Iago's Soliloquy Analysis

Iago's need for revenge on Cassio and Othello could originate from the inadequacy he must of felt when Cassio was promoted, and finding out that his wife might be having affairs must have wounded his pride and bruised his ego greatly. All

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).

Iago is very notorious for his villainous acts throughout the play “Othello”, by William Shakespeare. Iago’s motives drive him to manipulate and deceive other characters so his “monstrous” (I, iii, 395) plot would succeed. Iago manages to con Roderigo to take his money. Iago also tries to ruin Othello and Desdemona’s relationship by using Cassio as a bait. In this passage, Iago explains how he will manipulate Rodrigo, Cassio and, most importantly, Othello to achieve his goals.

Othello is very prejudice. In the first scene, Iago and Rodrigo belittle Othello by calling him different racial terms, calling him, “Barbary horse” and “thick lips” In every case, the prejudiced characters use terms that describe Othello as an animal or beast. They use racial slang to describe Othello and also as an outsider to the white community. Comparing him to an animal and dehumanizing him they show a lack of respect. The same theme of disrespect is shown throughout the entire play with the betrayal of his closest friends. Another example of Othello being compared to an animal is when Iago says “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram

However, different ideas can be inferred by his more personal asides, “I hate the Moor,/And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets/'Has done my office. I know not if 't be true,/But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,/ Will do as if for surety” (Shakespeare.I.III.429-433). One of the reasons for Iago’s evil doings is that he perceives that Othello has slept with his wife. With no real indication of this, Iago is left to stew in his hatred and jealousy. Saying that Othello has “’twixt [his] sheets/’Has done [his] office,” reveals that Iago believes Othello’s relationship with Emilia, exceeded a physical one (Shakespeare.I.III.430-431). Another plausible reason for Iago’s malicious activities is racism. Described as “the Moor,” Othello is segregated from the rest of the nobility throughout the story due to his race. The first indication of Iago’s racist thoughts is when he beckons Roderigo to call upon Barbantio and tell him about Desdemona and Othello. Interjecting, Iago yells to Barbantio, “Zounds, sir, you’re robbed. For shame, put on your/gown!/Your heart is burst. You have lost half your soul./Even now, now, very now, an old black ram/Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise!/Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,/Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you./Arise, I say!” (Shakespeare.I.I.94-101). Declaring that Barbantio has been “robbed…for shame,” indicates that

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.

There are many instances where Othello is respected for his position within the Venetian military, but is often spoken about negatively behind his back. This is most apparent through the conflict of the play involving Iago and Othello. Iago goes about telling lies about Othello as a result of his frustration from not being promoted. He goes along spreading false news that Desdemona is being unfaithful and keeping things from Othello. While Othello slowly falls into a spiral of rage and jealousy from these lies. Iago slowly turns Othello from the noble Moor into the jealous beast that the Elizabethans would be afraid of. One can infer that the white man, Iago is believed because much of the other society is white as well. However, when Othello makes his plea and searches for truth, no one hears him because he is a Moor, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Even in the earlier parts of the play, Iago berates Othello by calling him an old black ram bewitch a white ewe (Desdemona). The dichotomy between black and white is apparent here and Othello’s military ranking does not allow him to evade this racial remark. His color is more recognizable than his rank and that does not save him from the prejudices of Iago and the rest of the other characters aside from Desdemona. In further instances, Iago tells Brabantio that Othello is like a barbary horse that will corrupt his pure daughter. Iago says

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.

Iago is one of the most misunderstood villains in Shakespeare literature. We side with Othello from the start because his name is on the cover of our paperback, we read Othello when learning about heroes, so we expect Iago to be a villain, a ruthless manipulator. We don’t know why, he doesn’t state it plainly or in simple English, so we assume that he’s evil, that he’s just a disgruntled sociopath out to exact his exaggerated revenge on good and noble Othello. Iago’s misunderstood reputation is a result of not truly examining his character, and answering the “why” factor behind his actions. After all, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. His goal in the play was not just to destroy Othello for the fun of it. His objective,

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.

To begin, Iago’s encouragement of prejudice leads to Othello’s manifestation of darkness. For instance, when Iago unveils to Rodrigo that he has a plan to attain Desdemona’s affection for him, he in contrast dehumanizes Othello he reveals that “If I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, but seeming so for my peculiar end. For when my outward action doth demonstrate” (I.i.57–65). This illustrates, Iago’s true nature that he holds prejudice and hatred for Othello by referring to him as a Moor, it proves that he only views him as substandard. Iago will pretend to serve him, but in reality he is only loyal to himself. This foreshadows that Iago will use negative connotations of race to manipulate Othello into thinking he is worthless. Thus, planting in Othello’s mind thoughts of adultery and hypocrisy. Later, resulting in the uprising of jealousy and darkness of Othello’s character. So Rodrigo, can obtain Desdemona’s love. Promotion of racial bias is also, evident when Iago tries to insinuate that Desdemona is unfaithful. He argues that “not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, Where to we see in all things nature tends—Foh! One may smell in such a will most rank, Foul disproportions,

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

During the Othello times, there weren't many black people in Venice so it wasn't very likely that everyone would accept him as he was of African descent. Iago refers to Othello as a "Barbarian" and "The Moor” throughout the play which is due to the fact that Othello is black and that he is a foreigner. There is a lot of racial prejudice throughout the play coming from all characters, such as Othello being called "thick-lips", "Barbary horse" and an "Old Black

It then hit me that through Iago’s judgments Othello is “the Moor” and should therefore exemplify the common idea of a moor, which is not admiration, self-worth, and fortune; it is one of disconnectedness and dependency. When he says that “nothing can or shall content his soul/ Till he is evened with the Moor, wife for wife” (Act 2: Scene), he means that he is satisfied until Othello’s life is made equal with his involving feelings of inadequacy and jealousy, which are all qualities fitting to a “moor”. Throughout the play Iago repetitively uses derogatory remarks when speaking of Othello so to encourage certain people in the play to endure racism and confirm that it was the norm. Even so, some of Iago’s semantics reveal his own prejudices. For example, Iago only refers to Othello as a “Moor” with the exception of when he refers to Othello as the “black Othello” (Act 2: Scene 3). Iago hates Othello because he is “the Moor” yet does not symbolize the expected role of what is thought of to be a black man in these times. There is neither reason nor logic behind his hatred, but discrimination against one seldom has reason, for it is characteristically irrational thinking. Iago is a clear illustration of what racism is and will justify his irrational thoughts with anything, just as Iago contributes to Brabantio and Rodrigo’s reasoning behind their actions and Othello’s reasons for acting out on

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.