Othello And Iago Essay Example

This trait leads to his downfall as he fails to recognize his own destruction approaching. Throughout the play, imagery of a spider capturing its prey is used to describe Iago's actions. He positions everything perfectly, arranging for Cassio to get drunk and making sure the handkerchief goes missing. By deceiving Othello into believing Desdemona is cheating on him, Iago achieves success. He orchestrates a conversation between Cassio and Bianca and strategically places Othello to witness it. Nothing can stop Iago now, like a barbaric animal setting its trap. Without Iago's meticulous planning, the plot would have never unfolded.The success of Iago in his deceitful plot can be attributed partly to luck - the luck of Desdemona dropping and Emila retrieving the handkerchief, the luck of Bianca confronting Cassio, and the luck of his plot remaining undiscovered. Iago's importance to the play is also evident through his significant presence compared to other characters. He surpasses others in terms of stage time, soliloquies, and influence. He manipulates Roderigo, Cassio, and Othello, who all seek his advice. Even when he is off stage, he is still praised as being honest. Shakespeare keeps the focus on Iago throughout the play, with his soliloquies revealing his true evil nature as well as shedding light on the characteristics of other characters. Iago's dominant passion is evident in his determination to destroy Othello. He easily assesses Othello as having a free and open nature, a contrast to the difficulties other characters have in understanding human nature. Despite his dishonesty, Iago is often called "honest," and Othello struggles to counter Iago's simple argument that Desdemona may be unfaithful.Iago's ability to appear 'honest' is

a crucial trait that highlights others' flaws and enables him to manipulate and influence them. This quality is both natural and intentional, as Iago strives to maintain the appearance of honesty. Even before his plan begins, he is referred to as honest by many characters, suggesting that this is a fundamental characteristic of his. Furthermore, Iago defends Cassio after the drunken brawl, emphasizing their friendship and speaking with hesitation. This allows him to gain favor with all characters, particularly Cassio and Othello, enabling him to exert his influence over them. The success of Iago's deceptive honesty is most evident in the final scene, where his true dishonesty is exposed. Othello is left astounded by the extent of Iago's scheme and even compares him to a devil. Even on stage, Iago exudes dominance over the other characters.In Act 3 sn iii, Othello asks Iago to kneel beside him and make a pact to destroy Cassio and Desdemona. It is evident that Iago holds power over Othello. Iago tells Othello not to stand, declaring, "I am yours forever." This dominance is further seen in Act 4 sn I when Othello falls into a trance. The audience watches with pity as Iago proclaims, "Thus do credulous fools are caught." This would be a compelling scene where Iago finally subdues Othello. Through changing Othello's language and nature, Iago also proves his significance. Initially, derogatory terms like "black ram" and "plague him with flies" are used to describe Iago. However, he has managed to bring Othello down to this low level of speech. Similarly, after Cassio tarnishes his reputation, Iago advises him on how to regain his position. The language

Iago uses is forceful and authoritative. Cassio can only thank Iago as all initiative is gone – Iago controls him like a puppet, emphasizing his importance in the play. Another reason for Iago's success is his perceptive nature and ability to manipulate character flaws. Roderigo's infatuation with Desdemona is first noticed and cleverly capitalized on by Iago. He entices Roderigo with the promise that Desdemona will be his.The text highlights how Iago manipulates and takes advantage of various characters, including Roderigo, Cassio, and Othello. He uses Roderigo to further his plans and influences him to instigate a brawl involving Cassio. Iago exploits Cassio's weakness for alcohol as well as his reputation as a womanizer to his own advantage. He also manipulates Othello's trust in him and plants seeds of destruction in his mind. Iago uses persuasive language and hesitation to corrupt Othello's thoughts, particularly seen in Act 3 scene iii. Through repetition and hesitant language, Iago convinces Othello of his wife's infidelity. Additionally, Iago's use of basic language and sexual imagery proves effective with Othello, who is not skilled in complex speech and peaceful phrases.In summary, Iago manipulates Othello's military instincts successfully by using bestial imagery. This is evident when Brabantio reacts impulsively and loses control upon hearing about the relationship between Othello and Desdemona. Similar to this, Othello later succumbs to Iago's coarse language, resulting in his downfall. Iago plays a pivotal role in the tragedy of Othello and Desdemona, as without him, the events would not have unfolded. However, Othello is not without blame, as Iago exploits his vulnerabilities such as his trusting nature. One of these vulnerabilities is Othello's status as an

outsider/non-Venetian, which Iago capitalizes on to prey on Othello's insecurities. Additionally, Iago sheds light on the naive nature of Othello's relationship with Desdemona, which also contributes to the tragedy. The audience finds it absurd that Desdemona, a newlywed, would desire a sexual relationship with another man.This passage highlights Othello's lack of understanding of his wife, as he states that she is sociable, sings, plays, and dances. However, this contradicts Desdemona's own reasoning for wanting to accompany him to Cyprus, where she argues that her love for him would be diminished if she were left behind. It becomes evident to the audience that Iago has a greater understanding of Desdemona than her own husband, as he manipulates her into helping Cassio. Shakespeare's message in this play is that even the best of us can easily become victims of malicious intentions if manipulated in the right way, as demonstrated by Iago. One contributing factor to Iago's success in undermining Othello is his attacks on Othello's pride, as Othello values his reputation and service to the state. However, discovering that his wife is cheating on him deeply wounds his pride. Cunningly, Iago reminds Othello of Brabantio's words about Desdemona deceiving her father and potentially doing the same to Othello.Iago's manipulation of Othello, a man known for his unwavering beliefs, is what angers him the most. Iago's ability to plant such thoughts in Othello's mind is commendable. Iago serves as a stark contrast to Othello's goodness and love, highlighting the destructive consequences of hate, jealousy, and revenge. Motivated by greed and opportunism, Iago urges Othello to seek monetary gain. However, Othello is driven by intense emotions of love and

joy. Throughout the play, it becomes evident that Othello has fallen from grace, although Iago's involvement softens the blow. This suggests that Iago's evil is more responsible for Othello's downfall. The fact that even a man who is not easily prone to jealousy like Othello can be brought down highlights the immense power of Iago's vengeful and hateful feelings. Shakespeare aims to portray the consequences of destructive emotions, evoking pity rather than anger towards Othello. We can relate to his predicament as Iago strips him of his nobility. Iago's hatred and jealousy overpower him, revealing his emotional inadequacy. His perception of love is solely based on carnal desires and animalistic instincts. Another role that Iago plays is to create dramatic irony and tension, engaging the audience in the protagonist's destruction. Amongst all the characters, Iago is the one closest to the audience, forcing them to contemplate through his soliloquies.He strategically plans his actions and poses rhetorical questions on how he will achieve success in his plan, as seen in his soliloquies. This provides the audience with insight into the story's direction, resulting in dramatic irony. This is one of the reasons why Othello is a successful play in terms of audience satisfaction. Despite already knowing the storyline, we become more interested in the journey taken by Iago and Othello. Initially, we feel comfortable with embarking on this adventure, disregarding the exploitation of Roderigo. However, the journey takes a distasteful turn when we realize that Desdemona is involved in Iago's scheme. Iago will not be satisfied until he seeks revenge by betraying Othello just as he feels betrayed by him. From this point on, any positive

feelings we had for Iago quickly turn into disgust. However, driven by curiosity, we continue watching the play, eagerly anticipating whether Othello will discover Iago's sinister plans. Our interest lies not so much in the plot but in witnessing Othello's downfall. Iago, being a pivotal character in the play, is often mistakenly depicted as purely evil. However, his success can be attributed to his astute temperament and cunning intelligence. Additionally, Iago capitalizes on exploiting the weaknesses inherent in the other characters. He perceives their self-destructive tendencies and exacerbates them using crude language and non-substantiated evidence.Iago's ability to discover and take advantage of weaknesses has made him an accomplished villain. Despite debates about Iago's role in Othello's downfall, one fact remains unchanged: Iago is one of Shakespeare's most intricate, captivating, and malevolent characters. It is undeniable that without Iago, there would be no tragedy.