Desperation

Othello Final Assignment

Desperation: a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior. Throughout life, every person has experienced the dangerous feeling of wanting something too desperately. When you reach this point of your life, you become willing to do anything to get what you want. You develop this burning desire to get what you want, and the feeling of not being able to live without it sets in. Wanting something too desperately can present a pressing issue because the emotions begin to consume our life. At first, there’s a new sense of motivation, but eventually that shifts to distress when you haven’t achieved exactly what you wanted. These feelings become dangerous, as your judgment is clouded and leads to impulsive decision making. We might be so focused on achieving our desire that we neglect other important aspects of our lives. We might also become blind to the potential consequences or drawbacks of obtaining what we want.

Wanting something too desperately was the main issue in Othello. The character Roderigo was so consumed by his lust for Desdemona that he was easily manipulated by Iago. This triggered a devastating series of events that led to many people’s lives being harshly disrupted. One way to address this problem is to take a step back and gain some perspective. We have to see the exact reason as to why we want this one thing so desperately. Will it truly bring us happiness of fulfillment, or is that just the image we’ve created in our minds? In Roderigo’s case, he was so blinded by his desperation for this woman that he was unable to grasp the idea that it was a great possibility that, in the case he did end up with Desdemona, he wouldn’t actually find happiness. It’s crucial that we don’t let desperation blind us, or else it can lead to making rash decisions just like Roderigo. 

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