The Admirable Lieutenant in Othello - 1352 Words

Othello, William Shakespeare’s moving tragedy, gives the audience a number of victims, one of whom is Cassio. But this rugged guy keeps recovering and coming back to enter the fray. Let’s talk about him in detail. Kenneth Muir, in the Introduction to William Shakespeare: Othello, explains the ins and outs of Cassio’s personality: Cassio is defined partly by the exigencies of the plot, which require him to have a poor head for drinking and to have a mistress; but his chivalric worship of Desdemona, his affectionate admiration for Othello, which enable him even at the end to call him ‘Dear General† and to speak of his greatness in heart, and his professional reputation, which only Iago impugns, build up a complex portrait of an†¦show more content†¦He is adept at provoking self-hatred in others because he suffers from it himself. (223) When the â€Å"gallants† arrive, Cassio yields to peer pressure and has a cup of wine, and offers a toast, â€Å"To the health of our general!† but then ends his involvement when he comes to a realization that he is getting tipsy: â€Å"Let’s no more of this; let’s to our affairs.† Later, in his drunkenness he strikes Roderigo and wounds Montano; and this sadly results in his dismissal (â€Å"Cassio, I love thee; / But nevermore be officer of mine.†) Cassio laments the cause of his discharge: â€Å"O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!† Without a job now, Cassio is vulnerable to Iago, who cunningly feigns friendship and offers him a way back into the graces of the general – through Desdemona. Iago contrives to have Othello observe the departure of the ex-lieutenant from Desdemona’s quarters: â€Å"Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?† Building on this tiny piece of solid evidence, Iago’s sinister mind develops a grand array of fabricated evidence for incriminating both Cassio and Desdemona. Emilia assists in the betrayal by providing Iago with the key piece of evidence – the decorated handkerchief which the general previously gave Desdemona: â€Å"That which so often you did bid me steal.† Cassio, upon not being notified of any change in his fired status, returns to ply DesdemonaShow MoreRelatedOthello’s Dramatic Flaw in Shakespeares Othello Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe play â€Å"Othello† by William Shakespeare was written in 1604 during the Elizabeth era. Othello is one of the most extraordinary characters in all of Shakespeare’s dramas. He enjoyed unheralded success in the combat zone, which gave him the reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. Even though he has great success in the battlefield, he has a dramatic flaw that causes a downfall in his life. The dramatic flaw that causes his downfall is jealousy. This was brought on by a simple persuasionRead MoreJealousy: The Green-Eyed Monster1576 Words   |  6 Pagesiii.165-167). Othello: The Moor of Venice is a play by Shakespeare that presents the theme of human relationship: jealousy. Jealousy often has no real basis, usually the loved one is faithful, but the lo ver interprets all evidence in the sense of being cheated. The protagonist Othello is the general of the armies of Venice respected by all those around him. In the first act a dispute between Desdemona and her father, Brabanzio the Venetian senator, arises because she marries Othello without consultingRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare918 Words   |  4 Pages In any story, the antagonist always scheme their way into getting what they want by any means necessary. In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, Iago is a prime example of this. In fact, he is one of the greatest villains Shakespeare has ever created. Some even believe that he is the source of immorality like in other work Shakespeare has done. According to Sholokhov and Tolstoy, author Helen Muchnic states that the Vice of the morality plays who evolved into Shakepheare’s Iago. He also statesRead MoreOthellos Character Essay2281 Words   |  10 Pageslives. They are catching a narrow window of their existence. They do not know where they came from, what kind of experiences they have had, or what may have influenced them over the course of their lives. The central protagonist of Othello is none other than Othello himself, a man whose background ultimately shape and dictate his life during the play. Shakespeare creates Othello’s main objective to stay true to who he is; a person that we are meant to infer is filled with duty, honor, trustRead MoreHis Moorships Ancient: Iago as the Protagonist of Othello1658 Words   |  7 Pagesassociated with their respective downfalls and tragedies. Othello, however, is an anomaly. While he is flawed by his paranoia and pride, Othello is only unstable and destructive after intricate deception. Indeed, he seems maddeningly perfect to his adversaries. Even Othellos greatest enemy, Iago, confesses in act I, scene i, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago, or rather, he would not want to be Iago if he could be a man like Othello. The Moor commander is constantly respected by Venetian senatorsRead MoreOthello: Admirable Leader but Poor Rationalist 966 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s â€Å"Othello†, the main character is presented as an admirable leader but a poor rationalist. He is recognized as a hero with the qualities of vigor, charm, and eloquence. However these principles of leadership aren’t always viewed as the criteria for a leader. The battleground is, to Othello at least, is depicted as a place of admiration, where men speak truthfully to one another. Also, the given circumstances of state and warfare are rather straightforward; no o ne deceives Othello because asRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello And The Existence Of Power1110 Words   |  5 PagesShakespeare displays the presence of power in his work of Othello wielded by his mastermind of a character, Iago. Throughout Shakespeare’s play, the existence of power results in a tragedy for the characters of Othello. The play involves themes of jealousy, racism, hate and judgment that all relate to one having power over others. Knowing that Cassio had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant over Iago himself, he seeks to exact revenge on Othello for overlooking his capabilities to be promoted andRead More Othello Essay1312 Words   |  6 Pageshas a mixture of admirable qualities and a tragic flaw which proves fatal. This suggests Othello is a tragic hero, though qualities such as nobility in thoughts or actions do not consistently portray Othello throughout the play. Despite his brave reputation as a soldier and characteristics of trusting and caring initially with Desdemona, his weaknesses in both his own character and his vulnerability to Iago ¡Ã‚ ¦ s lies, and the decision of killing Desdemona at last do not make Othello sufficiently nobleRead MoreHow Does Shakespeare Use La nguage and Dramatic Devices to Present the Theme of Jealousy in Othello?1497 Words   |  6 PagesHow does Shakespeare use language and dramatic devices to present the theme of jealousy in Othello? ----- Othello weaves a tragic tale of love, jealousy and murder. Set in Venice and progressing to Cyprus, Shakespeare’s Othello follows the cursed path of its namesake, a black soldier whose love for his wife ultimately results in her death. Woven into the socially and emotionally delicate plot is a multitude of key themes, including race (Othello’s colour), love, and jealousy. A key figure, if notRead MoreReview Of Shakespeare s Othello 1796 Words   |  8 PagesLynnette Linares Ms.Milliner EES21QH-05 1/20/17 Grit, Mindsets and How They Can Be Used In Othello Temperature is measured by degrees, blood is measured by milliliters, but how can a concept like perseverance be measured? It s been a question that has been asked by many experts who wonder about the differences of tenacity and stamina in people and why is it so. Angela Duckworth was a psychology professor who calculated a theory to organize this concept into a neat word: â€Å"grit†. Grit