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Othello and Hamlet comparison and contrast
Compare and contrast iago and othello
Compare and contrast iago and othello
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Show Me a Hero: Aristotle’s Harmatia in Shakespearean Tragedies
The genre of tragedy has captivated audiences for centuries. Despite rather macabre subject matter, tragedies are amongst the most revered and elevated pieces of art. Greek philosopher Aristotle proposed the idea of hamartia, a phrase that captures the ideal element of a tragedy. Aristotle believed that a flaw or error could be found in the hero’s actions that set into place the tragic events to befall the hero. Aristotle’s concept is useful in trying to understand Hamlet and Othello, two Shakespearean tragedies. While the heroes of the plays face great conflict from their enemies, it is ultimately their own selves that causes them to take drastic actions that creates the course
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Othello’s nature as a noble and honest man works against him, as he assumes that other men are like him. To near comedic effect, almost every single time Othello refers to Iago, he lauds him as honest and true. “Honest Iago…” (1.3.293). states Othello, unaware of Iago’s true nature, and without the character to even consider otherwise. Iago’s ruse is meticulously crafted, as it fools not only Othello, but Cassio as well. Cassio declares “I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest./“ (3.1.38). To have tricked plenty, Iago seems to be singularly responsible for Othello’s fall, but he ominously notes “Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without/ merit and lost without deserving…” (2.3.251-252). Othello never questions Iago’s motives, putting up only the smallest of doubts which are quickly addressed by Iago. Othello places his trust in Iago, because he believes that Iago is noble and honest just like him. Iago states “The Moor–howbe’t that I endure him not–/ Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,/“ (2.1.275-276). The contrast between Iago and Othello is high, for Othello is a man who has earned his reputation as honest and noble, while Iago has created his with empty words and subterfuge. Othello’s trust in Iago is taken to a dramatic end, when he states “Why did I marry? This honest creatures doubtless/ Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds./“ (3.3.248-249). Othello disregards his own marriage, and holds Iago’s opinions above that of his own concerning the matter. It inspires Othello to murder Desdemona, who is entirely innocent of any wrong doings. Othello also endorses the attempted murder of Cassio, who he deems guilty of cuckolding him. “…O brave Iago, honest and just,/ Thou hast such noble sense of thy friend’s wrongs–/“ (5.1.32-33). Even after Othello murder Desdemona, and hears the attack on
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)
Both Othello and Iago have many different qualities but the ones that are the same are what proves the point of them not just simply being two sides of one coin. Othello had many weaknesses and Iago plays off every single one of them, the “hellish villain”(V, ii, 354) that Iago is killed every living ounce that was left in Othello, and once the truth came to the surface, Othello only wished he could awaken and “arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell” (III, iii, 507). The fact that Iago had “ensnared [Othello’s] soul and body” (V, ii, 354) made Othello believe that “honesty’s a fool” (III, iii, 436) and his life was over.
Othello is such a gullible character with so much trust in the wrong people. He trusts Iago before he trusts his own wife, Desdemona; he let Iago get into his mind. Iago arises any doubt Othello has for anyone he ever trusted making them all seem untrustworthy. More then anything Iago uses pathos to appeal to emotion. “ But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at. I am not what I am” (Othello, Shakespeare, Act I Scene I Line 65-66). Iago talks about being open and honest; although this is not true it makes the other characters feel secure. Othello is a strong character, but Iago is his downfall. Blinded by jealousy and questions Othello will no longer trust Desdemona nor Cassio, because of this he will meet his
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.
Othello is a good man but took the wrong path. He is well known in Venice even though he is a moor because of his irreplaceable honour. He is kind hearted towards most of the people he encounters because he believes in friendship.. This lead him to meet Desdemona and end up marrying her whom he showed passionate interest towards. Othello put his trust in people easily which shows that he is a very friendly character but he gave it to the wrong person, whom is Iago. He put his trust in Iago even though Iago’s intentions were purely to get him killed or arrested. Othello had honour and took account for all his foolish mistakes in which only some loyal soldiers may abide to. In the story he have shown these characteristics by killing himself after realizing the deathful mistakes he's done.
Iago wanted Othello’s position and used others to shame Othello and gain stature. Iago dressed himself up a trustworthy man and worked his way into Othello’s trust with tricks and lies. He wore a very convincing mask; often temporarily defending the person he was trying to ruin to further his honest visage. He says to Othello, “Men should be what they seem…” (3.3.127) through these methods, Iago convinces Othello that Cassio, an officer, was having an affair with Othello’s beautiful wife Desdemona. As a vicious result, Othello is driven mad with anger and sadness and throttles Desdemona in their bed. The death and want left by Iago’s deception is vast hurting everyone involved most frequently on a mortal level. When the truth finally comes out, Othello, in his grief and remorse, ends up stabbing himself with a dagger. In the end, many die due to Iago’s deception, through villainy or despair, and none gain what they truly want because of it. This just goes to show that the mask of deception that a man wears can cause an unbelievable amount of harm, bodily and worse,
In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is the antagonist and villain who causes all the trouble and disorder. Othello is the protagonist, and is the main person Iago’s destruction and revenge is aimed towards. Othello is naïve and gives everybody his trust even though he may not know them or they haven’t earned his trust yet. He often refers to Iago has “Honest” Iago, which is a direct showing of irony because Iago is not honest at all (Shakespeare, I, iii. 289). Iago is so angry that Othello didn’t give him the promotion that was given to Cassio that he plans to seek revenge against Othello. He seeks his revenge against Othello by manipulating and lying to all of the people around him including his closest friend Roderigo, Cassio, Othello’s wife Desdemona and even his own wife Emilia. In the end, Iago’s lies and manipulation led to the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia, Othello and Desdemona. This isn’t the first time many of these individual characteristics have shown up in one of Shakespeare’s plays.
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
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.
Iago is one of the most complex characters in William Shakespeare’s Othello. To most of the characters, he is “Honest Iago” (Shakespeare, 5.2.73). however, the audience knows that Iago is the furthest thing from honest. Iago is a devil bent on destroying the lives of everyone around him. At the beginning of the play, the audience learns that Iago is determined to ruin Othello’s marriage to Desdemona. He has appointed a new lieutenant, Michael Cassio. This angers Iago because he feels that he has much more military experience and should be the lieutenant. Iago has also heard rumours that both Othello and Cassio have slept with his wife Emilia. He concocts a malicious plan to ruin the lives of all who have wronged him, and consequently establishing
"O, that's an honest fellow" seems to sum up the trust bestowed upon Iago in this novel, until the bitter, biter end that is. Such great thing were said of his honesty in this play, things like: "You advise me well. goodnight honest Iago" and "I know thou'rt full of love and honesty". Irony had been one of Shakespeare's dramatic affects, and this play lacked in absolutely no way. Iago as a person was "evil", conniving, and "wicked"; lacking the basic morals that most people of our time, and Shakespeare's, have always prided themselves in having. He himself was very untrusting, going to such lengths as suspecting his wife Emilia as being unfaithful. But where did all this dishonesty and trickery lead him? To an end that leaves the audience asking, "why?" When Othello, after murdering his ever faithful wife Desdemona, demands Iago give his reasons Iago declares he will take his reasons with him to the grave, and though we might all feel we have an idea as to his motives only one person has ever really known. Shakespeare himself, and he as well took the secret to the grave. Possibly the only honest explanation we'll ever have derives from the most infamous of all of Iago's lines: "When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows". Though the line still leaves an observer empty, without content as to his motives, it suggests that he had motives that were justified in his own eyes. To Iago, his perceptions were all that mattered really, and honesty was a thing to be twisted to his own desires.
of being an honest man. Iago knew that an important man like Othello couldn’t ignore. the possibility that his wife was cheating on him. Nobody suspects that Iago is a deceitful man and would plot and plan to destroy Othello, Cassio and Desdemona in such a way. cunning way to go.
He is perceived as “honest” Iago, but this is a product of his deception. He claims to be motivated by truth and never completely tells a lie; yet, he is committed to telling the truth for his own purposes. Moreover, he is two-faced. His narcissistic side is seen in asides, where he divulges schemes to ruin Othello and Cassio. Beginning to plan their downfall, Iago reveals, “But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well; The better shall my purpose work on him. Cassio’s a proper man. Let me see now: To get his place, and to plume up my will In double knavery.” (1.3.557-62). He purposely misleads people to trust that he is honest out of love for them, but his deeper intent is to bring about their destruction and his
In the beginning of the play Iago first shows his dishonesty and untrustworthiness when he talks badly of Roderigo and Othello behind their backs. At first he is ranting about Othello to Roderigo, telling him how he -hated Othello and how “the moor” didn’t deserve to have such a good life (Act I, scene i, lines 8-34). Him and Roderigo go to Othello’s father in law’s
With the creation of Iago’s plan, he now can truly demolish the confidence and care in our hero Othello’s heart. Through an established ethos Iago implants doubt in Othello’s mind. Moreover here Othello responds to Iago’s proposal, “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty,” (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 299). Through the lies behind a mask Iago lures Othello to the thought that his wife could be having an affair.