Revenge in Julius Caesar and Othello Essay - 1821 Words

Authors, in works of literature, often use the theme of revenge because it adds intrigue and suspense to a story. Julius Caesar and Othello by William Shakespeare are two plays whose most predominant theme is revenge. This is illustrated through the characters, symbols, and settings of both works. Revenge is a constant theme throughout the play Othello. It is portrayed through one of the character Iago. Iago is determined to destroy Othello and his loved ones. This retribution is a result of Othello promoting Cassio to the position of lieutenant. The theme of revenge is the motivation of Iago’s hatred toward Othello. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. Shakespeare (I, 1, 42). Roderigo tells Iago how upset he is by the fact that†¦show more content†¦Othello plans to kill his beloved Desdemona by strangling her in her own bedroom in the wedding dress that she wore during her wedding a few months ago. Othello, who still loves his wife Desdemona finds it hard to kill her but must to protect the other men that she allegedly cheated with. By comparison, the novel Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Marc Antony, Caesar’s most trusted assistant, finds himself in front of Caesar’s dead body. Antony was watching the brutal killing of Caesar but stood still, until Caesar fell to the ground dead. He then came in and confronted the group of men led by Brutus and Cassius. They stabbed Caesar 23 times in the front, neck, and back. 3 Mark Antony strikes a truce with the conspirators, asking to accompany Caesars body and speak at his funeral. Brutus agrees, and at the funeral delivers a stirring oratory that explains the reasoning for the assassination. Through his masterful use of irony stirs the crowd—which to this point had been solidly behind the conspirators—to call for the blood of Cassius, Brutus, and anyone else associated with Caesars death. Antony then plots with Octavius (nephew to Julius Caesar) and Lepidus to wrest control of Rome by force of arms. Their ruthlessness exterminates many of the original conspirators, as well as other perceived enemies. Marcus Brutus had a very important role in the conspiracy against Caesar. He was the back-bone of theShow MoreRelatedConventions of a Shakespeare Tragedy1189 Words   |  5 Pagestragic flaw brings the downfall of the hero. Othello is the tragic hero, because Othello is a character of nobility. He is good at the beginning but at the end he starts to become evil. ‘‘Othello’s downfall is jealousy (Othello’s Tragic Flaw) Iago tells Othello not to be jealous when Othello thinks his wife is cheating on him. Iago says to Othello, â€Å"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds (Othello Act 3 Scene 3).† The meaning of this quote isRead MoreDefense Mechanisms By Julius Caesar And Othello Essay941 Words   |  4 PagesShakespearean works such as Julius Caesar and Othello are acknowledged for their tragic endings and the deception that leads the characters there; however, few acknowledge that Shakespeare incorporated defense mechanisms such as repression, denial, and projection even before Freud’s theory on such mechanisms came to fruition. Additionally, Shakespeare provides evidence of betrayal as its own definitive d efense mechanism, proving that it is in fact human nature to betray others. Julius Caesar is a story of conspiracyRead MoreShakespeare s Othello - Act II1376 Words   |  6 PagesMarch 7, 2015 Othello Act II, Scene III Iago and Cassio are going to spend time together partying and drinking. 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Iago and Cassio are Othellos best friends, Iago turns out to be two-faced and evil towards Othello because he gave the job of Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare: Greatest Playwright of All1554 Words   |  7 Pagesepitomize arts of the Elizabethan Epoch; through his uses of beautiful and poetic language, iambic pentameter is nearly always used in his style of poetry. Shakespeare wrote about timeless themes about the human nature surrounded themes of true love, revenge, power-lust, ambition, anger, war, etc, they are not only appealed to the people of Elizabethan England, but also provide a reference for life in his time for us to view the contemporary society. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon Avon in WarwickshireRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare: Greatest Playwright of All1568 Words   |  7 Pagesepitomize arts of the Elizabethan Epoch; through his uses of beautiful and poetic language, iambic pentameter is nearly always used in his style of poetry. Shakespeare wrote about timeless themes about the human nature surrounded themes of true love, revenge, power-lust, ambition, anger, war, etc, they are not only appealed to the people of Elizabethan England, but also provide a reference for life in his time for us to view the contemporary society. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon Avon in Warwickshire