FREE ESSAY ON OTHELLO

OTHELLO

Reputation plays a very important role in the play Othello. The character of Iago uses his
reputation as an honest man to deceive Othello and other characters in the play. To
Cassio reputation meant everything. Othello's reputation played an important role in the
play. Iago's reputation played a very key role in the play. Everyone thought of Iago as
an honest man. " O, that's an honest fellow " , "You advise me well ........ goodnight
honest Iago " - "........that's an honest fellow " " I know thou'rt full of love and
honesty ". Iago has everyone fooled into believing that he is a noble honest man. Without
this reputation of being honest he could never get Othello to believe that Desdemona was
cheating on him. Othello would have probably killed him if he didn't have the reputation
of being an honest man. Iago knew that an important man like Othello couldn't ignore the
possibility that his wife was cheating on him. Nobody suspects that Iago is a deceitful
man and would plot and plan to destroy Othello, Cassio and Desdemona in such a cunning
way. Iago used his reputation, and the insecurities of Othello being a Moor, to allow him
to manipulate Othello. Othello had a reputation of being a military man, and a courageous
leader. "Valiant Othello, We must straight employ you..." "Here comes Brabantio and the
valiant Moor." Othello has been a soldier since he was seven years of age, and has
experience on the battle field. Othello was chosen when they went to fight the Turkish
fleet. Because of his reputation, it wasn't hard for other people to accept the
relationship between him and Desdemona. As Iago started putting ideas in Othello's head
about Cassio and Desdemona being together, another side of Othello's personality started
to surface. Because Iago had the reputation of being an honest man, Othello couldn't
ignore his insinuations about Desdemona. Othello wondered if Desdemona really loved him,
or if she was just using him to rebel against her father. With Iago constantly putting
these ideas in his head, Othello was convinced to kill his wife. Cassio was known to be a
good soldier, and is proud of that reputation. After Iago gets him drunk, and he gets in
a fight, he ruins his reputation with Othello. Othello demotes him because Othello will
not tolerate that kind of behavior in his Lieutenant. Desdemona pleads his case to
Othello, because she knows him to be a good man. Iago uses the fact that Desdemona is
interceding on Cassio's behalf, to further convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on
him, with Cassio. He hopes this will remove Cassio and open up the way for him to become
Lieutenant.. Othello could always wonder if Desdemona really loved him, or if she was
just using him to rebel against her father. With Iago constantly putting these ideas in
his head, Othello was convinced to kill his wife. Often, reputations and a person's true
character are very different. People rely on their previous experiences or knowledge of
others to make judgments about them. Iago used this to his advantage to manipulate
everyone. He was a great deceiver.