The destruction of innocence in Othello One way, even if partial, to read the tragedy of "Othello" is to see it as the destruction of innocence, trust and of idealized love on the part of a cynical and maliciously motivated worldliness, which considers as its motivation the very existence of innocence and beauty: 'the divinity of hell'. Iago's manipulative malice is a crucial factor in the tragic catastrophe, but it also serves to highlight through contrast the alternative values ​​in the play, which may include innocence and naivety. In the following argument, innocence refers to the inexperience of the world but also that which is separated from evil. Naivety has the meaning of gullibility, even madness, but more positively it is the condition of the child, trusting, naive and uninfluenced by the cynical questions and deception that characterize worldly people. Shakespeare portrays naivety and innocence primarily, but not exclusively, through the characterization of Desdemona and Othello, and through a whole range of dramatic techniques: their language, behavior, their interaction with other characters, the images applied to them etc. The representation of qualities is complex and is significant in the following ways. First, the vulnerability of innocence and naivety helps carry the play to its tragic conclusion, although whether the root cause of the catastrophe is the vulnerability of innocence or the naivety of evil is up for debate. Secondly, the values ​​of innocence and naivety include dramatized values ​​in opposition to those primarily represented by Iago; each illuminates the other. This is one of the central conflicts of dramatic action. The contrast between... half of the paper... is Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 1-19) Bloom, Harold. "Introduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (1-6) Hale, Steven. Lessons in class. Georgia Perimeter College. April 20-30, 1999Jones, Eldred. "Othello: an interpretation" Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (page 39-55) Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968. Neely, Carol. "Women and men in Othello" Critical essays on Shakespeare's Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. (pages 68-90) Snyder, Susan. "Beyond comedy: Othello" Modern critical interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. (pg 23-37)