Shakespeare's Othello Conspiracy

Even though Iago did not become lieutenant he still believes he is worth more than what others believe his is. This shows that Iago has a growth mindset and still believe he can be better than Cassio. For example, Carol Dweck states, “When they are not coping with failure, they feel just as worthy and optimistic - and bright and attractive - as people with the growth mindset”(Dweck 53).This shows that Iago is a very determined antagonist in the story and won 't give up until he gets what he feels he deserves. He also proves he has a growth mindset in act one scene one. In act one scene one Iago continues to talk to Roderigo about the lieutenant situation. Iago then states, “O, sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot be truly followed. You shall mark Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, Wears out his time, much like his master’s ass, For naught but provender; and when he’s old, cashiered”(Act one scene one). Iago states that he is only working with Othello to take advantage of him. Iago plans on working under Othello until he is able to use him to become someone far more bigger than he is.

In the tragedy, Shakespeare illustrates how ambition can be used to produce the downfall of a hero. Shakespeare studies the ruthless cunning of the machiavel – a character who has risen during the Renaissance period. In the earlier part of Othello, Iago admits in his soliloquy that: “O sir, content you. I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” At this point in the play, Iago and Roderigo tell Brabantio that his daughter has eloped

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.

The character Iago wants to be lieutenant but instead Othello makes him his ensign,Iago doesn’t like that he wants power,he wants to be lieutenant be he knows a lot about military and he’s been in ward more than Cassio.So Iago finds a way to make it happen,he lies and tricks people into thinking he’s helping them but he’s really helping himself.

The relationships in Shakespeare’s plays are never simple and even less so when one narrows the field to his tragedies. In the case of Iago and Othello this complicated relationship is made more so by the interwoven theme of appearance verses reality. The idea of Iago, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, fighting both for and against his master that permeates the play. Othello, however, a seasoned warrior being unable to see through the guise is a flaw his companion takes advantage of. Iago’s hatred is the biggest mystery of this play, making the reader wish Shakespeare had written a prequel.

The reason Cassio is discharged as Othello’s lieutenant is because he fought Montano, who was the governor of Cyprus before Othello. Now that Cassio has been discharged as lieutenant, Iago has achieved one of goals because Othello tell Iago “Now art thou my lieutenant” (III, ii. 485). Although his hate for Othello still remains as he has suspicion that he has slept with his wife, Emilia.

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

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 Shakespeare conspiracy is pertaining to the fact that Shakespeare did not write his famous poems, plays and sonnets; claiming he simply used someone else's work and labeled it in his own name. Theorists state that the plays contained too much knowledge of foreign and distant places and too much familiarity with court life and the affairs of court. They stated that Shakespeare was someone so far down in the social class that he couldn’t have acquired this knowledge. The various works of Shakespeare contain information showing the amount of familiarity the author has with such modernized sports including tennis and bowling. Theorists also claim that the plays have too wide a range of style to have been written by someone without an advanced

Iago, who presents himself as Othello’s confidante, signifies the antithesis of the virtues of the play, and Othello’s belief in the lies this villain tells destroy these values and lead to his demise.  Iago is disloyal from the start.  From the beginning he tells us, “In following him [Othello], I follow but myself. / … I am not what I am” (I, I, 55-62).  Iago feigns devotion to Othello only to bring him down, and in doing so he makes himself seem virtuous and turns the true virtue, in Desdemona, to vice.  When scheming to make Othello think that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant, he plays on her concern for people, and her willingness to help Cassio come back into Othello’s favor: “So will I turn her virtue into pitch, / And out of her goodness make the net/ That shall enmesh them all” (II, iii, 360-62).  As the opposite of all that is valued in the play, Iago is able to make the virtue of the other characters into their downfalls without them suspecting it.  He observes of Othello, “The Moor…Is of a constant, loving, and noble nature” (II, I, 288-89).  He then plans to use this nature to “Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me / … Even to madness” (II, I, 308-11).  Iago uses Othello’s trusting nature and Desdemona’s goodness to create the

A key figure, if not the most important in the play, is that of the malcontent Iago, who sows the seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind, and presents him with ‘proof’ to back up his suspicions. Iago acts as a catalyst to Desdemona’s murder and it is his intricate

Throughout Othello, the dramatic irony of “Honest” Iago is detrimental. Iago serves as Othello’s main attendant and is expected to get the promotion to lieutenant. Unexpectedly though, Othello gives the promotion of lieutenant to Michael Cassio. In all, this catalyzes Iago’s plot for revenge and destruction that will destroy every

As in almost all tragedies, especially those of William Shakespeare, the tragic hero always runs into misfortune. The play Othello is no exception. In this play, every character acquainted with the tragic hero appears to be unfortunate. While these misfortunes are oddly related to Othello, are they his fault or did each character attract them out of their own actions? To answer this daunting question, one must consider the three most unfortunate characters: Othello, Desdamona and Roderigo and analyse their downfall which eventually lead to their deaths. It is known from reading the play that Iago is the one who manipulates all three of them. Examinations of their connection with him before their deaths are necessary to answer this

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

Iago’s relationship with Othello becomes a power struggle where Iago attempts to degrade Desdemona in order to position himself so he can ‘poison’ Othello. Here Shakespeare is showing how powerful and manipulative Iago can be with his use of words, and how powerful they can be. This power struggles is exemplified