The Devil as Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello

The Devil as Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello

One question that has often been debated amongst literary scholars is what could have motivated Iago to set off such a chain of events which accumulated in the horrific amount of death and tragic consequences that occur in William Shakespeare’s play Othello. On the surface, one could artificially assume that Iago was spurred by two reasons to carry out such a malicious and inhumane plan. His anger of being passed over for lieutenantship by Othello in favor of Cassio, coupled with his inclinations that his wife has slept with Othello, drives Iago to partake in dangerous and seemingly insurmountable actions in order to climb up the social ladder and exact revenge on Othello. Chief proponents of this belief that Iago was solely motivated by these two factors would argue that he was simply a Machiavellian-inspired villain who took action only in the devised betterment of himself and his current status. However, when one delves into Iago’s unholy actions and intentions on a deeper level, it is clear that a metaphysical element exists in his character that when revealed is utterly haunting and truly horrific. A more penetrating analysis of Iago shows that he is not only the embodiment of evil but that he is in fact the Devil himself, who is set on destroying everything that is good in the lives of Othello’s characters.

A main underlying theme that resides in Othello is Shakespeare’s constant usage of outward appearance as opposed to reality. It is Iago, who in the opening act of the play, makes this clearly obvious to the audience stating "I am not what I am"(1.1.65). Although it is not yet revealed to the audience who Iago really is (i.e. the Devil), this statement is a direct rev...

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