Reading Othello, I was able to see a similarity to the play, Antigone. What I find similar between both is the understanding of one’s reputation. I feel that in both plays, a character struggles with the thought that their reputation could be ruined based on how they react about situations that they are placed in. I feel that Cassio is in a way connected to King Kreon. King Kreon felt that if he let Antigone free he would no longer be looked at as the strong ruler of his land; and that his reputation would be demolished because he let a woman’s views overpower his ruling.

Cassio on the other hand, feels as if his reputation is ruined. Iago was able to trick Cassio into drinking more then he already had the night prior to the party for Othello and Desdemona. Othello told him at the beginning of the act that they had to speak the following morning. With that being said, Cassio felt as if he should not get drunk a night prior to speaking to Othello. At first, he tried to say no and be responsible, but in the end Iago “peer pressures” him into going through with drinking. This put Cassio into perfect position for Iago’s plan to take off. Cassio is found hitting Roderigo and as they started to fight. As Othello comes into the picture to find that there had been a fight, Cassio is ashamed of his actions.

Cassio: Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have

Lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of

Myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation,

Iago, my reputation!

Iago:   As I am an honest man, I thought you had

Received some bodily wound. There is more sense

In that than in reputation… You have lost no reputation at

All, unless you repute yourself such a loser.

Act II, Scene iii, Lines 281-290

With the use of words such as expressing himself as “the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.” I feel like makes this scene very dramatic. Iago has to tell him to “relax” and that it’s not the end of the world that he got drunk and got into a fight. It is very interesting that Iago is telling him how much of an honest man he is which could potentially lead to prediction that Iago is planning the manipulation in his head on Cassio.

I feel that this connects to Antigone because Cassio learns that he was put into a situation that he could have changed. He reflects on it by being worried about his reputation. He is worried about how he looks to his boss, Othello and feels as if he cannot show his face due to this embarrassment. King Kreon is in a similar situation. He realizes he is wrong in the end of Antigone as he realized he was too harsh in the punishment of Antigone for burying her brother. Kreon weighs his options and “But if…” shows his worry for being looked at as weak. He is left with no son, no future daughter-in-law, nor wife because of his actions. He is seen discussing his realization with the Leader:

Leader: This old man leaves stark prophecies behind.

Never once, while my hair has gone from black

To white, has this prophet told Thebes a lie.

Kreon: I’m well aware of that! It unnerves me.

Surrender would be devastating

But if I stand firm, I could be destroyed. (Lines 1209-14)