Iago: The “Prince of Peace” The character of Iago, from Othello, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, is one of the most despicable villains in all of Shakespearean literature. Iago seeks to exact revenge on his general, Othello, after he is passed for the position of lieutenant, by a much younger and less-experienced soldier, Cassio. Iago uses manipulation as his tool for revenge, and is very successful in ruining the lives of the two men. While the audience is aware of Iago’s deception and use of cunning, the characters are oblivious to his genuine motives. Through his love of power, ability to manipulate others, and his self-destructive lust for revenge, Iago betrays all who are close to him and gradually entangles himself within …show more content…
his own lies. Iago serves as one of Othello’s most loyal ancients, but after being passed over for a promotion to lieutenant, he is lured away from his former loyalty to Othello, by the temptation of the promise of power.
After learning of Othello’s decision to give the lieutenant position to the much-younger Cassio, Iago vents to his friend Roderigo: “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,A fellow almost damned in a fair wife, That never set a squadron in the field, (1.1.21-24). He explains that Cassio is very inexperienced in the field of battle and offers no real wisdom when it comes to being a lieutenant. Although troubled by this news, Iago immediately shuts down Roderigo’s idea that he should just quit. Iago believes that if he remains patient, he can still turn the situation back in his favor: “And, throwing but shows of service on their lords, Do well thrive by them. And when they have lined their coats, Do themselves homage.” (1.1. …show more content…
55-57) Iago then begins to gather the pieces which he believes will be needed in order to achieve his ulterior motives. As the thirst for power intensifies in Iago as time progresses, he shows his complete transformation from his previous loyalty to Othello as he talks to the audience in a soliloquy, “But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor” (1.3.429). As a result of his private fight for power, a once loyal, diligent, and trustworthy soldier, has been reduced to a conniving traitor. Although Iago lacked official power, he was able to use his words to manipulate those around him.
By first identifying a weakness in another character, Iago is able to then talk the other person into self doubt. After Cassio loses his position of lieutenant due to a drunken brawl, he seeks Desdemona’s help to get him back in good graces with her husband, Othello. As he is talking to Desdemona, Cassio sees Othello approaching and is too ashamed to even face him, so he quickly leaves. Othello sees Cassio flee as he and Iago enter, and Iago begins to play with Othello’s suspicious: “Ha! I like not that”. (3.3.33). Iago then denies that he had any suspicion of Cassio and gives false assurance to Othello, “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like, seeing you coming”. (3.3.37-39). It was Iago who advised Cassio to go to Desdemona for assistance, and he knew that Cassio’s conversation with Desdemona was harmless, but Othello knew nothing. Iago was able to manipulate Othello’s curiosity and suspicion to plant a seed of doubt in his trust of Desdemona By manipulating all of those around him, Iago’s enemies grow closer to him and reject those who should be
trusted. Iago was successful in to exacting his revenge on Othello, but it came at a cost; his own well being. While Iago is manipulating all of the other characters, he is also weaving a tricky trap for himself to get out of. Iago is fully aware that everything is on the line for him as he hopes to get his revenge, and understands that his success is contingent on the other characters not communicating with each other. As Iago and Roderigo lie in wait for the chance to murder Cassio, Iago shows his awareness of just how crucial the death of Cassio is in his plan: “I’ll be at thy elbow. It makes us, or it mars us. Think on that”. (5.1.3-4). As Iago lays dying, he is asked to give a reason for his mutiny, but says he will never give talk again: “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.” (5.2.316). He lost his identity and love for himself and replaced it with hatred and revenge. Everything that used to matter to Iago is now worthless; his position as ancient, loyalty, friendships, and even relationship with his wife. By making revenge his god, Iago lost everything that gave him real importance, in hopes of something superficial. Though Iago was an evil genius, he failed miserably as a friend, soldier, and husband. He gave up his honor for the chance of power and revenge. The lure of stature and importance held Iago slave. By his words, he brought death and destruction to those who called him a friend. His lust for revenge, even at the cost of his own self, brought pain. Iago’s struggle for power and fixation on revenge lead to his demise and the death of many others.
In Shakespeare's play Othello, Iago Is shown to be the villain. With the cunning use of his brilliance and manipulation, he is able to orchestrate an entire plot to take his revenge on Othello the center of all his ill tempered aggression. By lying to characters like Roderigo and many others, including his wife, in order to
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.
Othello, a play by William Shakespeare, tells the tragic tale of the black Venetian general, Othello, and how he is manipulated by his ambitious friend, Iago. Iago becomes angry at Othello when he promotes Michael Cassio rather than Iago to the lieutenancy. Iago then schemes a plot to take down Othello. Iago uses Desdemona, Othello’s new wife, to take down the great general. He leads Othello to considering that his wife is cheating on him with Michael Cassio. This causes Othello to become suspicious and eventually drives Othello into killing Desdemona. In the end, Othello learns that his wife was faithful, and Iago had lied to him. This upsets Othello and causes him to also kill himself. Iago’s many motives are never revealed to the audience or the characters as in the last scene he states, “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.” (Othello. Act 5 Scene 2: 355-356). In the play Othello, Iago is the master manipulator that formulates devious plots against the characters of Roderigo, Cassio, and Othello by using their desires to his advantage to reveal their underlying weaknesses.
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 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.
Othello has had Iago as his ensign for many years. They have gone to battle many times over. In war, every little thing can affect the outcome, everything is vital information. During this time, Othello, when he was upset or unsure of what to do, has learned to trust and listen to Iago’s insights about strategy and war. Othello shows that his trust in Iago extends beyond the battlefield when he asks Iago to take care of his wife during the voyage to Cyprus. It’s this trust that backfires on him. When Othello hears Iago’s off hand remark about Cassio, he trusts that Iago would not have said anything if it wasn’t something to worry about. Then, Iago, knowing how Othello thinks of his character, makes Othello think there is more to his thoughts than he is willing to speak of. Iago knows just what to say and how to articulate it to make Othello think the worst. He even manages to look like a friend who wants to keep...
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.
In this tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare, has created a villain who behaves in this manner. Iago’s hatred, method of revenge, and vengeful hatred are the reasons for the lives lost in this play and the reasons that led to Iago’s downfall. Iago’s hatred of Othello and Cassio causes him to seek revenge, and he is able to succeed because his victims are too innocent to suspect him. Iago is a Machiavellian Shakespearean character who cunningly convinces his victims of his full moral support and proves his innocence in a way that his victims do not suspect him. When Cassio finishes his conversation with Desdemona about how he will not have his job back, Iago unfolds his mischievous plan against Desdemona when he says that, “so will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all” (Shakespeare, 49).
Iago is a powerful predator who exploits those around him by infecting their perceptions of truth with carefully chosen fallacy. His skill in finding the proverbial chinks in others' armor allows him to skillfully weave his machinations of destroying Othello into their minds and actions; by manipulating character's perceptions of Desdemona, Iago gains the leverage he needs to exploit each character. No one is impervious to Iago's seething purpose; even Othello falls prey to Iago's suggestions and insinuations about Desdemona. Iago's constant presence as the stager, as well as his ceaseless - but subtle - reinforcement of events through narration, allows him to be the pivotal force that directs Shakespeare's Othello.
Like Roderigo, Cassio also believes in "Honest Iago," for he thinks that Iago is only trying to help him. On the night of Cassio’s watch, Iago convinces him to take another drink, knowing very well that it will make him drunk. Even though he really doesn’t want to, Roderigo puts his faith into Iago and states, "I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me." Iago’s plan goes smoothly when Cassio is make to look like an irresponsible fool, resulting in his termination as lieutenant.
William Shakespeare's Othello is a tragic drama that shows the overwhelming power of deception and the damage it can lead to. Othello's right-hand man is Iago; on the surface a die-hard friend and confidant, in reality comparable to the devil himself. Iago uses other characters as though they were his puppets, planting lies and watching the sorrowful fruit born. Iago deceives virtuous, yet weaker men (such as Cassio and Roderigo) with ease, but feels greatly threatened by the most powerful, virtuous general in the land - Othello. Othello's only flaw is jealousy, and Iago exploits this to no end, using him to get what he wants. Iago's talent to manipulate the truth and control other people with his lies is what gives this play momentum.
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.
Iago’s first plot is to somehow get this position no matter what so he can get closer to Othello. He stated how far he will go by saying, "I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at; I am not what I am."(I.i.64-65) Iago feels that since he fought with Othello in battles before that he should have received the title. Throughout the play Iago gets the job he dreamed of by stealing and killing. Iago begins to express his opinion to Roderigo by stating, “In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, off-capp’d to him: and, by the faith of man, I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.”(I.i.8-10)
Shakespeare Othello was an act of many evil traits, including betrayal, manipulation and jealousy. Evil can be described as an act of someone who causes grievance, destruction, or impairment for one owns satisfaction; Iago, unquestionably, fits the description. Othello represented these traits through character, Iago, as he reveals his true nature of evil by diminishing people lives and becoming the downfall of many people around him. “Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light” (I, iii, 394-396). Though Iago may not have a purpose of participating in many of his act of evil, he presents it as a self-obsessed driven supremacy. He plots to destroy Othello and to gain dominance by observing each weakness from Othello, and takes advantage of it. He uses his aid of human nature to help with his evil schemes and plots throughout the play. Because he identified Othello’s weaknesses and was able to use verbal persuasion to not only gain Othello’s trust, but to also use that as a benefit to what he wanted to accomplish. It is great importan...
Iago’s objective with Cassio is to have him be the bait with which Othello is drawn in to second guess the trust he has with his wife and good friend. Iago is able to easily give proof of this admiration between Desdemona and Cassio, by creating a situation in which Cassio seeks the help of Desdemona to talk to Othello in his place. Through Iago’s persuasion both Cassio and Desdemona feel that by consulting each other privately about how to move forward with the matter of Cassio’s loss of lieutenant and rank, that they can more thoroughly show Othello what a good leader he makes. This is of course the hope of Iago; through Desdemona’s and Cassio’s meetings and this general idea of secrecy, through their mere gestures of hello, Iago is able to fully convince Othello of their