the code of honor

A detailed Summary of the code of honor

Both Othello and The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn deal with the issue of race, especially the notion of race as a °social construct±. Othello is °being taken by the insolent foe and sold to slavery± (Shakespeare 1.3.136-137); Jim is a runaway nigger. Both of them have ever been a slaver respectively, but their stories are totally different: one becomes a general; one becomes a free man at the end. What does make this difference, even though they are ever at the same level? By close reading, we know Shakespeare and Twain suggest that honor is more to people than just their races when evaluating the social value.

People who have honor are respected from other people and remain high in their society. What should be consider as honorable? Service to the country, knowledgeable, or even money, and so on. Othello is a Moor, and he is ever sold to slavery. What does make him to be a noble general? It is the services to the state: °My services which I have done the Signiory shall out-tongue his complaints± (Shakespeare 1.2.18-19). Even the Duke will not look down on Othello, who is an Arab, like the Turks (the enemy of Venice). He believes °Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you± (Shakespeare 1.3.219

On the other hand, dishonor will make people lose their society position and their reputation. In Othello, Cassio is an honorable lieutenant, °an honest fellow± (Shakespeare 3.3.4). Othello trusts him, treats him as his friend, and calls him °good Michael±, °Michael±. It is this grand honor that Iago is jealous of. But drunken Cassio loses his reputation since he fights with Montano other than guards the watch. Othello calls him °Cassio± and tells him °never more be officer of mine± (Shakespeare 2.3.248). A lieutenant suddenly becomes an ordinary man due to the dishonorable thing he does. °O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial (Shakespeare 2.2.261-263), Cassio confesses. Twain also give us some examples. For instance, pap gains the reputation from the new judge¯s family because they have sympathy for him, and pap also swears: °It is the hand of a man that¯s started in on a new life.± °The judge says it is the holiest time on record and tucks the old man into a beautiful room± (Twain 22; ch. 5). It seems that pap¯s value is revalidated. But once pap °trades his new coat for a jug of forty-rod¯ (Twain 22; ch. 5) and gets drunken again, pap loses his flick of reputation and becomes old pap again. °The judge reckons a body could reform the ole man with a shot-gun± (Twain 22; ch. 5). Cassio and pap all are white people, who are the majority in their society, but they do not have expected social value because they do something dishonorable. Therefore, the code of honor is different in all these examples, but honor is used to determine the social construct other than simply race.

Shakespeare. Othello. Signet classic. New York: Penguin, 1998

Because people¯s honor needs to be validated by other people, sometimes people even do not know they have honor unless their honor is be confirmed by other people. The marriage to Desdemona is the great honor that Othello ever has. Othello does not take good care of her and himself. He always thinks this marriage is too much for him. How come a white woman becomes a Moor¯s wife? He always questions this reality, and even suspects the royalty of Desdemona. In his last speech, he confesses: °Then must you speak of one that loved not wisely, but too well; of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand, like the base Judean, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe± (Shakespeare 5.2.340-345). Nobody tells Othello that the marriage fits him and Desdemona. Even Brabantio, his father-in-law, warns him: °Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father, and may thee± (Shakespeare 1.3.288-289). How can Othello realizes he has t

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Approximate Word count = 1822
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts