An anonymous person once said “The most miserable people are those who care only about themselves, understand only their own troubles and see only their own perspective.” In other words if someone is selfish and does not care about other people’s feelings is someone who is usually miserable in their lives, if all they see is themselves and views only their side they are blinded by their character and personality. In the play Othello by Shakespeare the villain Iago suffers from wanting more power which drives him to destruct other people’s lives along with his own. In the movie Mean Girls by Mark Waters Cady Heron suffers from wanting to fit in and be apart of something which makes herself the villain in many parts. Cady Heron and Iago’s character …show more content…
flaw is that they both are selfish, liars, and manipulators who destroy other people’s lives to make themselves feel better. Being manipulative is a character flaw that fits Iago and Cady because they use their words to get people to do what they want, or to think.
“ But Rodrigo, if you’re as courageous and determined as I think you are, then wait just a bit longer…” ( iiii.ii.218-221). Iago convinced Roderigo to continue to wait that his time with Desdemona would come soon and they would be together. On the other hand Cady talked Ragina into eating nutrition bars that would make her “ lose weight” but they were actually to gain weight but Cady did not tell Regina. Cady did this because she wanted the power and popularity that Regina had and the only way Cady could get it was by looking better than her. The evidence provided proves that Iago and Cady are manipulators because they talk their way through anything and make people believe them. It’s important that the reader knows this similarity because it shows that Iago and Cady share the same characteristics and way of thinking. The author wants us to learn that by manipulating people the ending will always show what wrong was …show more content…
done. The character flaw that Iago and Cady share is being liars, both Cady and Iago lie about other people or to other people to make themselves look better. “ He drinks a like this every night before he goes to sleep. He’d stay up all night and all day if he didn’t drink himself to sleep. …” ( ii. iii. 115- 117). As the example shows, Iago told montano that Cassio had a drinking problem to make people look at Cassio as a horrible person and Iago as a good person for informing people. On the other hand Cady lies about not knowing math to get a Aaron Samuels to like her and eventually tutor her, this allowed Cady and Aaron to spend time together. Some may argue that Cady is like Othello because they are outsider meanwhile Othello never adapts to society or the people and Cady adapts to her surroundings and fits in with the people.
“ I told him how I was captured and sold as a slave…” (i.iii. 138-139). Othello is African American and was a slave but got freedom, Brabantio talked to him and got him through rough times while Othello expressed old stories about his childhood. On the other hand Cady came from Africa to the U.S to live a normal teenage life where she never went to school before and did not know anything, Cady eventually adapted to her surroundings and made friends. The evidence proves that Othello was a sheltered person while Cady was social and adventurous. This is important for the reader because Othello and Cady barely have anything in common besides that they are both foreign. The author wants us to learn that no matter where you come from you can be out of place and not know everything. Ultimately, Cady and Iago are alike the most because they share traits like selfishness, being liars, and manipulators. The world should learn that nothing good ever comes out of people who are out to destroy other people’s lives and
happiness.
Comparing the Villains in Much Ado About Nothing and Othello & nbsp; The two villains in Much Ado About Nothing and Othello share much in common, despite their numerous differences. It is evident that Shakespeare framed the second piece of literature to be similar to the first. Although shorter, the plot of “Othello” is definitely more complex. The villains play a major part in the novels, and are very much alike in their line of thinking. The comedy, “Much Ado About Nothing” depicts the story of a group of high-ranking soldiers who travel through a town called Messina.
Othello and Iago are diverse in their characters and in their colors. It could be said additionally, notwithstanding, that they are comparative because of their untrustworthiness. Iago is overcome with his longing for vengeance to such a degree that he places it vigorously. Othello 's adoration and possessiveness of Desdemona assume control him until he in the long run would rather murder her than permit any other person to have her. In this way, despite their differentiations, Iago and Othello both speak to the furthest point of the same thing - human emotion.
The women in Othello are few. A grand total of three have lines, and only two are truly important characters. The females in the play, in accordance to Shakespeare’s time period’s own Elizabethan English ideologies and the gender norms of the society in which the play takes place, are put firmly ‘in their place’. They are meek, soft spoken, and submissive, treated like possessions by the dominating men and almost completely disregarded as individuals with their own thoughts and emotions. Bawdy jokes and cracks at women’s sexuality are rampant, and husbands get away with frequent misogynistic rants at their wives’ expense. The female character who plays the most dynamic role in Othello is Emilia. In the duration of the play, we observe her evolution from a simple handmaiden, to a loyal wife enduring her husband’s maltreat, to a complex woman of conflicted feelings and fluctuating emotions. In this way, Emilia disproves the total weakness of women in Othello, and rises as her own sort of minor tragic hero, a preliminary feminist champion.
In Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, Iago is uncharacteristically honest when he says "I am not what I am". However, he is not the only character whose appearance differs from the reality. Nonetheless, he is possibly the only person who intends this duplicity. Unfortunately everyone is under the impression that Iago is "honest and just". Once alone, Iago reveals "when devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows as I do now". Iago is two-faced in his relationships, even in the language he uses. After referring to Othello as a "black ram", he then tells him "my lord, you know I love you". Iago has no shame in appealing to heaven and godly images in the presence of others, but alone he conversely appeals to hell and evil. His appearance depends on those present, for instance his companion Roderigo, or his loathed acquaintance, Othello. His sycophantic language leads others such as Othello to be drawn into his web.
In the play Othello, there are many jealous and selfish characters. Each of the characters at one point or another let their jealousy take over. It seems like they all have these plots and plans on how to hurt another character in the play either physically or emotionally, as an act of selfishness, so that they can feel better about themselves. One main character who seems extremely jealous in this play is Iago. Infact, probably the most jealous. Many bad things happen because of Iago. The first bad thing that Iago did, was tell Barbantio (Desdamona's father) that Desdemona has married Othello, the Moore. Iago was mad at Othello, because Cassio had made Othello a higher position and not Iago. Iago thought that he was the one who qualified for the position as general, not Othello. Iago was jealous because of this, so he decided to tell Barbantio about Desdemona and Othello. This was bad, because Barbantio did not know yet, and something like that should have been said by his own daughter, not someone who was not part of the family. The way Iago went about telling him was also bad. He called to his house in the middle of the night. He yelled it to Barbantio from downstairs into his window in a rude manner. " quote from Othello here." He wanted Barbantio to be upset about what had happened, and most of all, he wanted Barbantio to be mad at Othello and do something bad to him.
Despite Othello’s high status, it was still very difficult for him to gain a full view point in a mainly white dominated society; it is this vulnerability that allowed Iago to thrive. Because Desdemona deceived her own father to marry him, Iago tries to convince Othello that she is ...
While there have been a great number of changes in the world since Shakespeare wrote Othello, there are a few truths about humanity and society that remain true. Othello is notorious for it’s examination of race, but is not given enough credit for its observations of gender. Iago embodies masculine gender roles in a severe and exaggerated way, allowing his desire for proving his masculinity to corrupt him morally. Iago then turns and uses his own fears of inadequacy against Othello as the root of his revenge and to improve his own self-image. Desdemona is hurt most by the need for gender roles, which ultimately ends up in her death. The characters in Othello are severely harmed by the gender roles they feel the need to adhere to.
In William Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello there are numerous instances of obvious sexism aimed at the three women in the drama -- Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca – and aimed at womankind generally. Let us delve into this subject in this paper.
One of the themes of the play is prejudice. The reader gets a taste of Iago’s prejudice against women and sexist ways when Desdemona and Cassio first arrive on Cyprus. Iago says to Desdemona “You are pictures out of door/ Bells in your parlors/ Wild-cats in your kitchens/ Saints in your injuries, devils being offended/ players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” (2.1.109- 112). He thinks that all women have two sides to them; a pleasant public side and an irritating private side and he sees Desdemona as a lesser person simply because she is female. Iago looks down on Cassio because Cassio is “a great arithmetician … a Florentine … That never set a squadron in the field” (1.119,20,22). He is a mathematician, not an army man, which makes Iago feel that he is more qualified for the job of lieutenant. Othello is older, from Africa, and Iago often calls him “the Moor” (1.2.58) and “an old black ram” (1.1.88). Iago does not want to follow him as he tells Roderigo “I follow him to serve my turn upon him/ we cannot all be masters, nor all masters/ cannot be truly followed.” (1.1.42-44). By this, Iago is saying that he only follows Othello to take advantage of him and does not think he deserves to be followed. This prejudice drives Iago’s malicious actions through a yearning to be seen in the superior way the way he feels he deserves to be
The Tragic Treatment of Women in Othello In Shakespeare's drama, Othello, there are many different relationships among the main characters. The way that Shakespeare portrays these relationships sets the stage for the pain and deceit that unfolds within the play. Relations between the men of the play, Othello, Roderigo, Iago, and Cassio, undoubtedly form the main theme. Furthermore, each of the men, except Roderigo, also has woman that stands behind and cares for him.
Throughout the length of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello there is a steady undercurrent of sexism. It is originating from not one, but rather various male characters in the play, who manifest prejudicial, discriminatory attitudes toward women.
The women in Othello are synonymous with Venetian societal standards. Only three women are characters in Othello: Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca but the roles these women play give the reader an idea of how women were portrayed, not only in Shakespeare's Othello but in society in general.
Iago has a sophisticated way of deceiving the characters of the play, making him a very intelligent person. Early in the play Othello introduces Iago to the Duke of Venice as, “My ancient / A man he is of honesty and trust” (!. iii. 284-85). This is but one of the times in the play that Iago is referred to as honest and true. Throughout the play Iago is considered to be honest, but is actuality the villain. In order to maintain this false image one has to have a beguiling character. After Othello and his lieutenant, Michael Cassio, return from the war against the Ottomans, there is a celebration. At this celebration Iago puts his manipulation to work. He knows that Othello and Desdemona’s love for each other is very true, but he tells Rodrigo that Desdemona had love for Cassio: “With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. / Ay, smile upon her, do…” (II. I. 164-65). This quote shows that Iago deceives Roderigo into believing that Desdemona loves Cassio, when in Roderigo’s eyes it is virtually impossible. Iago basically controls Rodrigo because Iago deceives him into believing that he can have Desdemona, by both Cassio and Othello.
The play, Othello is one of the most famous tragedies composed by William Shakespeare during the Renaissance period. It powerfully portrays a world where the acts of evil ultimately vanquishes fidelity, nobility and integrity. The central themes jealousy and manipulation embodies the foretold tragedies and the downfall tragedies of the characters due to one’s insecurities. Through the use of literary techniques and figurative language, Shakespeare has effectively explored the themes of jealousy and manipulation.
In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, our main protagonist, Othello, is manipulated by a man who he thought was honest and noble, Iago. Othello is pushed all the way to the lengths of murder, and eventually commits suicide. I believe that Othello’s inevitable fall was due to his own tragic flaws. Some of these factors include his jealousy, him being gullible, and the high amount of trust that he puts in Iago.