Roderigo is a perfect embodiment of the expression “love makes you do crazy things.” This saying is demonstrated throughout William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello. In this exhilarating play, Roderigo, a rich Venetian, believes he is in love with Desdemona. Thus, he does anything possible to try to win her from the army general, Othello. His jealousy causes him to act in a way that comes off as foolish and gullible.
Roderigo is envious towards Othello because he wants his wife, Desdemona, for himself. When Roderigo finds out Othello had secretly married Desdemona he quickly goes to her father to tell him the news, “your fair daughter… Transported with no worse nor better guard… To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor” (I.i.). Roderigo informs Brabantio of this for his own selfish reasons not to do a good deed. Jealousy affects Roderigo in a big way because he cannot live his life happily knowing he is not with Desdemona, making him a bitter and evil person. Jealousy does not only make him wicked but it makes Roderigo misperceive the current situation, which causes him to not be able to determine what is reasonable and what is not. This makes him commit very foolish decisions.
…show more content…
As his wingman, Iago tries to take advantage of Roderigo’s foolishness, “ Put money in thy purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard… It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor- put money in thy purse- nor he is to her” (I.iii.) He believes Iago will go through with his promise so he invests all of his money on this scheme. Roderigo has been played by Iago over and over again, he is unable to do anything about it because he has become very weak- minded. In fact Roderigo has become so weak- minded that he is easily persuaded by
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
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.
At First , Roderigo is envious of Othello because he wanted to be in love with Desdemona. This is the beginning of jealousy which runs
Act 1 Scene 1 shows Roderigo, generous in his gifts to the ancient, questioning Iago’s love for the former, whose concern has been the wooing of Desdemona. Roderigo construes Iago’s love for him as based on the ancient’s hatred for the Moor. Thus the wealthy suitor says accusingly, “Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.” And Iago responds, “Despise me, if I do not.” Partly out of hatred for the general and partly out of proving his faithfulness to Roderigo’s cause, Iago asserts in detail the reasons for his hatred of Othello, who has given the lieutenancy to Michael Cassio, a Florentine. Secondly, Iago suggests that Roderigo and he awake and disturb Brabantio, the father of Desdemona:
A.C. Bradley describes Othello as "by far the most romantic figure among Shakespeare's heroes"(Shakespearean Tragedy, 1). This is an unusual description of a man who murders his own wife. However, Othello's feelings of hate for Desdemona started as an overwhelming love for her when their relationship began. This transformation from love to hate also inflicted the characters Iago and Roderigo and like Othello their hatred resulted in the murder of innocent people. Roderigo's love for Desdemona was transformed into hate towards any man that he thought was loved by her. Iago's love for his job and his wife, Emilia changed into a destructive hatred of Cassio and Othello. As a result of
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.
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
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.
Iago does not stop there, his jealously leads him to start infecting others and the first is Roderigo, a naïve gentleman in Venice. To put his scheme into motion, Iago informs Roderigo of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement, which causes Roderigo to become very upset because he too is in love with Desdemona and is willing to do anything to win her love. Iago plants the seed of jealousy in Roderigo’s mind because he knows he can now use Roderigo “for sport and profit” (I.iii.1180) by playing off his jealousy toward anyone who comes close to Desdemona. After breaking Roderigo down he then, builds him back up by telling him a way they can break up the marriage. Iago tells him:
A victim of the villainous Iago, Roderigo was jealous of Othello’s marriage with Desdemona and tried to break it up by hiring Iago. His jealousy is seen taking its toll on Roderigo after he reacts to the confession of Desdemona’s love for Othello in front of the Duke and Brabantio. After hearing this, Roderigo feels as though all hope is lost and expresses his despair to Iago saying,
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.
In Shakespeare’s play, Othello, several incidents occur that portray the purpose of Roderigo’s character. If one event is isolated from the rest, the thematic desire is lost. It is only when the events are looked at as a whole that the actual theme is obtained. Roderigo is a minor character who carries out a vital role in the play. Although Roderigo has very few lines, he plays a crucial role on a thematic level.
Roderigo also plays a part in the stereotyping of Othello. He is extremely upset that Desdemona has eloped with Othello, because he has been attempting to court her for several months with no avail. Roderigo, like many other characters, then bad-mouths Othello with racial slurs in order to paint a picture of Othello being a lesser person than himself. Roderigo, with great delight, says, "what a full fortune does the thick-lips owe," (1, 1, 72-73) in order to scapegoat him.
Othello is a play about jealousy’s causes and effects. Each character in the play had different reasons to be jealous and each of them chose to deal with it a certain way. All three characters Iago, Othello, and Roderigo had such cases and in the end dealt with different conflicts and outcomes. It’s important to understand that their actions in dealing with their jealousies were a reflection of their characters, and persona.
Othello's wife Desdemona and his own friend Roderigo (a Venetian gentleman). He uses Desdemona's love of Othello and Roderigo's money with his secret love for Desdemona, to manipulate them towards his own good. He is a psychotic driven to kill, from strangers on a battlefield to his wife in Othello's