The Role of Reputation in Shakespeare's Othello

The Role of Reputation in Shakespeare's Othello

Reputation plays a big role in the play Othello written by William Shakespeare. Iago uses his reputation as an honest man to deceive Othello and everyone else. Othello's reputation also plays a big role throughout the play. Cassio's changing reputation has a big part in the outcome of the play as well.

Iago's reputation played a key role in the play. Everyone thought of Iago as an honest man. "O, that's an honest fellow", "You advise me well... goodnight honest Iago." Iago convinces everyone that he is noble and honest man and he uses this to his advantage. "When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows." Without this cover he would never have been able to get Othello to believe that Desdemona would cheat on him. Just for suggesting that Desdemona would cheat on him (Othello), he probably would have killed Iago were it not for his reputation. Nobody suspects that Iago is a deceitful man and would plot to destroy Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio in such a cunning way. Iago uses his reputation to manipulate Othello and set his plan in motion and complete it. Without Iago's honest reputation would never had allowed him smear Cassio and cause the death of Desdemona and ultimately Othello as well.

Othello's reputation also plays a big role in this play and the outcome of it. He has the reputation of a no nonsense military general. This status in fact partly causes Desdemona's death. He becomes so distraught when he hears from Iago that Cassio and Desdemona and cheating on him he becomes angry and wants to kill her. "I will chop her into messes! Cuckold me?" He is surprised and astonished that she would go behind his back and do this. His reputation doesn't allow him to confront her with the situation and talk things over. He is also angry that his reputation would be tarnished when found out that he is a cuckold. He proves that his reputations means a lot to him when he...