Michael Cassio

insinuating that her friendships may not be all platonic. Cassio, in particular, is the target of these allegations of promiscuity, being friendly with both Desdemona and Othello, and often asking Desdemona for favours once he falls out of her husband’s grace. This comes about when Emilia brings the handkerchief to her husband after it was dropped by Desdemona, and he proceeds to plant it on Cassio, telling Othello that it must mean that Cassio and Desdemona are romantically involved. From this…

Often the most important themes in literature are developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the death of the character Desdemona serves as the climatic breaking point where pervasive racism and sexism can no longer exist without resulting in detrimental harm to the involved parties. It is Othello’s prideful hamartia that, combined with sexism, is the catalyst that ultimately destroys both his and Desdemona’s life. In Othello, the cast…

on another strongly. In the selected passage, in act 3 scene 3, it is a turning point for which he decides the only way to resolve this situation is to kill both Desdemona and Cassio. His tendency to treat love and war equally in the passage is demonstrated by the word choice, the…

and loves her husband until the very end of her life. In one scene, she answers Othello by saying “And have you mercy too! I never did / Offend you in my life; never loved Cassio / But with such general warranty of heaven / As I might love. I never gave him token” (5.2.58-61). She is rejecting his accusation of her loving Cassio and proving her love and devotion to Othello. Although Desdemona waited until (near) her death to say this, had she been given an opportunity to state this truth…

Iago the position of lieutenant that he believes he deserves. We can understand right from the beginning that Iago has no interest in being truly loyal to Othello, only does he plan on acting like it. In Act one, scene one while Iago is venting to Cassio he says “ O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him” (Act One scene 3 page 557 line 39 and 38) For these reasons, Iago acts out in ways that are devious, tricking Othello into believing he is a friend and a loyal human being,…

characters in the play, other than himself – Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio. In that same verse, Iago mentions his plan to set up Cassio and Desdemona to destroy Desdemona’s reputation before Othello, which Iago believes to be the key in inflicting a traffic fate to the three characters. However, in order for Iago to succeed, Iago believes that…

Discuss the statement that “Iago’s use of language shows “The cool logic of persuasion”, and Othello’s “The hot power of passion”. Use the two passages (Act 3 scene 3) and 1 other example Iago can be underpinned as the prime antagonist and one of the most negatively influential characters throughout the play, who inflicts upon himself the role as the ‘companion with an ulterior motive’. This notion can be interpreted in the sense that deception of people around him fuels his ego, vulgar motives…

the major issue that is surrounding this theme. Iago makes it appear as if Desdemona is being unfaithful, when she is being everything but. One example of when Othello is completely blind of reality is when Iago is talking to Cassio about Emilia. Othello thinks that Cassio is describing his sexual interaction with Desdemona when he is actually talking about his sexual interaction with Emilia. To add onto his blindness to reality,…

Deception “O Lord, deliver me from the man of excellent intention and impure heart: for the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,” stated T.S. Eliot a renowned American poet and playwright. This quote is the basis for several inferences, the main one being that people are deceptive and often have malicious intentions. This inference is quite realistic too as illustrated through two texts: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger and Othello by William Shakespeare. A…

Frantic Assembly are a physical theatre group who aim to create energetic, thrilling work that reflects contemporary culture. They are led by Artistic Director Scott Graham, who, along with two colleagues, founded the group in 1994. After focusing for a number of years on gritty, modern theatre, Scott decided to take the group in a new direction - contemporary Shakespeare. After some deliberation, the group decided on “Othello” as their first Shakespearean piece, and decided to set it in West…