A Character Analysis Of Iago Essay

A Character Analysis Of Iago Essay
Iago is one of the most interesting characters in the tragedy "Othello" by William Shakespeare. Through some carefully thought–out words
and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and gets him closer to his goals. He is the driving force in this
play, pushing Othello and everyone else towards the tragic ending.
Iago is not the typical villain in any story or play. The role he plays is unique and complex, far from what one might expect from a villain. Iago is
not only very smart, but he is also an expert judge character. This gives him a great advantage in the play. For example, he knows Roderigo is in love
with Desdemona and figures that he would do anything to have her as his own....show more content...
Trust is a very powerful thing that Iago easily abuses. Iago is a master of abusing people's trust to gain more power and further the completion of his
goals.
His "med'cine works! Thus credulous fools are caught...." [pg. 1284, Line 44] Iago poisons people's thoughts, creating ideas in their heads
without implicating himself. "And what's he then that says I play the villain, when this advice is free I give, and honest," [Act II, Scene
III, Line 299] says Iago, the true master of deception. People rarely stop to consider the possibility that Honest Iago could be deceiving them or
manipulating them.
Iago makes a complete fool out of Roderigo. In fact, as play starts Iago is taking advantage of Roderigo. Roderigo remarks, "That thou, Iago,
who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine." [Act I, Scene I, Line 2]. Throughout the play, Iago leads Roderigo by the collar
professing that he "hate(s) the Moor" [Act I, Scene III, Line 344] and telling Roderigo to "make money" [Act I, Scene III,
Line 339] to give Desdemona gifts to win her over. During the Iago keeps the gifts that Roderigo purchases for Desdemona for himself. Roderigo
eventually begins to question Honest Iago, saying "I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself fopped in it." [Act IV, Scene II, Line 189].
When faced with this accusation, Iago simply offers that killing Cassio will
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Iago's Influence On Othello
How does hatred consume a person for no reason? Take Iago (from Shakespeare's play Othello) for example, he attempts and succeeds to destroy
Othello's life; yet has no true motive of why. The only explanation for his cruelty is his standards for the "right" cultural surroundings and social status
of everything and everyone are not being met. Iago is a man who is filled with hate, but there is no source of where it may stem from. Throughout the
play, his reasonings change from Othello being a "moor" when he states, "I do hate him, I swear." Line 9 page 3, to Iago being jealous of Othello
appointing the young Cassio to lieutenant over him "A guy that knows more about numbers than fighting!" Line 18–19 page 3, and lastly to Iago
thinking that...show more content...
He should not have been passed over for a higher job position by such a young and inexperienced man, since Iago is getting older he is very sour that
his career was cut so short, "And he's definitely never commanded men in battle." Line 19–20 page 3. That he should be able to trust his wife without
suspicion, yet he thinks his wife is having affairs. Thanks to Othello, he cannot be certain or comfortable with anything anymore. His way of life is
collapsing and everything that has happened is fueling his anger, hate, is playing with his

Iago the Machiavellian in Othello
Throughout history, there have been many human beings whom have been seen as either a hero or a villain. In their childhood, these people must had
obstacles that were in their way, causing each individual to either work harder or give up. People, however; must understand that each individual has a
potential in achieving their goals, but if one is mistreated or deceived due to jealousy, resentment, hatred, or ambition, it can lead to many catastrophic
events. People who have pride and arrogance do not want to have equals, rather they want to see their victims suffer. These people have no difficulty in
achieving their goals due to the fact that their victims have too innocent a nature to suspect the nefarious motives of their enemies. In...show more
content...
While filling Othello's ears with lies and hatred, Iago says that "I know not that: but such a handkerchief I am sure it was your wife's– did I today see
Cassio wipe his beard with" (Shakespeare, 67). Iago is poisoning Othello's ears by telling him about the ocular proof that Othello was asking for all
along. Furthermore, Iago uses another excellent technique to manipulate Othello by making remember the past events. Iago says to Othello that, "she
did deceive her father, marrying you, and when she seemed to shake, and fear your looks, she loved them most" (Shakespeare, 59). Iago is explaining
to Othello that if Desdemona can deceive her father by marrying Othello, she can deceive him too. Iago also tells Othello that Desdemona fell for his
looks because he is an outsider. Iago is excellent at manipulating the situation and filling others' ears with lies, which makes his plan successful without
anyone suspecting him.
Iago's vengeful hatred is responsible for the suffering and in some cases, the tragic deaths of several innocent characters. Iago cleverly reaches at the
final stage of his plan and reaches to a point where he becomes the cause of deaths of innocent people. Iago continues lying to Othello to break his
calmness resulting in action against Desdemona and Cassio. Othello says to Iago that "ay, let her rot and perish, and be damned tonight, for shall not
live! No, my heart is turned to stone: I like it, and it turns my

Iago Is The Protagonist In Othello
William Shakespeare's Othello is a remarkable tale of trust, deceitfulness, lust and the most destructive of human emotions: vengeance and hatred. Iago
better known as Othello's antagonist embodies vengeance and hatred to move an agenda to squash all who oppose Iago's plans. As defined by
Merrium–Webster the definition of a protagonist is a principal character in a literary work or a leading actor, character, or participant in a literary work.
Othello by Shakespeare is a play about Othello an example of a tragic hero with all figures centered around Othello as the protagonist yet, Othello has
two main leading characters. Iago and Othello have stark contrasts as leading roles and different themes represented through the actions, words, and
...show more content...
As a masterful leading machiavellian character Iago exploits the flaw all characters poses in Othello which is faith versus doubt in others. A
powerful role to mold an entire play behind the goal of a singular entity under the eyes of a scholar qualifies as a protagonist( Hull). Iago breaks the
boundaries that define antagonist or protagonist by being complex enough and having enough lines that place him on par if not above Othello
(West 42 ). The main flaw in the protagonist argument is how Iago is a static character without any clear transformation. Evidence from his lack of
change exist in act one and to the final act is continuously lying and trying to create chaos. Antagonist or protagonist Iago's actions qualify as
morally wrong when usually a protagonist that drives the plot is working for good; however, by definition a protagonist is not inertly of good moral
code. ( Hull) Iago has an interesting set of flaws and advantages showing characteristics of a psychopath. Without flaws Iago would lose his humane
characteristics and potentially lose the audiences interest ( West 13). Iago has no positive moral compass and an unexplained desire to destroy friend
or foe even after the fact that Othello murders Desdemona qualifies the character as psychotic. Iago even recognizes his planning of evil actions to
ruin Othello as simply a game " Let us be conjunctive against him. If thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport. (Act 1 Scene

Essay about Iago Of Othello
Iago of "Othello"
What makes a good villain? What qualities make one villain stand out from another? Is it their demeanor, ruthlessness, or the methods that they employ
to accomplish their tasks? In any case, a great villain must leave the reader with a respect for their methods and a question about their motives. In
Shakespeare's Othello, there is one character in Iago that fulfills all of these qualifications. Iago is a wonderful villain because he gains other's trust,
relentlessly takes advantage of his peers' flaws, and unapologetically causes the deaths of his counterparts in order to achieve his goals. The main
weapon Iago used in his villainy was trust. Iago knew how to play to each character's personality to get them to...show more content...
Aside from being Othello's right–hand man throughout a majority of the play, he also has a level of comfort with Cassio. This comfort is shown in
his willingness to talk about Desdemona when the two are on night patrol. This reliance was something Iago exploited each time he had a chance.
Every time a desire was expressed, Iago was there with a solution that always benefited Iago in the end. For instance, it was Iago that suggested to
Roderigo that he attempt to kill Cassio in order to get Desdemona to be interested in him. It was also Iago's work in stoking up the fires of revenge
in Othello's belly regarding the "affair" between Desdemona and Cassio. For each situation, every word that was said was for the advancement of
Iago and the destruction of all others. Iago also acts as a contributor to each character's flaws in the play. For example, in act two, Iago influences
Cassio to have some drinks in order to start a quarrel between Cassio and Roderigo. In another example, in act three, Iago gets Othello to believe that
there is an affair between Desdemona and Cassio by building on the suspicions and doubts that Othello had before Iago even spoke to him. Finally, as
the "smoking gun" that Othello was looking for, Iago presents the handkerchief to Othello along with a fabricated story about it's whereabouts. These
actions contribute to the eventual demise of all of these characters, but it also leads to

Essay On Iago's Character In Othello
Iago's character throughout the timeless playwright, Othello, is an essential role that drives the plot of the story. By twisting lies, telling stories and
manipulating innocent people, Iago attempts to reach the top and accumulate self gain, but can we blame him? All we're left with in the story is a
character painted with a manipulative image, but we honestly don't know much about Iago, or his background. After assessing several sources
regarding psychological disorders, racism, and lying, we can make a few conclusions. PTSD, or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, is an anxiety disorder,
that usually affects people who have had an experience with a traumatic situation or life–event. What we know about Iago is that he was a soldier,
which makes him a perfect...show more content...
There's lots of evidence to points to Iago being racist, for instance, multiple times, Iago referred to Othello as "thick–lips", and an "old black ram". Iago
also often brings attention to the obscurity of a white Venetian woman, marrying a black military official. More evidence that proves this point comes
from Source C, that stated that most racists form a lot of negative associations, which is quite accurate considering Iago's secret unfriendly ties with
Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, and Roderigo. So it can be concluded that Iago is a racist, however it may not necessarily be his fault. Studies from
Source B show evidence that Iago could have become racist as early as nine months old! You certainly can't blame a nine month old baby for being
racist, naturally you would blame the parents, who would have been most influential at the time. This proves that most likely, Iago's parents or
guardians were also racist and raised Iago of that same belief. What this shows is that there is a possibility that it's not Iago's fault that he is a racist,
racism could have been planted into his brain before he was even able to understand what it

Iago's Manipulation
Shakespeare's Othello presents a complex scenario: on one hand, there is evil and successful manipulation, and on the other, there is gullibility and
naГЇvetГ©. The pivotal character Iago sets into motion an evil scheme, carefully and slowly, which leads to ultimate tragedy and ruin. Othello, a
loving, gentle, kind–hearted man, falls into a state of near insanity, convinced of falsehoods fed to him by his trusted aide. Iago is a devious trickster and
he secretly despises Othello. Constantly plotting his next move, Iago manipulates others to do his bidding and acts in ways that further his plot against
Othello, while Othello falls for all of Iago's schemes. Iago is scheming, manipulative, and devious, whereas Othello is impressionable, overly–trusting,
and ultimately, overcome with jealousy.
Iago is full of contempt for Othello because he hired Michael Cassio over himself. Roderigo, who is sick with love for Desdemona – and paying Iago
for aid in pursuing Desdemona – questions him, asking why he does not simply resign from his lower status position as he is so distraught. Iago's
response is villainous: "I follow him to serve my turn upon him" (1.1.38). He continues to serve Othello out of spite, and the actions that follow
throughout the play are driven by this deep hatred of Othello. His first scheme at hurting Othello is to rouse Desdemona's father, Brabantio, and alert
him that Othello and Desdemona have eloped. Roderigo and Iago go to Brabantio's house and call out into the night, disturbing him. Brabantio,
confused, asks why they are summoning him, to which Iago responds, "an old black ram is tupping your white ewe" (1.1.86). He adds that his
"daughter [is] covered with a Barbary horse" (1.1.109). If these statements are not salacious or disturbing enough, he finally explains that he has come
"to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs" (1.1.112–113). Iago puts a horrifying, evil, disgusting image into
Brabantio's mind, while at the same time revealing the great extent to which he despises Othello. Iago is extremely upsetting in this scene, referring to
Othello and Desdemona's relationship in vile, despicable terms, and this marks only the beginning of the pain he is to cause

Iago as the Perfect Villain of Othello
Iago, the villain in Shakespeare's Othello, is a round character of great depth and many dimensions. Iago works towards an aim that is constantly
changing and becomes progressively more tragic. Yet, at times, "honest" Iago does actually seem honest. This essay will explore thecomplex character
of "honest Iago.
One of the most interesting questions that crops up is concerning Iago's motives. What are his reasons to kill every major Venetian in Cyprus?
Shakespeare seemingly sets the stage for Iago's actions, giving him two distinct reasons to avenge Othello. The first is the fact that Othello promotes
Cassio, an "arithmetician" to the rank of lieutenant and passes over Iago who is but a...show more content...
Shakespeare portrays Othello as the general without faults, perfect. Yet, he slowly reveals the weaknesses of Othello's love for Desdemona. For this
love he will forsake anything. Iago is quick to pick on this and starts working towards destroying Othello through his only shortcoming.
Iago uses a gamut of devious methods to achieve his means. His use of Roderigo is a masterly move. From being "a Venetian gentleman," Roderigo
becomes Iago's gull. In the very first scene he gets him to confront a sleepy Brabantio and give him the news of his daughters escapades with the Moor.
At the end of the court scene in the first act, Iago and Roderigo are left alone with the poor doting lover in great despair. Roderigo takes a decision to
drown himself. Iago easily convinces him out of it by pointing out Othello's shortcomings. Says he,
"She must change for youth: when she is sated with his body,
she will find the errors of his choice."
This satisfies Roderigo and Iago's hate starts taking definite shape:
"I hate the moor,
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets

He's done my office."
This is of course, unlikely and serves only as a justification for his evil.
In Cyprus, Iago designs a brawl with Cassio and Roderigo by having the latter insult the former while they are drunk. This, of course, results in
Cassio's dismissal by Othello but it far from satisfies Iago. He then in turn advises Cassio on how to regain his

Othello
Iago, in Shakespeare's Othello, is a deceiving character because he tells lies in order to get what he wants. He interacts with people only to manipulate
them, but most importantly he never reveals his true feelings or motives. Iago might say things that suggest what his motive is, but he soon contradicts
himself with another suggestion making it extremely difficult to understand him. Although Iago's true motives cannot be determined, some motives
could be jealousy, the enjoyment of seeing people suffer, or power. Iago's jealous ofOthello and Cassio because he thinks that both of them slept with
his wife, Emilia. In Iago's first soliloquy at the end of act 1, Iago says that Othello might have slept with his wife and even though this is a...show more
content...
Iago is a very clever person and he enjoys seeing how idiots make fools of themselves. One of these idiots is Iago's "buddy," Roderigo. Roderigo is
a typical wealthy, Venetian aristocrat who is madly in love with Desdemona and he has given Iago the task of helping him woo her. Iago uses this to
his advantage, even though Iago uses Roderigo to ruin Cassio and Othello, he gets some amusement by watching Roderigo prance around and go nuts
over Desdemona. Iago also finds it funny when Roderigo wants to go kill himself after he finds out that Desdemona married Othello. There are
multiple times throughout the play where Roderigo should have known that Iago was just using him for money and some laughs and since Roderigo
doesn't pick up on this, Iago can use Roderigo to his advantage.
Power is probably the most important motive. Iago is very conniving and clever and he can use this to manipulate people. It is clearly seen that
Iago thrives for power because he loves manipulating people so that they doe exactly what he says. He does this to Roderigo many times, like
when Iago tells Roderigo to give him all of his money and when he convinces Roderigo to kill Cassio. He even controls Othello to the point that
Othello suspects his wife and decides to kill her. Iago's thirst for power is also seen when Cassio is appointed to be Othello's lieutenant because this
was, supposedly, the basis for his revenge. He really wanted to be lieutenant because it is a

Iago in Shakespeare's Othello Essay
Iago in Othello
In William Shakespeare's tragic drama Othello we see a morally depraved character, perhaps a very mentally sick individual, named Iago. His
personality and development during the play is the subject of this essay.
In Shakespeare's Four Giants Blanche Coles comments on the mental illness that appears to afflict the despicable Iago:
When such old time critics as H. N. Hudson, who wrote nearly a hundred years ago, saw that Iago was not acting from revenge, one is more than
surprised to find modern critics, who have had the advantage of the progress that has been made in the study of abnormal psychology, accepting Iago
for anything but what he is, and what Shakespeare intended him to be – a psychopathic...show more content...
(1.2)
While he and Desdemona and Emilia are lounging about at the port in Cyprus awaiting the arrival of the Moor's ship, Desdemona tries to analyze
how his mind and feelings work, for he seems to be habitually critical of his wife. She concludes that he is a "slanderer" and that he is full of "old
fond paradoxes to make fools laugh in th' alehouse."
His clever machinations cause grief for every character who has continued contact with him. He deceives Roderigo about the affections of Desdemona:
"Desdemona is directly in love with him [Cassio]." He deceptively lures Cassio into drunkenness where he is vulnerable to taunts and thus loses his
officership. He further lures him into Desdemona's presence so that Othello can find him there and be more suspicious: "Was not that Cassio parted
from my wife?". Iago misinforms Montano regarding Cassio ("And 'tis great pity that the noble Moor / Should hazard such a place as his own second
/ With one of an ingraft infirmity.") Iago uses Emilia to pass the kerchief, which "so often you did bid me steal," to him rather than to its owner. He
manipulates the Moor into incorrect views about Desdemona, about Iago himself ("Iago is most honest."), about Cassio's relationship with Desdemona,
etc. Iago even diverts suspicion of the ambush against Cassio against his prostitute–friend Bianca. In cold blood he eventually murders his gift–giver,
Roderigo, so that the wealthy playboy can't discover that Iago has been

The Snake: Iago in Othello Essay
The Snake
Mahatma Gandhi explains the destruction of revenge: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.". (IC: "Quote.") "Eye for an eye" is a
metaphor for revenge. It means if something is stolen, it should be stolen back. In this case, the things being stolen are eyes. The second part "makes
the whole world blind" means that revenge will not solve problem. Instead, it creates problems. In Othello, the evil Iago manipulates Othello into
ruining his own life in the name of revenge. He tells Othello that his wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him. He presents Othello fake evidence time and
time again until he is convinced. Othello is so angered that he murders his own wife, who has done nothing wrong. Only after she is dead, Desdemona
When she does, Roderigo must be ready with money. If he has enough, Desdemona will surely marry him. Of course, the audience and Iago know that
Desdemona will never marry Roderigo, no matter the amount of the money. She is not the type of person who would marry for money. Despite that,
Iago manipulates Roderigo's feelings for his own benefit.
In Act 2, Iago is a deceptive person. He is able to effortlessly pretend that he loves Cassio, even though he is plotting to get him fired. There is a part
of Act 2 of Scene 3, where a brawl has just taken place between Cassio and Roderigo. Cassio is made drunk by Iago; Roderigo takes advantage of
this and picks a fight with him. (IC; IC) Montano is trying to stop the fight; he places himself between them and gets hurt instead. (General IC;
Specific IC) The ruckus interrupts Othello's honeymoon night. He asks Iago to reveal who started the fight. Iago feigns innocence at first, but
eventually tells Othello "with reluctance" that it was Cassio: "I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth / Than it should do offense to Michael
Cassio" (Shakespeare 2.3.236–267). (IC: "Quote" (citation).) Iago claims that he does not want to say anything bad about Cassio because he cares for
Cassio. The audience obviously knows that Iago set Cassio up to get into a fight and ultimately get fired. This is because Iago despises Cassio; for, he
has a greater power and position than Iago. Iago is so easily able to lie in front of

Othello vs. Iago Essay
Othello vs. Iago
As the villain in Shakespeare's play Othello, Iago has two main actions. They are to plot and to deceive. Iago wishes to plot and to deceive because
he is jealous of Othello and hates him. Iago's reasons for why he hates Othello is because he believes that Othello made love to his wife, and Iago is mad
that Cassio was chosen to be Lieutenant instead of himself. From this hate comes the main conflict of the play. Iago plans to ruin Othello because of
Iago's jealousy towards him is by carrying out a plan to get back at Othello based on lies and deceit. This plan will make Iago the only person that
Othello believes he can trust, and Iago will use this trust to manipulate Othello. Iago plans to remove Cassio from...show more content...
Cassio's uncharacteristic aggression is what eventually removes his from position as lieutenant. "Sir, he's rash and very sudden in choler, and haply
may strike at you. Provoke him that he may, for even out of that will I cause these of Cyprus to mutiny, whose qualification shall come into no true
taste again but by the displanting of Cassio" (Shakespeare 261–264). This quote is when Iago explains Cassio to Othello among the numerous times
that he does do so. When taste is used, the line says that the people of Cyprus will not feel comfortable with their nature until Cassio is removed
from his position. "The definition of qualifications is condition, nature or pacification and uses the word trust instead of taste." (Gray 2) In
contrast, when trust is used, Iago's words say that the people of Cyprus will not be able to trust authorities again until Cassio is no longer
Lieutenant. While Cassio is fighting, Iago is using the violence to create a riot in Cyprus and upset the people. Cassio is blamed for this riot, and
order cannot be restored until he is no longer Lieutenant. The word trust makes more sense in this sentence, because Cassio lost the trust of the
masses when he acted with aggression. He was always a well mannered and peaceful man, and now the people of Cyprus do not know who he really
is. In the soliloquy following Roderigo's exit, Iago reveals the real reasons for his plotting against Othello.

Othello
Unequivocally, Iago plays an important and major function in the tragedy of Othello. By the end of the play, Iago has been directly responsible for
the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia and the protagonist and his love. Iago's importance to the play is revealed by his contribution to the plot and his
significance relative to other characters. Iago's function, which invariably adds to the importance he has on the play, is to lead to the downfall of
Othello therefore revealing the themes of hate, jealousy and revenge. Iago also serves to contrast with the characters of Othello and Desdemona and to
create dramatic irony consequently involving the audience in the journey of the play. The foundation of his success has been built upon his honest
This would suggest that this is a fundamental characteristic of his. However, Iago does strive to appear honest and sincere. 'If I shall stay [with
Roderigo] I shall– against the Moor. This is also seen when he defends Cassio after the drunken brawl. Iago speaks with hesitation and refers to
Cassio being a friend several times. 'I had rather have this tongue cut out from my mouth than it should do offence to Cassio'. This appearance allows
him to gain favour with all characters, especially those of Cassio and Othello, allowing him to influence them. The success of Iago's deceptive
honesty is most clearly seen in the final scene of the play in which the truth of his dishonesty is revealed. So successful was Iago's scheme that
Othello can only think that Iago must have been a devil. 'I look down towards his feet– butВ… If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill thee'. Even when
on stage, Iago appears to have an overriding dominance over the other characters. In Act 3 sn iii, in which Othello asks Iago to kneel next to him
and make a pact in order to destroy Cassio and Desdemona, we cannot but notice the power Iago evokes in Othello. 'Do not rise yet', Iago cries, 'I
am yours forever'. Also Iago's dominance over Othello is seen in Act 4 sn I where Othello has fallen into a trance. The audience look on with pity as
Iago says, 'Thus do credulous fools are caught.' On stage this would be a powerful scene in which Iago finally subdues Othello. Iago

Iago And Othello Essay
Iago and Othello have a copious amount of dissenting opinions and this is never more palpable than in their sentiment about Othello and even though
they are both biased views, with Othello obviously having an affinity to himself and the both narcissistic and envious Iago having an animosity towards
Othello, they reveal the nature of Othello. Othello is an amalgamation of experiences; he is royalty, "I fetch my life and being from men of royal
siege...(1:2:24–25), he is a respected and trusted general, "Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you against the general enemy Ottoman...(1:3:56),
and he is confident, even refusing to retreat when Iago warns him of an indignant Brabantio, "Let him do his spite...(1:2:20). Othello is a man of...show
more content...
This is Iago's view on Othello,who is a man of considerable wealth,royalty,prestige and masculinity. While most people view Othello as close to equal,
Iago does not and even though he states that his hatred stems from not being lieutenant, "But he, sir, had th' election... (1:1:28)" even though he has
proved his worth in the battlefield, "And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus...(1:130)".While this is to be a sensible because
for his antipathy towards Othello; his proclamations involving Othello are tainted by racial connotations. When he is revealing Othello and Desdemona
's relationship to Brabantio he incorporates Othellos irrelevant ethnicity, "...old black ram Is tupping your white ewe.(1:1:91–92)" or "...you'll have your
daughter covered with a Barbary horse. You'll have your nephews neigh to you.You'll have coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.
(1:1:116–118". Even though Iago abhors Othello, he understands that Othello is an unparalleled as a General, "...for he's embarked with such loud
reason to the Cyprus wars (which even now stand in act) that, for their souls,another of his fathom they have none to lead their business.(1:1:148–152)".
His skill is unprecedented that not even a Senator could apprehend Othello permanently and Iago acknowledges this, "For I do know the state (however
this may gall him with some check) cannot with safety cast him...(1:1146–148)". Iago seems to be

Iago In Othello
Emilia also stands up against Iago as she reveals the truth behind Iago's sinister manipulation to Othello in front of him. After Emilia discovers
that Desdemona was smothered by Othello, she feels great grief and Iago later enters the room. Iago submissively torments Emilia to stay quiet
and to say nothing of his plot but she instead insisted on stating, "'Twill out, 'twill out. I peace! / No, I will speak as liberal as the north: / Let
heaven and men and devils, let them all, / All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak....O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou speak'st of / I
found by fortune and did give my husband; / For often, with a solemn earnestness, / More than indeed belonged to such a trifle, / He begged of me to
steal it," (Shakespeare 5.2.87). Emilia responds to Iago's threats by stating that...show more content...
/ No, I will speak as liberal as the north: / Let heaven and men and devils, let them all, / All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.". Emilia reveals
the truth as she explains that she found the handkerchief by accident and gave it to Iago because he'd begged her to steal it many times when she
stated, "O thou dull Moor! That handkerchief thou speak'st of / I found by fortune and did give my husband; / For often, with a solemn
earnestness, / More than indeed belonged to such a trifle, / He begged of me to steal it.". As Emilia reveals Iago's deception, it shows that she
standed up against Iago by how she disregards or ignores his threats to not let them affect her in a way that silences her and instead resisted to
speaking of the truth as she defended herself by simply expressing that she too is entitled to have the freedom to say whatever she wants and won't let
anyone from stopping her to do so, along with the explanation she provided of how the handkerchief actually landed into Cassio's possession, rather
than fleeing the scene or staying quiet for Iago to deal with the situation or letting the truth come out some other way and not by

Iago's Ambitions in Shakespeare's Othello Essay
Iago's Ambitions in Shakespeare's Othello
'Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light' (Act 1 sc. 3 L.385–6). This is said by the character Iago during a soliloquy at the
end of Act 1 scene 3. This statement could take on many different meaning depending on how it is interpreted. I think that it means that whatever Iago
has to do, he will tell everyone that Othello is an evil man. He thinks this because he believes that he has slept with Emilia, Iago's wife, "'twixt my
sheets he's done my office," (Act 1, sc 3, line 369–370). However, it has many other subtle messages and meanings. Iago could be referring to his evil
plan because "hell" tends to be used in the context...show more content...
Iago claims to "hate the Moor" (Act 1, sc 3, line 368) so he wants to do whatever he can to make Othello unhappy. One of his intentions is to make
Othello believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, " to abuse Othello's ear that he is too familiar with his wife," (Act 1, sc 3, line
378). This means that, as part of his plan, Iago will suggest the chance of an affair to Othello to make him suspicious of Desdemona's every move
and word. Like all tragic heroes, Othello has a fatal flaw, which happens to be jealousy, and Iago is going to use this to his advantage. Iago also
wants to make Othello promote Iago over Cassio and to do this he intends to ruin Cassio. He says," Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward
me," (Act 2, sc 1, line 289) which shows that he wants to be rewarded, a promotion. However, he also contradicts himself as he has earlier said that
he hates the Moor. If he truly hated Othello, why would he want Othello to love him? He may want this because it would make it easier to destroy
Othello if he were to be close to him however; he seems to want Othello's approval of his actions rather than a higher position at work.
For Iago to achieve his ultimate goal he has to take each area of his plan one step at a time. His first step is to alert Brabantio of Desdemona's
marriage to Othello, "Your daughter and the Moor are now

Othello and Iago Comparison Essay
Othello and Iago Comparison
Othello and Iago are different in their characters as well as in their colours. It could be said also, however, that they are similar because of their
fallibility. Iago is overcome with his desire for revenge to such an extent that he puts it into action. Othello's love and possessiveness of Desdemona
take over him until he eventually would rather kill her than allow anyone else to have her. In this way, despite their contrasts,Iago and Othello both
represent the extremity of the same thing – human emotion.
Both characters can be viewed like this throughout Act 1. We immediately see Iago as representative of the very basest elements of humanity. He uses
crude...show more content...
Another grudge is his suspicion of Othello that
"twixt my sheets he has done my office"
Iago has heard a rumour that Othello has slept with his wife, and now he wants revenge. But Iago does not feel betrayal by his wife, or feel that she
has been wronged; it appears to be just another excuse to get back at Othello.
Whereas Othello does have a sense of self–interest, his interest in other people's happiness is greater. When confronted with the idea that he has
enchanted Desdemona, he replies that if it is true to
"let your sentence fall even to my life".
He would rather be killed than know he is causing his love unhappiness. He would happily sacrifice everything for others – his sense of duty is strong.
Whereas Iago is in the army for personal gain, promotion and recognition, Othello is in it for the greater good. Despite being on his honeymoon, he
instantly agrees that he should go and fight in Cyprus for his Senate. Neither does he wish his wife to suffer, so he offers her a choice of following
him or staying in safety. Othello is an honourable man.

Iago, on the other hand, is anything but honourable. He is always forming a devious plot for someone else's undoing. He uses Roderigo as his pawn
in revealing Othello's whereabouts and as a source of money. The way he disappears into the shadows away from Brabantio's lights is symbolic of his
underhand nature.

How Does Iago Use Racism In Othello
Shakespeare's Othello, analyses the idea of racism in relationships. Racism is explored through the characters of Iago and Brabantio, where we see
racial dialog throughout the play. This racism is aimed directly at Othello; a brave moor general and supreme commander of the Venetian army. Iago
uses racism to target Othello with racial insults and uses it to manipulate others. White people during the Elizabethan Era believed that they are the
superior race but in reality, they are not; all races are equal and everyone is equal to one another. Humans are not born racist, racism is a thing that a
person develops and is absorbed under the influence of society. Shakespeare expresses racism as a negative thing and demonstrates this by showing how
Brabantio rejects Desdemona's love towards Othello because during the Elizabethan Era, Venice was largely occupied by white people and therefore
black people were unaccepted throughout the society. Iago knew that Brabantio was racist towards the "Moor" and used Brabantio's attitude towards
the idea of an interracial marriage to manipulate Brabantio and rile his men against Othello. "Awake! Brabantio! Thieves, thieves! Look to your
house, your daughter and your bags! Thieves, thieves!" (Act 1, Scene 1). Iago refers Othello as a thief and accuses him of stealing Brabantio's
daughter. Brabantio would not accept that his daughter; Desdemona have fallen in love with Othello. Brabantio then falsely accuses Othello of using
magic to possess his daughter Desdemona. "Damned as you are, you've put a spell on her!" (Act 1, Scene 1) William Shakespeare uses the setting in
Venice to emphasize the inequality towards the Moors. Everyone is different but no one deserves to be treated

Iago's Ambition In Othello
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. At the end of
Act 1,...show more content...
He gets Cassio to talk to Othello's wife, Desdemona, to ask for his position back and he begins to point out small things like them whispering. When
Cassio exits the scene when Othello approaches, Iago does not hesitate to make his move and mentions it. Asking of Iago's suspicions, Iago says,
"Good my lord, pardon me, Though I am bound to every act of duty I am not bound to that all slaves are free to Utter my thoughts" (138–140). This
places Othello in the position of being alarmed because what could be so horrible that this "honest" man would want to keep secret from him.
Eventually, Iago comes out with his fake suspicions and Othello somewhat believes it but wants some kind of evidence. Fortunately, Iago's wife,
Emilia gets a hold of Desdemona's handkerchief and gives it to him. He puts more of his plan into action saying, "in Cassio's lodging [I] lose this
napkin. And let him find it. Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ. (331
–334). This is enough to convince
Othello of Desdemona's affair with Cassio, enraging him to want to murder the two. Othello decides he will kill his wife, and asks Iago to do the same to

A Character Analysis Of Iago Essay

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