The Shakespearean tragedy Othello is one that enables the reader to feel multiple emotions throughout the play. One of the main emotions felt by the reader is sympathy, predominantly towards certain characters in the dramatic piece. The characters Roderigo and Cassio are those that the reader tend to feel sympathy for because of their weakness. Roderigo primarily for his obsession with Desdemona, and Cassio for his desire to be re-assigned as lieutenant. However, both characters become inconsolable to the point where they can no longer be independent and tend to themselves but rather turn towards other sources to restore the broken pieces in their lives.
Roderigo and Cassio are two extremely different characters. Roderigo being very infatuated compared to Cassio who is controlled and knows how to handle heat in a stressful situation. Despite the differences, these characters meet a crossroad. Roderigo, unlike Cassio, has a reputation which holds no value to him. This priority of wanting Desdemona is quite clear throughout the play. This extreme, results in him to become very reliant on Iago, which lead to his manipulation. From the beginning of the piece, the reader is able to recognize Roderigo's weakness. In Act 1, scene 3 Roderigo takes his first hit by realizing that Desdemona's heart has been given away to Othello. Because of his knowledge of this matter he threatens to kill himself. He gave up so easily and is just as easily lead into Iago's trap, causing Roderigo to become reliant on Iago to ensure that he will have Desdemona. Iago's trap became so deep that Roderigo was willing to go to great lengths for Desdemona, even if it meant selling everything he had. This action not only revealed to the reader that Roderigo is in denial about Desdemona, but also that he can't handle situations himself, but has full reliance on Iago to make everything better. On the other hand, Cassio unlike Roderigo has a more solid foundation emotionally.
