In Shakespeare's Othello, the main obstacle in the relationship between Othello and Desdemona is Othello's race and, therefore, his outsider status. This difference becomes a barrier when Brabantio opposes their marriage, however, it plays a much larger role in facilitating Iago's manipulation and amplifying Othello's paranoia. Othello's paranoia changes his perception of his relationship with Desdemona and, by extension, his actions to solidify it. On the other hand, Antonio and Sebastiano in Twelfth Night do not have to carry the burden of any social stigma by virtue of the fact that they are isolated from society. While one could argue that social pressure, or lack thereof, is what makes Antonio and Sebastian's relationship thrive and forces Othello and Desdemona's to fail, the inner workings of relationships and the forces that hold couples together are more powerful than external factors. The imagery that Shakespeare uses in the dialogue between Antonio and Sebastian suggests that they had some sort of physical or sexual relationship, while every time Othello and Desdemona attempt to consummate their marriage, there is some form of comic interruption. Sexual tension functions as a microcosmic representation of the overall tension in these relationships. Shakespeare uses this physical expression of a largely emotional sensation to emphasize the connections between conscious and subconscious processes. Sexual tension is the biggest determining factor in the path of these relationships, leading audiences to wonder why some characters have so much chemistry while others never get to pursue their connection. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The secluded setting of Antonio and Sebastian's meeting "somewhere off the coast of Illyria" (presumably occurring before the play takes place) allows the characters to be completely removed from the rules of society and, for extension, from the stigma surrounding homosexual relationships. At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare describes Antonio and Sebastian's love as pure and tender. It also gives the characters feminine qualities. For example, Antonio is "close to [his] mother's ways" and wishes Sebastian the "kindness of all the gods" (2.1.32-37). This feminine imagery implies that these two men are not obligated to adhere to traditional images of masculinity. Regardless, in the final scene, Sebastian marries Olivia without giving Antonio a second look. This suggests that once the two men enter mainstream society, Sebastian feels social pressures and quickly conforms to heteronormative ideals. The ease with which social norms influence Sebastian's desire gives the impression that his romance with Antonio was not the result of latent homosexuality, but rather a desire for intimacy that could have been satisfied by one person of both sexes. Shakespeare suggests that sexuality is based on a basic human need, and is therefore fluid, adhering to whatever path obstacles direct it to. Societal pressures are ultimately more powerful than Sebastian's feelings towards Antonio, and the nature of his desire changes as a result. Shakespeare never gives the audience knowledge of Antony's reactions to the play's denouement, nor does he share what will happen to him after the play ends. Rather, Antonio becomes a victim of the network of arbitrary heterosexual pairings that come together in the play's finale, suggesting that external circumstances prevail over emotions in determining thewish. Similar to the ocean in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare uses Cyprus in Othello as an isolated place where the characters are removed from their daily lives and, more importantly in the context of the play, from their social positions. Cyprus, an island sacred to Venus, the goddess of love, has been removed from civilization and routine, and so Othello and Desdemona are forced to explore the emotional aspects of their relationship once the mitigating forces are removed. Outside of his kingdom, Othello is no longer able to rest on his laurels, as he is now purely a husband and not a military officer. This is significant when you consider that Desdemona “loves him for the dangers he has passed through” (1.3.171). In this comedy Venice represents society, and therefore rationality, but the absence of social forces suggests the absence of reason and places the characters in an isolated environment where emotions exclusively dictate their behavior. Othello's hamartia is undoubtedly his jealousy, and in the isolated environment of Cyprus this spiral of natural human feelings is completely out of control. Sebastian and Antonio's love may blossom on a remote island, but once Othello and Desdemona are away from their lives, they are forced to face their emotions without hiding behind their social positions, which leads to the destruction of their relation. Othello's insecurity and paranoia centers on his race and status as a "moor" during the Elizabethan period. At the beginning of the opera, Brabantio targets him as a "bad thief", implying that he must have used unfair means to lure Desdemona as she would never be attracted to someone of his race naturally. Although Othello manages to dispel this accusation, Iago constantly reminds him of his racial inferiority, thus creating internal conflict and the belief that he is not worthy of Desdemona's affection. Iago's statement that Desdemona would be better off with a person "of her own clime, complexion, and rank" who "in all things that nature tends" (3.3.236-237) solidifies this doubt in Othello's mind, and Othello seems to agree with his thought. role from this point on. He becomes a victim of society's racist ideologies and foregrounds them, using the darkness of his skin as an excuse for his darkening morality. Desdemona herself never explicitly addresses her race, but instead focuses on her "honors and valiant parts" (1.3.281-282). He engages in a form of “colorblind racism” by constantly neglecting such an important aspect of his persona. This is an example of silence as a dramatic device, because, paradoxically, Desdemona's refusal to address race makes her more of a problem in Othello's mind. He uses his race to hyperbolize any doubts he has about their relationship. When her reputation is tarnished, she states that she has become "filthy and black as [her] face" (3.3.390-391). The characters' different perceptions of the importance of race serve as obstacles to their relationship. Right before Othello kills Desdemona, he contemplates her infidelity and fixates on the fact that her skin is "whiter...than snow and smooth as monumental alabaster" (5.2.4-5). This implies that Othello believes there is a power imbalance in the relationship due to racial differences, and it was this imbalance that caused Desdemona's alleged infidelity. Shakespeare imbues Othello with the other characters' racist ideology, and he becomes so agitated by his racial inferiority that he ends up fulfilling the racist stereotype that black males are "savages" (4.1.52). While the unequal distribution of power fuels Othello's paranoia. and precludes an honest relationship with Desdemona, is what makes Antonio and Sebastiano's love sorealistic. Shakespeare makes it clear that Antonio dotes on Sebastiano, but Sebastiano can also be seen as a "kept man", which is euphemized by the descriptive phase "purse-bearer" (3.3.48). Although Antonio is richer and in a better social position than Sebastian, he still begs Sebastian to "let him be [his] servant" (2.1.31). The characters do not struggle for power, like Othello and Desdemona, but at the same time they recognize that they are not equal. Their willingness to compromise, seen through the interchangeability of power roles, suggests that they are participating in the truthform of love because they understand the particular power dynamic of their relationship. This power dynamic is visible through the way Antonio and Sebastian interact with each other and with the audience, and in the way they explore their love. Shakespeare describes Antonio and Sebastian only through dialogue, which may imply that everything the audience needs to know about their characters is based on their feelings for each other. However, Shakespeare develops Desdemona and Othello as individuals, and their monologues and soliloquies serve to develop their personalities outside of their relationship. Othello always needs tangible proof or "ocular proof" of their connection to "be sure" (3.3.365), and relies on material objects such as the handkerchief as symbols to attest to their love. The handkerchief takes on a magical quality as it was given to his mother by an "enchanter" to keep his father "faithful" under his spell. The moment Desdemona “loses” her handkerchief, Othello feels he has lost his chastity. The fact that such an insignificant object carries so much weight is a testament to the susceptibility of jealous minds and the way in which a seemingly small incident can be psychologically magnified into a "proof" of love or betrayal. The fact that symbols such as the handkerchief or the sheet become so central to the relationship between Othello and Desdemona is indicative of the lack of depth in their love. Originally, Othello's heroic tales and military rank attract Desdemona, but beyond that there isn't enough substance to sustain the relationship. Shakespeare uses external objects to symbolize the internal problems in the relationship between Othello and Desdemona, as well as highlighting the lack of deep love between them. In contrast, the relationship between Antonio and Sebastiano is remarkably autonomous, which is not typical of Shakespearean relationships in which letters, handkerchiefs, songs etc. they often connect romantic relationships to a social context. In contrast to Othello's heavy contemplation on the meaning of every symbol and gesture, the lack of intermediary objects in the relationship between Sebastian and Antonio allows them to speak more directly to each other, and this is perhaps even more effective in conveying love than long speeches in describing the strength of their pairing. Antonio's decisions are so instantaneous that they almost seem dictated by an innate biological force: "But come what may, I adore you so much, that danger will seem a joke, and I will go" (2.1.654). Shakespeare's use of the passive voice gives the impression that Antony's decisions are not always well thought out because he does not spend enough time in his speech reflecting on the alternatives or considering the consequences. Ironically, Othello's conscious and deliberate analysis of love makes his feelings for Desdemona seem more superficial and symbolic, while the lack of symbols in Antonio and Sebastiano's relationship creates a more realistic depiction of love. Sexual imagery in Twelfth Night is abundant, and can be taken to mean that there was some sort of physical relationship between Antonio and Sebastian before the show began. Meanwhile, in Othello,Shakespeare projects sexual imagery onto symbols such as the sheet, while he uses imagery in Twelfth Night to represent affectation itself. Sebastian describes his desire as "sharper than honed steel" (3.3.2), which is consistent with the image of sexual penetration seen throughout the play. Sebastian justifies his pursuit of erotic fantasies, telling Antonio that "danger will seem like sport" (2.1.35), which suggests that he receives gratification from the riskiness of the situation, both in a literal sense (as he is wanted at Orsino's court) , both figuratively. , because he is leaving the transitive environment and entering society in search of a forbidden relationship. This sexual desire within the relationship between Antonio and Sebastian serves as sufficient arousal to keep the relationship lively, and because this causes Antonio to break the barrier between the transitive environment and the social world, the forces within the relationship are stronger of any external threat. Furthermore, Antonio and Sebastiano appear to engage in a master-servant relationship as Antonio "[takes Sebastian] from the breach of the sea" (2.2.15), essentially giving him new life and leaving him in Antonio's debt. Shakespeare extends this insinuation of a sadomasochistic relationship through Sebastian's statement that Antonio takes "pleasure from [his] pains" (3.3.14) and receives gratification from the "danger" of his "desire." The powerful sexuality that Shakespeare expresses through his use of language (keeping in mind that in his time insinuations of homoeroticism had to be kept implicit because homosexuality was a crime punishable by death) affirms the strength of the relationship between Antonio and Sebastian. Their lack of tension and this internal strength is the most important force that governs the relationship. Othello's perception of sex changes throughout the play as the sexual tension increases. Shakespeare uses interruptions effectively whenever Othello and Desdemona come close to consummating their marriage. As a result, the sexual tension between them continues to increase, alongside the tension in their relationship, and ultimately the audience is led to believe that the couple never made love. At the beginning of the play, Othello says to Desdemona: "The purchase is made, the fruits will come, the profit is yet to come 'between me and you'" (2.2.8-10). He talks about sex in positive terms, describing it as a 'fruit' to be enjoyed, and as a mutually beneficial and 'profitable' action for both the male and the female. His tone here is patient as he realizes that he must wait for events to take their course natural before the figurative fruit blossoms. As Iago continues to sow seeds of suspicion in Othello's mind, and Othello becomes increasingly doubtful of Desdemona's fidelity, he moves away from connecting the images of sex and the blossoming of a new life, and begins to relate sex to death. The internal problems of Othello's relationship begin to affect his outward personality, tarnishing his reputation and making him "a fixed figure for the moment of scorn to point his slow and motionless finger at" (4.2.59-60). When he kills Desdemona, he tells her that "your bed, stained with lust, will be stained with the blood of lust." Shakespeare's use of the word "lust" connotes unfulfilled desire, suggesting that Othello and Desdemona did not consummate their marriage, and the resulting anxiety drove him to kill her. Othello finds it more appropriate to kill Desdemona on the bed they share as a married couple, which suggests that the actions that are supposed to take place on the bed are the cause of the murder. After strangling Desdemona he says: 'Behold, I have a weapon; a better has never claimed on.