In almost everything you read or watch there is a villain. Villains have been used in stories for a very long time. One particular villain, Iago from the play Othello by Julius Caesar, is a very famous villain. Iago was an extremely bad guy in this play and was always up to no good. The character Iago and his traits have influenced many more modern villains. Iago influenced other villains with his criminal traits of being evil, egotistical, and dishonesty.…
At the beginning of the play, Iago makes it clear that he wanted Cassio’s position as Othello’s lieutenant: “I know my price; I am worth no worse a place” (Othello I.i.10). He feels that the position belongs to him, and he becomes extremely envious when the position is given to Cassio instead. Lancer mentions that envy is a defense mechanism to insecurity and that those who experience envy “might [even] go so far as to sabotage, misappropriate, or defame the envied person.” This is exactly what Iago does; he conjures up a plan to sabotage Othello and defame Cassio in his fit of rage by using something he has mastered: jealousy/envy. In her essay, “Jealousy in Othello,” Jennifer Putnam states that Iago “wants everyone to feel as he does so he engineers the jealousy of other characters” (43). In short, Iago wanted to bring everyone, specifically Othello, down to the same level as him. He wanted those who made him feel insecure to share the same feelings in hopes of destroying…
Many characters in the Shakespearian play, Othello, are deceived by the clever and flattering Iago. Early on in the play, Iago is trying to get his plans against Othello into motion. He meticulously chooses vulnerable characters to help carry out his vengeful scheme. Roderigo is one of the many susceptible characters who fall for Iago’s tricks. Iago catches Roderigo in a very vulnerable state and carefully plants his own scheme into Roderigo’s mind. Iago wants Roderigo to keep fighting for Desdemona despite her marriage to Othello. He tells him “Seek thou rather be hazed in compassing thy joy then to be drowned without her” (1.3 353-355). Iago flatters Roderigo by making him believe he has a chance with Desdemona and to fight for her using…
Iago’s contribution to an unstable mood shapes the theme of jealousy taking over or acting as a consumer because Iago illustrates that jealousy can be the driving force behind abhorrence as it grows bigger and bigger. Iago continues to exact revenge on Othello and other people are being affected negatively as they fall with Othello. As Iago and Roderigo are fighting, Iago steps aside and says: “ Now, whether he kill Cassio,/or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,/ Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo,/ he calls me to a restitution large/ of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him/… If Cassio do remain,/ he hath a daily beauty in his life/ that makes me ugly. And Besides, the Moor/ May unfold me to him.” (V.I.13-22) Iago is thinking of killing Roderigo because he might be a threat…
Iago has the ability to charm and convince all the characters of his loyalty and honesty “Honest Iago”. But to the audience, Iago is a treacherous manipulator always looking to help himself by using the downfall of other characters. He uses many characters to his benefit, recognizing how trustworthy and oblivious these people are. Iago cannot be relied on as he has many masks, behind which he hides. He has many disguises and secrets that he hides from everyone. “I am not what I am” (Act 1, Scene 1, line 67), Iago’s opinion and treatment of women in the play also contributes to the audiences’ perception of him as cruel and unpleasant. Iago treats his wife Emilia in a very derogatory way, “It is a common thing…To have a foolish wife” Iago’s…
Beginning with the character Iago, one can see his jealousy fuel a villainous plot to demonstrate the dangers of the emotion. While explaining his hatred for Cassio to Roderigo, Iago complains, “One Michael Cassio . . . that never set a squadron in the field, nor the division of a battle knows . . . had the election” (Shakespeare 5). The conflict evident in Iago’s words is used by Shakespeare to bring forth the destructive nature of jealousy. From the get go, Shakespeare establishes Iago as the villain and Othello as the victim and in doing so, pushes the audience towards feeling sympathetic towards Othello and feeling hatred towards and rooting against Iago. Additionally, the conflict Shakespeare uses characterizes the character of Iago as jealous, which also contributes to molding the audience’s opinions towards him and a development of jealousy’s notoriety. While Shakespeare first introduces the conflict between Iago and Cassio as one over status and power towards the beginning of Othello, he brings the audience’s attention to Iago’s conflict with the Moor by having Iago exclaim, “I hate the Moor, and it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets he has done my office” (Shakespeare 54). Again, in this quote, Shakespeare uses the conflict between Iago and Othello to paint Iago as overly jealous man. The goal of these portrayals was to shine light on jealousy and the dangers that come with it. By portraying Iago as the jealous villain through conflict and Cassio and Othello as innocent victims, Shakespeare sends the idea that jealousy can destroy the…
What holds us back from being evil? What power hinders us from murdering, stealing, and hurting others? Most would say there is the sense of guilt and possible punishment, but regardless, they say that they still would never commit these offenses even with the repercussions not present. This is not true, we overestimate our actual compassion and to be evil is just a matter of being chastised; and with a lack of punishment, we would all be much more evil than we imagine. In Shakespeare's Othello, we tend to empathize with Othello, the honest Moor, in spite of being much more similar to Iago. We would like to imagine that Othello's actions are human nature, but deep down we understand Iago's behavior. Iago's motivations for monetary gain through…
Othello, however, is the man Iago intends to galvanize. Iago makes many inferences that Cassio is not a faithful man. He tells Othello that they may be having an affair, which is far from the truth. Othello, outraged, confronts Desdemona “Fetch me the handkerchief! My mind misgives,”(3.4.103-104). Iago puts Othello into a stage of psychological warfare. Othello desires Cassio’s “blood, blood, blood!”(3.3.512). Othello, once considered a wise man, is now irrational due to the insidious…
Othello doesn't investigate Iago's accusations about his wife cheating on him, but why? Why doesn't Othello look into it? Why does Othello believe everything Iago tells him is true? Why doesn't Othello seek his own proof of Desdemona's betrayal? I'll tell you why.…
What you don’t know doesn’t hurt you. Throughout the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago will take steps to poison Othello’s mind against Desdemona and Cassio. Iago will start off by getting Cassio drunk and getting him fired for stabbing Montano. Then, he tells Cassio to get Othello’s trust back he will need to talk to Desdemona about what has happened so she can talk to Othello about accepting him back. Conveniently, Iago will lead Othello over to where Cassio and Desdemona are talking, so Othello will have no choice but to be suspicious of Cassio.…
Othello’s negative portrayal of himself as a man and Desdemona as a wife illustrates a downward trend in his both his trust of Desdemona and his self-confidence as a result of the schemes of Iago. Iago has been attempting to indoctrinate Othello with the belief that his wife, Desdemona, has been cheating on him with Cassio for some time but it is only recently that Othello has begun to doubt the fidelity of Desdemona. Just two scenes earlier, at the start of Act III, Othello told Iago that he did not believe Desdemona would ever be unfaithful and refused to postulate anymore about the matter unless further evidence was presented. Still basing his suspicion only on the words of Iago, Othello is now all but convinced of Desdemona’s perfidiousness. He speaks highly of Iago calling him a “fellow of exceeding honesty” while speaking of his relationship with Desdemona with disdain, referencing the “curse of marriage.” Othello also uses falcon imagery to describe Desdemona’s suspected infidelity: “If I do prove her haggard, though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings, I’d whistle her off and let her down the wind To prey at fortune.” His use of the word “prey” styles Desdemona as nothing more than a savage, feral beast; a description much different than his prior references of his wife. Othello also describes how he would not hesitate to “let her down the wind” if he ascertained Desdemona had been disloyal, another falcon metaphor that again designates Desdemona a bird of prey: a fiendish and deleterious huntress. Othello also demonstrates his doubts of his wife’s fidelity with declarative, potent words like “curse,” “plague,” “destiny unshunnable,” and “death” to describe marriage and women having affairs. At the end of his speech he uses yet another powerful verb, “Even then this forkèd plague is fated to us when we do quicken.” His use of such powerful language throughout the speech is yet another indication of his loss of trust in Desdemona’s purity.…
In Act 1, scene 1, Iago is persuading Roderigo to help him in his plan against Othello. “I follow him to serve my turn upon him” (1.1.44). This is Shakespeare slightly letting the audience know Iago’s true intentions but not completely giving it away. Othello will be under the impression the Iago is faithful and loyal, but little does he know that Iago is the complete opposite. “I am not what I am” (1.1.67). Shakespeare predicts on what Iago’s plan will be in the near future and how Iago will definitely not be what he says he is. Here, the audience is completely comprehending his actual role in this play. Throughout the play , Othello still have the idea in his head that Iago is the man he depicts himself to be. In Act 1, scene 3, Othello is…
Iago’s manipulation of people and events leads the play into a tragedy. I disagree with Jem Bloomfield when he says, “Iago doesn’t have a motivation, and doesn’t need one” Iago makes it seem like he is getting revenge for no apparent reason but he does have a reason. For example when Othello gives the lieutenant position to Cassio, Iago is upset because he thought he would get the position so he plans to get revenge at him. Iago says, “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost dammn’d in a fair wife: That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows more than a spinster” (1.1.2) Iago is jealous and believes that Cassio should have never got the position because he has never been on the field like he has been. Iago says, “I hate the Moor: And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know not if’t be true; But I. for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do as if for surety” (1.3.12). The quote is the start of Iago’s planning for revenge to Othello and hatred towards him.…
It is important to note Iago's relationships with the other characters, and to see exactly how it is that he plays them like pawns. He pretends to be the one true friend, feigning concern and jumping at every opportunity to manipulate. He uses the trust of Othello to drive him crazy, and the trust of Cassio to lead him into a trap, for if he had not done as Iago advised, then Othello never would have had reason for his…
Although, Shakespeare does not give physical characteristics concerning Iago, he does provide deep insight concerning his cynical character and lack of integrity. When Othello, general of the Venetian army selects Cassio to become his lieutenant it begins to set the tone for Iago's jealousy, and vengeance against Othello. Iago felt that he deserved…