How Does Iago Manipulate Roderigo In Othello

As his wingman, Iago tries to take advantage of Roderigo’s foolishness, “ Put money in thy purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard… It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor- put money in thy purse- nor he is to her” (I.iii.) He believes Iago will go through with his promise so he invests all of his money on this scheme. Roderigo has been played by Iago over and over again, he is unable to do anything about it because he has become very weak- minded. In fact Roderigo has become so weak- minded that he is easily persuaded by

Iago also knows that Roderigo will do anything for Desdemona’s love. Iago says, “Thus I do ever make a fool my purse” (1.3.355). Iago tells this to Roderigo which means that he is willing to manipulate anyone as long as he gives him jewels and money. This quote makes him look brilliant because he knows that Roderigo has a lot of money and will do anything to be with Desdemona. I agree when D. Madison says, “In Othello, he knows just what to say to sound innocent. Iago is the ultimate master of manipulation”. Iago uses his knowledge wisely and uses it to manipulate others for his own satisfaction, and knows how to manipulate them because he has analyzed them before, and that is what makes him so good at being evil. Iago is fully aware what he is doing and has no sympathy for anyone like he says himself; “And what’s he then that says play the villain, When this advice is free I give, and honest” (2.3.299).

Roderigo is a co-conspirator with Iago but is not equal in developing a web of lies and jealousy designed to ensnare others. “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse (Shakespeare)”. Iago takes advantage of the desperate former suitor of Desdemona and controls his emotions like a puppeteer pulling strings. With the line, “But for my sport and profit”, it is clear that Iago sees enriching himself off Roderigo’s envy as an amusing task with such an easy mark (Shakespeare 1473). Roderigo is a simple-minded fool who believes that by giving money to a lowly ensign he can win the love of Desdemona, have her marriage to Othello dissolved, and restore her virtue.

Perfect people do not exist in this world of temptations, failures, and suffering. In fact, every person has weaknesses, and there is always a possibility that someone will use those feeble points against that man. Shakespeare's play Othello shows an example of how one can control others exploiting their weaknesses and the consequences of such actions. The character of Iago, the antagonist in the tragedy Othello, instigates chaos, deception, and gross manipulation. He is the center of all the evil events in the play. He manages to completely deceive everyone by displaying an honest facade. Thus he is able to instill trust in all those around him. Since no one sees him for the evil and deceiving man that he really is, he manages to

He gloats about the easy in which he can manipulate Roderigo (the fool) into giving him money. Directly after this, you hear of Iago’s feelings towards Othello (the Moor). You learn of Iago’s suspicion about his wife having an affair with Othello. This gains pity from the audience, because you feel that Iago is a man deeply distraught over the idea of his wife cheating on him. Iago then begins to contemplate how he would seek vengeance on Othello and gain his title. Iago plans to use Othello’s trust and opinion of him to his advantage. He speaks about how he will use Cassio as his pawn to lure Othello into believing his wife, Desdemona is being unloyal to him. Iago discloses that Othello’s character is naive and will be easy to manipulate. As his closing statement he states that, with a little help from the devil, his monstrous plan will be a success.

Roderigo also plays as a pawn in Iago's plan when he is lied to by Iago about getting married to Desdemona. For example when Iago says to Roderigo, "Plague him with flies"(I,i,71). Iago uses this metaphor to manipulate Roderigo into going to Desdemona's father and telling him that his daughter is married to the Moor, Othello. Iago wants Brabantio, Desdemona's father, to dislike the Moor because Othello did not make Iago his lieutenant. Roderigo is told by Iago that if he tells Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona are married than Brabantio might get them divorced or break them up. This way Roderigo will have a chance with Desdemona and express his love to her. Another metaphor that helps Iago with his plan is "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse"(I, iii, 375). Iago had been convincing Roderigo that money can buy him anything, even Desdemona's love. Roderigo believes him, blinded by his love for Desdemona, and sells his land to get money for gifts. Iago had been using Roderigo for his money and none of the gifts and jewels Roderigo gave Iago to give to Desdemona actually reached her. Roderigo who is crazy about Desdemona gets so carried away with himself that he is too late to realize that he had been tricked and used for his money. Roderigo is deceived by Iago whom he trusted so dearly

From the beginning of the play, Roderigo complains and criticizes his own fate for not getting Desdemona’s attention and love. Roderigo’s ambition implies such a destructive impact on him that he is blindly tortured by Iago and thinking of taking Desdemona from Othello which shows that Roderigo has such a weak and unintelligent character. Roderigo’s love for Desdemona goes to such extent that he is willing to do whatever it takes and says, “I am changed. I’ll go sell all my land.” (I. III. 371). At this point, Roderigo’s ambition and desires have blinded him to the point that he is willing to change himself and sell all the wealth he has in hopes of winning Desdemona. This idea was proposed by Iago to manipulate Roderigo and steal all his wealth which portrays Roderigo’s unintelligence and poor character as he is being controlled by an another person without realizing that his ambition is blindingly leading him to a damaging pathway. Later on in the play, after being manipulated by Iago on several occasions, Roderigo’s superego starts to wake him up from Iago’s horrible mind games as his character starts to change up a bit and he realizes that his ambition has gotten him into a huge trouble for his future leading him to the pathway of humiliation. He slowly begins to understand that his ambition is pointless and it is going to give him nothing but regrets so he says, “With naught but truth. I have wasted myself out of my means …. Nay, I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself fopped in it.” (IV. II. 185-194). At this point, Roderigo has realized the mistake he has made of thinking of winning Desdemona and now, he regrets everything he has done but most importantly, he has sold all his lands, jewellery, and fallen into poverty through Iago’s psychological manipulations. He has tried

However, along with his word choice, Iago is clever at the timing of what he says. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it to incite jealousy within anyone he wishes. He uses this particularly well with Roderigo and Othello. An example of Iago’s timing of jealousy is when he speaks to Roderigo of the suspicions regarding Desdemona’s love for Othello. “Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies. To love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be fed”. In this excerpt Iago represents

355,] By playing on his hopes, Iago is able to conjure money and jewels from Roderigo, making himself a profit, while using Roderigo to further his other plans. He also thinks stealthy on his feet and is able to improvise whenever something unexpected occurs. When Cassio takes hold of Desdemona's hand before the arrival of the Moor Othello, Iago says, "With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio." [II, i, 163] This language demonstrates the evil inside Iago’s goals of retrieving absolute power. He actually even says of himself, "I am an honest man...." [II, iii, 245] Iago slowly corrupts the character’s thoughts, creating ideas in their minds without implicating himself. His "medicine works! Thus credulous fools are caught...." [II, i, 44] "And what's he then that says I play the villain, when this advice is free I give, and honest," [II, iii, 299] says Iago. In turn, people rarely stop to consider the fact that old Iago could be deceiving and manipulating them; yet they are convinced that he is "Honest Iago." From these quotes from “Othello” it is proven that the dialogue used between Iago and the others is manipulative causing an evil outcome.

Roderigo believes that Iago will help him win Desdemona's love, so she will abandon Othello. In the play, Iago states “I say put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should continue her love to the moor-put money in thy purse-nor he his to her” (1.1.385). Iago persuades Roderigo to pay him for his service, which would only be the beginning of his manipulations. Roderigo has a deep love and respect for his companion Iago, whom he trusts, as witnessed by his willingness to give him money. The adoration Roderigo has

Iago makes a complete fool out of Roderigo. In fact, as play starts Iago is taking advantage of Roderigo. Roderigo remarks, "That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine." [Act I, Scene I, Line 2]. Throughout the play, Iago leads Roderigo by the collar professing that he "hate(s) the Moor" [Act I, Scene III, Line 344] and telling Roderigo to "make money" [Act I, Scene III, Line 339] to give Desdemona gifts to win her over. During the Iago keeps the gifts that Roderigo purchases for Desdemona for himself. Roderigo eventually begins to question Honest Iago, saying "I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself fopped in it." [Act IV, Scene II, Line 189]. When faced with this accusation, Iago simply offers that killing Cassio will

Roderigo along with Othello were the two most directly manipulated by him. Due to their weakness they both get played by Iago.“You can trust me. Go now and get cash. I told you before, and I’ll tell you again and again: I hate the moor. I’m devoted to my cause of hating him, just as devoted as you are to yours. So let’s join forces and get revenge.” (I.3.58). Roderigo’s vulnerability for desdemona is what got him trapped into Iago’s hands. To his advantage being that Roderigo is a wealthy man he uses him as a walking ATM. He takes all his money and even makes Roderigo sell his all his land to fill Iago’s pockets promising him something that was almost impossible to happen, Desdemona in return. Poor Roderigo trusted him with his eyes closed.

Iago does not stop there, his jealously leads him to start infecting others and the first is Roderigo, a naïve gentleman in Venice. To put his scheme into motion, Iago informs Roderigo of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement, which causes Roderigo to become very upset because he too is in love with Desdemona and is willing to do anything to win her love. Iago plants the seed of jealousy in Roderigo’s mind because he knows he can now use Roderigo “for sport and profit” (I.iii.1180) by playing off his jealousy toward anyone who comes close to Desdemona. After breaking Roderigo down he then, builds him back up by telling him a way they can break up the marriage. Iago tells him:

“One that loved not wisely, but too well” (V.ii.404) is a phrase that applies to each characters struggles and action that were a result of finding and keeping love . For instance Roderigo a Venetian gentleman, who deeply admires Desdemona, falls into a path of misfortune when he accepts Iago’s help to win Desdemona over: “I confess it is my shame to be so fond, but it is not in my virtue to amend it” (I.iii.350). Overtaken by love, Roderigo is both desperate, and vulnerable nevertheless Iago uses Roderigo’s lack of judgement as a way to manipulate him. Consequently Iago robs Roderigo of his dignity by roping him into attempted murder, and robbing him. Roderigo’s judgement was clouded by a desire to be loved by Desdemona. Unfortunately,

A victim of the villainous Iago, Roderigo was jealous of Othello’s marriage with Desdemona and tried to break it up by hiring Iago. His jealousy is seen taking its toll on Roderigo after he reacts to the confession of Desdemona’s love for Othello in front of the Duke and Brabantio. After hearing this, Roderigo feels as though all hope is lost and expresses his despair to Iago saying,