The Lieutenant in Othello Essay -- Othello essays

The Lieutenant in Othello Iago, in the Bards tragedy Othello, detests in an irrational way the very person of Cassio. Does Michael Cassio deserve the governor direct of the island of Cyprus? What is his relationship with Bianca? allows look at these and other questions relating to the lieutenant in this essay. David Bevington in William Shakespeare Four Tragedies concludes that it is the daily beauty in the purport of the lieutenant which underlies the pernicious behavior of the antagonist The daily beauty in Cassios life makes Iago feel ugly by comparison (5.1.19-20), engendering in Iago a lowering sense of lack of worth from which he can temporarily stimulate relief only by reducing Othello and others to his own miserable condition. He is adept at provoking self-hatred in others because he suffers from it himself. (223) Blanche Coles in Shakespeares Four Giants comments on the character of Cassio In a occasional reading of Othello, it may seem that the character of Cass io is not sufficiently substantially drawn, because, for reasons connected with his portrayal of Iago, Shakespeare delays the full characterization of Cassio until almost the end of the play. However, we discombobulate a number of brief revelations of his personality that mark him distinctly in his genuine anxiety for Othellos safety, in his abstaining from taking part in the bold and suggestive comments of Iago to the two women as they wait for Othellos ship and, a little later, in his sincere regret about the evil of his reputation after he has partaken of the wine which Iago has forced upon him. (85-86) Cassio makes his first appearing in the play in Act 1 Scene 2, when he is conducting the official business of the... ... another aflame revelation for Michael Cassio. Finally, the ultimate emotional blow to the ex-officer comes when Othello stabs himself and dies This did I fear, but thought he had no ordnance / For he was great of heart. As lord governor of the island o f Cyprus now, Michael Cassio has charge of the summon of this hellish villain, / The time, the place, the torture. Lodovico appeals to Cassio to let his justice, not his mercy prevail O, enforce it works CITED Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare Four Tragedies. New York Bantam Books, 1980. Coles, Blanche. Shakespeares Four Giants. Rindge, New Hampshire Richard smith Publisher, 1957. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http//www.eiu.edu/multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.