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What is the role of iago in the book othello
Character analysis of Iago in othello
Character analysis of Iago in othello
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Recommended: What is the role of iago in the book othello
Iago as a Character in Othello
Perhaps the most interesting and exotic character in
the tragic play "Othello," by William Shakespeare, is
"Honest" Iago. Through some carefully thought-out words and
actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a
way that benefits him and moves him closer toward his goals.
He is the main driving force in this play, pushing Othello
and everyone else towards their tragic end.
Iago is not your ordinary villain. The role he
plays is rather unique and complex, far from what one might
expect. Iago is smart. He is an expert judge of people and
their characters and uses this to his advantage. For
example, he knows Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and
figures that he would do anything to have her as his own.
Iago says about Roderigo, "Thus do I ever make my fool my
purse." [Act I, Scene III, Line 355] By playing on his
hopes, Iago is able to swindle money and jewels from
Roderigo, making himself a substantial profit, while using
Roderigo to forward his other goals. He also thinks quick
on his feet and is able to improvise whenever something
unexpected occurs. When Cassio takes hold of Desdemona's
hand before the arrival of the Moor Othello, Iago says,
"With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly
as Cassio." [Act II, Scene I, Line 163] His cunning and
craftiness make him a truly dastardly villain indeed.
Being as smart as he is, Iago is quick to recognize
the advantages of trust and uses it as a tool to forward his
purposes. Throughout the story he is commonly known as, and
commonly called, "Honest Iago." He even says of himself, "I
am an honest man...." [Act II, Scene III, Line 245] Trust
is a very powerful emotion that is easily abused. Othello,
"holds [him] well;/The better shall [Iago's] purpose work on
him." [pg. 1244, Line 362] Iago is a master of abuse in
this case turning people's trust in him into tools to
forward his own goals. His "med'cine works! Thus credulous
fools are caught...." [pg. 1284, Line 44] Iago slowly
poisons people's thoughts, creating ideas in their heads
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
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
“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’
In Othello, Iago is Shakespeare’s most malicious character and serves as a vehicle to these two themes. Iago despises Othello; he has a strong will to destroy Othello’s life, yet the motive behind his plan goes unexplained. Iago is a great manipulator of the tongue and lies to everyone in order to advance his plan; however, every character in the play considers Iago an honest character, and Othello even associates Iago with light and eyesight. Othello continuously asks Iago to explain or make something clearer. Until the very end, Iago appears to be honest and helpful to the other characters, but underneath this seemingly harmless façade, Iago is a demon with the strongest will; he will stop at nothing until he ruins Othello’s life. Iago uses a positive appearance to enact his
... Iago has been put in a job in which he has to be near Othello and is considered a friend of his. Iago is very trusted by all the characters. that he is able to use in his plot, therefore making it much easier. for himself, often referred to as 'honest Iago'.
Iago tells Roderigo that he can make Desdemona fall in love with him for a ‘small fee.’ Iago used Roderigo to make money. Iago also told Roderigo that Cassio was talking to Desdemona. Roderigo did not approve and Iago persuaded him to fight Cassio. Cassio ended up losing his ‘good reputation” and his position as Lieutenant, in the fight with Roderigo. Iago became the Lieutenant, just as he had
Iago is the main antagonists against Othello, throughout the entire play. Iago is not realistically motivated. Even though Iago makes many of his decisions with careful thought, he does have a main flaw that will come back to haunt him in the end. Iago unlike other characters, doesn’t have true honorable morals. Because of this, he makes many situations which are manageable, and takes them further out of proportion he does this for his own pure enjoyment to create havoc for sport. Iago manipulates the characters who trust too easily, such are Roderigo and Othello. Iago uses them as an addition to his plans, which he manages so they will work in his favor in the end, or so he believes they will.
...ves the characters. Iago is the protagonist of Othello through strong leading actions, strengths complimented through flaws, and a humor that manipulates the audience’s feelings.
Iago is a man wronged by Othello in the fact that he was not chosen to be Othello’s lieutenant, which is what put the dastardly idea into Iago’s head to trick them all and bring them to their knees. As Iago tells Roderigo within the first act and scene of “Othello”, Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city,/ In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,... ... middle of paper ... ... n the end of the play.
One of the main reasons Iago is so successful at manipulating others is because they are too guileless to realize that he is taking advantage of them. Cassio still comes to Iago for advice after Iago rats him out and gets him fired.
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 plans to destroy Othello and Desdemona’s marriage by using Desdemona’s kindness toward Cassio against her and make her look unfaithful in front of her noble hu...
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 nave 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 as “Honest” Iago, which is a direct showing of irony because Iago is not honest at all (Shakespeare, I, iii. 289).
One person Iago deceives is Roderigo. Throughout the play, Iago tells him that he hates Othello and that Roderigo should make some money so he could give gifts to Desdemona, who he admires from afar. Thinking that this is sound advice, Roderigo does just that. However, Iago is actually keeping the gifts that Roderigo plans to give Desdemona for himself. Eventually, Roderigo begins to catch on to the act and confronts Iago, but he falls right into Iago’s trap again when he tells him that killing Cassio will help him win over Desdemona. Roderigo is then lead to his death by the hands of "Honest Iago."
...sio is in fact in love with Desdemona, and that Cassio is in fact doing dishonesty to Othello. Othello does get discouraged by this advice given by Iago, and eventually does confront Desdemona. The quote specifically displays how Iago can make Cassio seem evil to Othello. Iago persuades Othello into believing him, which creates a way for Iago to work around the truth. Iago completely changes the appearance of Cassio, therefore making Iago extremely intelligent and far superior.
In 1603, William Shakespeare wrote a tragedy called Othello about a Spanish moor that ultimately fell victim to his own skepticism and emotions and murders his wife due to the machinations of Iago. Iago is the most interesting character in this Shakespearean play and in fact, has more speaking parts than even Othello himself. A man that can even convince his own wife to help with his masterfully manipulated puppetry of Othello, Desdemona, Rodrigo, Cassio, and Emilia is an exquisite character. This villain seems to have no real motive for his actions, but the enjoyment of the trouble he causes and the fact that Othello passed him over for his lieutenant. (Although, Iago seems to quite, passionately want Othello’s affections, whether as a friend