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Reputation in Othello – Key Quotes & Analysis

Political Science17 CardsCreated 4 months ago

This flashcard set examines the theme of reputation in Othello, revealing how characters’ social standing, employment, and trustworthiness depend on public perception. Key quotes explore how reputation can be earned, assumed, or manipulated—and how its loss can bring downfall. Ideal for revising character motivations and thematic analysis in Shakespeare’s tragedy.

Reputation necessary for employment and social standing

“Preferment goes by letter and affection/and not by old gradation”

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Key Terms

Term
Definition

Reputation necessary for employment and social standing

“Preferment goes by letter and affection/and not by old gradation”

Reputation as the product of action

“My parts, my title, and my perfect soul/shall manifest me rightly”

Othello’s high reputation

“Valiant Othello”

Iago’s reputation

“Honest Iago”

Reputation as deceptive

“The Moor is of a free and open nature/that thinks men honest that but seem to be so”

Reputation as a sign of worth

“What’s the matter/that you unlace your reputation thus/and spend your rich opinion for the name/of a night brawler”

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TermDefinition

Reputation necessary for employment and social standing

“Preferment goes by letter and affection/and not by old gradation”

Reputation as the product of action

“My parts, my title, and my perfect soul/shall manifest me rightly”

Othello’s high reputation

“Valiant Othello”

Iago’s reputation

“Honest Iago”

Reputation as deceptive

“The Moor is of a free and open nature/that thinks men honest that but seem to be so”

Reputation as a sign of worth

“What’s the matter/that you unlace your reputation thus/and spend your rich opinion for the name/of a night brawler”

Reputation as divine

“I have lost the immortal part of/myself and what remains is bestial”

Reputation as malleable

“Reputation is an idle/most false imposition, oft got without merit/and lost without deserving”

Reputation as enfuriating

“Men should be what they seem/or those that be not, would they might seem none!”

Reputation reflecting worth

“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord/is the immediate jewel of their souls”

Attacking reputation is spiteful

“But he that filches from me my good name/robs me of that which not enriches him/and makes me poor indeed”

The importance of reputation in Venice

“My lord, this would not be believed in Venice”

Reputation of women as whores/ dictated by men

“I took you for that cunning whore of Venice”

Honesty as reputation

“An honest man he is, and hates the slime/that sticks on filthy deeds”

Personality built around reputation

“That’s he that was Othello; here I am”

Appearances as deceiving

“I look down towards his feet-but that’s a fable/if he that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee”

Obsession with reputation as a legacy

“I have done the state some service, and they know’t”