Have you ever wondered how manipulation can completely influence a person? In a tragedy called “Othello” by William Shakespeare, this is observed throughout the play when a character named Iago plans his revenge on Othello. This happens because Othello, the protagonist, makes a decision of who his second command is going to be: Michael Cassio or Iago. Othello chooses Cassio and thus Iago is furious. Ever since that moment, Iago has vowed to himself to get his revenge on Othello at any cost. With this being a tragedy, Othello ends up killing himself because his wife Desdemona is dead at the cost of false accusations from manipulation. With her death comes with the question of who’s responsible for her death? My character Othello is not guilty …show more content…
Throughout the story Iago grows close to Othello and gains his trust. Thus, Iago takes advantage of this by getting into Othello’s head and telling him lies. We see Othello beginning to trust Iago when he calls him “Honest Iago” to ask him what happened when Cassio and Roderigo fought. Since the two fought, Othello fires Cassio which leaves Iago as Othello’s main guy. Iago talks to Cassio to comfort him after his being fired, and Iago tells him to talk to Desdemona to get her to convince Othello to bring him back. Since Iago trusts Othello, he strongly values Iago’s opinion. As a result, Iago begins to manipulate Othello and hints at a possible affair Desdemona is having with Cassio since the two have been seen seeing each other often. We see Iago’s plan somewhat working as Othello is only skeptical and not fully convinced, yet. …show more content…
Moors were looked down upon during that time and strongly oppressed. However, Othello was respected because he was a war hero; he was seen as this strategic and fearless general that won wars and crushed his enemies. Therefore people respected him, but didn’t forget who he really was. Throughout the story we see people still call Othello Moor, when talking about him or talking to him. This is seen when Brabantio, Desdemona’s death, is talking to Iago about Othello, “Would ever have, t' incur a general mock, run from her guardage to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou—to fear, not to delight. Judge me the world if ’tis not gross in sense that thou hast practiced on her with foul charms, abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals.” Here Brabantio is accusing Othello of drugging Desdemona since nobody would ever fall in love with him since he’s a Moor. He uses Othello’s race to justify him doing an action like that since he’s to be feared and not loved, all because of his race. He also says how it’s obvious to everyone that he’s done something like drugging Desdemona to get her, possibly implying what people really think about Othello and what kind of person he is. However some argue that Othello is guilty for Desdemona’s death because he’s irrational and believed Iago over his own wife. This makes sense because Iago never provided actual proof of Desdemona
The play Othello by William Shakespeare has been argued to have been given the wrong name. The focus of the play is on Iago and the numerous tricks he employs to exact his revenge. Although Othello is a powerful and significant character, Iago is unparalleled in his manipulative nature, causing devastation to the lives of those who trust him. The hatred and jealousy Iago harbors towards Othello leads to the ruin of key characters. How does Iago manage to manipulate so many people in Othello?
Manipulation is viewed in a negative light in society, but if used correctly, such as advertisement, can be quite effective. Despite the fact that Iago is considered to be Othello’s right-hand man, he uses conniving and manipulation to get revenge, shaping every odd occurrence and event to his own cowardly schemes. Iago gets inside of Othello’s mind and uses his jealousy and persecution as the Moor against him. He controls Rodrigo and ultimately destroys his reputation as well as influences Cassio when he is depressed. Iago figures out ways to manipulate multiple characters in Shakespeare’s play Othello using their faults - jealousy, control, and pride – to obtain his wants and desires.
In William Shaspeare play Othello, Iago make Othello believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. He does by taking advantage of any situation to make of Othello doubt. Iago make Othello thing a lot of crazy thing on his head, Othello got so jelous leading him to kill his own wife, Desdemona, satisfying iago obseccion for revenge.
Have you ever thought someone could use your own emotions against you? In The Tragedy Of Othello: The Moor Of Venice, by William Shakespeare, the emotions the characters feel are used against them. This happens to both Othello and Cassio. Othello is the moor of Venice. He is also the general of the Venetian Army. Cassio is the Lieutenant of the Venetian Army. Iago utilizes Cassio’s hatred of drinking against him to make him act impulsively. He also uses Othello’s strong belief of Desdemona’s loyalty against him to persuade him to act impulsively. Iago transforms characters from being composed to impulsive by utilizing their emotions against them, making them do something they normally would not do.
Therefore, Othello status as an esteemed general, does not overshadow his status as a moor. If anything his status as a moor in most cases overshadows the fact that he is a general, and that he is a civil human being. Unlike the portrayal that the Elizabethan had of moors, Othello was not uncivilized and he was not ruled by lust, chaos and corruption.
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
...of Othello who then resigns Cassio of his duty; he is also the main focus of Othello's temper by making it look like he is having an affair with Desdemona. Iago lies to Desdemona that Othello is only upset because of some state matter, however, knowing very well why Othello is behaving as such. Iago manipulates Roderigo by telling him to sell all of his possessions so that he can woo Desdemona and win her heart; he also takes advantage of Roderigo because Iago knows that he is a fool and will do anything for love. Iago the master puppeteer misleads his victims Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, and Roderigo by feeding lies to them and making them be suspicious on one another. These are some of the ways that Iago manipulates and deceives his victims which are stated in the play Othello.
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) A manipulative person gives himself the full-rights to do as they please without taking the rights of others into consideration, and they go about doing so by presenting themselves in the purest image of a good moral person, while they hide the true evil inside waiting for the right moment to dominate their prey. “They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible....
In Act three, Scene three, Desdemona agrees to speak to Othello in Cassio’s behalf) As Desdemona and Cassio discuss Cassio’s loss of rank and trust in Othello’s eyes. Iago brings to Othello’s attention the discussion taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago knowing full well why the discussion is happening. Iago hints the pair seems to be spending a lot of time together. Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind Othello begins to ponder the idea of whether Iago suspicions are true.
The situation above leaves an opening for Iago to fulfill his vital plan to bring down Othello through Desdemona. Cassio was a mental wreck and told Iago that his reputation was ruined. Iago told him that he can get his rank back through Desdemona and get back on Othello's good side. "Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again (p. 54)." Once Cassio talks to Desdemona, Iago will speak with Othello and get him to think of his wife's trust. In Act three Scene three Iago is speaking to Othello and warns him to look out for Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks Iago if it was just Cassio that left from speaking with his wife.
All Iago had to do was hint at Desdemona being unfaithful and Othello’s becomes very bothered it and eventually starts believing it. The author of an essay does an analysis on Iago and says “He slowly poisons people’s thoughts, creating ideas in their heads without implicating himself. Iago even says himself that the advice he gives is free and honest and thus, people rarely stop to consider the possibility that Iago is fooling them.“ (Shakespeare’s Othello – Honest Iago). So Iago would hint at something going between Desdemona and Cassio so that Othello would become bothered and ask him what he means by that, it was like a game that Iago was playing, he would drop a little hint and then expect Othello to pick up on it and start questioning it and become more even suspicious. Brabantio tells Othello “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee” (I.ii.286-287), So In this scene Brabantio warns Othello that Desdemona has already fooled him and she might fool him too, so be careful, and it turns out, Othello believed in him after all and that’s part of the reason of why he thinks that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. It leads him to start questioning Desdemona in a very suspicious way. At one point he even hits her in front of a nobleman and that was very shocking to the nobleman because he believed him to be a very calm and collected gentleman but obviously he was a changed man. The nobleman even expresses his shock by saying that “My lord, this would not be believed in Venice, though I should swear I saw’t. ‘Tis very much make her amends; she weeps” (IV .i.217-219). This negative thinking and insecurity was one of the main reasons to Othello’s change in a negative way. A lot of this was Iago’s doing but it was also Othello’s fault to fall for Iago’s
Throughout the drama, Othello let Iago control him as if he was a puppet under his master’s hands. When Iago first brought up the idea that Desdemona and Cassio might be having an affair, Othello did not believe him, he had faith in his wife. After many lies that Iago planted in Othello’s ears, Othello started to believe him and he dropped most of the faith that he had in Desdemona. Iago told Othello that in his sleep, Cassio said “Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our love”. Cursed fate that gave thee the Moor” (III.iii.416-417).
Before I talk about manipulation in the play, we would need to know what manipulation is. Manipulation means a type of social influence that aims to change the behavior or perception of other through abusive, deceptive or underhanded tactics. So how does relate to Othello? Well in Othello, Iago is the antagonist of the play and manipulates everyone to do things that will ruin Othello. This is actually very interesting how Iago was able to accomplish this and perfectly manipulate everyone.
Iago has a sophisticated way of deceiving the characters of the play, making him a very intelligent person. Early in the play Othello introduces Iago to the Duke of Venice as, “My ancient / A man he is of honesty and trust” (!. iii. 284-85). This is but one of the times in the play that Iago is referred to as honest and true. Throughout the play Iago is considered to be honest, but is actuality the villain. In order to maintain this false image one has to have a beguiling character. After Othello and his lieutenant, Michael Cassio, return from the war against the Ottomans, there is a celebration. At this celebration Iago puts his manipulation to work. He knows that Othello and Desdemona’s love for each other is very true, but he tells Rodrigo that Desdemona had love for Cassio: “With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. / Ay, smile upon her, do…” (II. I. 164-65). This quote shows that Iago deceives Roderigo into believing that Desdemona loves Cassio, when in Roderigo’s eyes it is virtually impossible. Iago basically controls Rodrigo because Iago deceives him into believing that he can have Desdemona, by both Cassio and Othello.
“The Moor” is a reference to his black skin color, features, and represents the people from North Africa (Bartels 434). Most of the characters, including Desdemona called Othello a Moor. Othello’s blackness, his marriage with Desdemona, and the murder of her are all three important structural elements of Othello and are a... ... middle of paper ... ...ate a plan to bring Othello down. Iago literally regulated Othello throughout the play like a puppet.