Frenemies in Othello by William Shakespeare

“Friends, countrymen, lend me your ears.” This line is said by Mark Antony to garner the attention of his countrymen in arguably one of Shakespeare’s more popular plays, Julius Caesar. The iconic line is one of Shakespeare’s better known addresses. In his plays repetition functions as an indicator of something to which the audience should pay particular attention. Specifically, in the play Othello, the repetition of the word “friend” is relevant and draws the audience’s attention to relationships of a superficial or forced nature, as the relationship between Othello and Iago, Cassio and Bianca, and as a rhetorical device. Through close reading of the play, one sees that “friend” functions as a versatile device used for manipulation.

In Act I, Scene 2, “friend” functions in the same capacity as intimidation. Iago tells Othello, “Those are the raised father and his friends” (Shakespeare 1.2.28). This first instance of the word “friend” occurs after Brabanzio has been alerted to Desdemona’s elopement with Othello. Brabanzio brings his countrymen to argue his case against Othello, whom he believes has bewitched his daughter. In this quote, “friends” also serves as “reinforcements,” which keeps with the militaristic terminology and attitudes which are throughout Othello. These men may indeed be companions of Brabanzio, but given the textual evidence that before the counsel Brabanzio speaks alone, it seems that his companions are merely there for moral support and to show strength in numbers. This can be likened to the Disney film Beauty and the Beast where Gaston, the scorned suitor of Belle (the female protagonist) leads an angry mob to the house of the beast (Belle’s love interest). En route, the villagers in the mob sing that they ...

... middle of paper ...

...stablish that Desdemona has sacrificed many relationships for the sake of her marriage to Othello, though there is textual evidence that suggests that Desdemona might not have friends. Like Cassio, Emilia uses “friend” as a manipulative rhetorical device, though her use is more effective. Bianca uses “friend” to show her displeasure and provide insight into her relationship with Cassio, proving the superficiality of their relations. Most notably, Othello believes that he and Iago are mutual friends, which also shows that their relationship is superficial. Throughout Othello, the term “friend” is repeated to show that there is something wrong with these characters’ idea of what it is to be a friend or simply to advance one’s standing. In its truest sense, what we consider a friend is not referred to by name in Othello, the very reason its reiteration is unsettling.