Othello

Othello is the main character that this theme is focused on. Throughout the play Othello proves that he lacks self-knowledge because he is overcome by jealousy which makes him lose sight of who he really is, and what is actually happening around him. His jealousy makes him blind, which causes him to become easy prey for Iago to manipulate and influence him. Iago uses Othello for his own revenge, and causes Othello to get extremely jealous of Cassio. Iago wants Othello to act out like this to make him look good compared to Othello, in hopes that people would turn on him. Iago makes Othello think that Cassio is not trustworthy by getting him drunk, and him acting crazy and irresponsible, this causing Othello to fire Cassio, making Iago his lieutenant. Hiring Iago as his lieutenant only makes things worse, as they become closer and this causes Iago to get into his head even more. Once he hears the lies that Iago tells him, not even his wife Desdemona can convince him otherwise, which causes him to act out on his wife and accuses her of cheating and ends up killing her because of his disgust in her. These actions are not Othello's personality and because Iago has him pretty much under a spell, he doesn't even realize what he's doing until it's too late. In the end, Othello’s lack of self-knowledge and sense of reason ultimately sets him up for his own demise.

 Here are some quotes that relate the theme of self - knowledge to Othello:

1)   Act 4 Scene 1 Line 74 

; in this line Othello states how wise Iago is after he has been fully convinced that    Desdemona is being unfaithful. This shows how full of himself he is and that he can’t realize when he is being manipulated.

2)   Act 3 Scene 3 Line 260-279  

; in these lines Othello describes Iago as extremely honest and good and that he knows everything about human behaviour. This again shows how Othello doesn’t know his own true self because he doesn’t think that he could ever be deceived by someone that doesn’t look like a deceiver.

3)   Act 3 Scene 3 Line 244-245 

; in these lines Othello is convincing himself that since Iago is such an honest and good man, he’s not telling Othello everything he knows as to not hurt Othello’s feelings. Because Othello thinks this, he still proving to us that he does not know he is being betrayed which shows he does not know who he truly is as a person.

4)   Act 3 Scene 3 Line 119-125

; in these lines Othello gives an exact example of how he is unknowingly vulnerable and gullible.  He explains to Iago how he would never trust a lying, cheating villian when really that's exactly what Iago is