Roderigo's Manipulation In Othello

First, Iago cunningly deceives Roderigo into giving Iago all of his money by telling Roderigo it would win over the girl he loves Desdemona. Roderigo is an innocent weak man who falls in love with a women and trusts the wrong person to tell. In the very beginning of the play Iago already puts his plan in action, "Thou art sure of me.

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).

The first victim of Iago’s manipulation was Roderigo. Iago realises Roderigo will do anything to be with Desdemona, so Iago uses this to his advantage. “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” (I, iii, 374). Iago plays with Roderigo’s emotions and hopes to swindle his money. Iago makes a fool out of Rodrigo because he is a rich guy who thinks that money will win over Desdemona’s heart. Roderigo buys her gifts and gives it to Iago thinking that he will give it to Desdemona. Instead, Iago keeps it for himself, and making a lot of profit in doing so. Iago does not waste his on knowledge and skills on something he can get someone else to do. “For I mine own gained knowledge should profane” (I, iii, 375). Iago convinces Roderigo that he will make Desdemona fall in love with him by giving her presents with Rodrigo’s money. This shows that he is sly and clever because he knows that Roderigo has a lot of money he can benefit from. Also, Iago gets something useful out of Roderigo that aids in his evil plans. “If I would time expend with such a snipe But for my sport and profit” (I, iii, 376-377). Roderigo is shown to be a very gullible character that believes everything Iago says. Iago keeps Rodrigo uninformed about his plans and continues to profit from him. Rodrigo follows Iago blindly, thinking the whole time that Iago is trying to aid him, but since Iago is driven to become lieutenant, he uses Roderigo for his money and something to rely on. Later Iago sends Roderigo to kill Cassio so Iago would not be suspected as a criminal. Iago’s plans begin to dwindle as Roderigo ends up dying by the hands of the manipulative Iago that supposedly helped Roderigo get with Desdemona.

Roderigo also plays as a pawn in Iago's plan when he is lied to by Iago about getting married to Desdemona. For example when Iago says to Roderigo, "Plague him with flies"(I,i,71). Iago uses this metaphor to manipulate Roderigo into going to Desdemona's father and telling him that his daughter is married to the Moor, Othello. Iago wants Brabantio, Desdemona's father, to dislike the Moor because Othello did not make Iago his lieutenant. Roderigo is told by Iago that if he tells Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona are married than Brabantio might get them divorced or break them up. This way Roderigo will have a chance with Desdemona and express his love to her. Another metaphor that helps Iago with his plan is "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse"(I, iii, 375). Iago had been convincing Roderigo that money can buy him anything, even Desdemona's love. Roderigo believes him, blinded by his love for Desdemona, and sells his land to get money for gifts. Iago had been using Roderigo for his money and none of the gifts and jewels Roderigo gave Iago to give to Desdemona actually reached her. Roderigo who is crazy about Desdemona gets so carried away with himself that he is too late to realize that he had been tricked and used for his money. Roderigo is deceived by Iago whom he trusted so dearly

In other words, Cassio is a man who knows as much about war as an old woman does, unless it is what he has read in books. Therefore, Iago finds him hardly qualified for the job he has gained. Iago is also jealous toward Othello because it is rumored that he has slept with his wife Emilia. (Find Quote In Book) Iago now has a motive to make Othello think that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair to get revenge on Othello and achieve his goal. His hatred and jealously toward Othello and Cassio seem to turn Iago, himself into “the green-eyed monster” (III.iii.1203) that leads him down a path of destruction.

Cassio takes Iago’s advice of seeking Desdemona’s help to earn his job and trust with Othello, back. He too refers to Iago as “honest Iago,” (II.iii.355) Cassio places his trust with Iago, while Iago uses this to misrepresent Cassio and Desdemona’s interactions to Othello. Eventually, Othello gives Cassio’s lieutenant position to Iago, but Iago continues to cause more chaos. Hence, Iago was not really jealous of Cassio taking his lieutenant position,

The theme of jealousy is portrayed through various characters within the play. Iago increases Roderigo’s jealousy of Othello. By reflecting on the jealousy he bears within himself, Iago brings out the jealousy in others. Roderigo sees Othello as an opponent, which he has to compete against in order to win Desdemona’s heart. He expresses his emotions towards Othello when he states, “What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,/ If he can carry it thus!”(1.1.67-68). Roderigo says that Othello only got Desdemona out of luck and he will not be able to carry it off. It is because of this jealousy that Roderigo continues to seek Iago’s assistance. Iago tends

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.

Roderigo believes that Iago will help him win Desdemona's love, so she will abandon Othello. In the play, Iago states “I say put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should continue her love to the moor-put money in thy purse-nor he his to her” (1.1.385). Iago persuades Roderigo to pay him for his service, which would only be the beginning of his manipulations. Roderigo has a deep love and respect for his companion Iago, whom he trusts, as witnessed by his willingness to give him money. The adoration Roderigo has

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.

The same could be said of Roderigo, who, like Othello, trusts Iago in spite of evidence to the contrary--in the case of Roderigo, that Iago continues to take his money despite the fact that he gains nothing from it. This separation of fact and fantasy remains unresolved until the final act of the play, in which the death of Desdemona ultimately leads to the revelation that it was Iago's manipulations that led to the establishment of individual fantasies.

    One of the people who Iago manipulates is Roderigo. Roderigo and Iago are talking after Roderigo threatens to drown himself because of Desdemona’s love for Othello. Iago replies to him, ”I have professed me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness. I could never better stead these then now. Put money in thy purse. “(I.III.336-339). Iago explains to Roderigo that he has never been more helpful to him then he is now. Iago manipulates Roderigo to make him believe they’re great friends, but Iago’s intentions are iniquities. Iago knows that Roderigo is credulous, and he uses it to his advantage. Iago tricks Roderigo into selling all his belongings for money to buy Desdemona jewels. Iago tells Roderigo that Desdemona is receiving his gifts, but in reality Iago is keeping the jewels for himself. Iago could clearly see Roderigo’s stupidity, and he manipulated Roderigo because it was easy to do. Iago was gaining wealth

From the beginning of the play Roderigo has an irrational infatuation with Desdemona. He admits to Iago that "it is my shame to be so fond, but it is not in my virtue to amend it" (1.3.314-14). He has been rejected by her father as her suitor, and even when he learns that she has eloped with Othello, he does not want to abandon his hopes. By himself, Roderigo is merely a foolish gentleman with an adolescent case of puppy love. We are not to take him seriously when he threatens to drown himself at the end of act one. It is only as he becomes increasing under the power of Iago that he loses all power to reason for himself. This is Roderigo's main fault--he allows Iago to think for him and put him into situations he would normally avoid. Iago controls Roderigo by appealing to his sense of manhood, "Come, be a man. Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies" (3.3.327-28). Iago encourages him to stop acting like a helpless animal and behave like a man. For Iago this means to go out and take what you want--in this case, Desdemona. Actually, he has no respect for Roderigo's whining. He feels that Roderigo is less than a man because he allows another to affect him so much without taking decisive action, "Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon" (1.3.313-14). Roderigo is a senseless

Roderigo pays Iago for this false hope that he will be with Desdemona (1162). When he believes he is getting closer to being with her, however, Iago tells him that it might not happen because Desdemona is in love with Cassio (1169-70). Roderigo is greatly angered by this and resolves to do what it takes to stop Cassio from getting Desdemona even if it means taking his life. His attempt to kill Cassio, however, is unsuccessful, and instead he is the one injured (1175). Roderigo is no longer consumed with thoughts of being with Desdemona. Instead he is consumed with feelings of hatred toward those who might have her love and attention.

In the third scene of the third act in William Shakespeare’s, Othello, Iago confronts Othello about Desdemona’s faithfulness to their marriage. He passive aggressively accuses Desdemona of cheating on her loving husband, Othello, with his friend and lieutenant, Michael Cassio. At the beginning of the play in Act 1, it is determined that Roderigo, a dissolute Venetian who is lusting after Desdemona, is giving Iago money to buy gifts in an attempt to win her love. Iago gains Roderigo’s trust by promising that he can make Desdemona fall in love with him. In reality, he is using Roderigo’s money and hope for love as a means of control.