While reading through this Act, Cassio really reminded me of
my friend. He’s a really good guy with the right intentions and everyone loves
him! However, he sometimes falls into peer pressure and sometimes gets stuck in
stupid drama that has nothing to do with him.
Unlike Iago, Cassio truly loves and
adores Othello. When Cassio gets drunk and starts a fight with Montano, Othello
takes Cassio’s position away as lieutenant. He is deeply hurt by this and is
very worried about his reputation. Although he got drunk and fought with an
innocent man, he took responsibility for his actions. He blamed no one even
though Iago pressured him into getting drunk. I think that Cassio is uses as a
foiling character to oppose Iago’s defiant character. While Cassio is very
honest, Iago is very deceiving.
The reoccurrence of loyalty through
Cassio illustrates how this can really make or break a relationship. Cassio is
very loyal to Othello. He loves him and cares for his safety. For example, when
Cassio loses Othello during the storm he says “Oh, let the heavens give him
defense against the elements.” He also cares for his relationship between him
and Desdemona. He says to Montano, “Great Jove, Othello guard,and swell his
sail with thine own powerful breath, that he may bless this bay with his tall
ship, make love’s quick pants in Desdemona’s arms.” Since these two have been
friends for such a long time, Cassio’s loyalty will always be toward Cassio. Although
that Othello believes that Cassio is not loyal to him anymore, Cassio wants to
plead his case to Desdemona so he can gain that trust and loyalty back from
Othello.
Excellent on the character description, Cassio really does honor and respect Othello and I like the consideration of of him being a foil character to Iago. It's interesting because even though Iago is the one out for Othello, Othello has no Idea becuase he is blinded with Rage towards Cassio. Nvever the less Cassio still remain a loyal friend to Othello.
ReplyDeleteThough Iago pressured Cassio to drink more, Cassio understands that he is still responisble for his actions because he could have said no. I agree that Cassio wants to pled his case to try to regain his position back.
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared Iago to Cassio. They are like opposites and it makes sense shakespeare does this because they both want the same position in the story. Cassio is loyal to Othello on the other hand Iago is something else. Although I think that Iago would prove himself to be loyal to Othello if he had gotten the position in the first place. Iago just became to hateful towards Othello and bacame desperate to be in the postion and decided to get it at any cost.
ReplyDeleteWell Cassio does have a reputation for being a ladies man, and I agree with Lauren that he could have resisted Iago's temptation of drinking. In general, Cassio is a good person but he is definatley not that true of a friend of Othello's.
ReplyDeleteIago vs Cassio...hmm. Interesting comparison. I know that today during class I was having the thought in my head that Cassio's rise to position of being Othello's right-hand man was more than mere coincident. Look at the beginning of the story, of how Iago says that Cassio has no real battle expertise and only theoretic knowledge of actual combat.
ReplyDeleteI think it's an awesome job comparing them, though. It could definitely be argued that he is the foil to Iago's character. I think that's a brilliant deduction on your part; I certainly wouldn't have come up with that one on my own!
Ponder this, though: Cassio is loyal to Othello, and ACTUALLY honest (almost to a fault) but he covets Othello's wife, Desdemona, while Iago is morally against Othello yet still keeps his distance from her. Isn't that ironic?
In this story, I believe Casio's loyalty is his weakness. He doesnt know when enough is enough. There were certain parts in this story when I was like, dude move on already. It reminds me a little boy trying to get the wrong attention. He seems to be really loyal and cares a lot for Othello,but he is ruining that trust by trying to get his wife.
ReplyDelete