Reputation means everything in this world from past to present. It is the importance of reputation that can make a play such as Othello so intriguing. Reputation is something people earn but is given to them by others. In Othello, reputations are destructed and aren’t always what they appear to be. Why would the concern of reputation overrule their morality in the play? I will be analyzing each characters reputation and follow-up with how they all connect into the story.
In this time period a “Moor” was man of color who was seen more different than others of the white race. For Othello, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because people saw him as more erotic than as a moor. He was a general of the armies in Venice and was a powerful figure after the war with the Turks. Though was seen as a higher rank he was still look down upon and struggled because of his race and age. They referred to him as “he” and “him” in the beginning of the play. He was still subjected to racial phrases such as “the Moor”, “the thick-lips”, “an old black ram” as we read in the play. Though somewhat insecure he never let it show and made a name for himself in the play. Othello was known for being a brave, skilled soldier and leader. He was well with speech to others (hence how he wins over Desdemona) and had the trust of the Venetian Government. According to scholar Marcia Othello indicates his awareness of the importance of appearance ……He refers to his own soul as "perfect." "Shall" in line 31 is a deontic modal marking intentionality, which is to say that in the discourse between Othello's parts, title, and soul, Othello has the ability to reveal himself as he truly is, a man of worth and character. In such an utterance, Othello presents himself as a man of complete self-assurance not only in himself but also in how others will perceive him. He loved full heartedly and respected those around him. Reputation meant a lot to Othello because it gave him respect. As Othello is still a...