Essay about Othello: Iago's Soliloquies and Intentions

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,

Iago takes what most of us see as good and uses those traits against characters in the play. He is able to take something as pure as Othello and Desdemona's love or Cassio's loyalty as a weakness that he can pounce on. "He holds me well; The better shall my purpose work on him." (I, iii, 381-382) Iago possesses no good qualities so as a jealous pay back he takes trust and turns it against the trusting and then tries to take it even further for himself.

Iago claims to “hate the Moor” (Act 1, sc 3, line 368) so he wants to

The two passages I have looked at share just some of the possible motives for Iago's master plan. It has been suggested that Iago is motiveless maliginty, meaning that he has no real motive for destroying both Othello's reputation and chance for happiness with Desdemona. This could be explained in act five, scene two when Othello asks “why he hath ensnared my soul and body?” and Iago refuses to answer “I will never speak word”. This suggests he has no motive for his actions and may have acted out of pure entertainment. Another explaination for Iago's motives is that he is the devil incarnate. This

Yet, no matter how strong Coleridge’s view may seem, it is completely incorrect, the motive is there it just may seem to be hard to see. One thing that can be concluded about Iago is that he is not an honest man, and that Othello has mislabeled him drastically. Iago’s character through a strategic and well planned manipulation process eceive many of the other characters. He uses carefully thought out words and actions to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits himself, while also pushing Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Cassio to their tragic death. Not only is he betraying his commander he is also using his wife,

Iago plans to ruin Othello because of Iago's jealousy towards him is by carrying out a plan to get back at Othello based on lies and deceit. This plan will make Iago the only person that Othello believes he can trust, and Iago will use this trust to manipulate Othello. Iago plans to remove Cassio from

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.

The three people that Othello trust the most are: his wife, lieutenant Cassio, and Iago. But Iago has bad intensions, and he is going to be the character that steers Othello wrong. Even though Othello has done nothing wrong to him he thinks that his wife, Emilia cheated on him with Othello. So that’s why he wants to get revenge on Othello. But the main reason Iago is steering Othello wrong because he wants a higher position in the army. Iago is just the evil character in the play that lies and cheats.

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;

By using short, choppy sentence structure and weak diction, he seems less of a threat to Othello and his innocence is enhanced through it. Also, by always using rhetorical questions, he never does address what it is Othello is talking about. Iago distorts Othello’s thoughts and gets him to think he knows much more than he is telling him about the entire affair. This becomes especially clear when Othello asks for “ocular proof” and Iago confirms he has it using statements like “I should be wise; for honesty’s a fool and looses that it works for,” Act III Scene iii line 378-379, meaning he should not tell Othello what he knows or it would ruin Iago’s reputation. This sets Othello’s suspicions aflame and soon Iago is relaying to him the story about Cassio’s dream about he and Desdemona, and finally, he closes with the handkerchief, the most powerful thing which Othello held as a sacred gift of love to his wife. He is then completely overcome with jealousy and scorn for his former lover and friend, wanting death for the both of them.

Critical Analysis of Iago's Soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3 of Othello by William Shakespeare

8ahlmeier 5characters so well, Iago uses ethos to effectively ;udge which method of persuasion to use based on a character’s 0ualities, flaws, motives, and desires, and Iago’s relationship to him or her.Iago easily evokes "assio’s emotions through pathos. #e recogni%es the honorable and valiant virtues "assio e2hibits and uses these virtues to fashion "assio into a pawn. Iago, knowing alcohol to be the counteragent of "assio’s virtues, encourages the sport of drinking to the point where "assio rela2es his conduct and allows his emotions to overcome him, breaking out in a fight which causes him to forfeit his position as officer !II.iii.465-$. "assio has a strong desire for redemption and reinstallation, and Iago suggests "assio beseech

He fears the exposure of his actual character and wants to execute his plan by keeping other individuals believing that he is an honest and a trustworthy man. Firstly, Iago undermines Emilia not to say another word in regards to the handkerchief that he utilizes as a major aspect of the arrangement to devastate Othello. He advises Emilia to “Be wise and get you home.” (Act 5.2.221). Emilia disagrees with what Iago says and soon after, Iago draws his sword. This shows Iago really thinks about his personality and notoriety, his trepidation of presentation is fierce to the point that it drives him to execute his own particular wife. Also, there is not a single line written in the play, which uncovers Iago presenting his reality to someone else. In spite of the fact that everybody makes sense of Iago's two-sided personality towards the end of the play, despite everything he doesn't have the quality to uncover his actual two- sided character or translate why he has done such offensive deeds. When Othello demands Iago for a reasoning behind his actions, he responds back saying, “Demand me nothing; what you know, you know. / From this time forth I never will speak word” (Act 5.2.300-301). Iago's instability of character is powerful to the point that is prohibits him to talk up and give a sensible reaction to Othello regarding why he has done such malevolence activities. Identity, as well as reputation, is what a man is acknowledged for, a wide range of wrong decisions will destroy this part of Iago

reason he "would expend time with such a snipe" is but to use him. He

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