289 Quiz Answer

In the play “Othello,” Iago is a soldier who has fought beside his general, Othello, for years, and has become his trusted advisor. But at the beginning of the play, Iago claims to have been unfairly passed over for promotion; he plots to bring about the downfall of Othello.

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "N" is for "nefarious")

The following scenelet should suggest a very well-known play to you.  What’s the name of the play?

"You're still complaining?  Hey, you chose a military career and it isn’t really so bad after all.  But you don’t really agree with that, do you?”

“You bet I don’t.  Fifteen years of service, hellish battles and combat all over the world, risked my life dozens of times, and what do I wind up with?  Two metal bars and a few rows of ribbons – what good are they in civvie life? “

“Come on; you got your rank, not too bad a pay grade for retirement.”

“But that – that – is exactly the point.  I was due for promotion and now that wer're here in Cyprus they bring in this outsider.  He’s now the fair-haired boy as far as the general is concerned.  That should have been my job!  It was as though it had been promised to me.  For all practical purposes I already had it; the skipper depended on me for just about everything!”

“Yeah, I know.  I thought it was – well – unfair.”

“Unfair is the least of it.  For the good of the service you want experienced officers.  This guy, he doesn’t seem to have been anywhere or done anything, and he is now the right-hand man!"

"Relax.  It's not as though the general has committed some sort of nefarious act; he has the right to pick the man for the job."

"It's nefarious to me.  You know where he's from, the new guy?  From Italy, but most important, from Florence!”

“So?”

”You know what they do in Florence?  They spend most of their time creating delicate art, making little objects out of spun glass and such.  That’s a warrior?” 

“You don’t seem to understand that in the military, politics often plays a more important part than experience.  You see, actually, he has been places and done things.”

“Yeah, like what?”

“Well, he’s been to the right schools, the right university.  He comes from an important family that seems to know all the right people.  And you – let’s face it – you never set foot in a university and not very many schools as far as that goes.”

“There was a time when a man who started at the lowest level and worked his way through all that greasy crap right on up to a commission, made the very best, the most experienced officer!”

“Yeah, yeah.  Listen, I’m on your side.  But this new guy has got the job.  It’s obvious that he’s the general's choice.  You should relax and just accept it.  A few years more and you can retire.”

“In the meantime I’m supposed to take orders from the likes of this – I don’t think I can stand it!”

“Hey, I hadn’t realized how much you were ignited by this.  You’ve got to calm down.  You’ll get yourself all worked up and maybe do something stupid to try to get revenge.”

(The answer will be posted Saturday.)