Military ranks in Othello

[kev67]

I was a little perplexed about the military ranks in Othello. Well, actually the only military rank I can remember was lieutenant. Cassio is made lieutenant and Iago begrudges this. Iago is described as Othello's ancient, which I think corresponds to ensign. I am not sure what rank an ensign is because the British Army does not have them any more. Since Othello is the governor of Cyprus for a little while, and led armed forces to protect Cyprus against Turkish forces, that would make him what? A colonel at least, I would have thought, more likely a general. That means military organisation was much flatter in Shakespearean times than it is now, or Iago's and Cassio's ranks are not consistent with how close they work with Othello.

I was reminded of this because I saw there was a 2015 production of the play where everyone was in modern military dress. Iago was a staff sergeant. Cassio was a lieutenant straight out of Sandhurst Military Academy. These are not senior officer ranks so what rank is Othello?

[Danik 2016]

That is an interesting point kev, specially because if I rightly remember you are or were from the army yourself. I suppose what would be important is to know the sources of Shakespeare or whoever wrote the play for the military ranks in Othello.

This is the original story which inspired the plot of Othello, don´t know if that may help:
"The original tale, "Un Capitano Moro," concerns an unnamed Moor who marries a beautiful lady, Desdemona, despite her parents' opposition. The Moor and Desdemona live happily in Venice, and the Moor is appointed commander of troops sent to the garrison at Cyprus. He takes his wife with him.

The Moor's wicked ensign falls in love with his commander's wife, Desdemona. The ensign is afraid he will be killed if the Moor discovers his secret, and all his efforts to impress Desdemona go unnoticed because she only thinks of her husband. The ensign imagines that she loves someone else, a handsome young captain who is also in Venice, and his love turns to bitter hatred. He plots to kill the captain and revenge himself on Desdemona.

The ensign bides his time. He sees his opportunity when the Moor degrades the captain for wounding a soldier and Desdemona tries to make peace between her husband and the captain. The ensign hints that Desdemona has her own reason to want the captain reinstated. When his wife claims that the demotion was an overreaction, the Moor becomes very angry and suspects that his ensign had spoken truthfully. When the ensign tells the Moor that the captain told him of the affair, the Moor demands to see proof of it.

The ensign and his wife have a daughter aged about three, and one day when Desdemona visits their house, he puts the child on her lap. As Desdemona and the child play, the ensign steals one of her handkerchiefs. The ensign then leaves the handkerchief on the bed of the young captain, who recognizes it and goes to return it to Desdemona. When the Moor answers his knock at the door, the captain runs away, but not before the Moor recognizes him.

Later, the ensign laughs and jokes with the captain where the Moor can see them; he then tells the Moor him that he and the captain were talking about the captain's love affair with Desdemona and a handkerchief that she had given him. The Moor, believing that the handkerchief constitutes proof of his wife's infidelity, demands it of his wife, who, of course, cannot produce it. The Moor decides that he must kill his wife and plots with the ensign to kill both his wife and the captain.

The ensign, after a large payment, waylays the captain, attacks him with his sword, and manages to wound him on the leg. Desdemona is tearful to see the captain in pain, and the Moor and the ensign beat her to death with a sand filled stocking. Then they pulled down the rotten timber ceiling on her, making it appear that the falling roof had killed her. The Moor, distracted with grief for his dead wife, turns against the ensign and cashiers him.

The ensign now plots to ruin the Moor. He goes back to Venice with the captain, now one-legged, and they accuse the Moor of injuring him and murdering Desdemona. The Moor is arrested, refuses to speak under torture, and is banished and later killed by Desdemona's family. The ensign pursues his career of villainy with other victims, but in the end is arrested and dies under torture.

For a complete retelling of this story, see The Arden Shakespeare: Othello, edited by M. R. Ridley. London: Methuen, 1965."
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/othello/about-othello

[kev67]

That makes a bit more sense about the hanky.

I knew Shakespeare copied the plot, but I did not know he had copied it to that extent.

You used an English word I did not know myself. I had to look up 'cashier'.

I have never been in the army, far too dangerous. I am not sure they would have had me, although perhaps I might have made a good sapper or signalman or something of that sort.

[Danik 2016]

I don´t remember where I used this word. The post above consists mostly of a quotation. As it mentions some military positions which seem to differ from Shakespeare´s I thought that might interest you.
It seems that one of the difference between both plots is the ethical stature of Othello. In the original story the protagonist seems to be sa base as his enemy.

[kev67]

I've heard several time Othello was a general. 16th Century military command structure must have been much flatter than today's.

[Danik 2016]

What do you mean with flat? Less ranks?

[kev67]

Yes, there are currently 17 ranks in the British Army, about the same in the US army. I expect it is the same elsewhere. In the British army, the officer ranks go 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant, captain, major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, brigadier, major general, lieutenant general, general and field marshal. I read somewhere Iago was called Othello's ancient, which corresponded to ensign, which corresponds to 2nd lieutenant. Cassio is promoted above him to 1st lieutenant. There appears to be no one between Cassio and Othello. That is about six ranks.

Another thing: how old was Othello? He thinks himself as getting old. That must make him mid 40s at least. Iago is 28. So Iago and Othello would never have been buddies exactly, like it seems to be implied in some theatrical productions.

[Danik 2016]

This article focuses on the ranks in Othello and their influence on the behaviorof the figures: http://www.shakespeareances.com/dialogues/commentary/Iago_Soldier-130517.html

Mid 40s would be a bit late for getting married in those time, wouldn´t it?

[kev67]

That is an interesting link. It would make sense Iago being a sergeant major. In principle they are regarded as inferior to junior officers, but in reality they were much more respected and relied upon within the regiment, or at least that is the impression I got from reading certain war memoirs. One of those war memoirs was written by George MacDonald Fraser who recounts a sergeant borrowing his copy of one of the Henrys. Fraser was a lance corporal at the time. The sergeant thought Shakespeare must have been a soldier, like the author of the article you linked seems to think.

If Iago was the equivalent of a sergeant major, that would make Othello a colonel rather than a general. There still do not appear to be enough officers. How big was the task force sent to defend Cyprus against the Turks? Was it, for example, two thousand men? That would require quite a lot of organisation. Was it all done by warrant officers and other non commissioned officers?