Literary Analysis Essay on Othello & Hedda Gabler

Introduction

In the plays "Othello" and "Hedda Gabler," the writers display various characters on the actors. The actors have different weakness and character flaws which distinct the role played by each of them in the plays. The actor's characters are evident from what they speak and from what other actors talk about them. The actors in the plays have character flaws like being alcoholic, abusive, aimless, anxious, and blunt and weakness like the inability to plan, being secretive and obsession. Therefore, considering the character flaws and weakness of Lovborg and Cassio in the two plays, their contrast is unveiled. From the differences, we decide on who has more weaknesses and character flaws as displayed in the plays.

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Cassio in the play -"Othello" by Shakespeare, is an actor who has various weaknesses and character flaws. As a soldier, Cassio spends most of his time with fellow soldiers. Cassio has a deficiency of poor and unhappy brains when he drinks wine. In a hall in the castle when Iago persuades him to take some wine in celebration of Othello's health, Cassio is reluctant and says that he has a poor and unhappy brain for drinking. Cassio is also full of offense and quarrelsome when drunk as said by Iago at the hall in the castle. Iago says that if he can fasten one cup upon him and he is already drunk, he will be full of quarrel and offense as Iago's young mistress' dog (Shakespeare 26).

Cassio is abusive. As he re-enters the hall in the castle driving Roderigo, he abuses him saying he is a rogue, a rascal and also claims to beat anyone who wants to teach him his duties into a twiggen bottle (Shakespeare 53). Cassio ends up being violent when Roderigo disagrees about being beaten. Cassio starts striking Roderigo, and Montano stands up to intervene. Montana holds Cassio's hand s and tries to lead him outside, telling him he is drunk and needs to calm down. Cassio gets angry and starts a fight with Montana. Cassio hurts Montana, and when Othello comes asking what had happened, Cassio says he cannot speak and excuses himself.

Cassio has an obsession for his duties and feels that his reputation is critical in his role as a soldier. In the morning, after the night of his fight with Montana, he cries to Iago of having lost his reputation-the immortal part of himself (Shakespeare 58). Iago consoles him saying that he thought he had received some bodily wound which makes more sense than reputation. Iago tells him that reputation is an idle and most false imposition often gotten without merit and lost without deserving. Iago convinces Cassio that he has not lost status unless he reputes himself as a loser.

Cassio is forgetful and cannot remember his deeds when he was drunk. Iago asks him what he was following with his sword and what had it done to him. Cassio barely remembers this action and claims to remember a mass of things but nothing distinctly about the quarrel. He regrets his imperfections and drunkenness that leads him to despise himself, frankly. Cassio is also obsessed with the love of power. Before the castle, Cassio comes to Emilia and pleads with her to give him the advantage of some brief discourse with Desdemona alone (Shakespeare 66). Emilia accepts and promises to provide him with a place where they shall have time, and he will be able to speak his bosom freely. Cassio meets Desdemona and asks about the lord's opinion about him and if there is any possibility of him being favored. Desdemona promises to move his suit and seek to effect it to her uttermost.

Cassio is also obsessed with his responsibilities that he ends up forgetting to spare time for her woman-Bianca. At the garden of the castle, Bianca comes looking for Cassio asking what keeps him away. Cassio had stayed away for a whole week, and Bianca suspects that he has even found another mistress. Bianca is more irritated when given Desdemona's handkerchief, and she claims that she is now aware of the cause of his absence. Cassio explains that he is on duty to attend to the general and says it is not his wish and would not even want the general to realize that he has a woman(Shakespeare 102).

In the play Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, we consider the weakness and character flaws of Eilert Lovborg. Eilert Lovborg is an academic writer and also served as the children's tutor in Mrs.Elvsted's home. Lovborg has written a book dealing with the march of civilization in broad outline and has made huge sales. He is back to town with a massive amount of money, and his friends are eager to meet. Lovborg's character flaws and weaknesses are displayed from what the friends talk about him.

Loveborg's conduct is irreproachable, as stated by Mrs.Elvsted. When Mrs.Elvsted visits Hedda's home, they have a conversation, and Mrs.Elvsted informs Hedda and Tesman that Lovborg is in town too. Tesman and Hedda are keen to hear more about him. Hedda asks Mrs.Elvsted how Lovborg concerns him, and she says he was the children's tutor in her home. Tesman inquires if Lovborg was regular enough in his habit to fit for the post. Mrs.Elvsted assures them that for the last two years, Lovborg's character has been irreproachable (Ibsen, 15). However, Mrs.Elvsted can't help being in mortal fear for him since he is in a great town with a large sum of money in his hands.

Lovborg has an anxious character flaw. When Tesman inquires why Lovborg did remain to stay with Mrs.Elvsted and her husband, she says that Lovborg was too restless and unsettled to stay with them after his book was published. Mrs.Elvsted explains further that the book dealing with the march of civilization in broad outline was published about a fortnight ago and it has sold so well is so much read and has made a great sensation.

Lovborg is easily changed. Lovborg gives up his old habits to impress Mrs.Elvsted. In the conversation between Hedda and Mrs.Elvsted, Hedda wanted to know how the friendship between Lovborg and Mrs.Elvsted came to exist. Mrs.Elvsted tells her that the friendship grew gradually after she influenced him. Lovborg gave up his old habits after seeing that they were repulsive to Mrs.Elvsted (Ibsen, 22). Lovborg is educative since he makes a real human being of Mrs.Elvsted by teaching her to think and to understand many things. Lovborg talks to Mrs.Elvsted about an infinity of things; he also allows her to take part in his work. Lovborg is also friendly; they work with Mrs.Elvsted as two good comrades.

Lovborg has a secretive character. It is clear from Mrs.Elvsted when she says that Lovborg has only once but vaguely alluded to the fact that there is someone who stands in between Mrs.Elvsted and him. He had said that when he parted with the partner, she threatened to shoot him with a pistol. The woman is also in town, and Mrs.Elvsted is not sure of having Lovborg's love, she is worried about what she is to do since Lovborg has not opened up to her about their relationship.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the two plays display the weaknesses and character flaws of the actor's examples being Lovborg and Cassio. Their character flaws have been discussed, and it is evident that Cassio has more character flaws and weaknesses as compared to Lovborg who has very few character flaws and is seen to have reformed from his hold habits to becoming a better person, educative and friendly. In contrary, Cassio is rigid and remains obsessed with his duties as a soldier with a great need to protect his reputation.

Works Cited

Brookman,Geordie,et al.Hedda Gabler,by Henrik Ibsen 2013.

Shakespeare,William.Othello: the Moore of venice.AkashaPub.,2008.