Othello Power Analysis

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Lord Acton once said “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, which William Shakespeare proves in his play “Othello” through the manipulative character Iago. Throughout the play Iago craves power and deceives others to receive power. Over time Iago gets the power he desires and his corrupt self is eventually seen by others. Power debases Iago as how he got the power is not righteous. Within the tragedy, Shakespeare uses the idea of appearance versus reality with Iago, to show how authority can pervert a person. The tragedy starts with Othello naming Michael Cassio the lieutenant of his troops. Suddenly Iago displays jealousy, stating “I am not what I am” (II.i.66), foreshadowing his duplicity. Early on, Iago displays his desire for power by showing anger after Othello does not name him lieutenant. Iago’s power crave turns him into a false person, as Iago appears to be different than how he is in reality. Iago never has a motive for hating Othello, and he changes his reasoning as he slowly becomes corrupt through lying and manipulation. Iago goes on to …show more content…

After convincing Roderigo to sell his land, Iago remarks “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse”” (I.iii.365), saying he plans to manipulate Roderigo. Roderigo stays loyal to Iago, as Iago promised he could sleep with Desdemona. Iago uses Roderigo’s sexual desire to get money and favors out of Roderigo time after time. Roderigo eventually catches on to the lies, realizing “I have wasted myself out of my means” (IIII.ii.183-184), and threatens murder, before Iago manipulates him out of doing so. Finally Iago pulls off the ultimate manipulation with Roderigo as he positions him to kill Cassio, but in the end it is Iago who kills Roderigo. Othello approves of the killing, as Othello conspired with Iago for the murder after Iago had manipulated the moor time after

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