In William Shakespeare’s play, “Othello” Iago provokes the characters to secretly follow his iniquitous plans. With jealously running through his veins, due to the fact that he did not get promoted to Lieutenant, Iago wants to get revenge on Othello. Despite it seeming like an issue between two characters, Iago uses his cruelty to affect all those around him. Subsequently by the end of the play, most characters in the play reveal more about themselves than Iago does. In order to achieve his goal, Iago turns to a lovesick Roderigo. Iago pretends (stronger word) to be helping him out, but in reality is only using him to hurt Othello and his newly promoted Lieutenant Cassio. During Iago’s mischievous plan, Roderigo becomes wrapped around the
In conclusion, Iago plays with Roderigo by making him believe that he should trust him if he wants to get revenge on Othello and to get Desdemona with him. He is able to do so because of the tone choice he uses to speak with Roderigo and the style of his
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,
Shakespeare’s Othello explores the destructive nature of Iago’s villainy through his ability to confuse appearance with reality through his deception and trickery. In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is a scheming antagonist whose goal is to destroy Othello. Iago uses foreshadowing when he says, “I am not what I am.” Iago tells the audience that his loyalty with Othello is all a scheme to destroy him, and his
Revenge is the main theme in the play Othello by William Shakespeare and it is portrayed from the character Iago. Through Iago’s soliloquies he reveals his horrible doings. Iago wants to get revenge on Othello and his loved one Desdemona. The reason why he wants to get revenge at Othello is because he promotes Cassio to Lieutenant. Iago takes advantage of his reputation “Honesty Iago” to manipulate other characters in the play to get revenge from Othello. Iago is aware that he can easily manipulate the people around him to get revenge from Othello that he does not stop and think about the harm he is causing. Iago is a brilliant character that he successfully manipulates Cassio, Desdemona, Roderigo and his own wife Emilia to fulfill his
Ever came across a scheming, wrongdoing type of person? Ever came across a person that cannot be trust because of their capability of going against others. I have not in my life, but I had the opportunity of watching a movie about a person who conveyed harmful characteristics. In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello”, Iago is a cruel character. Iago is a good name for an evil character in another story. Many of the characters were in the dark about Iago. In other words, Iago was on others’ bad side. He started most of the chaos. In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello”, Iago is a person who lies, manipulate, and kill others purposely.
The play Othello written by William Shakespeare is a tragedy. In this story there is one character that really stands out and influences the other characters, which causes this tragedy to happen. This character is Iago. Without him, the play wouldn't turn out how it did. Iago seems more of a main character than Othello, who the play is named after. Iago is an evil character, who manipulates a lot of the other characters. Iago uses the other characters in the play to do his dirty work. He manipulates these characters in a way that makes them kill their friends or even themselves.
In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, Iago demonstrates a mastery of manipulation over people who had previously trusted and confided in him. His sudden turn from Othello’s loyal ensign to rage-filled villain seems indicative of a man who can no longer accept his position in life. Iago’s plotting of Othello’s demise starts as idle talk of a disgruntled 28 year-old career military man passed over for promotion. Iago believes that such a promotion may never come after Othello rejects his candidacy and makes it clear that he did not believe him suitable. He sees Othello is only concerned with personal and political gain with his choice of Cassio as lieutenant. When Iago teams with love-scorned and desperate Roderigo, he begins
One of the few things everyone has been taught from an early age is the Golden Rule: treat others how you wish to be treated. Well, everyone except for Iago. In Othello, Iago executes a cruel plan to ruin the lives of everyone around him. Throughout Shakespeare’s thrilling tale, Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and the many other characters unknowingly pave the paths to their own demise, becoming victims to Iago’s unmerciful cruelty. The interactions between the characters, stemmed from Iago’s brutality, highlights cruelty’s potential to not only destroy, but bestow perpetrators with power and victims with suffering.
Making him think that Cassio is always this violent towards his own men. Which makes Iago look respectful because he is being honest. Once Othello fines out Cassio is immediately fired and then Iago becomes the more loved in Othello’s eyes. Roderigo is a character that we see in both the film and play on how Iago uses him to fulfill his desires. Iago persuades Roderigo that he can still win the love of Desdemona’s away her husband and that the only person standing in the way is Cassio.
For not choosing him as lieutenant, Iago decides to get revenge on Othello. From the very beginning Iago makes it blatantly obvious that he plans on manipulating Othello when he boldly states, “I follow him to serve my turn upon him” (I.i.4). Iago conducts his villainous ways as he plots iniquitous schemes to convince Othello that his wife Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio, his lieutenant. Iago, being the mendacious man that he is, lies to Othello about a dream he claims to have overheard cassio having about Desdemona, furthering Othello’s suspicions (III.iii.164). Iago’s true evil is shown throughout the play as he breaks down Othello leading to the deaths of multiple
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.
Iago is the type of villian that could be anyone, and his interaction with the other characters makes him endlessly entertaining to the audience. It must be remembered that while Shakespeare’s plays are studied today as classic literature, Shakespeare wrote them to be performed as entertainment for the general public. It is inroy that fuels Iago’s character and makes the play intriguing to the audience. Because Shakespeare’s character is so duplicitous, the audience can not help but hang on to Iago’s every ironic interaction with the other characters. Without a doubt Shakespeare’s mastery of irony is evident in his work “Othello”, especially in his villain
At all points of one’s life, one has desires; what separates and defines a person is determined by how that person goes about dealing with those desires. Some believe in working honestly towards his or her aspirations and others in seizing it at any cost. Iago, the antagonist of the play Othello is one of those people who would do anything in order to get what he wishes. Because Othello names Cassio lieutenant instead of him, he begins to device a plan in vengeance to bring Othello and Cassio down, which ends up tragic for all of the major characters. Iago’s obsessive need for revenge stems from jealousy and ambition, and because he is a master manipulator, the plan goes extremely smooth for the majority of the play.
In Othello, Shakespeare forms the villainous character, Iago through his complex language. Iago shows his evil nature towards Roderigo through his use of demeaning animal imagery. Iago also uses an extended metaphor to try and trick the ignorant Roderigo and (unknowingly to Roderigo), insults him. Lastly, Iago uses repetition to beguile Roderigo to keep paying him. Iago’s slyness is clearly seen through his deceiving language towards the end of Act I.
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.