A Comparison of Crime and Punishment and Othello :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Comparison of shame and Punishment and Othello In both(prenominal) Crime and Punishment and Othello there is a theme of necessary balance. Crime and Punishments theme that man must be balanced in lay out to function properly is very similar to Othellos theme that, tragically, jealousy is destructive, flush to the one that holds it. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikovs intense intellectualism caused him to stop functioning as a complete and balanced individual which ultimately cost him his freedom. For Othello, it was his extreme jealousy that caused him to become emotionally unbalanced, which cost him both Desdemona and his own life. In both cases the extremes create unbalance which ends up costing a lot. in that location is a difference, however, and that too lies in the extremes small-arm Raskolnikov is too intellectual and lacks emotion, Othello is a rage of emotions and requires some intellect or rationality. One stylistic widget both authors used to de monstrate this unbalance is foreshadowing. On page 84 in Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov says, If they question me, perhaps I will evidently tell. Fall to my knees and tell. This foreshadows Raskolnikovs confession to the police and his subsequent sentencing to Siberia. Raskolnikov is obviously unbalanced if he can detachedly hypothesize about his confession. Similarly, Desdemonas willow song foreshadows her own death. In this way we realize Othello must be extremely unbalanced if his wife can foresee her own death when they are still freshly wed. Both foreshadowed events would usually be considered as negative. The main difference is that spot Raskolnikovs imprisonment is temporary, Desdemonas death is permanent. The interesting thing about both foreshadowed events is their irony. mend both events are usually construed as negative, good things come from both. non until he has been in Siberia a year does Raskolnikov finally renounce his overman scheme and becom e complete and balanced once again. Also, Desdemona will be competent to forgive Othello and be with him throughout eternity. What makes these happenings different is their justness. Raskolnikov was rightfully imprisoned for his crime, while Desdemona was unjustly murdered for a crime she did not commit. Finally, both stories acknowledge a very important epiphany. Raskolnikovs acceptance of love and God at Sonyas feet is both similar and dissimilar to