Iago's Character Exposed Through Language and Diction in Othello

Rhetorical strategies are continually used to get a point across or to manipulate another. Iago uses many devices to put false accusations into Othello’s head. In lines 330-447 in Act 3 scene 3, Iago uses rhetorical question, imagery, and sarcasm. He questions Othello and makes him think the worst between Cassio and Desdemona, and then his use of words adds color and a picture, so it has to be right. Last his sarcasm creates the assurances Othello needed to be duped.

The first of many examples of Iago’s manipulation occurs in Scene 1, Act 1. Rodgerio and Iago have had a bit too much to drink and they go over to Brabantio’s house to inform him about his daughter’s romantic relationship with Othello. When Roderigo starts telling Brabantio about this, he shrugs it off, blaming his nonsense on Roderigo’s unrequited love for his daughter. But Iago begins explaining the situation, saying “...very now, an old black ram is topping your white ewe. Arise, arise, awake the snorting citizens with the bell, or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.” (I,I). Iago’s exact choice of words in this quote is very significant because not only are they racist and distasteful, they are dehumanizing Othello. By comparing Othello to an animal, and “old

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).

:y utili%ing ethos and pathos, Iago uses )esdemona as a device to get revenge on *thello while upholding his own reputation. Iago often uses logos, or logic, to persuade Roderigo. Roderigo values Iago’s advice !I.iii.-4$. In fact, he hardly needs any persuasion( he simply needs instruction. Iago offers Roderigo simple, concise directions, such as “"all up her father. B Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight !I.i.7=6<9$. 8hen Roderigo e2aggerates his torment and contemplates suicide, Iago reasons e2tensively with him and e2plains why that resolution is illogical !I.iii.-9-6-7-$. +hrough logical persuasion, Iago is able to use Roderigo for his own intentions.Iago engages ethos, logos, and pathos when persuading *thello. +hrough ethos, he understands his position is beneath that of *thello so he allows *thello to lead the conversation, inserting casual comments or 0uestions which encourage *thello’s speech, but revealing no information until *thello demands it !III.iii.-4654$. Iago uses logic to defend his accusation of )esdemona, reasoning that since she loved *thello most when she feared his appearance, if that fear were to be negated, she might lose interest and regret the marriage !III.iii.559654$. Amidst tricking *thello, Iago logically sets up safe guards for himself so *thello cannot accuse him of directly condemning )esdemona. 1or instance, his arguments are based on dreams and

He then later says ‘My Lord you know I love you’. This is one of the

metaphor. In this speech, after Roderigo says he wants to kill himself, Iago tries to convince Roderigo not to end

Throughout this passage, Iago’s main techniques of deception include lies, syntax and diction, and hoodwinking Othello into thinking his way. By quickly averting his conflict with Othello at the start of the scene, he easily avoids confrontation

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.

Othello is the character with whom most of Iago's methods have success. His weakness as a jealous lover is apparent early on, but only after Iago’s has planted the seeds of doubt within his mind. Such is Othello’s trust for Iago that he uses the misnomer of describing Iago as ‘honest Iago’ and irony considering the action held within the play.  The trust is obvious and implicit and thoroughly entrenched within the language. Othello surmises on the aforementioned doubts during the last act of the play when he says;

In this scene, Roderigo is sceptical of Iago’s plan and puts a sword to his throat. Iago swiftly maneuvers out of this situation by telling Roderigo how his judgement is brave and now he believes that Roderigo will do whatever it takes to get Desdemona’s love. Iago says that if Roderigo does not complete the plan, then he cannot try to kill him. The fooled Roderigo is shocked and is now completely loyal to Iago who barely got out of this bad situation using his manipulation skills. Later in the play, Roderigo finally recognizes that Iago has been taking advantage of him saying, “O damned Iago! O inhumane dog!” (5.1.74). As seen by his constant manipulative actions and dialogue, Iago reveals himself as a sociopath.

What makes a successful villain? In the case of Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago’s ability to manipulate the people around him with his words is what leads to his success. The play Othello is a tragedy. True to form, the play sees multiple deaths, all of which were due to Iago’s influences. The main theme of the drama is revenge. The events that take place are due to Iago’s pursuit of revenge. Iago manipulates the people and events throughout the course of the play in order to enact this revenge. In Othello, Iago manipulates the situations he finds himself in, the people who happen to be around him, and the words that come out of his mouth to ensure his mission for revenge is a success.

Iago is a powerful predator who exploits those around him by infecting their perceptions of truth with carefully chosen fallacy. His skill in finding the proverbial chinks in others' armor allows him to skillfully weave his machinations of destroying Othello into their minds and actions; by manipulating character's perceptions of Desdemona, Iago gains the leverage he needs to exploit each character. No one is impervious to Iago's seething purpose; even Othello falls prey to Iago's suggestions and insinuations about Desdemona. Iago's constant presence as the stager, as well as his ceaseless - but subtle - reinforcement of events through narration, allows him to be the pivotal force that directs

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.

At the end of the court scene in the first act, Iago and Roderigo are left alone with the poor doting lover in great despair. Roderigo takes a decision to drown himself. Iago easily convinces him out of it by pointing out Othello’s shortcomings. Says he,

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.