Shakespeare presents Cassio as a balanced character, essentially honest and trustworthy, who, although he does have some weaknesses, he has weaknesses which are understandable and not in the extreme, thus contributing to the concerns and effects of weaknesses in Othello. He also provides a contrast to Iago, who seems to delight in evil, shown through the contrast of language between Iago and Cassio, which reflects their differences in social status. It is, in my opinion, Cassio's role to be manipulated unknowingly and used by Iago as the tool to get what he wants. Cassio is a person respected and highly trusted by Othello so when Othello suspects him of having an affair with his wife he is unable to trust anyone, including Desdemona, contributing to the tragic events in the play. In this respect, Cassio contributes to the concerns and effects of trust in 'Othello'. Cassio also has a role to show how everything is restored back to normal after the turmoil of the tragedy through the way he is the only main character left standing at the end.
English: Venn diagram to use when contrasting the ...
English: Diagram plotting the contrasting developm...
Othello and Desdemona in Venice, 1850, oil on wood...Cassio has a high place in society from noble birth, which is why he is given the position of lieutenant. He is very open, honest, trusting and loyal yet he is only human so naturally he has weaknesses; his courtship with Bianca and the way he cannot take his drink. His actions, when drunk, contribute to the play by adding an air of lightness to it because it is an ordinary weakness and merely proves he is human.
The way Cassio sees his position as extremely important to him could be seen as a weakness in the way that he obsesses about it but this would have been understandable to a Jacobean audience.
Cassio's language is very...