Shakespeare’s trajedy, “Othello” is a play based on passion unchecked. The desire for money, power, and love drive the characters to commit acts that betray any hint of rational thinking. Readers are given a taste of how passionate Othello is in Act Two, Scene Three.
“Now, by heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule, And passion, having my best judgement collied, Essays to lead the way. ‘Swounds, if I stir. ” Christ’s wound’s if I stir? Othello knows he is a man capable of terrible destruction. Yet it is love that he is afraid of not mortal men. This emotion is not so powerful that he denies t? No. Instead he attempts to temper his love, yet this seems like a denial of being uxorious.
When Othello lands upon the shore of Cyprus and sees his beautiful Desdemona he exclaims, “I cannot speak enough of this content. It stops me here, it is to much joy. ” This joy of being in love stops his warrior heart. How can he not feel foolishy fond of his precious jewel. After the sword fight in Act Two, Scene Three Othello utters, in line 23, “Cassio, I love thee. ” Is he not doting upon his handsome leiutenant? He loves these people, but instead of his love becoming his salvation, it is his Achille’s eel.
That love becomes a serpant that constricts around his heart and breaks it. The belief in alove turned sour is to much for poor Othello. Now he can never love. Othello will never become oversubmissive to his wife because he can only love as much as he sees he will receive in return. The answer to the question then appears to be that he is not uxorious because it is not allowed to bloom. The hateful seeds planted by Iago grow like weeds in Othello’s mind and over take it. The gentle fruit of Desdemona and Cassio take to long to bear and are strangled out of existence.