that they feel shortly after or just because they
dont want to deal with the consequences of murdering someone. If Othello was willing to kill
himself after killing Desdemona out of love then he should have been able to let Desdemona
go, out of love for her, if she truly did love Cassio more than she loved him. The saying If you
love someone, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were
can apply well to this situation because if Othellos love was genuine then he would have let
Desdemona be happy with Cassio if thats what she truly wanted.
It can be argued that Othello did love Desdemona when he defended her against Iago
when he first started accusing her of cheating on Othello. To say my wife is fair, feeds well,
loves company, is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances. Where virtue is, these are more

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virtuous. Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw the smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, for
she had eyes and chose me. No, Iago, Ill see before I doubt, when I doubt, prove, and on the
proof there is no more but this: Away at once with love or jealousy! (3.3) Othello is confident in
Desdemonas love for him and will not believe any rumors unless he sees them with his own
eyes. His trust in Desdemona truly shows that he loves her. The trust that he has for Desdemona
eventually turns into distrust at the hands of Iago.
Othellos love for Desdemona was not genuine and it is shown by the way he acted when
Desdemona lost the handkerchief, his immense caring about his reputation, and killing himself
out of guilt or remorse rather than love. His killing of Desdemona after finding out that shes
with Cassio is the most telling evidence of them all. Sometimes one person in a relationship can
be giving all their heart into it while the other isnt fully committed.