Othello: IAGO

- Iago is arguably one of the greatest villains of all time. Through manipulation, he destroys five people's lives (not including his own) and for what? Because Othello made Cassio his Leutinant and not him? Doubtful. Like the rest of the play, I think what drives Iago is jealousy. He is jealous of Othello's military success and social status, of Cassio's looks, and that Desdemona is more beautiful than his own wife.

- In the very first scene, Iago has already begun to set his plans into motion by enlisting Roderigo as his partner by making him believe that he can have Desdemona if his plans work out. Iago explains that he hates Othello and Cassio and wants to bring them down because Othello promoted Cassio. He tells Roderigo to tell Desdemona's father about her relationship with Othello.

- By scene 3 we know that Iago has already manipulated Othello's trust when Othello refers to him as "Honest Iago" (pg 826) and leaves Desdemona in his care. This allows Iago to use his wife, Emilia, in his plans since she is Desdemona's maidservant. Eventually, Iago betrays three key relationships: friend and friend, husband and wife, commander and soldier.

- The strength of Iago's manipulation comes from the private conversations he has with each of the main players. For example, to Roderigo Iago says that Desdemona only lusts after Othello and once "the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be again to inflame it, and to give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favour, sympathy in years, manners, and beauties, all which the Moor is defective in" (pg 829). This gives Roderigo further hope that with Othello out of the way, he can be with Desdemona.

- With each character, Iago finds what they want, sees it as a weakness, and exploits it. Othello and Roderigo want Desdemona. Cassio wants to be Lieutenant again. Desdemona wants Othello. Emilia wants Iago. And because he has built up this
persona of being "Honest Iago" and has made them distrustful of each other, they all believe him.

- I have read Othello a few times now and every time I read it I wonder what was Shakespeare trying to say with Iago? Besides the power of jealous what is it that Iago exposes? And I would say that although he is a great actor and manipulator, the bonds between the other characters were not as strong as they believed them to be. There were so many places and times for Iago's plans to go wrong. If any of these characters just talked to each other honestly then they should have realized what Iago was doing. Iago exposes the insecurities in ourselves and the jealousy that comes out of these insecurities.