Comparing Othello And In The Time Of The Butterflies By Julia Alvarez

Deception always has many perspectives; the truth, the fabrication, and how it is interpreted. An individual’s ability to deceive defines their effectiveness as a perpetrator. Within Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies and William Shakespeare’s Othello, the antagonists of each convey themselves as divine, therefore attempting to distract from their misconduct and represent themselves sincerely. What differentiates the two is whether or not others associate them alike to as they portray themselves. Throughout Othello and In the Time of the Butterflies, Iago and Trujillo have similar behaviors and methods of malice, though Iago’s villainy is more compelling for he entices each audience in which he misleads.

Both miscreants have advantages which

Othello’s confidence for a loyal man to maintain honesty and morals are contradicted through Iago’s actions: “in a man that’s just / They are close dilations, working from the heart, / That passion cannot rule” (3.3.123). Iago, due to the understatement to his name, is not perceivable as hateful. Othello’s willingness to sense Iago’s distress, and to believe his accusations, is because of the lack of awareness Othello has for his vengeance. Iago is of such little power and relevance within societal ranking that if he were to have intentions to sabotage anyone, which he does, are not considered, thus making him easily trustworthy to those of greater dominance. Society’s view of an individual determines how others consider and surmise their persona, though these conclusions may be false.

True villainy relates to the broad spectrum in which victims are truly deluded; Iago appeals to all perspectives, whereas Trujillo only sustains to his own. For instance, Iago validates many reasonings supporting the prospects of differing characters regarding the universal storyline of his intrigue, therefore providing those he deceives with greater