preview

Value Of Reputation In Shakespeare's Othello

Decent Essays

Even in Shakespearean times, reputation is the most cared for and treasured part of one’s character. The play Othello reveals to its readers/audience that some things about human nature never really change. Even since the sixteen hundreds, people were just as caught up in their status as we are now. Throughout the play, the theme of maintaining a desirable personality is constant. Almost every character has moments of self-doubt, questioning if their reputation has been hurt. Characters in Othello care more about what others think of them then how they think of themselves. To keep the plot moving as well as captivating, Shakespeare uses one of the main characters, Iago, to distort all of these so-desired reputations. Iago manipulates the other …show more content…

He manages to make Othello, a man with much more power than him, feel insecure. He pokes and prods at every angle of his insecurities, including his wife Desdemona and his race. In order for these subtle cruelties to actually take a toll on Othello, Iago must make sure he knows how important reputation really is. He explains that “good name in man and woman, dear my lord,// Is the immediate jewel of their souls” (3.3.182-184). Iago emphasizes that reputation is the most important thing form both man and women alike. So important that he compares it to a jewel, a valuable and rare thing. People desire jewels similar to how one craves a good reputation. One might take into account that a jewel is generally multi-sided and complex, with many angles. Similar to the complexity of not only reputation but also Iago himself and his twisting of it. Iago continues to say that one “Who steals [his] purse steals trash” (3.3.184), but “he that filches from [his] good name//Robs [him] of that which not enriches him// And makes [him] poor indeed” (3.3188-190). He makes sure Othello is aware that reputation can be “robbed” as if one might not even notice it happening. This creates a great hyper-awareness in Othello’s mind, making him nervous and vulnerable. Iago makes reputation seem so important that even money has no worth in comparison to it. And …show more content…

Even Othello, whom Iago had built such a deep trust with, started to put two and two together. It was hard for Othello to actually believe Emilia (who was telling the truth), especially after he came so far as to kill his wife from believing what Iago told him. Shakespeare uncovers a significant lesson at the end of his play of never underestimating someone, no matter who they are. In this case, Iago underestimated a woman, and at the end, she came forth and stabbed him in the back. Shakespeare made the distinct and obvious choice of having a woman be the person to break apart Iago’s plans, to show that underestimation is extremely dangerous. Iago’s manipulations of other characters should signify to Othello’s readers that you should never trust someone else to tell you how you feel. Each individual has their own unique emotions, and to trust someone so much as to let them control your actions can be dangerous; intentions can be just as impure as Iago’s! Shakespeare teaches his audience that you know yourself better than anyone else

Get Access