Othello Comparison Essay

Othello’s theme warns against trusting someone entirely because  the human instinct of betrayal to obtain a selfish goal can be a strong, but invisible motivator. Many times people develop close relationship with others, trusting them with deep secrets, thinking they would never use such trust in a hurtful way. Sometimes this is exactly what happens because this secret, if told, benefits them. In Othello, this process started when Iago received a piece of gossip and was furthered when Othello choose Cassio over him for Lieutenant. Iago gained their trust before he planned betrayal, but used it afterward. This same pattern repeats throughout history in true stories as well as fiction. This process happens in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” as well as Bruno Mars’ song “Grenade”.
In Harry Potter Peter Petigrew was short and achieved little in his youth at Hogwarts. Nobody would have suspected him of conspiring with evil forces.



The same traits lie within Iago. Few would suspect him of being anything but “honest”. This is further explained by the fact that he served under a position that he thought was rightfully his and had to deceive the ones who trusted to have a chance at it. Peter's highest accomplishment might just have been making three friends during his time in school, and he too betrayed them for a title and security. When both of these men had to make a choice, they choose themselves over honoring their friends and the result was death. This result took much planning that, as mentioned, few would suspect that they were capable of. Peter had to frame Sirius through pretending to kill himself and Iago had to frame both Othello and Cassio through slashing reputations and coercing others to kill his enemies. Similarly, when finally confronted in the shrieking shack about what he did twelve years, he did not admit defeat but, pleaded for his life by complement everyone in the room, with wands aimed to kill, just like Iago flattered Rodrigo saying that he now had “mental” (IV ii 244) enough to kill Cassio, "making him uncapable of Othello's place," (IV ii 276) ensuring Desdemona's stay. In both cases, this worked. After Peter whispered to Harry, ‘“James wouldn’t have wanted me killed... James would have understood, Harry...he would have shown me mercy...,” (Rowling 374) Harry stopped Sirius form killing Perter. Both of these unsuspecting men succeeded in deceiving the ones who trusted them in a way that deceived their closest friends could not detect, making it easier to accomplish their ultimate selfish goal.
Just as Iago and Peter sought their goals through manipulating various important characters, so to does the girl in "Grenade". Even though her boyfriend is willing to give his life for her to live him, she rejects him and manipulates him so that her needs are met from the relationship while he gets nothing. This parallels the relationship of Othello and Iago. Iago leads Othello to believe that he is in service to Othello when really he plots to destroy him. Othello, ignorant, is willing to do what ever Iago tells him based on the positive rapport they have built. He ignores signs that Iago is lying because of this rapport. For Example, Othello should have realised that Iago changed the subject when talking with Cassio about Desdemona, but looked past it blindly. In the troubled romantic relationship the boyfriend should see that his girlfriend will never change, yet he has hope and continues to sacrifice himself for her. 

Even when he realises that he “[g]ave [her] all [he] had and [she] tossed it in the trash,” (Bruno Mars) he looks past it because of the love that he developed for her. These instances suggest that good people look passed hint of betrayal because they want to see the good in people. View the lyrics to "Grenade"

In all three sources of betrayal, there are examples of betrayal for selfish reasons and the people around them that choose to ignore it. Betrayal happen all the time. In today’s world their are always tough situations, and with them comes easy solutions that involve hurting a friend to gain benefits. Hopefully, when that situation occurs, most people with choose to stick by their friend and stick out the tough times honorable, but there will always be those who decide to do the opposite.