Othello Act 3

1. What is a tragic flaw? What do you believe is Othello's tragic flaw? What is your tragic flaw? Explain.
A tragic flaw is a flaw in a (main) character that ultimately brings the character to sorrow or ruin. 

I think Othello's tragic flaw is that he is too naive. He was so easily influenced by Iago's lies and let him change his way of thinking. This begins to mess with Othello's mind and bring him a lot of anger/sadness, considering he doesn't know whether or not Desdemona and Cassio really did anything.

My tragic flaw is that I am too forgiving. I always forgive people for the things they do to me, and I do this too often. I let them back in and the process repeats, over and over. It brings me a great deal of suffering, and I've finally realized that I'm causing it for myself.

2. Below is the Shakespearean and modern version of Othello. Examine the quote about a good reputation. What does Iago mean through this quote? How valuable do you believe a reputation is? What is your reputation? What kind of name do you have amongst others? 

"A good reputation is the most valuable thing we have—men and women alike. If you steal my money, you’re just stealing trash. It’s something, it’s nothing: it’s yours, it’s mine, and it’ll belong to thousands more. But if you steal my reputation, you’re robbing me of something that doesn’t make you richer, but makes me much poorer."

"Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their souls.

Who steals my purse steals trash. 'Tis something, nothing:

'Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands.

But he that filches from me my good name

Robs me of that which not enriches him

And makes me poor indeed."

I think Iago means that reputations are all we have, as people. He is saying that people can steal your money, but it doesn't matter because it'll belong to many later on. It's something but it's nothing. However if your reputation is besmirched, it leaves you poorer and the one who ruined it richer. It's gainful to the one doing the ruining, but to the one being drug through the mud, it's a painful, robbing experience. 

I believe reputations are really all we have and that they are extremely valuable. We can put on acts and prance around showing off and pretending, but when it comes down to it, who we really are is really all we have. And this is something we should not be robbed of.  

I honestly don't feel like I have much of a reputation considering the fact that I don't really socialize with anyone outside of my group - and honestly, I don't even socialize with them very often. I guess I would say that most people know me as "smart girl" or "nerd." Yes, it's true. I'm seen as a nerdy smart girl because I work hard in school and I like books and other nerd-ish things. To my friends, I'm the mother figure of the group who's always there to be a shoulder to cry on, give hugs, and give my wonderful words of wisdom.

3. Connect this quote to another film/movie/book or to your own personal life. 

Ideas can be like poisons. At first they hardly even taste bad, but once they get into your blood they start burning like hot lava.

Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons

Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,

But with a little act upon the blood

Burn like the mines of sulfur.

Alaska Young in Looking for Alaska related to this quote for one simple reason. What started out as an idea fueled by her own mind ultimately leads to her demise. Alaska starts out believing that she let her mother die, and this poisons her mind to the point that she begins harming herself and acting out. She ultimately dies from this idea that it was her fault. 

This quote also applies to my own life because my mind has been poisoned quite a few times. I once had a friend that would treat me horribly and she planted the idea in my head that it was my fault and that I deserved to be treated in that way. It poisoned my mind to the point that I was afraid to make new friends in fear of them treating me the same way, because I was weak. I was vulnerable. I "deserved it."