Dy, Alexander John M Mr John D Borra III

060048 / LIT102 / CAS302 24 July 2007

The Idea How the Ignorance of Peace Becomes a Denial of Truth

One of the things that intrigued me during the last inner-circle’s discussion was the
saying that, “Ignorance is bliss”. Stating Othello’s words in response to Iago:

“He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol’n,

Let him not know’t, and he’s not robbed at all.” (III.iii.394-395).

Othello is clearly saying here how ignorance of what is happening between

Desdemona and Cassio can give him peace of mind from his growing suspicion of his wife’s
(Desdemona) fidelity to him. However, Othello, although having this (“Ignorance is bliss”) in
mind, didn’t find peace not until his death in the latter part of the book (Act V) – this is
because he failed to deal with the real people (Desdemona and Cassio). Instead of
confronting Desdemona and Cassio, Othello just listened to one party (Iago) arriving at a
wrong solution (“accusing Desdemona a whore”, III.iii.412) to solve his doubt about
Desdemona’s fidelity.
Often in our lives, we are afraid to deal with our problems. We always have this
notion that the best way to solve a problem is by forgetting or ignoring it (problem) or by
merely pretending that nothing ever happened, because ‘everything will just pass’. We tend
to be pessimists in looking on the outcome or the results of our decision in taking risks that
make us afraid to deal with our problems. And because of our fear to deal with our problems,
we miss the beautiful things that could have happened - making us realise at the end that if
only we were brave to take the risk then everything, in one way or another, could have been
greater. Thus, the saying goes, “we always have regrets in the end; the time when we realise
that we could have done something if only…” (Albom, 2003). Just like Othello, he refused to
take the risk of confronting Cassio and Desdemona, asking them earnestly if they really had
an affair. Instead, he became one-sided, listening only to Iago, immediately accusing
Desdemona of infidelity without considering any of her judgments, and seeing Cassio, not
anymore as a friend and comrade, but as a deceitful person seeking revenge due to his
(Cassio) demotion by taking his (Othello) wife Desdemona. These instances ruined both
Othello’s career and marriage, again due to his choice of being ignorant of knowing the truth.
The ignorance of peace is a denial of the truth. The ignorance of solving a problem by
not dealing with it does not give us peace at all. How can we find peace if we refuse to know
the truth? Finding peace and refusing to know the truth is a choice. Thus, we need to live life
without regrets by being brave to choose to face the truth – the reality – which happens to be
our problems in our lives. Peace is achieved only then if it is earned [by choice].