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Analysis of the character of othello
Character analysis in the play othello
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Recommended: Analysis of the character of othello
Influence at its Smartest: Jealousy and Manipulation
Jealousy and manipulation often go hand in hand. In some cases, plans backfire, and some are awfully tricky. The infamous play Othello highlights the points of manipulation and trust mainly within the characters of Othello and Iago. The roles of watchfulness, trust, and motives play a significant part in their relationships. Due to Othello's insecurity with his marriage and Iago's high position of authority and ability to manipulate, Othello's opinion of his wife's faithfulness was quickly converted with no apparent reason or action. Othello and Iago had a rare relationship that encompassed feelings of jealousy and trust, which were evident in how the motives came into play. communication between Cassio and Desdemona, Othello’s trust in Iago grows. This trust ultimately leads to Othello’s downfall as Iago manipulates him into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful. The relationship between Iago and Othello is a complex one, with Iago’s deceitful nature and Othello’s naivety being the driving force behind the plot.
His military position is equal to, or in his eyes, better than Cassio's. Iago possesses all the qualities of a powerful leader and brainwasher. According to Blooms, "Iago is a genius in his trickery; however, he is a skeptic of his own ability and cleverness." This suggests that Iago feels a sense of guilt in what he is doing but has the utmost power to manipulate over and over again until he gets what he wants. There is no doubt that Iago is uncertain about what he is doing; after all, he is essentially commanding death without formally saying it. Iago's power lies in the fact that he is a wonderful actor and can persuade somebody quicker than most. Othello fell for it completely, and with Iago reigning the bigger person, Othello was being belittled without even realizing it. The phrase "Honest Iago" was used many times throughout the book, not only by Othello but also by Iago himself. Othello uses it with great confidence, implying that the times he has used it in regards to Iago have been of that nature (Abernathy). "Honest Iago" is the big element of irony in the classic tragedy. It is completely false- Iago's whole setup is lies. However, in some ways, this has truth in that Iago is honest in what he wants and how he wants to obtain it. The whole reason Othello started to trust Iago was that he sided with him in the new assumptions, and they both turned on Cassio together.
In the tragedy Othello there is a character named Iago, his main goal is to be at the top. Iago at this point is willing to anything to get to his goal of being lieutenant. So what he does to get where he wants to be is lie to everyone; Othello, Roderigo, Cassio. One should play close attention to how he deceives Cassio. It would be a fair assumption that one could compare Iago to Hitler; due to his way of getting what he wants. Iago is direct but not enough to make the character aware of what he is really up to. He is very good at deceiving people. Iago knows his way around people and uses that skill to get what he wants and where he wants to be.
In Othello, Iago uses his fine reputation as an “honest man” and Othello’s insecurities to manipulate him and carry out his master plan of destroying Cassio, Othello, and Desdemona. Iago’s insight towards the other characters’ weaknesses enables him to let them know exactly what they want to hear, which helps him gain their trust. He plays upon the insecurities of others to maneuver them into carrying out the actions he needs done in order to fulfill his own desires. In looking at Othello, we will consider the Othello’s blind acceptance of “the truth” as it is presented to him and find that when we blindly take another’s “truth” and accept it as our own, we merely become tools utilized by the person who gave us that supposed truth and give up the power of being ourselves—we fail to assert a self. Iago is angry because Othello chose Cassio to hold a position which he thinks he deserves, so he seeks revenge by playing upon Othello’s main flaw—his lack of trust—and putting Cassio in a position that would turn Othello against him.
In the play, Othello, written by William Shakespeare Iago is one of the most unique and interesting characters. Not only is Iago a main character, but he is also one of the most controversial, causing more drama and quarrels than any other character in the play. Shakespeare does a good job with the character of Iago by creating an atmosphere where Iago can keep the reader's attention on each and every individual scene throughout the entire play, as one tries to figure out Iago's true intentions. When reading the play it is easy for an individual to view Iago as an evil person who gets pleasure from malicious acts he inflicts upon others around him.
Implicitly targeting Othello’s doubts about marrying Desdemona and insecurities about her actions with infidelity, Iago eventually impacts Othello enough that the General himself confides in Iago about his own wife. Earlier in the play, ‘honest Iago’ needs to first gain Othello’s confidence and he does so by expressing his loyalty to Cassio, “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth/ Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio”, while Othello is present in a conflict (2.3. 203-204). Then, later in the play Iago baits Othello by suggesting that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Immediately, Othello wants more information; however, Iago nervously responds with, “…vicious in my guess-/ As I confess…” and tries to calm Othello by saying, “My noble lord-” (3.3 46-47, 93). When voicing his devotion to Cassio, Iago immediately begins to play on his false reputation as ‘honest Iago’. He enables Othello, and his fellow characters, to think highly of him and to respect that even when his partner, Cassio, has not been following orders, Iago would even endure physical pain and have his “tongue cut from [his] mouth” and proves his locality (2.3. 203). This leads to when Iago responds to Othello’s queries, about
Iago plots with supreme cleverness, carefully manipulating Othello into believing that Desdemona is an adulteress. His understanding of the human psyche is impressive, as is his ability to orchestrate the deception throughout the play. Iago 's trickery is strong because of his patience; he has the ability to make people manifest ideas in their heads and just wait for his victims to go mad. Iago 's convincing rhetoric clearly reveals what a dominant device language can be, especially when used by an eloquent, but immoral, person. Once can see Iago being deceptive and devious when he pretends to warn Othello on the effects of jealousy by saying “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on (III. iii.195-197). Here, he pretends to warn Othello not to be a jealous man, by pointing out that jealousy ends up destroying the heart of the man who becomes a victim to it. Iago was the one who told Othello the lie and planted the evil seed in his mind. Iago’s vindictiveness is also revealed when he says “The Moor already changes with my poison;/Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,/Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,/But with a little act upon the blood/Burn like the mines of Sulphur.“ (III. Iii. 373-378). Iago realizes the unbelievable power of jealousy and claims that
Iago manipulates Othello by telling him false lies about his wife and Cassio having an affair which ruins the relationship between Othello and his spouse. To Othello, Iago is a loyal, trustworthy, and honest friend. Othello is always asking Iago for advice because he is closer to him and puts his full trust on his faithful friend. However, Iago abhors Othello through jealousy because Othello appointed Cassio as his lieutenant. “I’ a...
Throughout the play there are countless instances that fully showcase Iago’s manipulative capabilities. For example, when convincing Othello that Desdemona has given Cassio her handkerchief, he says, “And to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife! She gave it to him, and he hath giv’n it his whore.”(Shakespeare 4.1. 196-198). It is these exact words that lead Othello to his jealous murder of Desdemona which leads to large amounts of death and destruction towards the end of the play. The DSM elaborates on this criterion by describing the person in question as “frequently deceitful and manipulative in order to gain personal profit or pleasure” (DSM 660). This is consistent with Iago’s character as well, seeing as how his agenda against Cassio is only to promote himself in his ranks. He also seeks to destroy Othello in order to get back at him for promoting Cassio instead of himself. Another reason for Iago’s hatred towards Othello is that he has been accused of sleeping with Emilia, Iago’s wife. Both these motives are centered around revenge and selfish desires. Earlier in the play, Iago’s manipulation is brilliantly showcased through his interactions with Roderigo. In fact, when the ever slow and gullible Roderigo finally begins to catch onto the fact that Iago is using him, Iago says, “Thou hast taken
An important reason that makes Iago is such a fascinating character is the fact that there is little known about him. Unlike the other characters in this play, Iago cannot be given any clear description about who he is as a person. Desdemona is the typical pure virgin type, Roderigo is a rich fool in love, and Cassio is a handsome Venetian army Lieutenant. For Iago there is no other apparent about his character other than his snake like personality. The information about him is that he is a general to Othello, and is married to Desdemona’s hand maiden, Emilia. This is all that is known about Iago, the reader is given no background. The main mystery about Iago is why he executes his devious plan. Through the whole play, the reader is looking for reasons or hints as to why Iago has become so evil. By the end of the play there is no clear reason for him going after Othello. When describing why he plans to ruin Othello he gives two reasons; rumors about his wife having an affair with Othello, and a hint about affections for Desdemona. Both of these reasons are said in a vague off-handed type manner, giving the reader no true motive for Iago. Even in the very end of the play, after he’s been caught Iago refuses to give a...
In the play Othello, there are many jealous and selfish characters. Each of the characters at one point or another let their jealousy take over. It seems like they all have these plots and plans on how to hurt another character in the play either physically or emotionally, as an act of selfishness, so that they can feel better about themselves. One main character who seems extremely jealous in this play is Iago. Infact, probably the most jealous. Many bad things happen because of Iago. The first bad thing that Iago did, was tell Barbantio (Desdamona's father) that Desdemona has married Othello, the Moore. Iago was mad at Othello, because Cassio had made Othello a higher position and not Iago. Iago thought that he was the one who qualified for the position as general, not Othello. Iago was jealous because of this, so he decided to tell Barbantio about Desdemona and Othello. This was bad, because Barbantio did not know yet, and something like that should have been said by his own daughter, not someone who was not part of the family. The way Iago went about telling him was also bad. He called to his house in the middle of the night. He yelled it to Barbantio from downstairs into his window in a rude manner. " quote from Othello here." He wanted Barbantio to be upset about what had happened, and most of all, he wanted Barbantio to be mad at Othello and do something bad to him.
Iago is a antagonist in Othello and he is a gritty person . He is always trying to get what he wants by manipulating people. Iago kept trying to get Othello believe that Desdemona was having an affair with Cassio and he fell for it . For instance , “ O beware , my lord , of jealousy; It is the greened-eyed monster which dock moth the meat it feeds on” ( 3.3.163.2-165) . In this scene he is keep on raising Othello’s suspicions about Desdemona , He is warning Othello to beware of Desdemona “affair” . Part of the reason that Iago is gritty is that he doesn't actually have a motive . He does thing out of spite , pure evilness , and pure satisfaction . Throughout the play Iago continues to manipulate others so they can do his “dirty” work for him.
Iago is a twenty- eight years old Caucasian married man and he is soldier in the Venetian army. Iago is viewed as modest, honest, and a good friend to people in public. People refer to him as “honest Iago” which lead them to trust him. Iago plans to destroy Othello by manipulating him to believe that his wife is being unfaithful to him with his promoted lieutenant Cassio, a position Iago wanted to have. Although the scandal that Iago came up with is a complete lie, Othello ends up believing him. Iago uses his ability to talk to people in order to accomplish his plan of destroying Othello because he wasn’t granted the position of the Venice army. (Sorto 1)
One of the most prominent traits in Iago is his ability to manipulate. His entire plan of bringing about the downfall of Othello involves him manipulating characters into believing what he wants them to believe. In fact, he is so good at manipulating people that no one even suspects him of doing anything wrong because they believe he is such an honorable man. “Iago deceives Othello by also manipulating other people to achieve his ends” (Boyce). This shows that Iago is able to deceive mostly everyone in the play. However, Iago himself says in Act I scene i line 62 of Othello “I am not what I am.” He means that he is not the loyal, honest friend that he appears to be to everyone else. His manipulations include using Roderigo for his money if he helps him against Othello while making it seem like he will help Roderigo win Othello’s wife, Desdemona (Shakespeare). He also manipulates Othello by making it seem as if Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair, which is what ultimately brings about the hero’s downfa...
Jealousy falls from love. In Othello the two are interlinked. Several characters show a love jealousy towards others. Iago has a jealous urge towards Othello because of Desdemona. “Now, I do love her too, not out of absolute lust, though peradventure, I stand accountant for as great a sin, for that I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leap’d into my seat”(28). Iago is in love with Desdemona not because of thirst for her but more by chance because he is jealous of Othello for winning Desdemona’s heart over all the other men after her. Iago also believes that Othello was after his wife, Amelia, when her and Iago were first married. Iago is jealous that Othello has stolen Desdemona’s heart behind her father’s back and stolen her away from all the men after her so that now she is all his. Because of Iago’s jealousy he vows to strike revenge on Othello. He contends that nothing can stop him from or produce fulfillment in his cause except obtaining retribution on Othello. “ A...
Iago has been excellent at saying the what is needed to get to people, he misleads them to get a reaction he wants out of them. He is clever with his words to avoid confrontation that can easily happen. “Othello 's confusion is the human experience of language. In other words, language itself, not the outside world, determines meaning” (Christofides 2). Iago uses his words against Othello to get him to do Iago’s doings. Iago has an eloquence with
Angry over being passed up for a promotion Iago decided to take matters into his own hands. In order to become lieutenant Iago devised a plan that included breaking up Othello’s marriage and eliminating Cassio as competition. Iago enticed Roderigo to be his partner in crime with the promise of attaining Desdemona’s love. Desdemona had many suitors since she was an attractive young woman, yet she “shunned [t]he wealthy,” (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 66-67), which included Roderigo, who owned multiple plots of land. Roderigo, who was naïve for thinking Iago actually had his best interest in mind, was easily persuaded since he was obsessed with Desdemona. The truth of the matter was that