Soliloquy means talking to your self. During the Elizabethan times soliloquy was regarded as an ordinary but a very good way of telling information to the audience or of the development of play.
The real function of soliloquy is self-analysis or self-revelation i.e. to bring out the inner spring of any character particularly the hero of the play. Shakespeare presents Iago as a collection of unsolved puzzles. Everything Iago says is cause for worry. Iago makes up lies in order to exploit and manipulate other people and their needs. He treats others as idiots and has no care for his friend’s emotion. Iago shows his thoughts through his soliloquies, revealing to the audience his real intentions and motives.
Iago starts his first soliloquy with “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse.” The quote is revealing Iago’s evil, dark side. The ‘fool’ is referring to Roderigo. Iago has got Roderigo on a leash, convincing him that he has a better chance with Desdemona then Othello. Also Iago is using Roderigo to gain money from him; he is referred to Roderigo as “my purse.” This suggests that Iago is a greedy money snatching person who cares from himself and not anyone else.
Iago shows himself as a two faced person, he seems loyal and respectful toward Othello; however he is totally opposite person behind Othello’s back. “I hate the Moor.” This quotation given by Iago is short and simple, and straight to the point. Iago has hatred towards Othello due to the fact he had given Cassio the promotion that was rightfully his. Furthermore, Iago is manipulating everyone’s thoughts so he can gain the rank that was ‘taken’ from him.
“After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear.” This quote is showing how Iago is going to build a strong, solid trust with Othello and will used that trust to deceive him and indirectly tell him that Cassio is too intimate with Desdemona because he is young and handsome.
“The Moor is of a free and open nature. That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; And will as tenderly be led by th' nose. As asses are.” This depicts that iago is racist as he says that the moor is out in nature and this suggests that Othello due to his skin colour should be kept like an animal or a beast. Also by calling Othello a donkey he means that he is stupid and that he will trust anyone.
Iago is an extremely mysterios character in Othello but in this soliloquy you realize that iago is truly evil, manipulative, egotistical, jelous and extremely dishonest as through out he says he is extremely trustworthy but as the audience we can all see that he is not.
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