Blog Post 10

“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser.” (99) [286-290]

            Reputation and credentials play an immediate role within the story; the first incident we are exposed to is between Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio, where Roderigo must draw upon his knowledge and reputation to get Brabantio to believe his daughter is gone. Reputation is also discussed beforehand when Iago loses a promotion in the army to Cassio, who he says is not worthy of the position because of his lack of experience.

            In a time where status and connections are vital, it is interesting to see if one’s reputation and merits can overpower their lower status or negative image that other’s may have of them. Othello, for example, is despised by Brabantio, but it is Othello’s wartime merits that allow him to be granted mercy by the Duke, along with the good word Desdemona speaks of Othello.

            I wonder what the discussion of reputation foreshadows in the rest of the story. Is Shakespeare trying to show that the characters that show proper merits and good reputation will follow a beneficial/well-fortuned path? Or, is Shakespeare simply speaking to common themes of the time?

            The fact that Iago speaks against reputation says something about his character, showing that he is more likely to make conniving decisions; Iago’s character is shown in how he manipulates many of the people around him (Cassio, Othello, Emilia, etc.)