Other
'Cassio' character profile
A section of my 'Othello character profiles' document, however this contains the character profile for Cassio only.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
THE CHARACTER OF CASSIOKEY CHARACTERISTICS OF CASSIO
The Reputable Scholar:
• In Shakespeare’s time, Florence was associated with intellect, progress, and the Renaissance,
so introducing Cassio as a ‘Florentine’ goes a long way to telling his audience what to think of
him. Cassio uses his education as a crutch, giving himself a sense of superiority: for instance,
he says of Iago, ‘You may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar,’ (A2S1).
The dishonest knave:
• Shakespeare shows that Cassio is not so generous with his honour towards all women,
however. He leads on Bianca, a local courtesan, calling her ‘sweet love’ (A3S4) to her face
though Iago notes, ‘He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain from the excess of
laughter,’ (A4S1). While Cassio refused to sexualise or demean Desdemona, he is happy to call
Bianca a ‘customer’ who ‘haunts [him] in every place,’ (A4S1). This reveals his duplicitous nature
and his misogynistic views. He gladly takes advantage of Bianca for his own pleasure and
clearly doesn’t value her as a fellow human being.
RELATIONSHIPS
Othello:
• Othello is the person Cassio respects the most throughout the play. When everything is
descending into chaos at Iago’s hand, Cassio returns like clockwork to inquire about
Desdemona’s success and his reinstatement. He is devastated that he has fallen out of favour
with Othello, and is humiliated because he acted so dishonourably in such a public setting.
Cassio has a strong moral code of honour, and a large part of this revolves around serving his
higher-ups and doing his duty to the state. As such, he is xated on regaining his title and
winning Othello’s love. This commitment conveys the importance of homosocial relations in
patriarchal societies, particularly in a patriarchal institution such as the military.
Iago:
• When the play opens, Cassio has managed to o end Iago simply by existing. He represents
everything Iago hates, namely elitism, favouritism, and success with women. Consequently, Iago
decides to use all these things against him: for example, he takes advantage of Cassio’s
charismatic, suave persona when convincing Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to
him.
Desdemona:
• Cassio admires Desdemona, thinks she is beautiful, and most importantly, respects her as a
reputable member of the upper classes. We can’t know for certain if he loves her, though Iago
seems to think he does. Shakespeare plays on this ambiguity, welcoming speculation and
gossip about their relationship. The audience can’t help but wonder if Iago is right; in a way, this
makes us complicit in Iago’s plans and in Othello’s gullible vengeance.
Bianca:
• There is a power imbalance in their relationship, due partly to class, partly to gender, and partly
to unreciprocated feelings. Cassio’s relationship to Bianca gives Shakespeare the opportunity to
display Cassio’s more unlikeable characteristics, such as his dismissive cruelty and duplicitous
nature.
KEY THEMES
Misogyny:
• Cassio, like all of the other male characters in the text, is used by Shakespeare to reinforce the
patriarchal culture within which the play is set. If the misogynistic view of women we see
portrayed were only voiced by one character in isolation, the e ect wouldn’t be as great as
having this perspective come from all sides. However, by having background or minor
characters such as Cassio bring up these same ideals in casual conversation, Shakespeare is
ff fi ff
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller HelpWithHumanities. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73918 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now