In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the characters are symbolic of qualities found in every human. The main characters, Othello, Desdemona and Iago, are key examples of this. Othello is symbolic of jealousy and pride; Desdemona is symbolic of kindness and honesty and Iago is symbolic of deceit and selfishness. Shakespeare uses all of these traits to depict his characters in Othello and exaggerates their personalities throughout the play. In this essay, it will be proven that the characters Othello, Desdemona and Iago, are all metaphorical representations of human emotions and characteristics.

The character Othello, whose story is the focus of the play, starts out as a highly regarded general in the Venetian army who is greatly respected by the Duke of Venice. He is married to the lovely Desdemona, daughter of a senator, and is very much in love with her. The way he is treated...