Attempt to Control Emotion Presented in Shakespeare's Othello

Emotion has been long regarded as the only beast that cannot be tamed, as there is always something that irritates even the most stoic of people. However, in a classic play by Shakespeare, “Othello”, a character boldly states that emotion cannot just be tamed, but controlled. This character, Iago, argues that reasoning is the key to controlling emotion. Iago is erroneous. Because emotion cannot be concealed physically, and is also the only way to differentiate between people, reason cannot control emotion and never will be able to.

Plato, a famous philosopher in the early ages, described emotion and reason as two horses pulling an individual in opposite directions. Often emotion is a form of automatic action, and reason is a form of controlled action, where thought processes occur before action takes place. However, reason cannot control emotions. A huge factor is that emotions are an outlet of inner emotions. People often don’t cry when they feel joyful deep inside. Some people might be acting, but actions and small details often portray the emotions hidden inside. People...