Othello Iago
As villain in Shakespeare's play Othello, Iago has two main actions. They are to plot and to deceive. Iago hates Othello for two reasons. 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 by carrying out a plan 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. First, Iago plans to remove Cassio from his position as lieutenant so that he himself take over Cassio's position as confidant and Lieutenant to Othello. Then Iago hopes to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. If Iago's plan unfolds properly, he will be granted the revenge that he believes he deserves. Iago's plan and his motives are disclosed through a series three of conversations. He speaks with Roderigo twice and Cassio once. These three conversations show how Iago manipulates others to gain his own ends, and they also give motives for Iago's behavior. The conversations all follow the same pattern. Iago first speaks with Roderigo and Cassio to forward his plan, and then
Iago has a soliloquy in which he discusses his motives. Iago states that the reasons for his hate are that Othello slept with Emilia and Cassio was chosen to be Othello's Lieutenant. However, Iago's actions lead to ends that do not revenge his given motives. Coleridge calls Iago's actions "the motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity" . In other words, Iago's only reason for destroying Othello is that Iago is an inherently bad person. The conversations that Iago has with Roderigo and Cassio show that Iago invents reasons for his actions against Othello, so that his own selfish ends can be met. When Iago again speaks of Desdemona, this time to Cassio, his opinion of her has changed drastically. Here she is described as "blessed" (297), when Iago made an issue of proving that Desdemona is not blessed when speaking with Roderigo. Iago speaks highly of Desdemona to Cassio so that Cassio will speak to her about Othello. Cassio thinks that Iago is "honest" (309) and trusts the advice that Iago gives. Iago acts in any way that helps him destroy Othello. Iago manipulates his words and uses Cassio and Roderigo as mere means to his own ends. For that I do suspect the lusty Moor/ Hath leapt into my seat, the thought whereof/ Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards/ And nothing can or shall content my soul/ Till I am evened with his, wife for wife--/ Or failing so, yet that I put the Moor/ At least into a jealousy so strong/ That judgement cannot cure (282-288). Honigmann, E.A.J. The Arden Shakespeare: Othello. Surrey, UK: Thomas Nelson and In the final conversation Iago is speaking with Cassio instead of Roderigo. Now that Cassio has been removed from his position as Othello's lieutenant he is very vulnerable, and wants only to win Othello's trust again. Iago pretends to be Cassio's friend and uses Cassio to begin the second phase of his plan. Iago suggests that Cassio request the help of Desdemona to try and win back the respect of Othello. This is a good idea for two reasons. First, Desdemona is a person that cannot turn her back on someone in need, such as Cassio. Secondly, Othello is under Desdemona's control. Othello loves Desdemona so much that if she believes Cassio to be trustworthy, Othello will believe it also. Shakespeare, William. "Othello." The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Greenblatt, Stephen et
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Approximate Word count = 2531
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)
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