Iago and His Evil Road to Fulfill His Fantasy

Rosarina Garcia
Iago and his Evil Road To Fulfill his Fantasy

In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago plays the role of the villain. Due to being insecure and being passed for promotion he creates this fantasy and does whatever he can, even goes to extremes to make his fantasy a reality. Throughout the play Iago deceives and manipulates everyone who stands in his way of making his fantasy a reality. Iago uses his intelligence and also trickery to do so. Iago is two-faced throughout the play, making himself seem as if he is innocent to his victims. One of Iago’s most important victims is Roderigo. Roderigo played an important role in Iago’s plot to make his plan a reality. Iago makes Roderigo believe he is his friend and on his side. When Roderigo feels like giving up Iago manipulates him, telling him that he is doing what he can in order for him to be with Desdemona, “It cannot be long that Desdemona should continue her love to the Moor.. nor he his to her. It was a violent commencement in her, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration... These Moors are changeable in their wills... The food that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She must change for youth. When she is sated with his body she will find the errors of her choice” (I. iii. 305-310). Iago here uses his intelligence telling Roderigo that Othello is a much older man and overtime Desdemona will want a younger man, which seems very reasonable. Roderigo is in a way Iagos sidekick, he knows Iago is up to no good but doesn’t know that he is being used. In the beginning of the play of Act I Iago and Roderigo are having a conversation, you can tell from Roderigo’s text that he trusts Iago even stating that he gives him money. Little did Roderigo know that he was also a part of Iago’s scheme. Later in the story Iago continues to manipulate Roderigo. Iago tells him that he knows he has “courage and valor” and that he must show that by killing Cassio (IV. Ii. 195). Iago tricked Roderigo into killing Cassio by sweet talking him. Iago put on this act of him believing that Roderigo is “courageous” enough to do the job. Roderigo is not Iago’s only victim in Iago’s plan to make his fantasy a reality. Othello was also a victim. Iago was again two-faced as well with Othello making him believe that he was looking out for him. In Act IV, Scene 3, Iago tells Othello to beware of jealousy and pay close attention to Cassio around Desdemona. Othello is hesitant claiming his wife is loyal, but Iago brings up a very good point, that is that Desdemona lied to her father in order to marry him, so what makes him think that she wouldn’t lie to him. Iago tells Othello lies, well thought out lies which Othello at first is skeptical about but Iago’s skillful trickery and manipulation convinces him. It is Iago’s tricks that make Othello believe his lies and fall right into his plan. Desdemona’s handkerchief is a very important symbol in the play, it plays an important role in Iago’s successful plan to trick Othello. In Act III, Scene IV, Iago tells Othello to hide as he will prove to him that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. Cassio enters and so does his mistress after. She throws the handkerchief (which belongs to Desdemona) at Cassio claiming that how dare him ask her to copy the design from that handkerchief as a token of love when it belongs to another woman. Othello who is hiding recognizes the handkerchief that belongs to Desdemona. Othello at this point has every right to believe what Iago is telling him, the whole situation played into Iago’s favor as Othello fell for his trick. Emilia was another victim of Iago, who was also deceived by him. In Act 3, Scene 3, Emilia gives the handkerchief to Iago. Iago asks her if she stole it and she says no that Desdemona carelessly dropped it on the floor and she simply seized the opportunity and took it. Iago had asked her a numerous times before to retrieve the handkerchief, and she had finally done so as she was looking to please her man, however, little did she know that he needed it as a prop to fulfill his evil scheme. Iago’s evil plots all ran smoothly thanks to his intelligence and skillful trickery. Iago went through extremes just to try to accomplish revenge and achieve his much wanted position, deceiving and manipulating anyone who was in his way, also using his own wife.