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In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, the character Iago lacks a superego which allowed his id to run free and this caused him to lack any form of sympathy and to become a sociopath. This led to him hurting everyone he could and to his eventual downfall. He also tried to justify his actions throughout the play to reinforce his righteous ego.…
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Shakespeare has created the character of Iago as the villain of the play. He drives the plot as he schemes and manipulated other characters. He fascinates and terrifies the audience with his revengeful plotting which he has no real motivation for.…
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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…
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Iago is manipulative and also very cunning however what led to his downfall is him underestimating others. He has a talent for understanding and manipulating people around him desires and that makes him both a powerful and a heavily admired character. Shakespeare display Iago as an evil character who’s willing to drag innocent character into his revenge- Roderigo, Desdemona and Emilia. Iago is able to hurt Othello deeply because he understands Othello so well and as the ply progress on seem to grow even closer to Othello as his revenge progresses. He frequently refers to Othello as the 'Moor´ this statement show…
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Iago is a cruel and evil man who uses ways to ruin Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Othello appointed Cassio, to be his lieutenant. Iago was mad when he heard about it, he believes that he should be the one for the position since he knows more. This started off with his jealousy of Cassio. When Othello and Desdemona got married without letting anyone knowing, Iago begins to plot his plan. He used Roderigo to help him throughout the process of his plan to bring down Cassio. He then told Othello lies to ruin his own relationship. He also use Bianca as his part of the plan. Iago got people into thinking he was a nice honest guy, but he uses other people's jealousy and gullibleness for his own benefit.…
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Roderigo, a gulled gentleman, is the main character susceptible to Iago's villianess plot. During a personal conversation, Iago learns of Roderigo's lustful nature toward Desdemona, Othello's wife. Immediately, Iago discovers Roderigo's weakness, love, and employs a plan, manipulating him to do his bidding. As Roderigo's only friend, Iago promises him that he can have Desdemona, even though she is married and joining Othello on a trip to Cyprus. Iago and Roderigo's toxic friendship is shown when Iago uses Roderigo's money for his own self, and in keeping with the friendship, Iago will never run out. To ensure the beginning of his plan, Iago reassures Roderigo that his job is easy. All he has to do is assume a disguise, go to Cyprus and "Put money in thy purse" (1.3.351-352). In…
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The first claim that Auden makes is that Iago is a villain. Shakespeare has only once in his literary career ever applied the term of “villain,” to a character, and that, fittingly, was to Iago. However, to further qualify Iago’s character to be a villain, one must go beyond simply the author’s intentions, but to the deeply rooted qualities that a villain must have. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a villain as an “unprincipled or depraved scoundrel; a man naturally disposed to base or criminal actions, or deeply involved in the commission of disgraceful crimes”. In close reading of the tragedy of Othello, it is very easy to infer that Iago does indeed fall into all of these categories quite gratifyingly. The actions that Iago commits certainly do qualify as unprincipled and depraved. It also does most definitely seem that Iago is naturally disposed to these crimes, seeing that he doesn’t feel any remorse from his actions, nor does he relinquish any sort of actions that would infer that he is attempting to stop all the despicable deeds he has planted the seeds for from being committed.…
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In the play ,Iago comes off as a diabolical character who sets everyone's lives on fire .However, his motives are often questioned as they seem relatively vague in the play.Throughout the play he cites various reasons to hate Othello.Firstly, he is upset by the fact that Iago chose Cassio over him and promoted Cassio.He feels that he was the perfect candidate for Cassio's position and feels insulted by Othello's choice.He confesses this to Roderigo in the following lines:…
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“Deceit and falsehood, whatever conveniences they may for a time promise or produce, are in the sum of life obstacles to happiness. Those who profit by the cheat distrust the deceiver, and the act by which kindness is sought puts an end to confidence”(Johnson218).Iago’s motives for his actions may be jealousy, greed, paranoia , and even the simple fact of seeing if he can get away with it. Iago has built a reputation that yields its own gravity. If Shakespeare’s setting took place in America, Iago would be the American dream. He’s married, he is a sound soldier, has an affinity for people, and is always there to help someone in need. Iago is the typical role model. What society fails to realize is that Iago does noble acts when visible but it remains unknown as to what his true intentions are. Iago’s relationship with Othello is one that gives with the right hand and takes with the left. In the right hand, putting race aside, Iago looks up to Othello as a father: he desires his attention, always wants to be involved in his life, and is someone whose footsteps he’d like to follow. Then we have Iago’s left hand, which takes race into account, cannot stand Othello to the point that his very own existence is to become the poison that fills his lungs and the host of the illusion that clouds his mind. The relationship between them is almost incredulous. Iago literally wants to be everything for Othello, the good and the bad. For this reason I believe it vindicates Iago’s methods towards Cassio.…
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Iago craves getting revenge and taking what he believes is rightfully his and will do anything he has to in order to achieve those goals. Iago wants to take “revenge/ For that I do suspect the lusty Moor/ Hath leap’d into my seat” (2.2 283-85) not because he wishes to cause chaos. He also seeks to take the lieutenant spot away from Cassio because he’s proven himself to be a strong soldier in battle, but he’s achievements have been “lee’d and calm’d/ By debitor and creditor; this counter-caster” (1.1 30-31). Iago’s poor self-esteem leaves him jealous of Othello’s achievements and Cassio’s looks and status, while also leaving him very doubtful and ungrateful for the things he does have. He suspects that his wife has cheated on him without any actual proof and treats her with an aloof behavior, while Othello and Desdemona have a very happy and loving marriage. In comparison to Cassio, Iago is not seen as very good looking or much of a scholar. Iago performs all of his deeds to satisfy his jealousy and self-esteem because he’s surrounded by people who are far more accomplished than he…
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Iago uses his partner Rodergio who thinks that they two are very good friends to help him. Iago also tries to get rid of Cassio into Othello’s bad side so he can win the lieutenant position. Iago very much sounds like the antagonist in this play and Othello is used as a side character to keep the play going. In the beginning of the play Iago already tells world about who he is and what he is going to do and says , "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse I hate the Moor, And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets '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. He holds me well. The better shall my purpose work on him. Cassio's a proper man. Let me see now: To get his place and to plume up my will…
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Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and moves him closer toward his objectives. Iago is not like those men who loyally serve their masters all their lives and then are fired when they're too old to work. "Whip me such honest knaves" (1.1.49), Iago contemptuously exclaims. When Iago explains to Roderigo that he hates Othello, Roderigo wonders why Iago is still working for Othello. Iago then goes on to explain that he's a hypocrite, who is only pretending to be loyal to Othello. Iago seems to do a great deal of character analysis and exposition for the audience; here, he divulges his purpose in serving Othello, and the kind of man he is when he says,…
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Iago is undoubtedly the most psychologically intriguing character carefully presented by Shakespeare through his exploitation of the other characters in order to compliment his master plan. In the opening of Othello, Iago convinces Roderigo to join him in plotting against Othello by using Roderigo's love for Desdemona to provoke ill feelings towards Othello. However, he…
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Iago’s hatred is fueled by Othello’s decision to appoint Cassio to the position that Iago desired even though Iago felt that he was much more qualified. Iago felt that he deserved to advance up the social ladder instead of remaining stationary. Iago makes this feeling clear when he is talking to Roderigo and says “It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him, I follow but myself (I.i. 58-60). Iago is saying that if he had the power of Othello, he would be his own leader and not answer to anybody but…
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Iago is one of the most interesting characters in Othello. He is full of jealousy, greed, selfishness, and hatred. At first, it seems Iago is only jealous of Othello because he has chosen Cassio for lieutenant instead of Iago. When it is revealed Iago is developing a plot in order to take down Othello, a shift in Iago’s character is seen. He is not only jealous, but he acts on his jealousy, making him appear crueler than when first introduced. As Iago explains, “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. I have ’t. It is engendered! Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light” (I.iii.336-341). Iago notices Othello’s character and acts on his weaknesses, showing both his cruelty and intelligence. Iago deceives Othello, who trusts him the most throughout the story, often referring to Iago as “honest Iago” (I.iii.294). Shakespeare uses irony continuously throughout the play when it comes to Iago. One of the most ironic parts of the play is the fact Othello puts great trust into Iago, who lies…
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