Psychological Warfare In Othello

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Psychological Warfare in Othello

Introduction

The structural model of the psyche is perhaps the greatest of Sigmund Freud’s

contribution to the field of psychology. Freud argues that the human mind is divided into three

aspects, the Ego, the Id and the Super Ego. The ego is the rational aspect, the id is the instinctive

aspect while the Super ego is the moral aspect. The Ego mediates between the raw id and the

forceful ego to come up with rational decisions (Freud, 15). With there being three main

characters in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, General Othello himself, Iago and

Desdemona to what extent do they exemplify Sigmund Freud tripartite and its relationship?

(Shakespeare 1603).

Sigmund Freud’s tripartite

There is a nature of the human mind that is genetically oriented; a good example is the

gender aspect even when they are as young as toddlers, the boy child, and the girl child will

reason differently, on the same breath, a male and female octogenarian will still have different

results when fed with similar ideas. This raw instinctive and primitive aspect of the mind that

also involves faculties like Eros, which controls libido and the aggressive nature Thanatos is

what Freud classifies as Id (Freud 25). Like the spinal controlled reflex acts, the id is instinctive

and pushes towards immediate action or acquiescence. The Super ego is almost opposite of the

Id, it is the part of the thought pattern that is environment programmed and is gained between the

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age of 3 and 5 years phallic stage of psychosexual development. The super ego seeks to

understand what is acceptable or not and where and then endeavors to control the mind from the

raw thought patters that tend towards those thoughts and activates like the primal sex drive or

aggressive tendency.

The contrasting nature of the Id and the Super ego develops the ego as the mediator, the

go between and the final decision maker between the raw instinct of the Id and the reserved

moral reserved nature of the super ego (McLeod 1). Practically and from an entirely euphemistic

perspective, the trilogy of Sigmund works like the human instinct.

The Othello Euphemism

In William Shakespeare’s Tragedy Othello the relationship between the three main

characters can clearly be defined as under Sigmund’s tripartite with Othello the main protagonist

being the Ego, Iago the crafty and manipulative Ensign being the Id and Desdemona, the dutiful

wife being the Super Ego. The Id Iago incites Othello against Desdemona the Super ego. Iago

circumspectly combines credibly sounding rumors against Desdemona the dutiful wife of

Othello and backs them up with manufactured evidence. Finally, Othello listens to Iago and

incensed, he kills Desdemona. When he realizes he was wrong, he kills himself too.

Othello is a general and a man of authority and a husband. Due to his position vis-à-vis

Iago, he needs raw data and advice from Iago is Ensign since as a general, his interaction with

the ordinary world is limited (Chiu). However, Iago can only inform and advise him but not

command him. Othello as the general reserves the right to tell off or even silence Iago. To what

extent he listens to or considers to the information and advice from Iago is also fully up to

Othello which mirrors the relationship between the Ego and the Id to the letter (Chiu 35).

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Desdemona the dutiful wife who call Othello my Lord on the other part, being the object

of the wiry plans and incitements of Iago can only use her character and reputation to convince

Othello that Iago is wrong about her (Shakespeare). Desdemona does not argue her case or fight

back against Iago; she however, treats Othello in away. Her conduct, character and the way she

carries herself is known to Othello and is the mitigating factor against the evil planted in

Othello’s mind by Iago (Chiu 35).

The absolute metaphoric similarity

It is, however, the conclusion that creates the greatest aspect of the Euphemism is in the

outcome. A wrong decision can lead to the destruction of the entire system and this is what

happens when the tripartite does not result in the right decision arrive at in the Tragedy of

Othello. As a direct consequence of the decision, the system as a whole disintegrates,

Desdemona end up dead, Iago badly wounded and Othello dead (Shakespeare 1603). The system

ended. In the same manner, the mental system comprised of the Id, Ego and Super ego is so vital

to the body and involves such drastic consequences that the wrong decision could result in

adverse consequences that could actually end the functionality of the system. This can be

through the physical death of the body, maiming, or permanent injury, or even incarceration or

committal to a mental institution (Liang 177).

Conclusion

Sigmund Freud has a reputation for metaphorically employing literary in his works in

general and Shakespeare’s Tragedies in particular. He has used, the Merchant of Venice and

Hamlet among others in his work but has surprisingly omitted the Tragedy of Othello in all his

works (Chiu 36). This is both curious and surprising since the upshot of the foregoing above

clearly indicates the relevance and similarity of Othello to the entire concept of the Ego, Id, and

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super Ego. It is clear from the foregoing that Othello creates a great instrument for the

embodiment of the outlined Sigmund’s tripartite with Othello fitting the Ego, Iago the Id and

Desdemona the Super ego in both character and substance. Othello can, therefore, be used for

this purpose.

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Works Cited

Chiu, Chin-jung. “Freud on Shakespeare: An Approach to Psychopathetic Characters.” Chang

Gung Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 5:1 (2012), 33-56.

Liang, Yamin. "The Id, Ego and Super-Ego in "Pride and Prejudice." International Education

Studies 4.2 (2011): 177-181.

McLeod, Saul. Id, Ego and Superego. Simply Psychology, 2010. Web. 20 May 2016.

Shakespeare, William. Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice). England: n.p.,

1603. Print.

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