Cassio - Critics

Question 1

A. C. Bradley (1904)

Answer 1

“Cassio is a true gentleman, with a natural gentleness and courtesy that stand out in the Venetian world, though they also leave him ill-prepared for Iago’s treachery.”

Question 2

F. R. Leavis (1937)

Answer 2

“He (Cassio) remains curiously superficial, a man defined by his charming persona and military skill, but whose vanity and emotional volatility expose him to Iago’s manipulations.”

Question 3

Harold Bloom (1998)

Answer 3

“Cassio symbolizes the bright ideal of Venetian civility that Othello aspires to, but ironically becomes the pivot of Othello’s jealousy when that same civility is weaponized against him.”

Question 4

Harold Bloom (1998)

Answer 4

“Shakespeare’s insight into human psychology is especially acute in his portrayal of Cassio, whose lamentation over his lost reputation reflects the essential role that honor plays in one’s self-concept and sense of purpose.”

Question 5

Harold Bloom (1998)

Answer 5

“Shakespeare’s insight into human psychology is especially acute in his portrayal of Cassio, whose lamentation over his lost reputation reflects the essential role that honor plays in one’s self-concept and sense of purpose.”