Author: a.ng1

In Shakespeare’s Othello, jealousy is one main theme that is depicted throughout the entire play. Iago utilizes Othello’s gullibility to manipulate him into believing his wife Desdemona was having an affair. Othello has a difficult time differentiating between appearance and reality as Iago successfully carries out his plans to trick him. Shakespeare’s Othello demonstrates how jealousy twists the human mind and often causes a person to lose their senses, ultimately leading to dangerous results. Jealously eventually causes Desdemona’s death and Othello’s own death. It’s also ironic how jealousy is what caused Iago to start his evil plans against Othello in the first place. Iago was initially jealous of how Othello promoted Cassio to lieutenant instead of him. Iago also suspects that Othello slept with his wife Emilia. Iago’s hatred and jealousy leads him to become the villain and antagonist in the play, plotting every move with the intention to destroy Othello.

In Dante’s The Divine Comedy, Dante demonstrates love as the primary force in the organization and structure of Hell and Purgatory. Throughout the different stages of Hell in the Inferno, many of the sinners committed an act of love that is considered disgraceful. In the Second Circle of Hell, for example, Francesca de Rimini falls in love with her brother-in-law Paolo. Francesca and Paolo’s forbidden love is considered a sin as they both now are to be tormented in the underworld for all eternity. A love for wealth, pride, and power can also result in many souls committing sins, such as in one of the terraces in the mountain of Purgatory or treachery in the Ninth Circle of Hell. In addition, if it wasn’t for Beatrice’s love for Dante, Dante wouldn’t have had the guidance and support Virgil offers him throughout his journey in Hell. Similarly, Dante’s love for Beatrice motivates him to eventually arrive at the Earthly Paradise to reunite with her.

Throughout The Aeneid, various gods and goddesses have played a significant role in the events and outcome of the plot. One of the goddesses Juno, who despises the Trojans, used her efforts to cause difficulties in Aeneas’s journey to Italy. From the beginning, Juno persuaded Aeolus, the god of winds, to form a storm against the Trojan ships at sea. Even though, Neptune, the god of the sea, later managed to calm the storm, Aeneas was left only with seven ships at Libya. Later on, Juno also sent her messenger Iris to cause the Trojan ships to be set on fire, delaying their journey to Italy. Juno also gave advice and protected Turnus, a ruler in Italy, in his battle with Aeneas, hoping Turnus gains victory.

On the other hand, another goddess Venus, Aeneas’s mother, tried to help Aeneas whenever she saw him in danger or trouble from Juno’s intervention. Venus gave advice to Aeneas to go see the Queen of Carthage, Dido. With Venus’s help, Dido fell in love with Aeneas so he was welcomed in Carthage rather than opposed from the people there. Venus even convinced her husband Vulcan to make Aeneas new weapons and armor in order to advantage Aeneas in his battle with Turnus. Juno and Venus both viewed and acted towards Aeneas differently, one against Aeneas and the other in favor of Aeneas reaching Italy safely. Without the intervention from the god and goddesses, Aeneas’s journey in The Aeneid probably wouldn’t have been the way it was.

Question: Discuss The Odyssey’s focus on vengeance and/or loyalty and betrayal.

Answer: Throughout The Odyssey, the ideas of vengeance, loyalty, and betrayal is depicted numerously. Vengeance and betrayal is shown when Aegisthus married Clytemnestra while her husband, Agamemnon, was away at war. Clytemnestra even approved of Aegisthus murdering Agamemnon when he returned, demonstrating ultimate betrayal to her husband. Due to this event, Agamemnon’s son, Orestes, plotted revenge and killed both Aegisthus and Clytemnestra as punishment for their actions. Additionally, when Odysseus blinded the Cyclops Polyphemus, Polyphemus urged his father Poseidon to take vengeance on his behalf. As it’s known, Poseidon used all his efforts to make the journey home for Odysseus an arduous one. Athena’s acts of kindness can be said to demonstrate loyalty towards Telemachus and Odysseus as the goddess encouraged Telemachus to take control of his father’s home from the suitors and set out on a journey to find news of Odysseus. Along the way, Athena also assisted Odysseus through obstacles on his journey home.