TOPIC: Hatred in Shakespearian tragedy: A comparative study of Othello and Macbeth.

OUTLINE

The Main sources of hatred in the two tragedies

A thirst for power

Jealousy

The fatal elements in the two tragedies

The  speeches

The evidences



CONCLUSION







Introduction
In the sixteenth century, people were not interested in reading and poetry, mainly those which showed foreign ways or models were not the orientation of many persons. At that time, because of communal festivals but also popular entertainments, tragedies gained a very large ground.
Among all the writers of this period, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was the most gifted one. This celebrity is due to his tragedies written in an exceptional good manner pushing many of his contemporaries to imitate him.
Therefore, Shakespeare is known to be the author of many books but two of his main tragedies such as Othello and Macbeth (among many others) are what makes him a reliable member of “The Queen’s Men”And many of his text were pilfered by rival companies.
In fact, Othello is about a valiant king mostly known under the name of “The Moor of Venice’ or (Othello) and the husband of the fair Desdemona. But he will be victim of his officer Iago’s manipulation and will even kill his wife before committing suicide.
Whereas in Macbeth, (Macbeth) will be victim of the prediction of three witches just after his triumph in the war between Scotland and Norway. But after seeing the first predictions come true, Macbeth takes his fate with his two hands and starts anticipating the following of the predictions by killing any men who stand in his way in order to reach the crown.
With that in mind, the aim of our work is to show the causes and consequences of hatred but also the interrelation between these two famous tragedies. Then our first chapter will deal with the main sources of hatred in the two tragedies and we will focus on two points such as the thirst for power and jealousy. The second chapter will deal with the fatal elements in two tragedies by using the speeches but also the evidences.

The Main sources of hatred in the two tragedies
Human beings are always influenced by their desire to change their living conditions. That is the reason why most of the time they do all they can to have their dreams come true and sometimes at the cost of their lives. This firm conviction to attend their aim using any means is what push them sometimes to commit some mistakes may it be repairable or very difficult to solve. Then in Shakespearean tragedies, the readers or the viewers are slowly prepared to the disaster in which they were eyewitness.
A thirst for power
The Shakespearean tragedy is mainly marked with a perpetual change of behaviour concerning the main characters. Therefore, some persons are very eager to take the power through the king’s hands and that, for the cost of their lives. In his tragedies there are people or at least a person who does not want to be always under the command of the king because it is not a very easy task. In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the most illustrative character is Iago (a soldier under Othello's command).In fact the latter acknowledge that he follows the king Othello only to fulfill his own interest because he would like also one day to become a king and have subjects satisfying his needs. And this is illustrated in this passage: “I follow him, to serve my turn upon him, we cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly follow’d” page 24.
Iago tries to explain his reaction or feelings using the fatal destiny of mankind who is naturally not responsible for his life. He acknowledges that people are always led by their own interests and that we live in an unequal society where everybody cannot have the same opportunities. But, on the other hand, he tries to give an explanation to his hypocrisy claiming that true followers of masters are nothing but little fools because all subjects want to be masters and change their poor conditions one day. According to him, if subjects like him are sometimes against the king’s leadership it is normal. That is the reason why in fulfilling this duty, he thinks that he is helping nobody but himselself as he asserts in this passage: “Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: In following him, I follow but myself” p.25
In this passage there is a clear explanation of political loyalty which is incarnated by the same doubtful Iago who will give the impression of being an ignorant who really does not master his plan. And what is exceptional with this character to help readers or viewers understand the impact of the villain in the tragedy is the soliloquy. In fact theses soliloquies are present in almost all William Shakespeare’s’ tragedies as we notice in this illustration delivered by Iago just after his discussion with Roderigo:
  That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t;
That she loves him,’tis apt, and of great credit,
The Moor (howbeit that I endure him not)
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,
And dare think, he’ll prove to Desdemona
A most dear husband. Now I do love her too,
Not out of absolute lust, (though peradventure
I stand accomptant for as great a sin)
But partly led to diet my revenge,
For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap’d into my seat. (Othello.56)
This is also one of the rare occasions, that Iago reveals his desire to possess all things belonging to Othello, and even his wife. Because he thinks that the seat of the king Othello is his but he also wants to whet his revenge in point to make it very painful not only for the king but also all the the characters that have the link directly or indirectly with his destruction. And we noticed that Iago and the couple Macbeth share this desire to have the power by hook or by crook.
This is really a common attitude which still exists in the world. Many people do not want to be ruled and all their efforts in trying to manipulate people to have their dream come true. And in Macbeth, the three witches’ prediction is the origin of a forced destiny because the king and his wife kill many persons only for their thirst for power. But Macbeth is really different from Iago because of his position. He is a valiant soldier who was capable of being ‘a king’ in a descent and wonderful way if he was patient and very careful. But Iago is not a very experienced warrior and was even neglected to the profit of Cassio.Then the difference between the two characters is that Macbeth is very impatient and Iago is hopeless. And we notice that the later, being in a very bad position, will manipulate almost all the characters in the book.
Therefore, there is another particularity between the two characters because Macbeth thirst is only for power to the contrary of Iago who is also interested in money as we can see in this passage:
Thou art sure of me: go make money: I have told thee often, and I retell thee again, and again, I hate the Moor. My caused is hearted, thine hath no less reason. Let us be conjunctive in our revenge, against him. If thou canst cuckold him thou dost thyself a pleasure and me a sport. There are many events in the womb of Time, which will be delivered.Traverse, go, provide thy money. (45)
The villain, mostly known under the name of Iago asks Roderigo to use ‘fantastical lies’ to destroy Desdemona’s faith in his husband Othello.
In fact, Iago’s plan is to devide in order to better rule reason why he tries to do everything in order to have Roderigo and Cassio quarrel. Then he
Iago says to Roderigo that : “ Call up her father :Rouse him, poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets .Incence her Kinsmen ,And though he in a fertile climate dwell, Plague him with flies:though that his joy be joy, Yet throw such chances of vexation on’t,As it may lose some colour” P.25.
The pieces of advice Iago gives to Roderigo in this same page : “Do,with like timorous accent, and dire yell,As when (by night and negligence) the fire Is spied in populous cities.” And Roderigo shouted to awake Brabantio saying ‘hoa’,Iago called for ‘thieves’

One of the most dreadful evidence in both tragedies Macbeth and Othello is the apparition of ghost which made many of the characters in a kind of hysteria cause by their wrong deeds. This can be considered in a way, as a normal thing because this only shows the gravity of what power represented.
We can take the example of King Lear, a valiant king who decided to prepare his inheritance and wanted to see between his three daughters that he really loved. And there was a very harsh competition between them three in order to show to their father that they love him. Then, the manifestation of betrayal starts with King Lear overlooking one his daughters Cordelia because he thought that the latter did not want to show him love. Therefore her father no longer considers her as a legal daughter but Cordelia did not stop showing him affection.
The other betrayal in this play comes from the king’s other daughters Goneril and Regan who were very docile and loved their father very much but as soon as they obtain the kingdom, they totally changed their behaviours towards him. They took all the opportunities from their father. So king Lear was the only responsible for his own disrepute.
This is only a way showing that if you are a king even your own sons or daughters can be jealous of you. And most dangerous situation is if one of them feels as being neglected or rejected because the latter can even murder you in order to have his revenge.

Jealousy
There is an important motif which is said by the three witches « fair is foul and fou lis fair » to described or to summarize Macbeth futur change.And the latter himself will use it to describe the day as  "So foul and fair a day I have not seen".However,after meeting the three witches,Macbeth attitude completely change and he tried to obtain the position predicted by them .The only fact of thinking about the prediction that One day he will become the thane of Cawdor, and then the king of Scotland, gives him a strong envy to have his dream realized as quick as possible. But what made him crazy is his killing of his friend Banquo with whom,he has just arrived from a victorious and great battle. This shows that once fair meaning a loyal and a great noble who requires the estimation and consideration of all Scotland,Macbeth becomes foul, the most doubted  and ambitious traitor.
On one hand,this attitude of Macbeth reminds us the other tragedy of William Shakespeare “Hamlet” because of the high will of the main Characters to kill  and their lunacy just after doing the deeds.On the other hand,It is clear that both of the two character cannot recieve the same analysis because : Hamlet,just like Otello was preoccupied by a strong desire to take his revenge.Because  the king of Denmark Claudius killed his father (king Hamlet) and married his mother (Gertrude).Then Hamlet felt that his father’s memory was not respected and took his revvenge on the king Claudius.
This feeling of being betrayed is a recurrent theme in Shakespearean tragedies and can be even considered as the most essential element in William Shakespeare’s work.And the characters who are the incarnation of the devil are also the key elements in it.But the degree of their motivations sometimes are totally different because they do not have the same causes. A perfect illustration is that, Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth could no longer stand seeing the king Duncan still in power because of the three witches predictions.They were very eager to exprience the life meaning the one of a king to the point to kill all the characters who could prevent them from it.This is differeent from Othello, where this feeling comes from Iago, the villain himself. Iago was strongly waiting for his nomination as Othello’s lieutenant but for his big surprise, the latter appointed his bosom friend (Cassio).And Iago was described as a soldier who had no experience in terms of war. Whereas Cassio was a sodier who admired so very much Othello’s wife, Desdemona and will be victim of that because Iago will use it to manipulate him and achieve his aim. But this is also the cause of this chronological death ending with Emilia and Othello as well.

The fatal elements in the two tragedies
In many tragedies there are things which cause certain characters to kill others. And our two books under study show different manifestations of this enigma. Those reactions can be caused indeed either by the simple ‘speeches’ or other evidences. As it is sometimes neglected, the strength of words is very meaningful in Shakespearean tragedies. In fact, William Shakespeare shows how high the word’s dimension can go and insists on the fact that, people, mainly kings are deceived by things they judged not necessary to take into account. In Othello, Iago, the villain, manipulates almost all the characters of the book with his false assertions and the use of false evidences. In the same vein, Macbeth also shows the dangerousness of superstition which emanates from the three witches revelation causing the king (Macbeth) to anticipate his destiny with the help of her wife (Lady Macbeth).
The  speeches
In both tragedies Othello and Macbeth, there are things that are fatal elements which cause tragic endings of the heroes even sometimes of those who work on behalf of the king’s authority. The latter is possible just because there is a progressive and natural process which brings some characters to even act unknowingly because of the malicious villains.
Described as an extremely ambitious character, Lady Macbeth shows two faces in  this tragedy and she plays the role of evil and foul at a time. That is the reason why when she appears for the first time she determined clearly her aim which was to have what she wanted even though it meant killing other characters to get them. All this strength is seen when she asserts that: “ How tender tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out”(1.6.55.58)
This is one of the most terrific sentences that Lady Macbeth has said and it represents also a high ambition she has which can push her to kill her own baby only to achieve it. Unfortunately she will be crazy because she will see the ghost of king (Duncan), the person they killed. But she will regret her wrong deeds and unfortunately it was very late.
Unfortunately for her, a dreadful mentality problem will hurt her just after becoming queen by killing Duncan. She noticed that was not fair to kill Duncan and the fact of thinking about it every time haunted her.
 However, what is noticeable and very interesting in this tragedy remains the predictions of the three witches which shows at the same time how useful and fatal a simple speech can be sometimes. It, indeed allows the tragedy to take place. Because when the first prediction was realized, either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth was eager to see the rest of the predictions fulfilled. Then we attend very captivating scenes of murder where all the characters who represented a barrier for the accession to the throne were severely killed. And this was also a long process which aims at killing all the King’s heirs in order to stay in power as long as they want.
To the contrary of the general Macbeth, who suffers from three witches’ prediction just after his great return from a war between Scotland and Norway. In fact, Macbeth and one of his friends (the general Banquo) met three witches. The latter’s visions was that Macbeth one day will become king. They also asserted that,Macbeth’s friend,Banquo will beget a line of kings but he will not be a king himself. Therefore the problem happened when ling Duncan visited Macbeth who was a little bit troubled by the predictions and could not stopped thinking about it. Then, Macbeth, strongly help by her wife, killedDuncan.


Always in this same vein, in Othello, the gravity of speeches is also noticed by the manipulation of Iago of other characters. One of the victim is Roderigo

Iago made Cassio discuss about his lover Bianca but was aware that Othello was hearing them.This manipulation is one of the most fatal elements because it makes the king out of himself and die with envy to kill Cassio.Then thello takes all cassio’s gestures and revelations as the truth and believes that Cassio is talking about his own wife, Desdemona.
Therefore,  it is clear that, only by using ‘words’, Iago manages to enrage Othello and leads him straight to kill his lover.And there is really a contrast between Othello’s trust for Cassio in act I and his changes of behavior in act II, scene 3.This shows how quick a simple word can help but also can destroys a friendship. And Iago understood that the best and faster manner to achieve his aim is to take away the trust and strong loyalty of each character towards others. For example, he convinces Cassio that Desdemona is having an affair with Roderigo in a way that the latter burns with anger to kill him. And he uses this same astuteness to spread this rumours and oblige Othello to believe him.
However, from another angle, we have noticed that in Othello, Iago uses many false assertions to change completely the turn of events in the book but in Macbeth it is totally different. In this book we have seen that, it is only the predictions of the three witches which causes Macbeth and his wife to commit a series of murder. And also that, these revelations are true to the contrary of that we have in Othello. But there is a huge difference in terms of progression and gravity between the false revelations (in Othello) and the true ones of the witches (in Macbeth).In the first one, there is a planning of events and the actions were very slow because it is mainly based on a lie.Then,the victims of this manipulations needed time and proofs before reacting or showing their positions but in the second one, there is a total change of events during the realization of the first prediction. There was indeed one prediction but three revelations (He will be Thane of Cawdor after king of Scotland,his friend Banquo will not be King but will ‘beget a line of Scottish kings’ and the last one is ‘no born of a woman can harm him’)
The evidences
There are many things which help Shakespearean tragedies to preserve their originalities and be captivating books to read. The most interesting one is believed by many thinkers to be the evidences which vary mainly in these two tragedies Othello and Macbeth. In fact, what makes the charm of these two works is the difference of evidences which are falsified in Othello and apparently verified in Macbeth.
In the first book (Othello), the character who plays the role of the villain is Iago, a soldier under the command of the king, Othello. And he will use many false evidences to fool him but all the other characters in the book. The famous one remains the use of Desdemona’s “handkerchief” in order to make Othello believe that his wife is unfair and has an affair with Cassio. In fact Iago obliged his wife Emilia to give him the ‘Handkerchief’ before misleading the king.

CONCLUSION

As we see, people have not the same vision about the opportunities God has given them. It is in that prospect that ruling becomes very difficult and requires a lot of concentration and self-control because everybody set an eye only on good position. This strong desire to rule or the disgust to be ruled are what sometimes push people to act either very wisely or wildly depending to their options.
However, we have noticed that William Shakespeare’s two tragedies Othello and Macbeth are deeply involved in love and hatred at the same time. In the first book, Othello and Desdemona are the true representatives of love but also of hatred. At the very beginning Othello loved Desdemona very much but at the end he will let himself tricked by his officer (Iago) and finished by killing her. But we have noticed a slight difference concerning the last book because the orientations are not the same but also the source of hatred is created by the main characters themselves. In fact, in this book, Macbeth and his wife (Lady Macbeth) are victims of their thirst for power which was accelerated by the three witches’ predictions. As it is clearly shown in the book, after the true revelation of the first predictions, the couple could not stand seeing those who represented the obstacles of their dream’s fulfillment alive and even daring to share a meal with them. Then the couple started killing all the characters susceptible to replace the king.
Therefore, the choice of these two tragedies Othello and Macbeth seems natural because it shows the strength of a king which lasted since the Shakespearean era till nowadays’ life. In fact these main characters like Othello, Macbeth, Iago and Lady Macbeth still exist in the world. Those who have the power rule as they like letting the masses of the population suffering and eager to having better living conditions. But the most important things we have taken as the result of our work is that: the one who rules must be careful about his subjects meaning that he must not give them a blind confidence. And in a couple, when there is a lack of confidence; it can lead to hatred, treason and killing. And also that, prediction seems good but creates many problems if the one who benefits from it does not have a self control. And to conclude, my main problem is that, I really don’t understand the use of knowing something in advance if we are not mature enough to control ourselves.

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