In Shakespeare’s “Othello,” Othello is an experienced soldier, but he remains at the periphery of the Venetian society because he is of the black race. Although an outsider, his skill as a leader and a soldier is welcome, as evidenced by the attitude of the senate and the Duke. His exotic qualities attract Brabanzio and Desdemona, but his feeling of being an outsider makes him vulnerable to Iago’s wicked schemes. Macbeth is also a capable and brave warrior. However, he is easily corrupted by political ambitions turns him into a murderous tyrant. The paper will analyze the motivations and actions of both these two warriors in depth on top of examining the obstacles that both Othello and Macbeth face.
Discussion
Othello struggles against racism and self-doubt. During the time captured by the play, Venice was a diverse, cosmopolitan city-state, and Othello achieved significant influence and power due to his outstanding abilities as a general. During the opening of the play, the Venetian community is deeply thankful to Othello for his success in the battle against the Turks. However, despite his achievements, his desire to marry Desdemona reveals the deep racial undertones in the Venetian society.
Many see him as having gone too far. It is as if Othello is invited into the Venetian society, but he is not allowed to be one of its own. The council and the Duke override the opposition to the marriage, mindful of the fact that Venice needs Othello’s military prowess (Shakespeare 16). However, the Duke and the council do so not out of a sense of fairness but more out of self-interest. As a result, Othello can never hope to be anything in this society other than an outsider in this foreign society. Being of a different race and culture, Othello can never truly fit into this society and feels alienated (Bloom 44).
Secondly, Othello struggles against self-doubt. Being of a different culture and race, Othello doubts himself in regards to being genuinely accepted into Venice. The fact that he feels old and an outsider makes Othello develop self-doubt that ushered in jealousy. This self-doubt leaves Othello vulnerable to attacks by Iago that attack his race and age by calling him “an old black ram” (Act 1 Scene I pg 4). Iago also calls him “a Barbary horse” (Act 1 Scene 1 pg 4). Added to his feelings of being an outsider, Othello’s self-doubt drags on into his new marriage, and he finally becomes convinced that his wife Desdemona is cheating on him and tragically ends up killing her.
Evidence suggests that this self-doubt has been with Othello long before he marries Desdemona, and Iago only exploits ideas that are already there. Othello’s extreme susceptibility to the evil and elaborate plan by Iago reveals a profound insecurity about the general, probably due to internalized racism that the moor has faced in Venice. It is due to this self-doubt that Othello rapidly plummets in his belief on fidelity and love to total distrust based on circumstantial evidence. Hence, the ultimate effect of race is the death of several characters including Othello, and Desdemona.
To confront self-doubt and racism in this Venetian society, Othello buries himself to more military assignments and battles. Faced with these two challenges, Othello does the only thing that gives him respect and worth in Venice- being a warrior. Being an excellent soldier puts him in high demand by the senate and the Duke. Hence, Othello’s motivation to serve Venice as a soldier is to gain acceptance as one of its own. Sadly, this society persistently refuses to see him as one of its own, and he dies as an outsider. The fact that he does not take some time to spend with a new wife and goes off to war in Cyprus immediately after marrying Desdemona is proof that the general is a workhorse. In his dying speech in Act V scene II, he reminds the Venetians of the service he has done to their state (101). Unfortunately, the distraction and dedication into heroic battles cannot adequately cover up his internalized racism and self-doubt ultimately.
On his part, Macbeth is a capable and brave warrior. However, he suffers from unchecked ambition and the fact that he is easy to influence and manipulate. While Macbeth initially comes across as a man full of courage, the predication that he is destined to be a king someday ushers in a period of inner turmoil that is brought about by ambition that cannot be checked. In other words, while Macbeth is physically strong and brave, he lacks the strength of character that Banquo possesses.
Macbeth's greatest weakness is his inability to check his ambitions because the three witches do not change him but rather awaken something that has been in him all along. His actual downfall is his unchecked ambition. Together with Lady Macbeth, he fails to realize how his ambition makes him easily cross moral lines leading him to a murderous path (Shakespeare Macbeth 8). For example, had he taken time to consider that after killing King Duncan, he would need to keep murdering more people to hold on to his title as the king. (Shakespeare, Macbeth)
Macbeth’s other challenge is his inability to prevent himself from being influenced or manipulated. While it is clear that he is a tyrant, he is initially fearful and almost aborts his first murder crime. Had he not been with his wife, there is a possibility that he would not have begun his murderous path to the top. It takes his wife to instill in him a steely sense of purpose and pushes him over the edge (Brown 75). The fact that sometimes he feels guilty of his deeds is proof that he is not happy as a murderer.
Hence, Macbeth’s one major obstacle is failing to realize the extent of his ambitions, and this is contrasted with Banquo, who also hears about the predictions of the witches but is not willing to pursue his dreams at whatever cost. To confront his ambitions, Macbeth goes on a murderous path without remorse, unlike Othello. Besides, while Othello contemplates suicide and executes himself, Macbeth never contemplates ending his life as he asks, “why should I play the Roman fool?” (Act V Scene VI pg 98).
Conclusion
Despite being remarkable soldiers, Othello and Macbeth are two different characters, motivated by different things. While Macbeth‘s ambition is to become king, by all means, necessary and kills on his way to the top of his social class, Othello simply wants to belong and feel part of the Venetian society. Othello confronts racism and self-doubt by working harder, but Macbeth simply murders everyone who is a threat to his kingship due to his inability to check his ambitions. Hence, Othello and Macbeth are inherently very different characters motivated by different goals and who go about overcoming these challenges differently.
