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Iago importance in othello
Important character of iago in othello essay
Important character of iago in othello essay
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Unlikeable characters are essential for any story to keep it interesting. These characters are essential because not only are they fascinating in their interaction with in the plot and the characters of a piece but they are the driving force of conflict which in turn makes a work interesting and have meaning. Two characters that are morally suspect but make the work engaging are Iago from Othello and Alex from A Clockwork Orange because they are engaging to the character and they drive the drive the story.
Without Iago, the play of Othello would just be the cast of characters stationed at Cyprus. Though it is with Iago's deception which he does with the elegance and craftsmanship with as much as its his scheme which causes incredible suffering for the people he has chosen that makes both him and his actions engaging. Evil characters are usually seen as insensitive and brutish, but Iago has this receptiveness to Othello and because he knows him well he is able to manipulate him like a puppet master pulling on strings. This deceptive ness (which is also found in a clockwork ora...
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
Geoffrey Sax's interpretation of William Shakespeare's wicked villain Iago is extraordinary. While reading the play, I envisioned Iago precisely as Christopher Eccleston portrayed him--diabolical and amoral--the pathetic antagonist of Othello, bursting with frustration and dominance throughout the text and film. Iago, or Ben Jago--the characters name in the film--is the backbone of both works, moving the plot along with his deceit and mendacity, progressively leading the audience to the tragic climax.
To better understand Iago’s effect on these different characters, it is important to look in to his own character. Iago’s motives are not clear, however, it is true that he despises Othello, and that he is jealous of the fact that Michael Cassio had taken over the role of lieutenant; a role that Iago wanted very badly. It is in the beginning of the play that Iago confesses to follow Othello but not be loyal to him,
A Shakespearean play always includes a typical villain character. He is boisterous, egotistical, sometimes witty, and all too eager to seek revenge. In William Shakespeare Othello, Iago is the well-liked, trusted, and brave ensign of the great Venetian general Othello, or so it appears. Iago actually possesses all of the typical villainous qualities, however Iago conducts himself with great composure, and by manipulating his counterparts, he makes people believe he is on their side. I find this characteristic to be a very intriguing one that is not easy to perform. It is perhaps Iago's villainous actions throughout this play that lead me to believe that he is the hero rather than the typical villain.
In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the author depicts Iago as an all knowing character that knows the human nature of the characters and uses it to gain power. Once he gets the characters to Cyprus, he can use his power to manipulate them and tempt them into making irrational decisions, causing their fall. Even though Iago causes their downfalls, he fails to see his own coming.
In the play, Othello, written by William Shakespeare Iago is one of the most unique and interesting characters. Not only is Iago a main character, but he is also one of the most controversial, causing more drama and quarrels than any other character in the play. Shakespeare does a good job with the character of Iago by creating an atmosphere where Iago can keep the reader's attention on each and every individual scene throughout the entire play, as one tries to figure out Iago's true intentions. When reading the play it is easy for an individual to view Iago as an evil person who gets pleasure from malicious acts he inflicts upon others around him.
From the very beginning of Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is held in very high regard within the community in Venice. He is often called “honest Iago” by many people, including his superior, Othello. There is a large juxtaposition between Iago’s character in the beginning of the play, and the general perception at the end of the play, due to Iago’s many character flaws that cause him to create devious plans and a web of deception and lies, spun by his intense anger and hatred. The exposition of Othello holds many indications of the negative traits Iago possesses, and they escalate quickly as the play progresses. There are many points within the play that present Iago falling prey to his issues and therefore lets them control him. Iago’s anger and hatred kept him from dealing with these character flaws and lead to his descent into moral
Iago is the only reason there is any conflict in Othello. If he were not a character, Othello and Desdemona would have lived happily ever after. From the beginning to the end he causes conflicts. He is directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of many characters. Shakespeare didn't just create Iago's character to be evil. He wanted him to be the epitome of it. All of the problems he causes are through lies, treachery, manipulation, and a deep unknown hatred. Some of his hate is fueled by jealousy and revenge. The ironic part is that he is known as "honest Iago". Every act contains an evil plot set up by Iago. They all play into his grand scheme.
The most interesting character in the play Othello is the villain, Iago, commonly referred to as "Honest Iago". Iago is smart, and well tuned to human behavior, and uses this knowledge to his advantage. He manipulates others to do things to help him reach his final goal; revenge on Othello and Cassio. His greatest tool in doing so is his reputation as an honest and trustworthy person. Othello believes Iago is a person "of exceeding honesty, and knows all qualities, with the learned spirit of human dealings." [Act III, Scene iii]. The other characters believe this as well, and Iago becomes a confidant for most of them.
There is more than what meets the eye. Iago is a manipulative character in the play, Othello. He manipulates all of the characters in his master plan to become the lieutenant. In Othello, Iago is upset because Othello, the military leader of Venice, gave Cassio, an arithmetician who was inexperienced at war, the position of being his lieutenant. Iago began to devise an infallible plan. This plan was to manipulate Othello into thinking Cassio and Desdemona were having an affair so he could denote Cassio and give Iago the position of lieutenant. This plan involves manipulation, lies, and pre-domination. At first, he succeeded, however, his lies will catch up with him, revealing his true, schemer way.
The character of Iago is of extreme and pivotal importance to the play as a whole. His character is brilliantly defined, giving him a quality that other characters in the story do not possess. Iago's ability to project a conflicting quality or emotion to the other characters enables him to exploit them. It is this quality that Shakespeare bestows on his villain which enables him to dictate the plot so brilliantly.
Everyone involved with Iago separately thinks that he is doing them favors, when actually he is a backstabbing, conniving person who is the essence of evil and is often referred to as half-man, half-devil. 'I am not what I am.' This is a quote that should not be taken for granted. In this quote, Iago describes himself as a demonic Satan-like person contradicting God's quote 'I am that I am.' Indeed, Iago represents the very essence of the play's theme: appearance versus reality. In reality he is the cunning, untrustworthy, selfish, and plotting evil that the audience gets to know through his soliloquies, but in his appearance he is that same old, trustworthy, run of the mill Iago that they think they know so well. In fact, Othello, after he murders his own wife, accredits Iago as, 'An honest man he is, and hates the slime/ That sticks on filthy deeds.' Inopportunely for Othello, who seems to trust Iago so, Iago is the exact opposite of what Othello takes him to be. Iag...
Shakespeare develops the character Iago into an instigator and evil man. Iago attempts and succeeds to convince Othello that his wife has had an affair with his friend Cassio. We see Iago beginning his plans at the very start of the play. “But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at, I am not what I am.”(Oth 1:1:64-65) He immediately tries to start trouble with Brabantio and Othello over the marriage to Desdemona. Iago want to get in Othello’s way because he was passed over for general and Cassio was chosen instead. We see from the start how he plots against Othello and he involves several characters in his plans. “And what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free. I give and honest, probal to thinking, and indeed the course to win the Moor again? For tis easy Th’ inclining Desdemona to subdue in any honest suit; she’s framed as fruitful…”(2:3:295-300).
Though Iago may not have a purpose of participating in many of his acts 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 of great importance for an evil mastermind to not only know the nature of evil but to achieve the nature of good.... ...
Iago takes a different approach with Othello and uses Othello’s trust in him to manipulate his feelings, planting false ideas in his head. All of Iago’s actions sprung from his belief that he is more deserving and more important than everyone else and he will do anything to maintain