Examples Of Revenge In Othello

Iago presents himself to the world as a faithful and honest man. In fact other people speak of him as “honest Iago”. Beneath the surface of his identity that he portrays to the world is his manipulation through lies. He uses his lies to manipulate other people and desperately wants revenge on Othello. He hates Othello so passionately because he gave the position of lieutenant up to another person instead of him. I think it could also be because of jealousy. I think he’s jealous of Cassio and Othello because later on in the story after he finally becomes lieutenant he brings up another reason to seek revenge on Othello, which was rumors of Othello sleeping with his wife. Iago is good at using people’s weaknesses to manipulate people and persuade

Othello trusts Iago and now Iago is trying to take his wife from him for someone else. Furthermore, “He takes her by the palm...sir in.” (pg. 71). Iago watches Cassio and Emilia because he thinks they had an affair he watches them carefully so he can figure out how to convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Another example involves the plan to help Othello kill Desdemona. “Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated” (pg. 185). Othello believes that Iago is most honest, thus he believed killing his wife Desdemona was the right thing to do. Iago brainwashed Othello into believing the wrong thing was the right thing. The characterization of Iago is created by the use of dramatic irony. The audience knew how devious Iago is, but the characters fell for his mischievous acts.

Iago warns Othello that “[Desdemona] did deceive her father, marrying [Othello], and when she seemed to shake, and fear your looks, she loved them most.” (Shakespeare 3.3.207-210). We can see that Iago is trying to make Othello jealous by pointing out that Desdemona has already betrayed someone that she loved so what would prevent her from doing it again. Iago manipulates Othello by claiming that Desdemona gave Othello’s handkerchief away “yours by this hand! And to see how [Cassio] prizes the foolish woman, your wife! She gave it to him, and he hath given it to his whore” (Shakespeare 4.1.170-173). The final blow to manipulating Othello, Iago tells him that Desdemona gave Cassio her handkerchief confirming her betrayal. This is the end to behaving rationally for Othello. Mark Rose insist that Iago is “playing his victim [Cassio] with wine has robbed [Cassio of his reputation]. The presentation of Cassio as a decent man changed into a drunken madman foreshadows the actions of Othello to come” (Rose 285). This displays the idea that Iago is manipulating anyone in any way in order to get to Othello. In this case he is manipulating Cassio’s reputation so that later in the play Iago can use Cassio against Othello to make him jealous of his wife cheating on him with Cassio. Iago is easily able to set this in motion because he damaged Cassio’s reputation so much that Othello doesn’t trust him, or want him

By the middle of the play Othello’s mood and demeanor seem to shift from being peaceful and patient to very anxious, paranoid, and gullible. For example when Othello is talking to Iago and Iago suggests that maybe his wife is not being faithful to him, it becomes Othello’s obsession to get down to the bottom of it and catch her. “I have been talking with your suitor here, a man that languishes in your displeasure / Who is’t you mean / Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord” (III.iii.41-43). In this dialog between Othello and Iago, with just two sentences Iago causes Othello to lose trust in his wife and believe she is being unfaithful to him which grows stronger and stronger each scene of the play. Because Iago is extremely cunning and manipulative, he is able to control almost anyone he chooses and he is in control of Othello’s emotions because he knows the things Othello fears. Iago is pretending to be Othello’s friend but secretively is going behind his back and bringing him down. Iago convinces Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. “I humbly do beseech

During Act I, Scene I of the play, Iago berates Cassio as he spoke to his fellow conspirator, Roderigo, by saying he was unworthy of his lieutenancy as a man who lacks knowledge in the battlefield. By repeatedly emphasizing Cassio’s inadequacy, Iago uncovers that he likely does this out of envy for Cassio.. Iago also suspects that Othello slept with his wife, and it supposedly sets his mind into emotional turmoil. He explicitly states that the thought of it bothers him, “gnaws his inwards.” Although the truth of Iago’s words here remain unclear, if he is in fact disturbed by this idea, this could give him more incentive to ruin Othello as he eventually

One of the first lines Iago even says is that he hates Othello. My first thought when considering this reason would be, is not being appointed second-in-command enough for him to do what he does? It’s completely possible because later in the play, he gets Cassio drunk and tricks him into attacking Roderigo and Montano, the governor of Cyprus before

Iago’s next achievement in Shakespeare’s play Othello is to convince Othello that his wife is cheating on him. He wants to destroy their marriage because he believes Othello has slept with his wife, Emilia which is another motive as to why he hates Othello. Starting in Act One, Scene Three Iago wants to start “poisoning” Othello’s mind with thoughts of his wife having an affair with Cassio. He states in lines 385-387, “Let’s see. After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear that he is too familiar with his wife”. Iago is going to put the impression that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Iago wants to put these thoughts into Othello’s head; therefore Othello can experience the same betrayal and heartbreak that he is experiencing. He believes Othello will trust his word because Cassio is good looking and a smooth talker. In Act Three, Scene Three Iago starts hinting to Othello that his lieutenant, Michael Cassio could be having an affair with Othello’s wife Desdemona. Iago tells Othello, “Look to

Iago’s manipulation of Othello is the most significant in the play Othello. Although, Iago’s elaborate plan would never have worked without careful manipulation of Othello’s honorable lieutenant, Cassio. In the third scene of act two, Iago uses his established credibility and pathos to manipulate Cassio’s emotions. The scene starts with Othello telling Cassio to assist Iago in standing guard through the night. When Iago arrives, he begins his manipulation by shifting the conversation to Othello’s wife Desdemona, which leads Cassio to say, “She is indeed perfection” (Shakespeare, 2.3.22). Iago uses this conversation to direct Cassio’s emotions. Immediately after Cassio confesses his feeling for Desdemona, Iago tells Cassio he has a “stoup of wine,” and wants to have a toast to Othello’s health (2.3.23). With persuasion from Iago, Cassio takes part in the toast and gets drunk. Shortly after Cassio leaves, Iago sends Roderigo, a former suitor to Desdemona, to start a fight with him. Not long after, Roderigo runs back pursued by Cassio. Iago, knowing

Iago is evil and he doesn 't care who he hurts; he enjoys it. Although Iago is evil he does display grit and mindset. Iago persuades Cassio into drinking a lot then has Roderigo provoke him into a fight. When Montano tries to break it up Cassio hurts him. This made Othello intervene and stop the fight. Iago planned the whole thing out but he plays it off like he 's shocked about what happened. Othello ends up firing Cassio. Iago tries to persuade Cassio into thinking that he can get Desdemona to talk Othello into giving him his job back. This is all apart of Iago 's evil plan. After firing Cassio Desdemona tries to stick up for Cassio. To get Othello even more upset Iago tells Othello that it 's lust that makes Desdemona speak up for Cassio. Iago believes it 's an excellent plan to bring down Othello. He says, "So will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net That shall enmesh them all" (360-362). Iago plans to use Desdemona as a way to get under Othello 's skin. This shows grit in Iago because he is determined to ruin Othello and anyone in his way. He tries anything he can to achieve this goal. In order to destroy Othello, he must also destroy Roderigo, Emilia, Desdemona, and eventually himself. Iago is a hard character to place under a specific mindset. Reviewing Iago 's actions he shows he has a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset

Iago feels that he was wronged by Othello and wants revenge. William Hazlitt said, “From this time, his raging thoughts "never look back, ne'er ebb to humble love," till his revenge is sure of its object, the painful regrets and involuntary recollections of past circumstances which cross his mind amidst the dim traces of passion, aggravating the sense of his wrongs, but not shaking his purpose. ”(Hazlitt, Othello) This is all powered by jealousy and greed. At first Iago was just mad because he wanted more power but didn’t get it and is jealous of Cassio.

Over the course of the play, Iago offers numerous reasons for him desiring revenge. The first motive is the loss of a promotion to Cassio. “’Tis the curse of service: preferment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation,” (I.i.33-35). Iago feels that Cassio was chosen over him because he is more likable instead of earning it like Iago felt he had. Bloom describes this anger in terms of religion. “His religion is war, and his god is Othello, and so his fury when Cassio is preferred to him is the fury of the priest or worshipper who has been found unworthy,” (Bloom). Iago feels that Othello must make amends for his rejection. The next reason he gives is the supposed infidelity of his wife. Iago says “And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets H’as done my office.” (I.iii.378-379).

Iago’s revenge plan started because he wanted a higher position in the army. The position that Iago wanted was the one that Cassio had. So he knew the only way to get this was through the “easy prey” (spark notes) Othello. Iago saw Othello as an easy target because of his insecurities of marrying Desdemona and his trusting nature. Othello was insecure because he was a man

Iago has many reasons to hate Othello, including the fact that he had been passed over for a promotion, in which Othello had snatched the position, and he also suspects Othello had slept with Emilia. These reasons were given to the audience, as Iago, himself, reveals his reasons to Roderigo, “ I hate the Moor; and it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets 'has done my office. I know not if't be true; yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety.” (1.3.378-82). Iago is never turned back on his plan to ruin Othello and the people surrounding him, since he is always contemplating on how Othello doesn’t deserve his accolades, and how Iago is plotting revenge against him. This keeps Iago to consistently, and deliberately continue with his strategies, which keeps the audience empathetic for the rest of the story. Iago is also jealous of Othello’s ability to woo and lure Desdemona, “It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor ... She must change for youth. When she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice.” (1.3.340). However, Even if Iago had received the promotion; even if he had no suspicions or jealous feelings, he would still invent new motives for hating the Moor, as he is the devil of the story. Iago is not capable of performing good deeds, sustaining good relationships, or even

Iago’s story of Desdemona and Cassio has the power to turn a man in love into a man full of hatred. Othello’s attitude, during the first discussion with Iago, is one of clear denial. He claims that he would simply "whistle her off, and let her down the wind", or divorce her in other words (Vanita 3). As time goes on, the accusations that Iago has made, against Cassio and Desdemona, begins to churn in Othello’s mind. He tries hard to forget the claims but when Iago offers him proof, he begins to break down and cries out "I’ll tear her to pieces" (Oth. 3.3.631). One would normally ignore this remark, assuming that he was simply speaking in anger, if it were not for his call for "revenge" shortly after (Oth. 3.3.631). The true evil in Othello begins to show when he commands Iago to kill Cassio by saying "Within these three days let me hear thee say / That Cassio’s not alive" (Oth. 3.3.632). What makes this directive so evil is that Othello has not yet seen any proof. He has only heard the accusations from one person (Iago), and yet he

At all points of one’s life, one has desires; what separates and defines a person is determined by how that person goes about dealing with those desires. Some believe in working honestly towards his or her aspirations and others in seizing it at any cost. Iago, the antagonist of the play Othello is one of those people who would do anything in order to get what he wishes. Because Othello names Cassio lieutenant instead of him, he begins to device a plan in vengeance to bring Othello and Cassio down, which ends up tragic for all of the major characters. Iago’s obsessive need for revenge stems from jealousy and ambition, and because he is a master manipulator, the plan goes extremely smooth for the majority of the play.