Made Cassio His Lieutenant Cassio His Lieutenant Othello Essay - 843 words

In the drama Othello by William Shakespeare Othello, the protagonist, is a Moorish general in the Venetian army. Othello marries Desdemona, the daughter of Brabrantio, without her fathers consent. Desdemona proves her love for Othello to her father and Brabant io gives his consent. Othello is sent to Cyprus to fight the Turks whose ships are destroyed on the journey to Cyprus. While in Cyprus Iago tricks Othello into believing that Cassio, Othello's lieutenant slept with Desdemona. Iago hates Othello because Othello made Cassio his lieutenant instead of him.


Iago will do whatever he can to make Othello strip Cassio of his rank so that Othello will give it to him. Othello wants Cassio and Desdemona dead. So Othello kills Desdemona and Iago is sent to kill Cassio. However, Cassio lives and when Othello finds out the truth about the situation he is so distraught he kills himself. Thus jealousy overwhelms him and forces him to believe that the only thing he can do is kill the woman that he loves. He does this because he does not want her to betray another man.


Iago deserves most of the blame for all of this tragedy. However, Othello has to take some of the blame for allowing himself to let his distrust take over his thought process. Then again Iago did cause Othello to think that Cassio and Desdemona had an affair. Iago states about Cassio, Liewith her, on her, what you will (IV I 34). This, however is a bold face lie to get Othello angry with Cassio.


The reason for this is Iago believes he should be Othello's lieutenant instead of Cassio. In the opening scene Iago proclaims, I follow him to serve my turn upon him (I I 44). The only reason he is following Othello is to keep him close till he can become his Lieutenant. Iago is a deceitful, beguiling, and hateful man who only hates Othello because he made Cassio his lieutenant.


Therefore, Iago has given up all of his morals and decency in exchange for jealousy and rage toward Cassio and Othello. Needless to say, Iago gets what he deserves when Othello stabs him. On the other hand, Iago does not deserve all the blame. Othello is supposed to be the leader of the Venetian army yet he lets himself be tricked into murdering his wife and his lieutenant.


He was so engulfed in jealousy, anger, and rage that he threw away his honor and dignity ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: cassio and desdemona, desdemona, cassio, iago, othello

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