What Are Iago's Flaws In Othello

This next part of Iago’s character plays an equally important role in the play. An article says that a “... superb ability of Iago is that he has an acute eye for his victim's weaknesses and exploits them mercilessly.” (“Villainous Role of Iago in Othello”). Iago is able to use the characters weaknesses against them for his own selfish reasons. While the audience is aware of Iago’s plan, the other characters are oblivious to his evil

     Iago told Othello that he would discuss Desdemona with Cassio, and that he would talk about the affair. Iago does not do this, and instead he talks about Bianca with Cassio, and Cassio laughs at things Iago says. Othello sees Cassio laughing and just assumes he is laughing at Desdemona, which in return upsets him very much. Iago used several tactics to set up Othello for deception in this case.

Even if Othello was not as trusting or corrupt, he still would not realize Iago was lying. Othello commits his first act of violence against Desdemona by hitting her. This shows now Othello's tragic flaw. He made himself susceptible to Iago and the jealousy within him begins to lead to the end of others. By his actions, Othello has isolated himself from everyone except Iago. This gives Iago the perfect opportunity to complete his course of action. Finally, Othello's breakdown

(2.3. 250-253). In this quote, Cassio feels devastated to find out that the most important thing to him; his reputation becomes spoiled and his career is ruined since he gets dismissed. Consequently, Iago used Cassio’s sadness and vulnerability to misguide him into believing that the only way to please Othello again and be reinstated, is through Desdemona, by asking her to intervene and vouch for him. This in turn, will help Iago progress with his plan of making it look like Cassio has an affair with Desdemona, only to make Othello jealous and suspicious. The following conversation explains

He is a very powerful figure and is generally liked by the majority of people. Although all these great things, he still suffers from two major flaws that being pride and being too trusting. Othello loves his wife Desdemona very much. Othello listens to Iago when he tells him that Cassio said that he was sleeping with Desdemona. Cassio has a handkerchief and is talking about a woman. Othello thinks with this evidence that Iago must be right, even though the woman that Cassio is talking about is really Bianca. Othello puts too much trust in Iago and this leads Othello to kill Desdemona. “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.”(Shakespeare p.128) This is what Othello says is the reason why she must die, but the real reason he kills her is to avenge his own pride. After he kills her Othello realizes that what he did was wrong and Iago was the worst person to trust. He goes after Iago and stabs him, but he survives. Shortly after Othello realizes that he put his trust in the wrong person being Iago, instead of his loving wife Desdemona. He ends up committing suicide. These flaws in Othello lead to his downfall and cause him to destroy everything he ever had including his own

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

Starting off, Othello allows Iago to tamper with his mind and does nothing to stop it. Othello puts all of his trust in him, but Iago is just hiding behind a mask and only wishes to torment Othello. Othello is not aware of his surroundings and the people there, making him vulnerable. If he paid more attention to Desdemona and not Iago than he would not have thought to kill his loyal wife. Othello jumps to conclusions too quickly

Othello, Iago seeks to receive his rightful place as Othello’s second in command as lieutenant by destroying Cassio to climb the ranks instead of directly targeting Othello, but the methods Iago shows within the play show that Iago does fit the role of an archetypal villain, and is simply a fool blinded by jealousy. It is without question that Iago hates Othello as it is stated in the play multiple times in the play, but Othello is not Iago’s main target, Othello is merely a roadblock in Iago’s plan. Iago is mischievous as heart, and some believe he is a mastermind in creating devious plans to ruin

Iago then comforts Cassio, like he did Roderigo, and begins by giving Cassio advice. Iago recommends Cassio try to ask Desdemona to intervene, and then he could get his position back from Othello. Little does Cassio know that Iago is not trying to help him, rather is using him to unfold his plan further. Iago managed to manipulate Roderigo and Cassio and earns himself as honest in Othello’s eyes.

During the months leading up to Desdemona’s murder Iago put ideas and misleading evidence into Othello’s head about Desdemona sleeping around with Cassio behind his back, causing Othello to go insane with jealousy. The suspect Iago has an eyewitness that state's him saying things that can incriminate

Iago’s story of Desdemona and Cassio has the power to turn a man in love into a man full of hatred. Othello’s attitude, during the first discussion with Iago, is one of clear denial. He claims that he would simply "whistle her off, and let her down the wind", or divorce her in other words (Vanita 3). As time goes on, the accusations that Iago has made, against Cassio and Desdemona, begins to churn in Othello’s mind. He tries hard to forget the claims but when Iago offers him proof, he begins to break down and cries out "I’ll tear her to pieces" (Oth. 3.3.631). One would normally ignore this remark, assuming that he was simply speaking in anger, if it were not for his call for "revenge" shortly after (Oth. 3.3.631). The true evil in Othello begins to show when he commands Iago to kill Cassio by saying "Within these three days let me hear thee say / That Cassio’s not alive" (Oth. 3.3.632). What makes this directive so evil is that Othello has not yet seen any proof. He has only heard the accusations from one person (Iago), and yet he

To Othello, Iago gives the façade of "grieving" over the trouble that Cassio and Montano have gotten themselves into, and Othello believes that such grief is a natural, "honest" emotion. Once Iago gives a report of the fight, Othello comments, "I know, Iago,/ Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter./ Making it light to Cassio" (2.3.246-248). This is where Othello realises Iago's "loyalty" and knows he has manipulated the story to make his friend look better however he fires Cassio on the spot. You could also say its quite ironic how Othello notices Iago's manipulation on other people and events, yet he doesn’t notice when Iago is manipulating him. Iago always pretends to be a moral and loyal friend with good advice.

To begin, one factor that causes Othello’s downfall is that he is characterized by gullibility. Firstly, Othello is tricked by Iago, who leads him to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. After Iago tells Othello about Cassio’s dream, Othello says, “Oh, monstrous! Monstrous!" (Shakespeare. 3. 3. 427). Othello trusts and relies on Iago too much; he believes Desdemona is truly having an affair with Cassio. His gullibility makes him become very vulnerable in Iago’s revenge scheme and gradually becomes increasingly jealous. When jealousy takes over Othello, his mind and judgment are disturbed. Furthermore, when Emilia tells Othello about the death of Desdemona, Othello admits to murdering his honest wife Desdemona but says that he killed her because she is untrue to him. After Emilia tells Othello that his thought is untrue, Othello replies: “Ay, ’twas he that told me first./ An honest man he is, and hates the slime/ That

Iago's manipulative nature has a profound effect on the decisions made by other characters in Shakespeare's ‘Othello’. Through his relations with those around him Shakespear characterizes him as a man full of malice, vengeance and dishonesty that is wholly inspired by jealousy. Furthermore it would appear that Iago has an exceptional ability to scheme, a talent which he uses to snake his way into the lives of others and exploit them through their weaknesses. Whether he does this for profit or for pleasure is a separate issue.

One of Othello’s biggest flaws is his poor judge of character. Othello is convinced of Iago’s honesty right up to Iago’s final moments of freedom. He is a complete dupe to Iago’s plans. He immediately turns to Iago for answers when Cassio stabs Montano,