Psychological analysis on the major characters of Shakespeare's Othello

ABSTRACT

Human life cannot be separated from the existence of art. Literature always has a relationship with our daily life. One aspect of literary study is addressing our problems. By reading literary works, readers encounter the conflicts experienced by the characters and learn how these characters handle and resolve their issues. Psychology, as a scientific study of human behavior and mental processes, offers a strong critique of how characters are portrayed, raising questions about every aspect of human behavior.

In his drama *Othello*, William Shakespeare keenly presents various characteristics in his characters, making it suitable for psychological analysis. This research provides a detailed description of personality aspects in the major characters, such as honesty, responsibility, anxiety, and inferiority. Additionally, it examines the dynamics of personality, such as the death instinct in Othello’s character, and explores how emotions reflected in Othello's personality contribute to the tragedy.

The research uses a descriptive qualitative method, which involves systematically, factually, and accurately describing the data on Othello. This method focuses on how people make sense of their lives and their perceptions of the world. From the data, we learn about aspects of personality in the major characters, such as honesty, which means being straightforward and truthful. In this drama, even a villain can exhibit honesty in their role. Responsibility refers to the willingness to face the consequences of one's actions, which is demonstrated by one of the characters. Anxiety is another aspect, where Othello fears that Desdemona will betray him, leading him to kill his innocent wife. Ultimately, Othello feels inferior, attributing his actions to his own foolishness and bad luck rather than jealousy, and he commits suicide upon realizing his mistake.

The motivation behind this tragedy is straightforward and uncomplicated—jealousy. This research aims to encourage other researchers to further explore psychological analysis in literature, suggesting that this topic warrants additional attention and a broader perspective.