Othello

Essay by juslicia October 2014

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You Are Who You Hang Out With

They say what people don't know won't kill them yet in this case, it did. Throughout the play "Othello" there are two characters that consistently have a hold of the reader's attention, Othello himself and his right hand man, Iago. Iago is someone Othello has a high level of trust for, someone he calls a friend. Othello is a kind hearted, honest soldier and strategically intelligent with battles at that. Although from when the play opens we see how cruel and manipulative Iago can be. These two characters are in a broad way considered to be the protagonist, which is Othello, and Iago, the antagonist. Even with their differences at large, they still have their similarities that shine in the play with their acts of jealousy, betrayal, and manipulation.

The entire play is built off the jealousy of one man, and that man is Iago. Iago is a man of whom Othello put all his trust and position on the line for. When it came time for Othello to appoint his Lieutenant, he appointed Cassio rather than Iago, which ignited all the flames. His jealousy drove him mad because he was convinced that he was the only man for the job, for he was Othello's right hand man. Just like his jealousy drove him off the ledge, Othello's made him jump off it. With Iago's well devised plan of making him believe his beloved Desdemona was unfaithful with Cassio, his jealousy got the best of him. This emotion that takes a toll in the play is one that which both Iago and Othello handle the same way. These two acts are what bring each character to their breaking point.

Betrayal by definition is...