Why Is Iago A Villain In Othello

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What is a villain? A villain is a cruel malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime in the fiction world a character in a play or novel that constitutes an important evil agency in the plot. In simpler terms a villain is the antagonist who challenges the motives of others. Iago from Shakespeare’s play Othello is like any other villain there is. He was a cruel malicious person who did unthinkable acts. He betrayed his own family and friends to satisfy his own selfish lust for power. Iago was a very strategic and analytical man besides being physically strong he showed through out the play how he was capable of using his mind in deceiving others and persuading them to do his bidding. As stated in the following passage he denied any sadistic intention instead thought of him self as a counselor who is trying to resolve matters. “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?” (Iago, 245) The play starts out with the protagonist, an African solider by the name of Othello, being accused of tricking a maiden by the name of Desdemona in marrying him. But little did the other characters with in the play know that …show more content…

In this scene he has changed his plan on how to take down Othello and choose to sacrifice his partner Cassio to achieve his dream. He tricked Cassio in speaking into Desdemona in assisting him over a different matter and while Desdemona speaks to him, Iago will trick Othello into believing Desdemona has feelings for Cassio. Iago hopes Othello takes the bait he is laying out would result in killing of two characters out of rage; which will place Othello in prison thus leaving Iago take over the position of

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