Introductory
Iago's subtle and matchless villainy is considerably assisted by the role of chance or accident. Iago's intellectual villainy is awesome but chance provides an extra and final boost to manipulate as well as eradicate the characters whom Iago is jealously indifferent with, including Cassio, Othello and Desdemona. A sound mind could easily question the "blind" manipulation of Iago to ruin his villainy in front of his victims but some "By-Chance" incidents stamped the tragical end of the victims profoundly. Before taking a deep dive into the role of chance played in Othello, let us clarify what chance actually is. Cambridge Dictionary defines "Chance" an occasion that allows something to be done.
Desdemona's Dropping her Handkerchief
Chance, for the first time, plays its fatal role when Desdemona drops the handkerchief which she received as a token of love from Othello. Iago is hunting after the handkerchief to ensnare both Desdemona and Cassio through that particular handkerchief but Desdemona keeps the handkerchief with great care in her possession. One day, she drops it by chance when she is offered to bind Othello's aching head. Hardly Desdemona leaves the place where she has dropped the most precious gift and Emilia, the wife of Iago happens to come at the same place and pick it up by chance as well. Such accidental loss and discovery of the handkerchief provides vitality to Iago's base motives. When Desdemona is unable to produce the handkerchief, Othello feels deeply annoyed by the loss of it and his doubt against Desdemona's character grows even stronger than the "honest" words of Iago. Desdemona expresses her grief to Emilia as thus:
"Since there's some wonder in this handkerchief
I am most unhappy in the loss of it"
Cassio's Blunt Confession
The second and the most crucial aspect of chance is highlighted when Cassio appears before Othello but Iago sends him away and asks him to come later. If Othello saw Cassio at this time, he would have run into rage and inquired him about the handkerchief and how did he attain. But Cassio again comes in the scene when Othello has hidden himself and he overhears the conversation between Iago and Cassio. Cassio is ridiculing his Bianca (a courtesan) but Othello misunderstands that he is mocking his Desdemona. The tension grows even more grim when Bianca hits the scene and she complains to Cassio that he is cheating on her and he is in love with someone else. She says that the handkerchief which he gave to her [to copy] was a love token from another lady. Thus Cassio's blunt confession [before Iago] confirms the burning suspicion in the mind of Othello and he questions Iago when Cassio has departed, "How shall I murder him, Iago? " Accentual event dominates the mind of Othello than reasoning the truth.
Conclusion
It is clear that chance and accident strengthen the feeling of fate in us. Fate seems to side with the villainy of Iago. The notable characters are failed to find any way of escape from the unjust clutches of fate which has changed its favours for the devil. Such tyranny of fate cultivates the belief in us that our life is governed by the unseen forces of darkness and goodness has nothing to do in this world without light. Resultantly, the role of chance, played in Othello, illustrates a terrible picture of fate and its association with lightless spirits.
References and Suggested Readings
- https://www.studymode.com/essays/Role-Of-Chance-In-Othello-63732148.html
- https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/discuss-role-chance-fate-coincidence-othello
- https://neoenglish.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/comment-on-the-view-that-the-chances-and-accidents-in-othello-adversely-affect-our-view-of-it-as-a-tragedy-of-character/
- Othello - Critical Studies by Dr. S Sen and P. S. Chopera, 2014 Edition, Page 518
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