Social Status And Reputation In Shakespeare's Othello

The desire for social status and good reputation is evident in Othello in numerous ways. The need for a good reputation and social status is displayed in various characters such as Iago,the villain of the book, through his hate for Cassio because of how his aristocracy got him into the position that Iago wanted. Another way this desire is seen is with Cassio himself when he is stripped of his reputation, and therefore making him desperate to regain it. Lastly it is shown in Othello; the main character, when he is convinced that his status and reputation will keep him from anything that may harm him. All these characters have the desire for a social status and good reputation in common and because of this, reputation and social status are made

Throughout the whole play, Cassio makes it very clear that his reputation is absolutely everything to him. Consequently, Iago uses Cassio’s obsession in order to hurt Cassio all while granting himself consideration for the lieutenant spot. This occurs in act 2 scene 3 where Othello puts Cassio in charge of the guards but it results in him getting drunk and attacking a guard. Once Othello finds out about this he strips Cassio of his lieutenant position in which Cassio drops to his knees and says, “Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!,” (2.3.226-229.) In this quote you can clearly see Cassio’s desperation and need for a good reputation. Meanwhile Iago is covertly excited because now he has a good chance at taking Cassio’s position and raising his status. At that, Iago convinces Cassio that the only way to regain his reputation is to talk to Desdemona, in which he complies out of his desperate need to get his reputation back. Therefore, these points prove how much Cassio’s obsession with reputation feeds to the theme of good status and reputation in the play

Othello’s reputation in the play is a complicated one; as for his status, he is of royalty and is expected to be treated like so. Othello relies on his reputation for numerous things, especially when he is faced with Desdemona’s father Brabantio. Even when he is told that Brabantio will force a divorce upon him and Desdemona. He remains relaxed because he knows that no one would touch him because of his reputation and status. Othello says, “Let him do his spite./My services which I have done the signiory/Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know—/Which, when I know that boasting is an honor,/I shall promulgate. I fetch my life and being/From men of royal siege, and my demerits/May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune,” (1.2.17-24.) Here he shares his royal background and tells Iago that he is too important to be killed and therefore no one will touch him, which is true. Later on in the play Othello is told that Desdemona is going to want to go back to Cassio because he is of her social status. This causes Othello to feel insecure of his social status and doubt Desdemona. If he did not value social status and reputation he wouldn’t care and he would be confident in what he has with Desdemona. Sadly, he does care and he realizes that he is not from Venice and that Iago was right about how Desdemona would want to go back to those of her kind. To summarize, Othello values his reputation to an extreme and he