Iago Essays

Essay on Honest Iago
Honest Iago The poet Coleridge appropriately described the character of Iago as being one of
"motiveless malignity." Throughout the play Iago's motives are secondary to, and seem only to
serve as justification for, his actions. Iago is driven by his nature of character. To discuss Coleridge's
assessment we must look at Iago's character–from Iago's point of view and that of the other
characters–his motives, methods, and pawns. Through some carefully thought–out words and
actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him; all the while he is
pushing Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Cassio to their tragic end. According to
Websters New International Dictionary, Second Edition,...show more content...
These fellows have some soul, and such a one do I profess myself." [Act I, Scene I, Line 49] Iago
says of Cassio that "he hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly" [Act V, Scene I, Line 19]
Iago is aware of his lack of "social graces." However Iago does not feel ugly toward himself. He feels
vindicated; "But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, as honest as I am." [Act II, Scene I,
Line 194] Ironically, Iago says of himself "yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience to do no
contrived murder. I lack iniquity sometimes to do me service." [Act I, Scene II, Line 2] How does
Iago see others? He sees the world and other people as animalistic and ruled by their basest desires.
Perhaps Iago knows this because he knows himself so well. Iago warns Brabanzio that "even now an
old black ram is tupping your white ewe...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 jennets for germans"
[Act 1, Scene 1, Line 88 and 110] Iago describes Othello as a man ". . . will tenderly be led by the
nose as asses are." [Act I, Scene III, Line 377] Iago tells Roderigo "I never found a man that know
how to love himself . . . Virtue! A fig! Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are
gardens, to which our wills are gardeners . . . If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason
to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness
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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.

Essay On Iago
Shakespeare's Iago A depraved soul would generate chaos, inflict pain, and stir up trouble for its
own satisfaction. Iago undoubtedly fits this description seeing that he is a sadist who attains
power by annihilating others in cruel and unusual ways. In William Shakespeare's The Tragedie
of Othello, the Moore of Venice, he is a sinister force which steers virtuous people towards their
gruesome deaths. Furthermore, he is the core focus of this academic essay. Our antagonist is an
astounding piece of work. He obstinately pleads indifference despite dedicating his entire existence
for revenge. A more favorable course of action involves starting over with a clean slate but he
couldn't as a result of his wounded pride. In addition, he is self–destructive seeing that he allowed
racial hatred to consume him and become his undoing. Even though he invents elaborate lies to be
in control, he claims a reputation for honesty. He is impassive and callous then again he is a
married man who presumably once loved his wife. He is not only guarded, preferring hiding his inner
...show more content...
For starters, he didn't murder anyone. He simply set in motion a chain of events which led to their
deaths. His competence at manipulation is quite beneficiary but insignificant without Othello's
insecurities about his age, race, and lack of experience with women. Our tragic hero is an eloquent
and physically powerful figure, respected by everyone. In spite of his elevated status, he allowed
himself to be led astray. His trusting nature combined with his jealous, self–doubting personality
played an essential role in his downfall. As a matter of fact, his insecurities are so close to the
surface that a few words of hint and innuendo can tear the confident exterior and expose his fears,
desires, and tendency to violence. Every tragic hero has a hand in the tragedy that befalls including

Iago Character Analysis
Iago is the villain in Shakespeare's Othello: manipulative, cruel, and ruthless, he tricks every other
character in the play into trusting him and turning on each other. What makes Iago such a strong,
intriguing character is the mystery of his motives, as well as the contrast between how other
characters see him and how he sees himself
Iago is so intent on destroying Othello and Cassio that it's surprising he does not have clearer
motives. Iago declares his hatred for Othello constantly throughout the book, both to Roderigo and
to himself, but the reason for this hatred is unclear. In act one, Iago gives a hint to why he could
hate Othello so much, saying "I hate the Moor,/and it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets/ 'has
done my office." (1.3.429–31). Although this would explain why Iago takes his revenge by
convincing Othello that Desdemona is not faithful, it is only brought up once in the play, and
thus it is doubtful that this is Iago's reason for his feelings against Othello. A much stronger
reason for Iago's hatred is Othello's race. Iago uses racial epithets constantly in his speeches about
Othello which is strong evidence for this motive. Iago's motives for destroying Cassio are much
more clear. Rather than having personal reasons, like he does with Othello, Iago ruins Cassio for
his own gain, he wants his position. Iago may truly believe that Cassio is a good man when he says
it to Roderigo, but––as he says to Cassio in act 2, "Reputation is an idle and/most

Iago's Manipulation Essay
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...show more content...
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. What is
not clear is whether Desdemona would even consider Roderigo's advances. We know that
Roderigo has failed in previous attempts to court Desdemona and Brabantio "charged thee not to
haunt my doors" (Shakespeare 1458). Roderigo is eager to charge forward with Iago's
instructions and is so gullible that he is repeatedly puts his self in physical danger. Roderigo has
no realistic chance of success and is therefore considered a pawn for Iago to maneuver. To enlist
his help to eliminate Cassio, Iago conjures up a tale of an affair between Desdemona and Cassio
that Roderigo is all too willingly to accept about the woman he loves. According to Iago, Roderigo
is no longer considered Desdemona's second choice behind Othello, but falls to a distant third behind
Cassio. Roderigo becomes

IagoвЂ™s Jealousy Essay
Iago's Jealousy
In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello, good is often confronted by evil, in which almost every case is in
the form of jealousy. Iago, the plays antagonist, is a very manipulative villain. Iago uses his own
agony and distress brought upon him by his envy of others, to provoke the same agony within the
characters in the play. Jealousy's ability are shown to influence people to new ends and make all
humanistic judgment disappear leaving that man a monster torn apart by envy. Jealousy's true
destructive wrath and the pure evil it brings out in people can be revealed through Iago's actions
throughout the tragedy Othello. Through out the play jealousy is a ruler over Iago's thoughts and
actions, influencing the way he feels about...show more content...
In Act "Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! /It is the green–eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat
it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss/Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger,/But, oh, what
damnГЁd minutes tells he o'er/Who dotes, yet doubts– suspects, yet soundly loves!" (3.iii.170–175).
Through Iago's witty nature he is able to nonchalantly set his malignant plan into motion by
planting a suspicion in the mind of Othello. Iago harnesses in on the envious agony he endures
and uses it as a weapon on the man he is envious of, leading to the destruction of him. Iago knows
the ability of jealousy, and with this he knows he can manipulate Othello and make him feel the
same discomfort he himself feels. This reveals the enormous amount of preparation Iago has put
into his plan and the true evil that is brewing beneath the surface. Iago's loss of self respect and
his loss of respect for others have led him to be an evil scheming beast with no account for the
lives of others. Iago is a jealous beast and he knows the true power and control jealousy holds on a
man, Iago knows the danger it holds and uses it in his favor against Othello. In Act 3 scene 3 Iago
says "Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons. /Which at the first are scarce found to
distaste, /But with a little act upon the blood. /Burn like the mines of Sulphur. I did say so:/Look,

Iago Personality In Othello
Description
Iago is a twenty–eight year old man, who is the ensign of the Othello, the play's protagonist. He is
very selfish, hence he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, and Cassio. Throughout the play, characters
have described Iago as an honest and trustworthy man, while not knowing the real him.
Personality Traits
Iago is jealous, dishonest, duplicitous, manipulative, and evil. His jealousy is shown when he is
furious of Cassio becoming the military lieutenant, instead of him. His dishonesty can be seen when
Iago continuously lies to Othello about his wife cheating on him. His duplicity is revealed when
Iago praises Othello in front of him, but badmouths him when around other characters. He is
manipulative, as he uses Roderigo's thirst for Desdemona to do his dirty work: fighting Cassio. His
evil nature is portrayed when he ruins the life of Othello, through convincing him to kill his wife,
Desdemona.
Quotes Iago's essence is his deceptiveness. This is shown when Iago reveals his personal qualities,
and through the death of Roderigo. Firstly, when Roderigo questions Iago about why he is loyal
to Othello, Iago reveals his true self. Iago states, "In following him [Othello], I follow but myself.
[...] But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve [f]or daws to peck at. I am not what I am" (I.i.60–67).
Iago reveals that it may seem as if he is following Othello, but he really is doing it for himself, not
for his devotion towards Othello. By saying "I am not what I am", he shows

Iago's Personality In Othello
Emily Turney
Mrs. Steppe
AP Literature
27 January 2017
In 1603 William Shakespeare wrote the classical tragedy Othello. In doing so he brilliantly brought
to life one of the most sinister villains of all time. Iago, the plays main protagonist, drives all of the
action of the plot through his borderline psychopathic personality traits. Iago contains wicked
character traits internally, but on the surface he appears charming and empathetic. Iago's ability to
deceive even the strongest willed characters comes from his lack of not only empathy but a
conscience all together. He easily and eagerly manipulates the structures of culture and identity,
whether it is marriage or the authority of the state, as if they are fantasies. Through William
Shakespeare's...show more content...
This trait is most blatantly shown through contrasting conflicts. There are numerous man vs man
conflicts Iago is not only involved in but single handedly creates. Adversely, there is a serious lack
of man vs self conflicts for Iago. Iago privately has no problem creating lies to use against countless
characters like Othello, telling him that Cassio is sleeping with his wife, or even his most loyal
companion Roderigo, telling him he has a chance with Desdemona. This lack of internal conflict for
his motive–less malevolence shows his evil lies in the very core of his soul. With no motivation or
regret for any of his actions Iago is stripped of his humanity and presented as an improviser who
manipulates his victims for no distinguishable reason (Woods

Iago, By William Shakespeare
In William Shakespeare's Othello, the antagonist Iago is arguably the most heinous villain in all
of literature. His ability to shape shift in and out of character is what makes him unique. His
tactics are similar to that of a cold blooded chameleon. Iago's art of persuasion, his mastery of
rhetoric as well as his ability to sense his victims' insecurities and weaknesses, is what makes him so
diabolically ruthless. Throughout the play, one can truly see the power of words and their delivery,
and the massive influence that they can have over people. Iago employs charlatan techniques to
appeal to his victims' emotional, logical and ethical weaknesses for his own selfish political gain.
Iago's rhetorical methods entrances many of the key characters and leads them to arrive at the
assumptions he wants them to reach. Through these methods, Iago is able to transform Othello from
a calm, collected, composed general to an insecure, emotional, and malleable puppet. Through his
manipulation of all the key characters, Iago is nonetheless able to remain in favored perception, as
he is ironically referred to as "honest Iago". What makes Iago so intriguing, is his ability to carry out
his selfish agenda without being detected. Iago utilizes reverse psychology, indirect insinuations, and
explicit imagery to deceive others and force them under his spell. Iago's intentions are always veiled
throughout the play.
Iago uses a plethora of rhetorical strategies primarily against

Iago's Influence Essay
Is it fate that we as a people will be brought to destruction by our own means? In the story of Othello,
Iago seeks to prove this point to all those who surround him. Through manipulation and lies, the
villainous Iago shows how people can come to quickly distrust others, and escalate situations until
death. Iago's hope is to not only cause destruction, but to watch other wreak it upon themselves. By
playing the role of both trustworthy friend and sly controller, Iago illustrates how one man's
knowledge of human nature can direct the actions of those around him.
Othello:
Iago's influence on others begins right way by having a pre–established trust between Othello and
himself. It is evident beginning as early as Act II that the Moor's...show more content...
Othello's flaw that Iago wished to magnetize was the way in which he had absolute trust for those
around him; in the end this very concept of always believing what one hears is what brought the
Moor to his death.
Roderigo:
Through a vulnerability that was easily accessed for Iago, forcing the lovesick Roderigo to play
into the villain's hands was no task at all. In Act I the story begins with Roderigo's emotions
overflowing with sadness, as his one true love Desdemona has married another man. "It is silliness
to live when to live is torment, / and then have we a prescription to die when death is / our
physician"(I.iii.308–310). Iago's window of opportunity to use the passionate Roderigo couldn't
have come at a better moment. Iago goes on to play the role of a caring friend to Roderigo, one who
gives the depressed dope the courage to fight back for Desdemona– to do anything for her. "What
should I do? I confess it is shame / to be so fond, but it is not in my virtue to amend it"
(I.iii.317–318). Iago see's that clearly Roderigo's hopes of making things right with Desdemona is
a goal, and with a little persuasion Iago has this simple minded fellow wanting Desdemona by any
means possible. Overcoming Roderigo's indifference to Desdemona and Othello's marriage was a
small stepping stone for Iago. By listening and nurturing the sadness that Iago believed Roderigo to
have, the villain was able to take full advantage of his ignorance; and put

Iago, By William Shakespeare
"lago is a compelling and sophisticated villain (Bachelorandmaster, n.d., n.p.)." When it comes to
the discussion of Shakespeare's malicious characters, Iago seems to be one of a kind. At the
beginning of the play, Iago is described as a character who is a good liar with a silver tongued
eloquence. However, he turns out be a more villain in the end, putting other characters in peril
without any justifiable reason. In Act 1 Scene 1 (Shakespeare, 1997), Iago shows discontentment
toward Othello for placing him as lieutenant instead of promotion. This part clearly shows why
Iago is upset and feels hatred. However, as the story goes on, there is a change in Iago's
characterization. According to Hazlitt (1817), the character of Iago is unnatural due to the fact
that every word or action he takes is very vicious, but lacks reasonable motives to do so. This
indicates that the illustration of Iago in the play changes, as his behaviors seem to become more
incomprehensible in lack of convincing motivation for such cruel and malicious conspiracy. This
essay first identifies the overall character development of Iago, discussing how the image of Iago
has changed throughout the story. It will then go on to explore two different perspectives regarding
the nature of Iago: whether there is compassion to him or he is a pure evil.
Among numerous characters in Othello, the role of Iago stands out, as the flow of the play tends to
be greatly affected by Iago's behaviors. In fact, the story gets

Essay on IagoвЂ™s Soliloquies and Intentions
In every play, there is at least one character that jumps off the page and begs for your attention. In
The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, this character is Iago. Iago is
a devious man, a liar, a manipulator, and a psychopath. It seems Shakespeare developed a very
maniacal character but not one that is unreal. I feel as though we have our fair share of Iago's in
today's society. Many politicians seem to fit into this category, manipulating people for manipulation
sake. However, to me the most interesting psychopath of all, is in the play Othello.
In this play, Iago is Othello's trusted ensign. However, Iago is not what he portrays himself to be to
the characters in the play. In his soliloquies, he...show more content...
(Shakespeare, Orgel, and R.) Iago is infuriated that after several years of service he was not
promoted. Instead, his supposedly cognitive inferior Cassio receives the promotion. Iago seems to
want to hide under reasons and excuses behind his actions. The dastardly villain makes it clear that
he isn't just immoral; he is amoral. Proving his absence of conscious throughout the play. Iago has
many characteristics that work in his favor making him all the more dangerous. He is charming,
intelligent, deceitful, and a clever wordsmith. He uses his language and he self–awareness to create a
false perception of himself, one he wishes others to believe. He gladly uses these characteristics to
his advantage by playing on people's insecurities. Frequently, playing on Othello's non–Venetian
status. Iago tells Othello about untruths about Venetian women since Othello isn't familiar. Saying
that she married him for his status and background not necessarily for love, but this is not her fault,
this is just how Venetian women are raised. In addition, that she held back her natural feelings to be
with Othello. " Foh! One may smell in such a will most rank, foul disproportions, thoughts unnatural
but pardon me – I do not in position distinctly speak of her; though I fear her will recoiling to her
better judgment, may fall to match you with her country forms,

Iago By William Shakespeare 's Othello Essay
Today's society is overly familiar with deception and lies; whether it is from their family, friends,
media, or politicians. Historically, there has been an abundance which still carries on today. Behind
every lie, there is a motive for doing so. In Shakespeare 's Othello, Iago is no exception to this rule.
He is living a dual life of lies. On one face Iago is a trustworthy friend who is attempting to set up
Roderigo with the love of his life. His other face is the one whose main goal is to be the Lieutenant
of the Venetian Army. In order to reach that status he must ruin the relationship of Cassio andOthello
. Iago uses each other character against others and against themselves using his knowledge of
their habits and lives. His vast array of manipulative strategies gives him an extraordinary
advantage over his peers. A few weak points that Iago targets are Roderigo 's desire for
Desdemona, Othello 's self image and Cassio 's trust. Iago does not feel the need to ease his way
into manipulating his best friend. In fact, He starts to deceive Roderigo in the first scene of the
first act. Roderigo 's trusting and fairly gullible personality gives a sense of strength and security
to Iago in his attempts. All ready, Iago develops a cruel ploy to knock down Othello 's reputation.
The easiest way for this to happen is by hinting that Othello kidnapped Desdemona. Due to the social
and racial tension of the time, this was a common perception of black men. Those

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

Iago's Soliloquy Analysis Essay
Soliloquies play a vital role in William Shakespeare's works. One of the most important examples
of soliloquy use by a character was provided by Iago throughout the play, Othello. A soliloquy is
side speech given by a character that is directed to the audience; it most often used to reveal
emotions or thoughts of a character in a play. Iago's use of soliloquies are very unique and stand out
from any other character. They constantly change the audience's opinion of him. Each of Iago's
eleven soliloquies reveals his true evil or gains him pity from the audience. This trend makes Iago's
character unpredictable and hard to analyze. Iago's vast knowledge and understanding of humanistic
behavior is the greatest contributor to his most...show more content...
He gloats about the easy in which he can manipulate Roderigo (the fool) into giving him money.
Directly after this, you hear of Iago's feelings towards Othello (the Moor). You learn of Iago's
suspicion about his wife having an affair with Othello. This gains pity from the audience, because
you feel that Iago is a man deeply distraught over the idea of his wife cheating on him. Iago then
begins to contemplate how he would seek vengeance on Othello and gain his title. Iago plans to
use Othello's trust and opinion of him to his advantage. He speaks about how he will use Cassio
as his pawn to lure Othello into believing his wife, Desdemona is being unloyal to him. Iago
discloses that Othello's character is naive and will be easy to manipulate. As his closing
statement he states that, with a little help from the devil, his monstrous plan will be a success.
Iago's second soliloquy reveals how he manipulates Cassio and Desdemona. While Desdemona
waits for Othello to return from his journey across ravenous seas, Iago joins her. He purposely
acts like a jerk to Desdemona and his wife, Emilia in front of Cassio. When Iago departs from the
group, Cassio, in his good mannered gentleman way, reassures Desdemona that Othello will make it
to shore fine. Having Desdemona confide in his words, Cassio takes interest in her just as Iago had
planned. In act II

Iago In Othello
Shakespeare's Iago A depraved soul would generate chaos, inflict pain, and stir up trouble for its
own satisfaction. Iago undoubtedly fits this description seeing that he is a sadist who attains
power by annihilating others in cruel and unusual ways. In William Shakespeare's The Tragedie
of Othello, the Moore of Venice, he is a sinister force which steers virtuous people towards their
gruesome deaths. Furthermore, he is the core focus of this academic essay. Our antagonist is an
astounding piece of work. He obstinately pleads indifference despite dedicating his entire existence
for revenge. A more favorable course of action involves starting over with a clean slate but he
couldn't as a result of his wounded pride. In addition, he is self–destructive seeing that he allowed
racial hatred to consume him and become his undoing. Even though he invents elaborate lies to
be in control, he claims a reputation for honesty. He is impassive and callous then again he is a
married man who presumably once loved his wife. He is not only guarded, preferring hiding his
inner self to wearing his heart on his sleeve 'For daws to peck at', but he is also ready to retaliate
against those who have been given preference over him. For instance, he tarnished Cassio's
reputation simply because he coveted his position as Othello's lieutenant. His bitter and envious
nature was only satiated with tearing Desdemona and Othello's marriage to pieces. 'I am not what
I am", he declares during the play's exposition implying that no one is capable of truly
understanding his nature and impulses. His impenetrable facade enabled him to deceive everyone.
Indeed, he was adept at manipulating his companions through exploiting their weaknesses. In order
to discredit Cassio, he utilized his alcohol intolerance. Moreover, he toyed with Roderigo's
insatiable desire for Desdemona claiming that she will eventually tire of Othello so he should be
present at Cyprus to captivate her. It is obviously an empty promise but it ensured his cooperation in
Cassio's assassination attempt. To fulfill his scheme, he employed every trick in the book such as
repetition. During Act 1 Scene 3, he frequently uses the phrase "put money in thy purse" until it
dawns on the

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...show more content...
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 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

Iago Essay
Iago, More than Just a Villain
Iago, the evil villain of Shakespeare's Othello, is more than just a villain. In many ways he is the
most intelligent and appealing character in the play. Iago shows superiority over the rest of the
characters in the play. He has the ability to manipulate the characters in the play, therefore
controlling the play with every sequence of events. His intelligence shines through his ability to
deceive, his ability to strategize, and his ability to twist the truth. Iago is appealing to the characters
of the pay because he gives them what they want. Iago is appealing to the reader as well. His
character is totally unconflicted about being evil, making him known to some authors as the villain
of all villains. Iago...show more content...
i. 68–74). The significance is that Roderigo makes him upset by telling him of Othello and
Desdemona. Iago's deceiving plot makes Rodrigo as if he is an honest nobody who wants to help
Rodrigo and his "lost " daughter. Rodrigo calls to Brabantio's window and pours out his emotions
on this subject. "... Your fair daughter... / Transported with no worse nor better gaured / But with a
knave of common hire, a grandolier / To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor" (!. I. 121–25). The
significance of these quotes is that Iago creates this blue print in which he uses his strategical
intelligence to manipulate Rodrigo into manipulating Brabantio into believing that the "Moor" is
lascivious, which will infuriate Brabantio. This is a very complex scheme that was provoked by
Iago. He makes both Rodrigo and Brabantio adversaries of Othello. This plan wasn't for the benefit
of Rodrigo or Brabantio, but by using them as pawns, he gets closer to destroying Othello without
getting involved in the conflict, which shows a good example of his intelligence.
Iago has a keen ability to be able to twist the truth. He is able to work around what is real by his
excellent word usage and persuasiveness. Iago uses words to create puns that can easily make
someone, Othello, jealous. In the third act Othello, Iago, and Emilia are having a conversation on
Iago and Emilia's relationship, which notifies Othello of the problems to come. Emilia exits the

Essay On Iago's Deception In Othello
William Shakespeare's Iago is often thought of the devil in the story. As the villain, Iago manipulated
multiple characters countless number of times, used his intelligence to slip away from problematic
situations and to create illusions for many characters, as well as having dreadful intentions for
reasons that don't justify his purpose. For many viewers, this causes a stir of emotions, including
hate, disgust, sorrow, and surprisingly, admiration forIago. How can a man with Iago's intentions and
his cold–hearted soul could be admired in this story? Why should the audience applaud the villain,
instead of looking–down upon with shock? In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago's immoral character
compels the audience to acknowledge his ambition through...show more content...
Iago has many reasons to hate Othello, including the fact that he had been passed over for a
promotion, in which Othello had snatched the position, and he also suspects Othello had slept
with Emilia. These reasons were given to the audience, as Iago, himself, reveals his reasons to
Roderigo, " I hate the Moor; and it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets 'has done my office. I
know not if't be true; yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety." (1.3.378–82).
Iago is never turned back on his plan to ruin Othello and the people surrounding him, since he is
always contemplating on how Othello doesn't deserve his accolades, and how Iago is plotting
revenge against him. This keeps Iago to consistently, and deliberately continue with his strategies,
which keeps the audience empathetic for the rest of the story. Iago is also jealous of Othello's
ability to woo and lure Desdemona, "It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love
to the Moor ... She must change for youth. When she is sated with his body, she will find the error
of her choice." (1.3.340). However, Even if Iago had received the promotion; even if he had no
suspicions or jealous feelings, he would still invent new motives for hating the Moor, as he is the
devil of the story. Iago is not capable of performing good deeds, sustaining good relationships, or
even

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