Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Othello

Title There are different types of people in this world: people who do good and people who do evil. Their actions, thoughts, and intentions define them as the type of person they are. Writers such as William Shakespeare and F. Scott Fitzgerald have produced similar work that includes characters who share similar characteristics. Characters such as Daisy from “The Great Gatsby” and Iago from “Othello” contain similar characteristics. Although Daisy and Iago carry different motives, they share identical deceptive schemes which cause similar effects on others. Both characters through their actions, thoughts, and intentions, are defined as bad people who do evil to manipulate others and take advantage of them. To begin with, the differences between both characters are their motives. Daisy’s motive is wealth and social class. This is evident when Jordan explains how Daisy was deeply in love with a soldier (Gatsby) and that she was caught packing her bag on a winter night to go to New York and say good bye to the soldier. Then she got engaged and married
Tom Buchanan, Jordan goes on to explain that Daisy got a string of pearls valued three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. But the day before the wedding she gets drunk, holding a letter in her hand and says she changes her mind. This shows her true colors; Jordan explains how Daisy is very gay when she knew she was going to marry Tom who is rich. She likes the idea of the wealth and social security she gets from marrying Tom but when she gets drunk her true self comes out and tells Jordan to take back the pearls and tell everyone that she changed her mind. She cries that she changed her mind again and again, also that she does not want to marry Tom anymore. This shows that deep down she is still in love with Gatsby however, she is more in love with the wealth and social class Tom can provide for her is she marries him. Then, Jordan says that she and her mother’s maid locked the door and got her in a cold bath while she was holding on to the letter. Jordan says that she took it in the tub with her and squeezed it up into a wet ball. The next day at five o’clock she married Tom without as much as a shiver. Jordan does not say whom the letter is from but it is believable it is from Gatsby overseas who wrote the letter to Daisy from overseas and her true emotions came out when she got drunk. (Fitzgerald 75, 76). Iago, on the other hand, has a different motive; Iago pursues power unlike Daisy whose motive is wealth and social class. This is shown when Iago plots how to get Cassio’s position in the army and to get revenge on Othello and Cassio, “ ‘Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now; to get his place and to plume up my will in double Knavery. How? How? Let’s see. After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear. That he is too familiar with his wife;” (I.iii.383-387). Iago is planning for vengeance against Cassio and Othello because Othello promoted Cassio instead of Iago which he is upset about. It is shown here that Iago’s motive is power and that he turns into a green-eyed monster (III.iii.168) because he did not get the power he wanted. Therefore, it is evident that the difference between both, Daisy and Iago is their motives. Daisy seeks wealth and social class while Iago on the other hand craves power. Secondly, one of the similarities between both characters is the deceptive schemes. Daisy deceits Gatsby for her own advantage, she uses him and plays with his love for her. This is illustrated when Daisy contradicts herself:
“Daisy, that is all over now,” he said earnestly.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. Just tell him the truth ---- that you never loved him----and it’s all wiped out forever.” She looked at him blindly. “Why----how could I love him----possibly? “You never loved him.” She hesitated. Her eyes fell on Jordan and me with a sort of appeal, as though she realized at last what she was doing---- and as though she had never, all along, intended doing anything at all. But it was done now. It was too late. “I never loved him,” she said, with perceptible reluctance. […] “Oh you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now----isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob hopelessly “I did love him once----but I loved you too.” […] “I want to speak Daisy alone,” he insisted. “She’s all excited now -----” “Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom,” she admitted in a pitiful voice. “It wouldn’t be true.”
(132,133).
Daisy realizes Gatsby’s obsession with her so she decides to take advantage of him. To make Tom who is cheating on her, jealous. Daisy uses deceptive strategies to make Gatsby believe that she loves him and only him but it is just an act put up by her to make Tom jealous. When Gatsby asks her to say she never loved Tom she uncomfortably admits but later she changes her mind and tells him he wants too much. She lies to Gatsby and says what he wants to hear at first but then spits out the truth that she does love Tom or at least the perk that Tom comes with. This is an example of Daisy’s deceptive actions causing Gatsby to believe what is not true. Similarly, Iago shares deceptive intentions which cause Othello to believe that Desdemona (his wife) is unfaithful to him. This is demonstrated by Iago when he feeds Othello lies about Cassio possibly having an affair with Desdemona, “[…] Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio; Wear your eyes thus: not jealous, nor secure. I would not have you free and noble nature, Out of self-bounty, be abus’d. Look to’t I know our country disposition well” (III.iii.200-203). Iago creates suspicion in Othello. Othello as gullible as he is creates a greater suspicion in him and forms a green monster in him which is what Iago wanted all along. Iago feeds Othello a lie which causes Othello to believe what is not true. As a result, it is evident that both Daisy and Iago are prime examples of characters that are similarly deceptive. Lastly, another similarity between both characters is the effect on others from their deceptive actions. Daisy deceptive ways result in three deaths, one of which she committed and one suicide. This is portrayed when Daisy kills Myrtle and Gatsby who is blindly in love with her, willing, takes the blame, “Did you see any trouble on the road?” he asked after a minute. “Yes.” He hesitated. “Was she killed?” “Yes” […] “Was Daisy driving?” “Yes,” he said after a moment, “but of course I’ll say I was.” (143). Daisy kills Myrtle by hitting her with a car while Gatsby was sitting next to her. Gatsby loves Daisy greatly enough to take to blame for it which is convenient for Daisy because Myrtle was Tom’s mistress. Daisy kills Tom’s mistress and leaves Gatsby to suffer the consequences. Gatsby’s foolish decision of taking the blame results in his death and a suicide by Mr. Wilson who kills Gatsby. “ ‘The chauffeur----he was one of Wolfsheim’s protégés----heard the shots----afterward he could only say that he hadn’t thought anything much about them. […] There was a faint, barely perceptible movement of the water the fresh flow from one end urged its way toward the drain at the other. […] It was after we started with Gatsby’s toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete’ ”. Daisy’s actions results in Gatsby’s death and another death of Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson not knowing the truth assumes Gatsby as the murderer of his wife. He kills Gatsby by shooting him when he was in his pool and then commits suicide right after. Likewise, Iago affects others along the same lines. His deceptive actions also result in three deaths, one of which Iago causes and one suicide. Iago’s lies get the best of Othello into turning into a jealous monster to the point where Othello loses control and killed Desdemona. This is demonstrated when Othello locks her in their room, “ ‘Down, strumpet!’ ‘Kill me tomorrow; let me live tonight!’ ‘Nay, if you strive----’ ‘But half an hour!’ ‘Being done, there is no pause.’ ‘But while I say one prayer!’ ‘Its too late’ ‘O, Lord, Lord, Lord!’ *He smothers her*” (V.ii.80-85). Iago’s evil deceptive deeds successfully fool Othello into believing Desdemona was unfaithful to him when she was not. As a result he kills her by smothering her to death. When Emilia see’s this she tells Othello the truth that Desdemona was faithful and Iago was lying. This causes Iago to stab her so she could speech no more of the truth. (V.ii.230-235). Othello realizing he was cheated by Iago, runs at Iago to wound him and then stabs himself. (V.ii.350-355). Therefore, it is evident that both characters had similar effects on others. Both effects include 3 deaths, one of which the characters cause and one suicide. Although Daisy and Iago carry different motives they share similar deceptive schemes which cause identical effects on others. Daisy’s motive is wealth and social class but Iago intends to achieve power. However, both characters share similar deceptive plans. Daisy fools and takes advantage of Gatsby to make Tom jealous. Likewise, Iago fools and takes advantage of Othello to make him jealous. They also affect others similarly; both characters cause three deaths, one caused by themselves and one suicide. Therefore, it is evident that the similarities out weight the differences. The quote that relates to acts of both characters is “I love the world, but humanity is what makes it ugly.” (Ives, 33). This quote has a very deep meaning to it and is very strong. It describes to the reader that the world will be a better place if humanity tries to make it a better place. The sooner the meaning of peace and love is understood and accepted the sooner the world will be a better place.

References
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1996. Print.
Ives, Michael. Life of a Man. New York, NY: Hillbilly, 1984. Print.
Kemp, John. Reader’s life. New York, NY: Ergo Media, 2001. Print.
Shakespeare, William, and Norman Sanders. Othello. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge UP, 1984. Print.