Themes of Othello

Honor, along with envy, is probably the biggest theme in Othello. It is either present

or non-existent within each character in the play. Moreover, honor versus reputation is a

prominent theme as well. Honor is having personal values and morals. Also, it's doing

what's right no matter what the circumstances. Reputation is simply what others think

of you. What others think of you is not necessarily always truthful.

Iago is a perfect example that the difference between reputation and honor is like the

difference between appearance and reality. Iago has a wonderful reputation, but no true

honor. He is a monster who really could not care about his honor. In Act II, Othello says

"Iago is most honest" (2.3, p. 41, line 7). Also in that same scene Cassio calls Iago

"honest Iago" (2.3, p. 52, line 335). These two quotes show that Iago's reputation is quite

good. The other characters in the play think quite highly of him. Both Cassio and Othello

go to Iago for advice and help because they find him to be a very honest man. However,

they are being fooled because in their doing that, it is only helping Iago with his

treacherous plan. It's very ironic that they trust him so highly while all Iago is doing is

trying his best in order to deceive them. Iago is one of the characters that has absolutely

no honor. Unlike with Cassio and Othello, Iago's honor cannot be disputed. It simply

does not exist within him. He is indeed the villain.

For other characters in the play, especially Othello, it is tougher to distinguish between

honor and reputation. Cassio is another character in which it is hard to decide whether he

is really honorable or if it is just his reputation. He is personified as a loyal man and the

"honorable lieutenant" but as I said earlier, those things are not necessarily true. In my

opinion, I find Cassio to be an honorable man. Yes, he does mistreat Bianca and uses

her for his own purposes but that is the only thing I find to be dishonorable about him.

Now, I do not know if that one thing makes him dishonorable overall but I feel that

it shouldn't. He never wronged Othello, Desdemona, or Iago. It is true that Cassio

does set much store upon reputation as is said in Act II, scene iii. Cassio says

"Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, 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, p. 50, line 261-164). He does care very much about what others

think of him, but in this case I think what people say of Cassio is true. Therefore,

I find Cassio to be an honorable character. Roderigo, on the other hand, I feel to

most certainly be dishonorable. He knew of Iago's plan, not entirely, but he still knew

it was wrong yet he went along with it anyways. He did it because of his love for

Desdemona, but that does not make it right. Honor is doing what's right no matter

what! If Roderigo had honor, he would have gone about things in a different way and

not helped Iago hurt others.