Coleridge's Assessment of Iago from William Shakespeare's Othello
This essay will explore Coleridge’s assessment of Iago. In Iago’s
soliloquies, Iago gives many reasons as to why he hates Othello but he
often abandons his ideas and searches for new ones. This is because he
is not completely sure himself why he hates Othello so much and is
just trying to find reasons so that he can plot against him. Iago
often does not know if his reasons are true but will behave as if they
are just so that he has a reason to hate Othello. Iago is always
looking to justify himself and his hatred because it annoys him that
he does not know why he despises Othello so much. We cannot rely on
speeches of Iago talking to other characters because he is not always
acting himself; most of the time he is just putting on an act. In his
soliloquies however, we can see what Iago is really like.
Iago’s first reason for hating Othello is because Cassio was given the
job as lieutenant which was the job that Iago sought after. We can see
his sense of inferiority, as he feels resentful of rewards and
promotions when he is not the one receiving them.
Despise me if I do not: three great ones of the city,
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant
(Act I, Scene I, Line 8)
Iago is jealous of Cassio who got the job and Iago thinks very highly
of himself – he thinks he could do a much better job than Cassio
because he thinks he is cleverer than anyone else. Iago does not think
Cassio is a proper soldier because he thinks he does not have enough
experience and he just learns everything from books.
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn’...
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... just see him as a psychopath because there
is no other way to describe him and no way to answer to why someone is
evil – they just are. Another one of his motives is that he hates
goodness and wants to destroy anything that makes people happy such as
Othello’s marriage. Iago can also not keep his sense of inferiority
and superiority in balance.
I do however agree with the part of the quote “the motive hunting”
because it is true that Iago does not know why he hates Othello so
much therefore he needs to invent many reasons for hating him. I also
agree with Iago being a “malignity” because he causes harm to others
intentionally.
In this play, Shakespeare explores the question “why are people evil?”
but he does not know the answer. He suggests that sometimes there is
no reason; someone such as Iago is just evil.
ii, 275), so he is even at the end of the play linked to the
The greatest and best villains in literature are those who possess the ability to manipulate others in order to further their own causes. In Othello, Iago has the insight and tact to manipulate the other characters, such as Cassio, Roderigo, Desdemona, and in this case, Othello. The methods by which Iago works the other characters are varied, and one prime example of his cunning ability to manipulate can be seen in Act III.iii.333-450. In this passage Iago utilizes many rhetorical strategies to his advantage; in particular he uses tone and simile. These rhetorical strategies are instrumental in the deception of Othello.
In Othello, Shakespeare forms the villainous character, Iago through his complex language. Iago shows his evil nature towards Roderigo through his use of demeaning animal imagery. Iago also uses an extended metaphor to try and trick the ignorant Roderigo and (unknowingly to Roderigo), insults him. Lastly, Iago uses repetition to beguile Roderigo to keep paying him. Iago’s slyness is clearly seen through his deceiving language towards the end of Act I.
Iago in William Shakespeare's Othello When the play "Othello" was first written by Cinthio the character of Iago was simple, and he had a legitimate motive for the trouble he was causing. In Cinthio's version Iago had a great love for Desdemona and because he was unable to fulfil his love, he became frustrated and expressed this frustration by creating havoc. Shakespeare, however, upon writing his version of "Othello" rejected this idea and converted Iago into a more complex character, and directed his hatred not against Desdemona but against Othello.
William Shakespeare's Othello is a remarkable tale of trust, deceitfulness, lust and the most destructive of human emotions: vengeance and hatred. Iago better known as Othello's antagonist embodies vengeance and hatred to move an agenda to squash all who oppose Iago's plans. As defined by Merrium-Webster the definition of a protagonist is a principal character in a literary work or a leading actor, character, or participant in a literary work. Othello by Shakespeare is a play about Othello an example of a tragic hero with all figures centered around Othello as the protagonist yet, Othello has two main leading characters. Iago and Othello have stark contrasts as leading roles and different themes represented through the actions, words, and moral compass of both characters. As Othello plays out the audience finds that Iago is the driving force behind Othello and the cause for all chaos. Iago's thirst for vengeance due to feeling dissatisfied and passed over potential lieutenant position pushes Iago to ruin the lives of all associated with Othello. The thirst for vengeance drives Iago as Iago drives the plot achieving all goals and because of this Iago is the true protagonist of Othello.
Othello centers around the two conflicting characters of scheming, deceptive Iago and the honorable, but often times faithless Othello. Despite the fact that these men are completely opposite in character, Iago commands such persuasive powers that he literally starts to affect Othello’s thinking, altering the figures of speech he uses and his perceptions of those close to him. Both Othello and Iago use many of the same literary devices and much of the same language to express not only their opinions of those around them, but also their general conceptions of the workings of the universe.
The Relationship Between Othello and Iago In this scene Iago persuades Cassio, who is on watch, to drink, knowing that he is not a drinker and that he will be easy to antagonise. Roderigo provokes Cassio into a fight and Othello, hearing the disturbance, arrives to find the nobleman Montano seriously injured. Cassio gives no explanation, Montano pleads self-defence, and say that Iago knows best, so Iago is ordered to speak, ' Iago, who began't? " This passage starts with Othello, who appears to have interrupted someone, as there is a line break.
The Motivations of Iago in Othello Have you ever met a devil who does evil for his own sake? Iago in William Shakespeare's Othello could seem like he has good motives, but I feel that he uses them as his excuses. The first thing that I did was uncover Iago's motives. Iago is the most controversial character in Othello. He is able to keep his true thoughts and motives from everyone.
“I am not what I am,” proclaims one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most enigmatic villains, Iago, in the tragedy Othello. Iago’s journey for revenge enables him to become capable of immoral acts, and whilst his malevolence excites us, we are no more intrigued by his attributes than we are of the play’s tragic hero, Othellos’. Rather, both characters’ confrontation with jealousy and their subsequent moral demise as a result of failing to control such an emotion provides the true excitement for audiences. Iago’s spiteful manipulation of Othello makes him a multifaceted character — whose corrupt attributes make the audience examine their own morality. However, the same can be said of Othello; his failure to withstand Iago’s ‘pouring of pestilence’
as he is moody throughout the first act and is not able to come out of
Othello and Iago Comparison Othello and Iago are different in their characters as well as in their colours. It could be said also, however, that they are similar because of their fallibility. Iago is overcome with his desire for revenge to such an extent that he puts it into action. Othello's love and possessiveness of Desdemona take over him until he eventually would rather kill her than allow anyone else to have her. In this way, despite their contrasts, Iago and Othello both represent the extremity of the same thing - human emotion.
Make an argument that Iago is the hero, not the villain of this play. Why could we look at him that way? If he is the hero, who does this cast as the villain and why? What values are important if Iago is the hero?
Coleridge's View on Iago's Soliloquies The phrase "the motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity" occurs in a note that Coleridge wrote concerning the end of Act 1 Scene 3 of Othello in which Iago takes leave of Roderigo saying, "Go to, farewell. Put money enough in your purse", and then delivers the soliloquy beginning "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse". When evaluating Coleridge's view, it is important to put the word "motive" into context. We use it to mean an emotion, desire, a physiological need - an impulse that acts as an incitement to action. This definition equates "motive" and " impulse"; Coleridge, however, thought the two quite different.
Critical Analysis of Iago's Soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3 of Othello by William Shakespeare
Without a doubt, one of the main themes that runs throughout William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, is that of honesty. In the play, the most interesting character is Iago, who is commonly called and known as "Honest Iago." However, this could not be farther from the truth. Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits and moves him closer to his own goals. He is smart and an expert at judging the characters of others. Because of this, Iago pushes everyone to their tragic end.