Mindset Quotes In Othello

Tyshawn Brown

Ms. Milliner

EES21QH-01

1/20/17

After reading the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the use of mindset and grit was quite prevalent throughout the play. He used the roles of Iago, Cassio, Desdemona and Othello to show how each role has a different type of grit and mindset, which made the storyline type fascinating. Grit in other words is when you stick to something even when it’s difficult, but succeeds at the end. Mindset which comes in two types, fixed and growth, is the person’s way of thinking as well as their opinions. Both mindset and grit had a huge impact on the roles in this play.

One of the cast members which is Iago is the villain in this storyline. Throughout the play he showed several actions in which he can

be labeled as the villain. Labeling him to be the villain shows that he has grit, because he did not stop until he succeeded with what he wanted which is ruining Othello’s life.

In Act I, Scene I we are introduced to Iago and Roderigo talking about Othello. Iago states that “O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed. You shall mark Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave That, doting on his own obsequious bondage Wears out his time much like his master’s ass For naught but provender, and when he’s old, cashiered. Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are Who, trimmed in forms and visages of duty. Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves And, throwing but shows of service in their lords, Do well thrive by them” (Pg. 5, 39-49). From this quote Iago basically has a fixed mindset about Othello as a person, in which Othello never did anything to wrong him. He wants take advantage of Othello to ruin his career as well as ruin his life. He admits this to Roderigo with no sympathy about what he is saying which shows that he does have a fixed mindset. When it comes to a fixed mindset, the article Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck is an article when she discusses her interpretation of what a fixed mindset is. She states that, “Believing that your

qualities are carved in stone - the fixed mindset- creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over.” One can see that having a fixed mindset about something means that there is no change in what that person feels about any predicament. An individual like Iago has a fixed mindset, because he never stopped thinking about Othello like the way he did. He is quite persistent to the point that he even ruined the relationship that Othello and Cassio, who is Othello’s honorable lieutenant, had which shows that he is a gritty individual as well. In Act II, Scene I, Iago again is showing the characteristic of grit. He is trying to make it seem like there is a relationship between Cassio and Desdemona who is Othello’s wife. He states, “That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t. That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit. The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not, Is of a constant, loving, noble nature, And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona A most dear husband. Now, I do love her too, Not out of absolute lust- though peradventure I stand accountant for as great a sin, But partly led to diet my revenge, For that I do suspect the Lusty moor Hath leaped into my seat. The thought whereof Doth, like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards, And nothing can or shall content my soul Till I am evened with him, wife for wife” (Pg. 40, 286-299). From this quote Iago is showing Grit because he’s not stopping until he feels like he can put his suspicion to rest, which is Othello sleeping with his wife. He will not be satisfied until he completed his goal which is what Grit is all about. From the article, True Grit by Angela Lee Duckworth and Lauren Eskreis-Winkler it states that “Gritty individuals are tortoise-like, distinguished by their propensity to maintain “effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress” (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007, p. 1088).” Iago may have attempted several times to ruin Othello’s relationships with others however, that never stopped him which make him a gritty individual.
Another character who shows both grit and mindset throughout the play is Cassio. As you already know Cassio is Othello’s honorable lieutenant. Now from Iago causing somewhat a rift between the two, the character dynamics changed quite drastically. In Act II Scene III, which is the scene where Iago set up Cassio to being labeled as a drunk. Cassio stated that, “I will ask him for my place again, he shall tell me I am a drunkard. Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! Oh, strange! Every inordinate cup is unblessed and the ingredient is a devil (Pg. 51, 302-307). From this quote it shows that Cassio has somewhat of a fixed mindset after this liquor incident to the point in which it made him feel bad about himself. This situation is quite similar to the example in the article Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. It states that, “When I asked people with a fixed mindset, this is what they said: “I’d feel like a reject.” “I’m a total failure.” “I’m an idiot.” “I’m a loser.” “I’d feel worthless and dumb - everyone’s better than me.” “I’m slime.” In other words, they’d see what happened as a direct measure of their competence and worth.” Just like this quote this is what Cassio is feeling about himself at that particular moment, which puts him under and fixed mindset. Even though he feels this way after liquor incident does not mean he did not show a growth mindset later on. When it comes to getting his job back, Cassio showed the characteristic of grit because he was trying everything to get his job as lieutenant back. Cassio in Act III Scene III is persistent enough to go to Othello’s wife, Desdemona for assistance to help him with getting his job back. Even though it’s a long shot, he still has a growth mindset on the situation that Othello’s wife can influence Othello to give him his job back. So in order to do so he chose to try to put Othello in a good mood with music. Cassio states, “Masters, play here, I will content your pains. Something that’s brief and bid “Good morrow, general.” They play (Pg 54, 1-4). From this quote, even though Cassio knows the situation at hand is quite hard, he wants to try anything to get on the good side of Othello. Which it does show how much of a gritty individual Cassio is.
Othello’s wife, Desdemona throughout the play showed grit and mindset. She had a growth mindset about the situation with Cassio and Othello, because she wanted to change the relationship and bring it back to the normal. In Act III Scene III when Cassio was trying to come to her for assistance to get his job back, she stated that “Do not doubt that. Before Emilia here I give thee warrant of thy place. Assure thee, If I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it To the last article. My lord shall never rest, I’ll watch him tame and talk him out of patience. His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift, I’ll intermingle everything he does With Cassio’s suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio, For thy solicitor shall rather die than give thy cause away.” (Pg. 57-58, 19-28). From this quote one can see that Desdemona is persistent when it comes to getting Cassio’s job back. This shows that she is a gritty individual, because she knows that Othello is not going to try to engage in the conversation about Cassio at all. She showed that the task was quite difficult but she kept trying because of the growth mindset that she had. The conversation with her husband was more so even more difficult because he would always put a block up. She states, “Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord, If I have any grace or power to move you His present reconciliation take. For if he be not one that truly loves you, That errs in ignorance and not in cunning, I have no judgment in an honest face. I prithee, call him back”(Pg. 58, 44-51). One can see that Desdemona is not trying to back down with the situation, because she is a gritty individual. Even though Othello is being quite difficult, she’s not backing down at all.
Finally the main character Othello is a general in the Venetian military, and he is loved and respected by all. For him to be so high in the ranks of the military, he had to show an example of the true definition of grit. Now when it comes to having a fixed or growth mindset, he starts off a growth mindset. However with a little deception from Iago it changed into a fixed mindset. In the beginning Othello explained to Desdemona’s father Brabantio the love he has for his wife, to try to persuade the father’s mind when it comes to the marriage. Othello states, “Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters, That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter, It is most true. True, I have married her. The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace, For since these arms of mine had seven years’ pith Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field, And little of this great world can I speak, More than pertains to feats broils and battle, And therefore little shall I grace my cause in speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnished tale deliver Of my whole course of love” (Pg. 17, 76- 91). This quote shows that Othello had enough grit to come to the Desdemona’s father, even tho it was difficult he had to try because his reputation was on the line. Othello had a growth mindset at that moment because he wanted to change the mind of Brabantio, and actually come from a caring position. Now the way he started off in the beginning with a growth mindset, which is the mindset of being able to change his way of thinking, he changed to a fixed mindset towards the end. Iago is the blame of this because he planted in Othello’s mind that Cassio and Desdemona was sleeping with each other when they were not. In Act IV Scene I Othello stated that, “Ay, let her rot, and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone. I strike it and it hurts my hand. Oh, the world hath not a sweeter creature, she might lie by an emperor’s side and command him tasks”. (Pg. 90, 183-187) From this quote one can see that Othello is now officially under a fixed mindset, because he believes that his thoughts about his wife is one hundred percent true. He does not plan to change his mindset which is somewhat his downfall as a person.
Furthermore, the play Othello by William Shakespeare had a concept of character who displayed the characteristics of grit, growth and fixed mindset. The characters Iago, Cassio, Desdemona and Othello all showed in their own way of the concept of grit. Some of the characters like Cassio and Desdemona was positive, however people like Iago chose to use grit for negative purposes. So clearly the grit and mindset played a huge role in the play Othello.