William Hazlitt on Othello

Being one of the most prominent Shakespeare 's researchers of the early nineteenth century , William Hazlitt remains up-to-date due to the psychological bias of his interpretation . Stating the ever modern concept of the ambivalence of human nature , he analyzes the character of Othello , trying to suggest the natural impulses which could make him commit his wife 's murder

Of chief interest for Hazlitt is the alternate ascendancy of different passions , by the entire and unforeseen change from the fondest love and most unbounded confidence to the tortures of jealousy and the madness

of hatred . It is the gradual transition of mood that unites Shakespeare with the modern notion of characters ' psychology disclosure . Hazlitt states that on the one hand the Moor has a noble , frank and generous nature . This is something inborn , inherent to his personality . It is what we call the good in a human being , a bright side of his personality . But the paradox is , the good in him is tranquil and static somewhat passive , while the evil impulse appears to be active and dynamic . One cannot say that while the nobility of the nature is something inborn , the deathly passion of jealousy can be treated as delusion or evil suggestion . The convulsive movements of uncontrollable agony , as Hazlitt puts it , are not only imposed upon him by some external factors , such as the cunning intrigues of Iago This passion of blood has always been part of his nature , its darker face . Sleeping , and eventually awaken by the smell of betray his felt it led to the ever-growing impulse for revenge . Hazlitt notes that the more this desire is sustained and delayed , the stronger and the more destructive and uncontrollable it gets . Overwhelmed by his imagination encouraged by Iago 's malicious suggestions , he loses command of himself In a sense he kills Desdemona to sooth his pain , to stop his agony . It is his extreme love and affection for his wife that changes the positive charge for the negative one . The strength remains the same but it works in the opposite direction

Thus , the nature of the Moor is noble , confiding , tender , and generous but his blood is of the most inflammable kind , and this duality of human nature causes the conflict , which leads to the most tragic consequences . Othello 's internal destructive passion is urged by external influences as well as by the strong power of his imagination...