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The role of Iago in Othello
Character study of othello
Character study of othello
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Recommended: The role of Iago in Othello
Shakespeare is not only one of the most important genius in literature, but also a great phycologist who perfectly understands many human behaviors and its consequences. He was a genius reading and comprehending our nature. His perceptions towards people and our emotions, can fit in any time and space such as he pictures represents jealousy, envy, manipulations and lies in Othello’s tragedy, and no better antagonist to represent it than the greatest evil in the universal literature, Iago.
At first impression, I had sympathy for Othello, a soldier with many flaws but with integrity and passion; however, my attraction for Othello changed when realized his leak of virtue. Once I learned more from Othello, I realized how dumb he was and then,
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Iago was all the contrary, he was intimate with his victims, he knew how to manipulate each person and take advantage of their weakness with the security and determination in his words. Iago is extremely brilliant and creative while undermining Desdemona’s integrity, creating a tense environment for everyone so he made them sensible enough to believe his lies.
Iago found the perfect way to connect with Othello and get into his mind. He knew him well enough to perfectly cause him pain and drive him crazy. As far as he gets closer to him, he pretend to be his friend and manipulates him so skillfully that at times, it seems that the only thing that he had on mind was nothing but Othello.
The way people trusted Iago, and followed him, even when he is sinister and evil, is impressive, he always had good impression in everyone until the end. His intelligence and masterfully way to ruin Othello life without any weapon, is speechless. In addition, what I find more incredible yet, is that once he was discovered, he commits suicide not without apologizing for his act but accusing the pernicious effects of the moon.
As it can be seen, Iago has a huge dramatic force and although his personification in the tragedy is general, he is the one who actually triggers and with it, develops the drama; thus, becoming one of the greatest evils of universal
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
One of the most prominent traits in Iago is his ability to manipulate. His entire plan of bringing about the downfall of Othello involves him manipulating characters into believing what he wants them to believe. In fact, he is so good at manipulating people that no one even suspects him of doing anything wrong because they believe he is such an honorable man. “Iago deceives Othello by also manipulating other people to achieve his ends” (Boyce). This shows that Iago is able to deceive mostly everyone in the play. However, Iago himself says in Act I scene i line 62 of Othello “I am not what I am.” He means that he is not the loyal, honest friend that he appears to be to everyone else. His manipulations include using Roderigo for his money if he helps him against Othello while making it seem like he will help Roderigo win Othello’s wife, Desdemona (Shakespeare). He also manipulates Othello by making it seem as if Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair, which is what ultimately brings about the hero’s downfa...
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.
The lust for power which rushes through Iago, and the fact of him believing he is superior to others, is the main drive for Iago’s ambition to dismay others; however, these reason are not realistic
This paper will prove that Iago has one clear motive and reason for his madness. Iago is not looking for justification that causes him to act the way he does. There is much more to Iago. He is not a man of only excuses, he has goals with his motives, which causes him to act the way he does. As early as the first scene of the play, Iago shows us strong motives for his actions.
Iago is straight away introduced as a dubious character. Having his fingers in Roderigo's purse show his interest in money. The language that he uses is vulgar and rude and he has no shame in his deceitful actions. In order to get what he wants, Iago will do anything. This includes insulting Desdemona, an innocent young woman who does not intend to harm anyone. Her sorrow at her divided loyalties shows this. Like her husband, Desdemona deals with situations carefully. Othello is the opposite of Iago in that he does not pride himself on killing people. It may be his strong point, but he feels that it should not be bragged about, especially in noble company.
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.
“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’
Iago has been excellent at saying the what is needed to get to people, he misleads them to get a reaction he wants out of them. He is clever with his words to avoid confrontation that can easily happen. “Othello 's confusion is the human experience of language. In other words, language itself, not the outside world, determines meaning” (Christofides 2). Iago uses his words against Othello to get him to do Iago’s doings. Iago has an eloquence with
Iago's manipulative nature has a profound effect on the decisions made by other characters in Shakespeare's ‘Othello’. Through his relations with those around him Shakespear characterizes him as a man full of malice, vengeance and dishonesty that is wholly inspired by jealousy. Furthermore it would appear that Iago has an exceptional ability to scheme, a talent which he uses to snake his way into the lives of others and exploit them through their weaknesses. Whether he does this for profit or for pleasure is a separate issue.
Iago, the evil villain of Shakespeare's Othello, is more than just a villain. In many ways he is the most intelligent and appealing character in the play. Iago shows superiority over the rest of the characters in the play. He has the ability to manipulate the characters in the play, therefore controlling the play with every sequence of events. His intelligence shines through his ability to deceive, his ability to strategize, and his ability to twist the truth. Iago is appealing to the characters of the pay because he gives them what they want. Iago is appealing to the reader as well. His character is totally unconflicted about being evil, making him known to some authors as the villain of all villains. Iago is, in many ways, the most intelligent and appealing character in the play.
Iago is very determined and emotionless. He brings negative outcomes to every character he comes in contact with. Although Iago characterizes himself as noble, the reader can see him for the villain he is. Throughout the play Iago’s every decision is on how
In conclusion, Iago, the notorious mastermind that Shakespeare has constructed, is one of the most complex villains of Shakespearean literature. Through his abilities to manipulate, understand one’s mind and love for oneself, Iago’s natural evil is illustrated. By single handedly causing the deaths of many innocent characters, Iago proves to the audience that he is in complete control. Iago as the master puppeteer is surprisingly caught in the end but even then, the deaths he has caused cannot be resolved. ‘Honest” Iago embodies evil and as shown throughout the events of the play, evil cannot be
...sp; Every person that came in contact with Iago ended up dead or wounded in some way. Iago manipulated everyone he knew for his own means. In the end he got everything he wanted. He got revenge on Othello and ended up killing three people and seriously wounding one person in the process. One of the people who died was his own wife, but he could have cared less about that as long as he succeeded. If Iago was not around and did not carry with him the animosity, hatred, greed, and selfishness, none of those inimical things would have happened, but then, there wouldn't be a play either. Bad characters are needed in plays and in life. If we always got what we wanted and bad things never happened, then life would be very boring. Iago tormented and played around with Othello's mind, and he enjoyed this immensely, it was his goal and he achieved it.
Each point is explored further into Iago’s manipulation schemes and will analyze the nature of evil portrayed throughout the play. 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's own satisfaction; Iago, unquestionably, fits the description. Othello represented these traits through his character, Iago, as he reveals his true nature of evil by diminishing people's 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).