Monsters are everywhere and anywhere. Monsters can be found in dreams, in reality, and even in literature. William Shakespeare, in Othello, creates his monster in the form of man, Iago, to better connect his audience to the idea that people are not always what they seem. Iago, from the moment the audience meets him, is a liar. He is out for revenge against the people he believes have wronged him. The monstrous Iago tells lies for his own gain, is a connected liar, and significant because he is made in the Devil’s image.
A lie is destructive on its own, but a bundle of lies are a force destructive enough to change how a person views the world around them. This major trend with monstrous Iago, his lie brings about more destruction than the lie told before it, as if he is unaware of the consequences that come with lying and the monster inside has taken over reason. Iago’s destruction grows with his lies like Pinocchio’s nose grows with each of his lies (Collodi). For example, in act 1 Iago lies to Roderigo by making him pay Iago to break up Othello and his wife (Shakespeare). Iago tells Roderigo that he needs more money, and Roderigo pays him because he is desperately in love with Othello’s wife, Desdemona. Iago again messes with other characters when he says to Othello, “She did deceive her father, marrying you” (3.3.205). By saying this to Othello, Iago causes doubt to appear in Othello’s mind because if Desdemona can deceive her father, then what is stopping her from
Iago's supposed honesty is ironically, also a result of his own lying, by making statements that help him sustain his reputation. When he explains Roderigo and Cassio's fight to Othello, he claims to do it with a heavy heart, because he does not want to cause problems for Cassio. However, he feels he must tell the truth; " I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offense to Michael Cassio. Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth." [Act II, scene iii]. By saying this, others are led to believe that the guilt of not speaking the truth is
Iago plants ideas in Othello’s head, uses the innocent actions of others as his proof; and Othello, who is not practiced in worldly matters, believes his the misnomer of the “honest Iago”, and eventually is consumed by the lie.
All three texts present Deception as a destructive force, however the way in which it is portrayed differs. Streetcar and Chesil Beach display a form of deception that is more justifiable through Blanche and Florence, whilst Othello demonstrates a more severe deception through Iago, a mastermind in manipulation. The severity of Blanche and Florence’s deception is less than Iago’s due to their good intent; both are using deception not for their own personal gain but only for the benefit of others. Iago is the main protagonist of Deception in Othello. The structure of Othello’s plot is largely based on his self-centred plan to seek revenge. The opening scene of the play immediately submerges the audience in deception through Iago’s speech. In conversation with Roderigo, Iago vows that he follows his lord Othello, not out of service, but to seek revenge. He declares ‘I follow him to serve my turn upon him’. Stated quite openly at the start of the play it sets the stage for the unfolding of deception and deceit. Further in the play, Iago openly admits he is a sinner and goes as far as comparing his actions to those of ‘The devil’: ‘Divinity of hell! When devils will the blackest sins put
As much as humans want to believe and trust others, hesitation occurs due (to) a certain act called deception. All humans have the ability to be deceptive, although some more than others, there are too many who become a victim as a consequence of metaphorical blindness. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, blindness to the truth results from the antagonist’s acts of deception derived from desire and jealousy which ultimately leads to the death of several innocents. Iago uses his desire for the lieutenant designation to create his acts of revenge which consequences in a very severe manner in Venice and Cyprus. As a machiavellian villain, he
The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the potential of the villain, Iago, to deceive other characters, above all Roderigo and Othello, through encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Othello is prone to Iago 's ploys seeing that he himself is so sincere and
In the play, Iago skillfully manipulates Othello saying that Desdemona is unfaithful to him through telling false stories, tormenting him with thoughts, and persuading him to kill Desdemona and Cassio. These perceptions of truth from “Honest Iago” lead to Othello’s downfall; the truth in is often manipulated to Iago’s personal benefit, “Or to be naked with her friend in bed, an hour or more, not meaning any harm?” (IV, i, 1, 5-6) Iago is able to do this because of his honest reputation and is verbally skilled. He’s easily able to manipulate the real truth because of his name “Honest Iago.” From Plato’s The Republic and his Allegory of the Cave, the sunlight causes the shadows that the prisoners see inside the cave, “[...] they only
Iago is the antagonist of the play, and one of the most evil Shakespearean villains. Iago is extremely clever in the way he uses unsuspecting power- especially psychological power. He gets into people’s heads in many dishonest ways- by spreading false rumours, telling lies and psychologically tricking people and secretly controlling certain situations. His power to manipulate is a key point in the play, as it results in major consequences and the deaths of some main characters. Iago’s schemes are multi-levelled- he conspires with roderigo, and makes him believe that Desdemona will take him back. On another level, he leads Othello to believe his wife is having an affair with Cassio. He uses his wife Emilia (unknown to her), to bring back the handkerchief he uses to deceive Othello. Iago is an extremely resourceful and talented man, but he uses these resources and talents in detrimental ways. Iago is constantly referred to by numerous characters as ‘honest’. He himself also refers to honesty. Numerous characters believe that they know and trust Iago and that he would not lie, nor deceive them. Iago’s soliloquies also provide invaluable insight into his wicked mind and evil schemes and plans.
Iago abuses Othello’s trusting inclination in order both further his personal rank and ruin the lives of those he feels have wronged him. Trusting by nature, Othello initially refuses to see anything but the best in people, including Iago. Iago exploits this by making Othello believe things that are completely false. In Othello’s view Iago would not lie to him because he had no reason to and had never done so before. Iago does this because he feels he has been wronged when told that “[Cassio]… must his lieutenant be… and I his Moorship’s ancient” (I i 35). Iago thinks that he should be given the position that was given instead to Cassio, and he feels that he must take brutal revenge on Othello for being the source of his calamities. Using the trust bestowed upon him by Othello Iago feeds rumors to Othello that trigger jealousy and arouse
Othello’s love for Desdemona was so deep he could not bear the thought of another being with her; “If she be false, O! Then heaven mocks itself. I’ll not believe’t.” Iago uses the characters of Cassio and the obsessive Roderigo as his weapons in his cunning plan. Iago drives the idea into Othello’s mind that Desdemona has been unfaithful, inciting him into a state of jealousy. “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee; and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” Othello growing insecurities about his wife’s faithfulness only adds to his psychological suffering which in turn acts as a catalyst towards the suffering of other characters involved in the play.Iago tells these lies with the intention of driving Othello insane as well as establish his dominance and influence the situations of those characters close to Othello. Evidence of this comes in one of Iago’s soliloquies from act two, scene one; “That Cassio loves her, I do well Believe’t: That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.” This section shows that he is trying to convince himself that his own manipulative lies are true and is trying to reassure his motives by justifying his own actions. By convincing Othello
In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago appears to be trustworthy but in truth, he is manipulative and dubious. Iago is a villainous character and he tries to achieve his desires of becoming a lieutenant by disguising himself as a honest person. Iago uses trust as a weapon to defeat his enemies and he only serves Othello to eventually, “serve [his] turn upon him” (1.1.42). Moreover, Iago’s capability to hide true feelings allows him to betray his commander, Othello for his own benefits. Soon, Iago decides to take the first step of his revenge by breaking Othello’s marriage with Desdemona. For this purpose, he manipulates Desdemona’s father named, Brabantio by suggesting that “an old black ram is tupping [his] white ewe” (1.1.90) . The disgusting sexual
The relationship of the characters in Othello are shaped by the theme of truth and lies. Othello has trouble believing in his relationship with Desdemona because he considers too many outside opinions. Iago is the center of creating manipulations to alter the truth of the actual information. Therefore, Othello questions his fidelity with Desdemona because Iago plants different information to manipulate Othello’s mind and ultimately disrupt his relationship. According to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Othello wishes to excuse himself—to excuse himself by accusing” (151). Othello has others easily influence his decisions, in which he is incapable of trusting himself. Needless to say, Othello finds it easier to accuse Desdemona of her wrongdoings and for being unfaithful; he does not question Iago’s creditability. In addition, the theme of truth and lies arise from Othello’s inability to understand himself, so Othello initially has Iago dictate. For that reason, Iago is able to tell Othello anything, knowing that Othello does not question him. However, Othello does not see that Iago manipulates him, and Iago’s lies are perceived as the truth, as it contradicts what Desdemona says.
The act of honesty is repeated throughout the story line of Othello, but in different ways. There is honesty in the commitment of a relationship, honesty between two people, honesty in the truth about the true character. When Iago is speaking with Roderigo in the speech, his shows honesty with the idea of Desdemona falling for another guy. In the rest of the story Iago shows to other people that he is an honest man who people can trust and depend on. Though anyone who is reading the book can easily see that none of what he says to expresses to other people is truly honest. Affected by the jealousy of Cassio getting the position, Iago is angered to make a plan to get the position instead of Cassio. First proving that Cassio is not fit, then pinning an affair between Cassio and Othello’s wife Desdemona. He pins little details like a handkerchief that Othello gave Desdemona, in Cassio’s, then brought Othello to see that. Once he has Othello believing his wife was cheating on him, Iago misses that his own wife isn’t necessarily on his side. Iago’s wife Emelia ends up telling everyone the truth, sadly after Othello does go unhinged and kills Desdemona. In the end the story shows that love and honesty go hand in hand. Dishonesty makes love grow weak, like it did between Desdemona and Othello. Iago’s actions were majorly punishable by death, not getting him what he had wanted. He manipulated so many people in efforts to get a single position, but ruins everyone’s life around him without having a single care about what he is doing. The idea of honesty is repeated to dramatize the idea of what happens when honesty is betrayed. If Iago were to have been an honest man, he wouldn’t have made the people around him
Iago, the villain in Shakespeare’s Othello, is a round character of great depth and many dimensions. Iago works towards an aim that is constantly changing and becomes progressively more tragic. Yet, at times, "honest" Iago does actually seem honest. This essay will explore the complex character of "honest Iago.
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 Iagos goals of retrieving absolute power. He actually even says of himself, "I am an honest man...." [II, iii, 245] Iago slowly corrupts the characters 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.
Today’s society is overly familiar with deception and lies; whether it is from their family, friends, media, or politicians. Historically, there has been an abundance which still carries on today. Behind every lie, there is a motive for doing so. In Shakespeare 's Othello, Iago is no exception to this rule. He is living a dual life of lies. On one face Iago is a trustworthy friend who is attempting to set up Roderigo with the love of his life. His other face is the one whose main goal is to be the Lieutenant of the Venetian Army. In order to reach that status he must ruin the relationship of Cassio and Othello. Iago uses each other character against others and against themselves using his knowledge of their habits and lives. His vast array of manipulative strategies gives him an extraordinary advantage over his peers. A few weak points that Iago targets are Roderigo 's desire for Desdemona, Othello 's self image and Cassio 's trust.