Iago's Strengths And Weaknesses In Othello

Iago feeds off of Othello’s responses in order to figure out how to make him most jealous with what he says next. An example of this is when Othello asks Iago about seeing Desdemona and Cassio talking alone. Obviously, Cassio is asking her to convince Othello that his incident with Rodrigo was a mistake but with the intention of infidelity already in his head, he believes otherwise. “Was that not Cassio parted from my wife?” questions Othello to Iago, to which Iago responds, “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like, Seeing your coming.” Othello answers back, “I do believe ‘twas he” (3.3, 37-40). Iago totally disregards the question Othello asks and answers with another question, where Othello then answers his original question eventually coming to his own conclusion of the matter. No matter the situation Othello does nothing but wonder what Cassio and Desdemona’s intentions really are. Iago leads Othello desiring to know more which makes him obsessed with knowing the truth of the accusations.

“I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; and on the proof, there is no more but this: Away at once with love or jealousy!” Iago also reminds Othello that Desdemona did forsake her father to marry you, so what would stop her from deceiving her husband in turn for someone else. “She did deceive her father, marrying you” Finally , Iago deliberately pleads for Desdemona and Cassio despite sentencing them to death by Othello, to probably guarantee that Othello will not hesitate from killing Desdemona and Cassio. “ My friend is dead; tis done at your request. But let her live.” To this Othello rages “Damn her, lewd minx! O damn her, damn her!....To furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil.” This response almost guarantees that Othello will not relent from killing Desdemona.

He continues to take advantage of innocent people which demonstrates his malicious ways, but keeps the audience guessing as to why his character is the way he is. Iago seeks revenge upon Cassio for securing the lieutenant position. In his soliloquy Iago says, “If I can fasten one cup upon him, with that which he hath drunk tonight, He’ll be as full of quarrel and offense, as my young mistress’ dog” (Bevington, 2014, 2.3.45-47). Iago pursues every opportunity to eliminate any competition. His exploitation of Roderigo is shown when he says, “… her delicate tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heavy the gorge, disrelish, and abhor the Moor.

Firstly, Iago showed how he was the perfect villain with his ability to manipulate characters throughout the play. By manipulating other characters Iago can forward his plan of ruining Othello without other characters becoming suspicious. One character that Iago often manipulates is his friend Roderigo, this one character is the one that mainly does all the hard work of Iago. This quote: “Desdemona should continue her love to the Moor-put/money in thy purse-nor he his to her. It was a violent commencement in her, and thou shalt see an/answerable sequestration-put but money in thy purse. (1.3 334-338) convinced Roderigo to not kill himself and to continue to believe in Iago’s plan of making Desdemona to stop loving the Moor. Roderigo is in love and this is one reason why he is unable to realize that he is manipulated by Iago. Also, Iago manipulates Cassio to go talk to Desdemona, but Cassio is totally oblivious that he plans to use this to the Moor with jealousy. The quote: “I’ll send her to you presently; /and I’ll devise a means to draw the Moor/out of the way, that your converse and business/May be more free. (3.3 37-40) convinced Cassio to talk to Desdemona, which consequently shaped Othello to be even more jealous than before.

Evidence of jealousy in Iago is more prominent and very evident in the beginning of the play when he explains to Roderigo that Othello has moved Cassio to lieutenant (the position Iago desires) although three of Venice’s most noble nobleman have informed Othello and Iago has fought in front of Othello in Rhodes and Cyprus (Shakespeare 1.1. 10 - 30). Iago’s sly behavior and ability to use other character’s roles and trust such as Othello’s love for Desdemona, Cassio’s pride in serving as Othello’s trustful lieutenant, and Rodrigo's over commitment to win over Desdemona from Othello allows his plan to fall through. His motive throughout the play is to get Cassio demoted from the

Shakespeare’s novel Othello shows the downfall of the great General Othello, due to a flaw that is exploited by a man named Iago. But what is that flaw? The flaw in question is Othello’s raw emotions. Iago uses the emotion of jealousy against Othello all throughout Act 3 and most likely into Act 4.The jealousy comes into play when Iago convinces Othello that his wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him with Cassio. At first, Othello refuses to believe this, but soon doubt and jealousy set in.

In order to get his justice, Othello allies with Iago only because he thinks that Iago knows what Desdemona is doing and can help Othello. Othello tells Desdemona that Cassio is already dead and that “his mouth is stopped” because “Honest Iago hath ta’en order

Shakespeare portrays Othello as the general without faults, perfect. Yet, he slowly reveals the weaknesses of Othello’s love for Desdemona. For this love he will forsake anything. Iago is quick to pick on this and starts working towards destroying Othello through his only shortcoming.

Othello’s tragic flaw can be viewed as jealously which ultimately leads to his downfall. When Othello is manipulated by Iago to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Desdemona, Othello does not change from his good person mentality. However, Othello carries out with the plan for murder for which he believes is a fine reason to end Desdemona’s once previous life to preserve her innocence. Othello is the tragic hero within the play titled after him and because of his title, because of this Othello, the Moor of Venice follows one of Aristotle’s requirements.

The Catastrophe of Othello Heroism and fragility are what describes Othello in his own words "An honorable murderer" (Shakespeare V. ii, 295). He is a soldier and a leader in Venetian civic society and is characterized as brave, candid and trustworthy when it comes to the matter of duties. Though being an African Moor, he has gained his position and respect in Venetian society by his excellence and intelligence in the field of war. It is clear that despite of being a civilian expert in state affairs, his ensign Iago's conspiracy leaves him vulnerable in suspecting his loyal wife, Desdemona, of adultery. Thus, there are stages where Othello easily gives up in other's trap which adds spice to this play.

Even though he is general of the Venetian fleet, he is still not highly respected in society because he is a Moor. Desdemona’s father disapproved of their marriage because of Othello’s racial origin. Iago also says that “When the blood is made dull with act of sport, there should be, [again] to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favor, sympathy in years, manners, and beauties, all which the Moor is defective in.” By this Iago means that Desdemona is seeking sexual contentment, beauty, proximity in years, and manners, none of which Othello qualify. Othello himself finds it remarkable and strange that Desdemona should love him so much.

He wants to get on the good side of both Cassio and Othello so that they trust him and he can manipulate them into doing what he wants. To do this, Iago tells people what they want to hear, rather than what he actually means. As Iago planned, they both start to trust him at least a little bit. This allows Iago to plant ideas into their heads. Even though these ideas may not be true, Cassio and Othello begin to look for reasons to believe Iago. This just helps Iago’s plan develop further and

In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare illustrates Othello as a benevolent military noble who shares an intellectual love with his young wife, Desdemona, that is of utmost purity and innocence. At once the evil character of Iago is introduced and uncovers the hero's tragic flaw; ultimately that of naiveté. Although Othello is usually a very even-tempered man, as can be seen when he refuses to let Iago persuade him to get angry at Roderigo, (I, ii, 6), an exteriour opposing force characterized by Iago, perpetuates the tragedy of the play by provoking the interiour opposing force, or the hamartia of the protagonist. Near the beginning of the play, Shakespeare's clever demonstration of dramatic irony allows the reader to realize Othello's tragic flaw in the fact that he hands his full trust over to a man who is "Janus-faced" and dishonest. "...my ancient; a man he is of honesty and trust. To this conveyance I assign my wife". The irony from this line lies in Othello's misconception of his ensign, Iago, who is already plotting against him for his own means. After witnessing Iago's conspiracy with Roderigo at the ruination of Othello in the previous act, the reader immediately sees Iago's villainess, however in innocence, Othello is blinded to it and by it. From this we see, as in many tragedies, the tragic hero's flaw is not actually a defect in itself, but rather an excess of a virtue. In the case of Othello, this perilous virtue

How does one create the perfect villain for a story? What qualities are needed in such a character? A good place to start when constructing a villain is to look at William Shakespeare’s villain in Othello, a man called Iago. Iago is wonderfully devious. Throughout the play, he not only poisons Othello’s vision of Desdemona, he does this with no one, excepting Roderigo, the wiser. There are several reasons that make Iago such a terrifying villain. Shakespeare gave certain qualities to his creation that made Iago more than just a evil character. These qualities transform Iago into the truly insidious character seen in the play. From the beginning of Othello to the time that Iago is revealed as the culprit, everyone trusts Iago and looks to

After this, he plants doubt in Othello mentioning an affair between Desdemona and Cassio. When Desdemona brings up Cassio to Othello he begins to believe Iago’s lie. Iago then enters the final stages of his plan waiting for