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How Is Iago A Tragic Villain

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How Is Iago A Tragic Villain
Iago is the villain of the tragedy Othello but to what extent is he a tragic villain?
Iago is portrayed to be an intelligent and deceptive character whom exposes his deceit within the first scene of the play. He explains to Roderigo that ‘I am not what I am’ which could be interpreted as though there are many different levels to him meaning he is a complex character and shows various sides of him to different characters. However it could also mean that no one knows the real him: including Iago himself. This dialogue is juxtaposed right at the beginning of the play; this highlights the importance of Iago’s complex and villainous character and his attitude towards others in different situations to achieve what he wants no matter how duplicitous
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