William Shakespeare s Othello, Much Ado About Nothing,...

Power is said to be the ability of another to be able to control or influence others in a given situation. Power is also a reoccurring theme that is without a doubt well displayed in Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover,† â€Å"Eveline,† and â€Å"My Last Duchess.† In drama Othello, by Shakespeare, the title character suspects his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful with no proof and just the assumption of a friend. He publicly confronts Desdemona by hitting her and calling her a whore. Othello is in possession of power here because he publicly shows what he is capable of; he is not afraid to hit a woman. In short story â€Å"Eveline,† by James Joyce, Eveline and her younger brothers grow up in an abusive environment, with their father the†¦show more content†¦In the play Much Ado About Nothing, by Shakespeare, Claudio has false knowledge when it comes to his fiance, Hero, being unfaithful, and proceeds to publicly confro nt her in front of their friends and family. In a later scene, Hero’s cousin Beatrice suggests to Claudio’s friend Benedick that he should kill Claudio because of his false accusations toward Hero. Beatrice has power because she is able to take advantage of Benedick’s feeling for her and convince him to kill Claudio. These texts all include the similarity of abusive power. Irrational decisions and behaviors, such as murder and sanity, are often times the effect of abusive power. The drama Othello, by Shakespeare, and the short story â€Å"Eveline,† by James Joyce, both exemplify similar forms of power. During the course of the theatrical piece Othello, the protagonist is led on by Iago to believe his wife to be unfaithful. Whether Desdemona truly was dishonest is left ambiguous by the end. â€Å"DESDEMONA: Why, sweet Othello— OTHELLO: (striking her) Devil! DESDEMONA: I have not deserved this†¦ OTHELLO: Oh, devil, devil! If that the earth could teem with woman’s tears, Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile. Out of my sight!† (Shakespeare). Othello confronts Desdemona about his apparent knowledge of her being unfaithful; publicly striking her and calling her a whore, even though he has no solid proof. Othello has power because publicly striking her exposes his seeming knowledge of her being