Iago As A Sociopath In Shakespeare's Othello

From the first scene of the play to the last, Iago is able to be trusted by everyone. This is one of the many reasons why Iago is so successful in his schemes, he is always trusted. In the first scene of the play we learn that Iago is helping Roderigo, win the love of Desdemona. Roderigo is trusting Iago with his

First, Iago cunningly deceives Roderigo into giving Iago all of his money by telling Roderigo it would win over the girl he loves Desdemona. Roderigo is an innocent weak man who falls in love with a women and trusts the wrong person to tell. In the very beginning of the play Iago already puts his plan in action, "Thou art sure of me.

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).

The first victim of Iago’s manipulation was Roderigo. Iago realises Roderigo will do anything to be with Desdemona, so Iago uses this to his advantage. “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” (I, iii, 374). Iago plays with Roderigo’s emotions and hopes to swindle his money. Iago makes a fool out of Rodrigo because he is a rich guy who thinks that money will win over Desdemona’s heart. Roderigo buys her gifts and gives it to Iago thinking that he will give it to Desdemona. Instead, Iago keeps it for himself, and making a lot of profit in doing so. Iago does not waste his on knowledge and skills on something he can get someone else to do. “For I mine own gained knowledge should profane” (I, iii, 375). Iago convinces Roderigo that he will make Desdemona fall in love with him by giving her presents with Rodrigo’s money. This shows that he is sly and clever because he knows that Roderigo has a lot of money he can benefit from. Also, Iago gets something useful out of Roderigo that aids in his evil plans. “If I would time expend with such a snipe But for my sport and profit” (I, iii, 376-377). Roderigo is shown to be a very gullible character that believes everything Iago says. Iago keeps Rodrigo uninformed about his plans and continues to profit from him. Rodrigo follows Iago blindly, thinking the whole time that Iago is trying to aid him, but since Iago is driven to become lieutenant, he uses Roderigo for his money and something to rely on. Later Iago sends Roderigo to kill Cassio so Iago would not be suspected as a criminal. Iago’s plans begin to dwindle as Roderigo ends up dying by the hands of the manipulative Iago that supposedly helped Roderigo get with Desdemona.

Fred West’s perspective on Iago is that he is a psychopath. He argued that Iago is an ‘accurate portrait of a psychopath’. He stated that “the psychopath does not set out to lie in the self-conscious, guilt-beset way that a normal person would. Lying does not bother him.” I agree with West’s view of Iago being a psychopath. By definition psychopaths are unable to form emotional attachments or feel real empathy with others, both of which are demonstrated by Iago during the play. Psychopath’s are often charming, they are very manipulative, just like Iago is with Othello and how he manipulates him into believing Othello’s wife has been unfaithful and can easily gain people’s trust, Iago’s ‘honest’ facade allows people to believe he is trustworthy.

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

There are many people that are considered sociopaths in the world, many of which hold high ranks in our society; amongst those many people you could find presidents and CEO's of companies, all willing to do whatever it takes to step on all kinds of people to get to the top of the social classes. If the definition of a sociopath is someone with an emotional and behavior disorder, clear perception of reality save for the person's social and moral obligations and often by the pursuit of immediate gratification in criminal acts or sexual perversion then Iago fits the description perfectly. Iago of all people wields the power of manipulation like no other man in Othello; he has a complete lack of empathy, is aggressive and he is a master

Roderigo argues that he deserves to take Desdemona's hand in marriage. His secret love for her drives him crazy inside at every sight he sees her and Othello together. During this Othello is described as an old black ram, "Even now, now, very now, an old black ram". Iago thinks that Othello is too old and that he will not be around with his job for long. The play would have opened up with this conversation in the dark.

In Othello, Shakespeare forms the villainous character, Iago through his complex language. Iago shows his evil nature towards Roderigo through his use of demeaning animal imagery. Iago also uses an extended metaphor to try and trick the ignorant Roderigo and (unknowingly to Roderigo), insults him. Lastly, Iago uses repetition to beguile Roderigo to keep paying him. Iago’s slyness is clearly seen through his deceiving language towards the end of Act I.

What is not clear is whether Desdemona would even consider Roderigo’s advances. We know that Roderigo has failed in previous attempts to court Desdemona and Brabantio “charged thee not to haunt my doors” (Shakespeare 1458). Roderigo is eager to charge forward with Iago’s instructions and is so gullible that he is repeatedly puts his self in physical danger. Roderigo has no realistic chance of success and is therefore considered a pawn for Iago to maneuver. To enlist his help to eliminate Cassio, Iago conjures up a tale of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio that Roderigo is all too willingly to accept about the woman he loves. According to Iago, Roderigo is no longer considered Desdemona’s second choice behind Othello, but falls to a distant third behind Cassio. Roderigo becomes

Iago's manipulative nature has a profound effect on the decisions made by other characters in Shakespeare's ‘Othello’. Through his relations with those around him Shakespear characterizes him as a man full of malice, vengeance and dishonesty that is wholly inspired by jealousy. Furthermore it would appear that Iago has an exceptional ability to scheme, a talent which he uses to snake his way into the lives of others and exploit them through their weaknesses. Whether he does this for profit or for pleasure is a separate issue.

The PCL refers to sociopaths as having “superficial charm” and “glibness”, both of which Iago possesses. When asked by Othello to recap the events of the quarrel, Iago says “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth/ Then it should do offence to Michael Cassio” (2.3.205-206). In saying so, Iago comes off to Othello as both honest and loyal, most definitely charming him and covering up the fact that it was Iago himself who intentionally set up the quarrel in order to become lieutenant. In document A, “conning others for personal profit or pleasure” is said to be usual of sociopaths. This is easily applicable to Iago’s character, who for the sake of becoming lieutenant and destroying Othello, manages to deceive several characters in the play and ends up being the cause of Roderigo, Desdemona, Emilia and Othello’s deaths. Once again, placing Iago and Ani Korban side by side affirms Iago’s sociopathy. Ani Korban praises his psychiatrist by referring to him/her as “one of the most astute and erudite persons he has ever met”. Immediately after saying so, Korban requests a favor: to have access to a payphone. Evidently, he also has the ability to charm others and, similar to Iago, uses this superficial charm for his own personal

different point of view. To effectively manipulate one must know the weakness of the targeted person. Therefore, using their emotions to enable the manipulation easily. Othello is a tragedy, written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth century. The play by William Shakespeare includes the character of Iago. Iago is the antagonist in Othello, who cleverly plans out his tactics. Viewing the character of Iago from an analytical point of view shows Iago exposing himself to be a psychopath. Iago can use the weakness of the characters to set up scenes, and earns himself the title “The Honest Iago.” Consequently, psychopaths act as pleasurable people, but in reality, they are different in private. A psychopath sees themselves as preferable and worthy of the respect of others. The complex character of Iago sees himself as being superior to Cassio and is inclined to seek vengeance on Cassio and Othello. The character of Cassio is similar to Othello since they both appear to be impeccable. In Othello, the complex character of “Honest Iago” creates a psychotropic weapon by using the vulnerability of the character’s emotional state to create the perfect tactics.

The definition of psychopath is: “A mental disorder in which an individual manifests amoral and antisocial behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, extreme egocentricity, failure to learn from experience, etc..” (dictionary.com) Only one character fits the characteristics in the play, Othello, and that is Iago. Iago is manipulative, conniving, too faced, and a liar. Everything Iago has ever said or done in the play was manipulative against others, for his own personal gain. No one ever suspected Iago was not who he truly was, he puts

Iago uses a gamut of devious methods to achieve his means. His use of Roderigo is a masterly move. From being "a Venetian gentleman," Roderigo becomes Iago’s gull. In the very first scene he gets him to confront a sleepy Brabantio and give him the news of his daughters escapades with the Moor.