Defense Mechanisms By Julius Caesar And Othello Essay

Defense mechanisms, a term coined by Anna Freud and used by the world’s populace, come in numerous forms, among them: the repressed desire to punch someone in the face, projecting the anger you have for your boss out on your wife, or the never-ending denial that your husband of twenty years is homosexual. These mechanisms are used so frequently that they have a distinct presence in the literary world. Why is this important? Shakespeare, a man clearly ahead of his time, wrote about defense mechanisms centuries before the term’s existence- even coming up with a mechanism Freud never considered. Typically, Shakespearean works such as Julius Caesar and Othello are acknowledged for their tragic endings and the deception that leads the characters there; however, few acknowledge that Shakespeare incorporated defense mechanisms such as repression, denial, and projection even before Freud’s theory on such mechanisms came to fruition. Additionally, Shakespeare provides ev idence of betrayal as its own definitive defense mechanism, proving that it is in fact human nature to betray others. Julius Caesar is a story of conspiracy and betrayal that ultimately lead to the murder of Caesar. Upon returning from war, Caesar receives a warning to â€Å"Beware the ides of March† (1.2.20), an obvious foreshadowing of events to come. During this time, Brutus and Cassius confer on Caesar’s ambition to become king, despite having refused the crown three times. Cassius, Casca and Cinna, conspire toShow MoreRelatedOthello By William Shakespeare s Othello922 Words   |  4 Pagesleft it for Cassio to find; Cassio in turn, gave it to his mistress. To add to his suspicions, Iago sets Othello up to hear Cassio s discussion regarding his mistress Bianca; however, Othello believes he is referring to Desdemona. This situation only becomes worse when Bianca produces a copy of Othello s handkerchief, and believing it to be his own he strikes Desdemona in his rage. Othello first asks Emilia to confirm Desdemona s unfaithfulness, but she cannot; therefore, he confronts Desdemona