Othello’s search for self-esteem leading to his downfall in Shakespeare’s othello

Saji, Faisal (2011) Othello’s search for self-esteem leading to his downfall in Shakespeare’s othello. Diploma thesis, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung.

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Abstract

This research focuses on Othello’s character of Shakespeare Othello the moor of Venice. He was a moor mercenary in Venice state, a white society. He lived in middle of society in which the racial issue still prevailed. In that situation, he experienced the inner conflict which was much influenced by this condition, such as love, fear, rage, sorrow, desire, hate, and so forth. He felt inferior and has no self-esteem in front of white people. This Othello’s mental situation is therefore formulated into two research question. The first question concern on Othello’s struggle to get his self-esteem and the second one tries to investigate factors that influence his downfall, after he reaches his glory. In analyzing Othello’s character, the researcher uses Sigmund Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis. The main concept of this deals with the mental apparatus which comprises id, ego, and superego. Id is the site of natural drives; it is a dark of something that knows only desire and has no sense of limitation. Ego moderates between the authoritarian demands of the superego and the unmitigated desires of the id. Superego is an internalized representation of the authority of the father and of society. Regarding the methodology, this study employs qualitative method in which the data collected is from the script of the drama the process of data analysis is conducted within the framework of psychoanalysis as mentioned above. From the analysis and discussion, it is found that Othello’s struggle to get his self-esteem is realized in four ways. Firstly, he struggled to get all of achievement in his life. Secondly, he struggled to get Desdemona’s love. Thirdly, he struggled to get the acknowledgement from Desdemona’ father, Brabantio. Lastly, he struggled in maintaining his marriage. By his effort, the first, the second, and the third struggles are successfully fulfilled. Unfortunately, this struggle fails to be achieved as Iago’s accusation about Desdemona’s affair with his lieutenant, Cassio and continuously made him felt jealous. The failure in this struggle has become one of the factors that lead to his total downfall from his glory as he finally gets insane and committed suicide. The overall discussion of Othello’s character has centered to one point that the interaction of id, ego, and superego in his personality is instability. On the first till the third struggle the moor personality is stability. It is caused by his strength personality in which getting the self-esteem without has influenced by other people. Unluckily, on the last struggle his personality is tempted Iago’s provocation, then his ego can not find the answer of it with another ways and his superego became has no more function from id’s pressed to protect himself from the smash.

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