A Comparison between Othello and The Trial
In the same way that the concept innocence and arrogance appear at cross-purposes, a comparison between "Othello" by William Shakespeare and " The Trial " by Franz Kafka at first sight appears contradictory. On closer analysis however, both these terms and these two works can be shown to have demonstrated the same inseparable idea.
The philosophy of both times introduces the ideas. And it gives us an understanding of why they thought that way and to make us understand the writer's work better. Shakespeare birthed in the Renaissance period in the 1600's. At that time England was dominated by Anglicanism-King Henry the eighth replaced the Pope-so the king or the queen has all the power. The ruler had the power to kill a person or give him or her a chance to live. Shakespeare wrote about that power and showed it, and gave it a sense of life in his work. E.g. when Othello wants to kill Desdemona out of the whim. "Ay, let her rot, and perish and be damned to-night; for she shall not live."(Othello, act IV, scene 1) Or "Hang her! I do but say what she is." (Othello, act IV, scene 1) In these two examples it shows the power of the ruler, and how he or she could use it abusively or wisely. And how they make their decisions without any consultant. Or when Othello takes Cassio out of the force, "Cassio I love thee; but never more be officer of mine."(Othello, act II, scene III).
The incidents that occur in Shakespeare's work are anthropological constants that we experience them in our daily lives jealousy, love, death, hate, and betrayal. The people related to Shakespeare because they lived the role that he was introducing and describing, they understood his i...
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...hen Othello knew that Cassio was drunk he took him out of the force, even though he was his companion and his right hand. And when Joseph K. struggles with the people in the office.
Arrogance, an eminence that is full of pride, and known the tragic flow. That's what each character has. Although characters have different paths in the end they both reach the same path. And when they realize they are on the wrong path it is too late to turn back. So their arrogance will lead them to their fate, and to their death.
Works Consulted
Kafka, Franz. The Trial. New York: Schocken Books, 1984.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy. New York: Dover Publications, 1995.
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Updated Fourth Edition. Ed. David Bevington. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc., 1997.