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Cassio character summary
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Shakespeare presents as a gallant and, perhaps consequently, a perpetrator of misogynistic attitudes towardswomen.
‘Let it not gall your patience, Iago’ - Emilia belongs to Iago. Demand not a request, sets him up as a wife -
stealer. Context: rape allowed in marriage and Queen Elizabeth I.
‘... modest’, ‘indeed perfection’, ‘exquisite lady’, ‘fresh and delicate creature’ - Shows his respect for Othello
overrides his disrespect for women.
‘... rogue’, ‘caitiff’ - Shows he’s talking about Bianca not Desdemona.
Alexandra Melville describes Iago’s ‘success’ as due to his distortion of the ‘positive traits’ of others, for
example, ‘Desdemona’s commitment’ or ‘Cassio’s courtesy’. Iago certainly does use Cassio as a human pawn
in his plan, but it can be argued that the trait he twists is not necessarily positive; courtesy can be interpreted
as ‘misogynistic gallantry’, as explored above.
‘Pardon me, Bianca’, ‘most fair Bianca’ - Cassio as a gallant. Flattery and false promises.
‘I have been talking with a suitor here’ - Cassio’s known gallantry means all these puns may have created links
in Othello's’ mind.
‘He hath a person and a smooth dispose/ to be suspected, framed to make women false.’ - Iago knows he can
use Cassio because of his gallantry.
‘How am I then a villain / to counsel Cassio to this parallel course’ - Iago becomes metatextual and addresses
the audience. As Melville says, twisting good deeds.
Steal away so guilty - like’, ‘With her, on her, what you will.’ - Iago trying to convince Othello of Cassio’s bad
deeds, and also, using language to make him graphically visualise them together, which will make Othello
more riled up and angry.
Naming of more characters makes them more 3D than in Cinthio’s, so Iago’s plan can be further explored.
Shakespeare presents Iago as the opposite to Othello in many aspects, both physical, and within their
personalities.
‘What, Michael Cassio/ That came a-wooing with you’, ‘For she had eyes and chose me’ - Again, association
with love. Contrast between private and public spheres. Othello is at first convinced of this truth.
‘soft phrase of peace’, ‘Hail to thee, lady, and the grace of heaven, / Before, behind thee, and on every hand…’
- Contrast in Othello’s perceived lack of ability to speak, and Cassio’s actual ability to speak.
‘... present hour of five til the bell have told eleven.’ , ‘I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me.’ - Cassio is a lot more easily
persuaded, and seemingly up for anything.
‘... black’, ‘soft parts of conversation’, ‘vale of years’ - Othello is lacking in all of these things that Cassio has.
In removing the war, Othello’s social advantage over Cassio is removed.
Despite the opposing characteristics of Othello and Cassio, they both share an obsession with reputation.
‘O reputation, reputation, reputation’
‘... toads’, ‘vapour of a dungeon’
‘... let housewives make a skillet of my helm’
‘To have him see me woman’d’
Leavis: self - dramatization trick’ shared with Othello, despite them being opposites in many senses.
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