Who Is Iago Honest In Othello's Character

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In the play Othello, the antagonist, Iago turns out to be the most intelligent out of all the characters. He displays this by manipulating the other characters into losing their trust in each other, lying about each other and eventually they start to kill each other.
Imagine if someone tricked you into doing something for their own well being. Well, Iago certainly finds a way to trick all of the characters, so he can benefit from it. He does a great deal with Cassio; especially when they drink together. In Othello, Iago can truly trick Cassio into doing almost anything he wants; such as getting Cassio, so drunk that he stabs Montano and forced Othello to strip his lieutenancy from him. Iago truly outdoes himself when he “...Give my wife a …show more content…

When talking with Othello (which evidently is the easiest to manipulate) he softly tells him, “...Cassio: In his sleep I heard him say ‘Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our leaves’; and then, sir, would he gripe my hand, cry ‘O sweet creature’...” the sweet dreams that Cassio would have about Desdemona at night. The Moor, who becomes deeply disturbed by these dreams, now believes that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Now deeply upset with Desdemona he wants to know if they really are having an affair, but Iago “...Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof. Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio; wear your eye thus....” does not have any proof, just yet, but advises Othello to watch Desdemona carefully when she is with Cassio and he will see for …show more content…

Outsmarting and manipulating people is downright crazy, but lying, is just dishonorable, especially if you are trying to take someone else’s position. Iago who truly believes “That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it;...” (2.1.1087). But, Cassio does not love Desdemona, and later in the play, he actually tells Othello that Cassio loves his wife. “Touch me not so near: ...I persuade myself, to speak the truth shall nothing wrong him. Thus it is general. Montano and myself being in speech, there comes a fellow crying out for help: and Cassio following him with determined sword…”(2.3.1369). When Iago and a few of the guys are out drinking, Cassio whispers to Montano to go and find a very drunk Cassio. But while doing so, Cassio suddenly draws his sword and strikes Montano. Othello is alerted and Cassio’s lieutenancy gets taken

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