The Case for Othello as the Best

Irene Jacob as Desdemona and Laurence Fishburne as Othello

Act V, scene ii is dark and foreboding, as it is violent and horrifying.  Othello has heard enough from Iago, about his wife Desdemona's infidelity, and is now resolved to kill her.  In his mind, he has cause to do so.  The end of ridding him (and her, too) of this infidelity justifies murder as the means.  For me, the most profound, romantic remarks in literature come from Desdemona:

DESDEMONA O, falsely, falsely murder'd! EMILIA Alas, what cry is that? OTHELLO That! what?  EMILIA Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice. Help! help, ho! help! O lady, speak again! Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!  DESDEMONA A guiltless death I die.  EMILIA O, who hath done this deed?  DESDEMONA Nobody; I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell!

Desdemona is the paradigm of love, loyalty and kindness.  She is genuinely confused and troubled about what her husband is evidently accusing her of.  She is absolutely helpless, as he muscles himself over her and snuffs her to death.  But even with her very last breath, she takes full ownership and responsibility for that very means that is Othello's.  There is no blame or guilt to be doled out here.  The play explores the psychology of envy and manipulation, along with racism and social class, in a drama that is also dripping with Christian overtones and specifically the presence of the Devil.  The play does all of this with surgical precision and dramatic patience, that I remain utterly in awe about what Shakespeare did.

The Millions engaged experts to offer what they saw as the best among Shakespearean plays, in honor of the Bard's 450th birthday on April 23rd 1564.  In Shakespeare’s Greatest Play? 5 Experts Share Their Opinions, Elisa Oh offers her bit on Othello.

Now I have offered mine.