Reputation is an important part of everyone's life; everyone wants to have a good reputation to be respected by members of society. William Shakespeare demonstrates the important role of reputation in all characters' lives by showing the importance of reputation in the play "Othello". Every member of society lives for reputation, without it life becomes much more challenging. Reputation is shaped and influenced by a person's character and past which can be used to one's advantage. It cannot be determined by a being but by what others believe represents one's identity. Reputation is an image in society that everyone wants to maintain, leading to the conclusion that reputation means respect in a society. A good reputation is necessary to be respected in a society. Those who have maintained a good reputation in society receive respect, but those who have not maintained a good reputation face more challenges in their life. "The good name in man and woman, my dear lord, is the immediate jewel of their souls. He who steals my purse, steals the garbage; he is something, nothing; he was mine. he is his, and has been the slave of thousands of people;" (Shakespeare 3.3.155-158) Reputation is very important to Iago as shown in his point of view. With a "good name" (3.3.155) members of society are treated with respect and kindness, but those with a bad reputation will not receive the same respect. In a society people are valued for what they have accomplished or what they are known for, they can benefit from their reputation or their reputation can cause many obstacles in their path. People who do not have a good reputation are despised in society and not respected in any. Reputation can be defined as “an idle and very false devil…… middle of paper…… ed. In conclusion, reputation is an important aspect of an individual's life that determines his value in society. In the play "Othello" reputation was shown in each character's life by describing their importance. Every member of society lives for reputation, without it life becomes much more challenging. Reputation is not always reality, a person with a good reputation is not always trustworthy. It is based on the perspectives of others and society, but not on how a person sees himself. The society and its members alone control the reputation. Works Cited Lickerman, Alex. "The value of a good reputation." Psychology today. Np, 22 April 2010. Web. 12 May 2014. .Shakespeare, William. Othello. 1st ed. Toronto: Harcourt Canada, 2001. Print.