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In the play, Othello, by Shakespeare, there is a ferocious war going on. However, it is not the bloody war against the Turks that the audience anticipated. It is a more dangerous war than that: a psychological war that uses a person’s emotional state of mind and biggest fears against them. At the hands of all this is Iago, who stands by and watches his genius at work. Iago’s passion of war is what drove him to commit his acts of treachery, not his jealousy of Cassio nor his loathing of Othello. When he could not set sail to Cyprus with the other soldiers and participate in the war, he found a way to start a new war, one that he could be the general of. Through manipulation, he is able to start a psychological war that ends in bloodshed. His manipulation is the driving force of the play.
Before the Venetian soldiers even set sail to Cyprus to battle the Turks, Iago is an obedient soldier. Even though he hates Othello for not promoting him, he knows he needs to respect Othello, if he wants to even step foot on the battlefield. For that reason, Iago puts his anger aside and tolerates Othello. Iago says “Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains. / Yet, for necessity of present life, / I must show out a flag and sign of love, / Which is indeed but sign” (1.1.158-161). “Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains” compares Iago’s hatred of Othello to the pain of damnation. This illustrates the extent of his hatred towards Othello. “Necessity of present life” refers to Iago’s present circumstance; he is an ancient and Othello is his general. Regardless of how much he loathes Othello, Othello has authority over him and all of the soldiers; he decides who does what, when, where, and how they do it. There is a war coming up and Iago cannot do...

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...ng that no one else does, now he has authority over everyone. “From this time forth I never will speak word” confirms that Iago in now giving orders. He, in his own twisted way, is the general. His manipulation drove the play, and carried out to this point where Iago has reached the position of general.
In conclusion, war is a dominant theme in Othello, as it looms in the background of the plot. However, the war that was anticipated was not the war that was carried out. Instead, another type of warfare is adopted, one that uses completely different tactics to destroy the enemy. Psychological war is present in the play as Iago manipulates those around him in order to destroy Othello. Iago used psychological warfare as a substitute for actual war, since his chance to go to war was hindered by Othello. His manipulation, though, manifests itself and ends in bloodshed.

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