Iago Essays

The theme of appearance and reality is such a dominant one in Oedipus Rex and Othello, and the obsession with appearance plays such an important part in bringing them closer to Oedipus’ and Othello’s tragedy, that the plays can be termed a tragedies of appearance in human life, in which the opposite of appearance is […]

Jealousy is described as feelings of resentment against someone because of that person’s rivalry, success, or advantages. It plays a very large role in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. Jealousy is the fire that motivates Iago and clouds Othello’s judgment, leading to the downfall of both men. Iago is extremely jealous of Cassio because of his position in […]

Consider how Shakespeare’s themes of prejudice and chaos versus order were received by his contemporary audience. How does Geoffrey Sax’s production continue to find relevance in these issues for the modern audience? Othello is a play of tragedy; that examines the darker aspects of human existence, and forces us as audience to contemplate what it […]

In Shakespeare’s play “Othello” the character Othello is presented as an outsider to the events that are taking place amongst the other characters. He was excluded from what the truth holds and this caused his downfall, along with his jealous nature and stubbornness. To make things worse Iago’s cunning plans captures Othello into a downward […]

Jeoffery Sax’s contemporary film version of Othello consistently portrays the strong and influential themes of race and women that are present in Shakespeare’s original play. However, these themes are greatly contrasted by the changes in society that undermine their values and purposes. The accounts of both Shakespeare’s Othello vividly express the changes in values regarding […]

Undoubtedly, Professor F’s influence is unquestionable. In his discussion of Shakespeare’s Othello, R Leavis asserts that the story is a tale of self-destruction rather than simple manipulation. According to him, Othello’s downfall emerges from his inherent flaws of selfishness, lack of self-knowledge, pride, and an egotistical nature. Leavis argues against fellow critic Bradley’s perspective that […]

“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose” (Stevenson, Robert). In play Othello identity is a topic that appears throughout the play. In Shakespeare Othello all the women, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca have no separate identity all three are defined by who they are or not married to or […]

William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” was inspired by Giraldi Cinthio’s collection of 100 narratives, “Hecatommithi”, which was published in 16th century Italy. It is believed that Shakespeare read the original Italian version and was inspired to create his own rendition. While maintaining the majority of the original ideas, Shakespeare also incorporated some of his own alterations […]

“ Iago is a villain who is thoroughly bad and cold, yet he may be admired for his intelligence, understanding of the human spirit and his ability to manipulate certain individuals to believe him . ” Of all the characters in Shakespeare’s Othello, none is more complex and unknown than Iago. He displays a duplicitous […]

Through extensive critical study of William Shakespeare’s play Othello, taking into account the countless productions of the play over the years, which reaffirms its status as an enduring valued text, it becomes distinctly evident that part of its ability to continually engage readers is drawn from its treatment of themes universal to the human experience […]

My idea of a traditional villain is someone guilty or capable of a crime or wickedness, this suggestion shall be used in my evaluation of the characters in each text to decide whether the characters have been presented as convincing villains and if they fit the description of ‘the villain’, as someone who is evil […]

The villains in Othello, We Need To Talk About Kevin, and Rebecca draw readers in with their mysterious motives. Rather than spelling out their true intentions, the authors provide hints, allowing readers to interpret the characters’ motivations. Othello, a romantic tragedy written in 1603, was adapted by Shakespeare from an Italian writer named Giambattisa Cinzio […]

Act IV is a crucial scene in the play Othello. It is the first time that we see Othello himself physically and mentally damaged from the constant manipulation by Iago, as he first suffers a mental breakdown and then goes on to strike Desdemona. These actions could be considered not just surprising but also, in […]

While the focus of Shakespeare’s Othello is often on the domestic conflict of Othello and Desdemona, these events are purposefully fixed in specific geographic locations: Venice and Cyprus. Shakespeare creates a comparison of Venice with Cyprus that permeates the play, and the influence that geography has on the play can be vital to understanding why […]

Jealousy is an overwhelming, intense and all consuming emotion which can sometimes be irrational. It can lead to the manipulation of the person, and take the form of an obsession and can be very powerful. In Shakespeare’s Othello, jealousy and manipulation can be presented in various forms which seem to be having devastating effects on […]

Othello is a character whom from the start, we do not see any flaws within, or within Desdemona’s and his marriage. However, the name ‘Iago’ is synonymous with villainy and evil. He is without much doubt on of Shakespeare’s most popular antagonists, but the question remains as to what actually motivates Iago to betray Othello […]

Tragedy is constantly evolving, with differing key aspects defining how tragedians have constructed their plays. Stoppard believed tragedy should be defined as: “Wheels [that] have been set in motion and they have their own pace, to which we are . . . condemned. Each move is dictated by the previous one – that is the […]

The play ‘Othello’ has derived from opposites and opposition, and many contradictions contained in the play are embodied in the tragic hero, this basic plot alone could have well been presented as a catastrophe and so it is almost certain that Othello could be seen as inevitable because this plot later on spirals out of […]

Deception is a reoccurring theme throughout the play which touches all protagonists at various levels. The plot is based on the dishonesty and delusion of the characters. It is difficult for the audience to judge who is deceiving whom. the audience Often becomes part of the trickery and remains unaware that they themselves are being […]

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the men are frequently seen as coxcombs. The minor male characters are presented in an exaggerated fashion, appearing almost as caricatures of vain foolish men who do not truly know themselves. Roderigo claims to see Desdemona as “full of most blest condition”, yet he is willing to plot and scheme to obtain […]

‘Iago’s soliloquies are the key to our understanding to both his motives and his methods’. How far do you agree with this? In your answer you should discuss the methods he employs and the motives he offers. Try also to demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which Shakespeare uses the soliloquies to present a […]

The opening statement is “It is the cause, it is the cause” This shows that Othello believes strangling his own wife for being deceitful is justified. He believes that Desdemona deserves what is about to happen to her.However, the audience are plagued with the knowledge that it is not justified and she is innocent. Yet […]