Introduction
The military code of honor refers back to the old Warrior’s Code, which is a concept that predates Christianity. The Warrior’s Code was developed through the centuries of prehistory when survival of the clan meant strong adherence to a certain code of expected behaviors that could be relied upon in times of emergency or attack (French, 2001). These behaviors included loyalty to your men above loyalty to the family as it was with the men that the society would be defended, adherence to the laws of their society (not necessarily the laws of the society one is invading), a fundamental trust of fellow soldiers and a do-or-die approach to life. The higher a person’s rank, the more he is expected to honor the code and the harder it is for him to conceive of someone else breaking it. When it is the leader who breaks the code, disastrous events occur. Shakespeare’s play Othello illustrates these elements of military honor as the high-ranking warrior, in keeping with his do-or-die conception of life, fails to recognize the honesty in Cassio as a result of Cassio’s perceived public disorder and the dishonesty in Iago that remains hidden. In making this mistake, Othello continues to follow the military code by placing all of his trust in the wrong fellow soldier and, in remaining loyal to this individual rather than his wife, brings about the doom of his house.
Discussion
Cassio is clearly Othello’s preferred fellow soldier at the opening of the play. This is brought out clearly as Iago complains that Cassio was promoted above him. However, when Othello finds Cassio brawling in the streets with gentlemen and drunk, he immediately demotes him by saying “Cassio, I love thee; But never more be officer of mine” (II, ii, 239-240). This demonstrates the type of do-or-die approach to life that characterizes the soldier. Decisions must be made quickly and without reservation. Othello can no longer respect Cassio because Cassio has broken the military code by brawling in the streets. He has sacrificed his nobility for a momentary flash of drunken idiocy which is beyond Othello’s abilities to justify within the strict confines of his own moral character. Because of Cassio’s breach, Othello begins to doubt his own ability to make good judgments of character and begins to seek out a new confidante who still remains within the old code.
Iago uses Othello’s doubt and suspicion, as well as Othello’s own love for others, to Othello’s destruction. Once Othello decides to love and trust Iago, he finds it impossible to doubt him. This is the case even when Iago himself tells Othello to go verify the information Iago is giving him. As it is Iago who has provided him with useful services lately and Iago who first exposed the low nature of Cassio, Othello, in his self-doubt, defers to the military honor code as a means of determining who he should listen to. Although Desdemona continues to try to reason with him, the events of the play force Othello to conclude that only Iago has known him long enough and repaid him faithfully enough to deserve Othello’s love and loyalty. Because he is a fellow soldier who has never proven himself to be unworthy of trust, unlike Cassio, Iago is given Othello’s explicit trust even over the combined efforts of his new wife and former second. Like many high-ranking warriors, Othello’s great mistake lies in believing that because he has granted this tremendous boon (his love) to Iago, Iago must necessarily return the sentiment.
It is only at the end that he finally realizes he has abandoned his earlier noble nature as a result of Iago’s manipulations. Although he now recognizes Desdemona’s actions as the innocent actions she proclaimed them to be, Othello’s trust in Iago’s words forced him to see something else taking place instead. “Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on / And turn again; and she can weep, sir, weep; / And she’s obedient; as you say, obedient, / Very obedient – Proceed you in your tears. – / Concerning this, sir – O well-painted passion!” (IV, i, 246-49). Desdemona was a good girl and cared a great deal about being a good wife. As Othello confronts the results of his actions, he understands that his choice on whose love to have faith in was justified by the military code, but the military code failed to take into account extenuating circumstances that should have seen him stand up for Cassio until things could be made more clear.
Conclusion
Through his demonstration of a noble nature in his previous deeds, his current position and his ability to deal well with others even in a tense situation, Othello is quickly established at the outset of the play as a noble soldier with a properly oppositional approach to life – the do-or-die attitude. As the story progresses, however, he begins to lose his ability to discern where his loyalties should remain. Cassio breaks the laws of the province, thereby tarnishing his noble nature and making him completely untrustworthy in Othello’s eyes. Iago is the only other soldier Othello can turn to for advice and, because of the military honor code, believes he can trust Iago explicitly. As an important element of the code, Othello believes Iago even over what he knows of his own wife and it is this belief that leads to his destruction.
Works Cited
French, Shannon E. “The Warrior’s Code.” Leadership, Ethics and Law. U.S. Naval Academy, 2001. Web.
Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice.” The Complete Pelican Shakespeare. New York: Penguin Books, 1969. pp. 1018-1060.