Claude Lam F. 4B (16)
What does Othello's speech and say tells us about his character?
Brabantio accuses Othello, a black general, that he has used witchcraft to seduce his daughter, Desdemona. Othello, who has used no magic to capture the young lady's heart, began denying all sorts of charges.
Othello then tells the senators that he is not good with words. That he has no elegant diction which Venetian men often uses to phrase their sentences. We can see that Othello admits this not-so-wonderful-trait truthfully and honestly from 'little blessed with the soft phrase of peace'. He doesn't try to hide his weakness even though he knows that a general should give people the impression that he knows everything. He is also very humble in fore mentioning that he has no talent whatsoever needed in a speech. Generals are supposed to think that the position that they are in (in the army) is high and mighty, all above the others, and people should respect them.
Desdemona by Frederic Leighton, ca. 1888
Othello Relating His Adventures - Steel engraving,...
Suzanne Cloutier as Desdemona in Orson Welles' 195...But not Othello, in fact he admits his weaknesses to the senators who are going to question him later on for bewitching Desdemona. He says that he is 'rude' in a sense that the language he uses is plain, kind of blunt, and speaks whatever he feels like or thinks he should say. He doesn't decorate everything he says with flowery images, which is quite common for Venetian men at that time. Instead, he is just being himself, like a Venetian lady stripped away of all her make up.
Another trait of Othello is that he is very respectful to everybody, especially to the senators. He said - "Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, my very noble and approved good masters", that showed that he has deep respect for someone...