Othello written by William Shakespeare is a play centered around the theme of fidelity and honesty. In Iago’s own words during act 2 scene 1 lines 223-248. The main villain in this story, Iago is driven by the way women act. Iago is the main villain throughout the story, he is very twisted in the web of lies he strings to manipulate the purity of people. His actions are motived by the jealousy of a main character Cassio, and the anger through his story of an affair between Othello and his wife. In Iago’s speech, he speaks about the relationship between Othello and Desdemona in the sense that she will one day get tired of Othello and move on to someone better. He expresses how easily she fell for Othello and how easily he believes that she …show more content…
The act of honesty is repeated throughout the story line of Othello, but in different ways. There is honesty in the commitment of a relationship, honesty between two people, honesty in the truth about the true character. When Iago is speaking with Roderigo in the speech, his shows honesty with the idea of Desdemona falling for another guy. In the rest of the story Iago shows to other people that he is an honest man who people can trust and depend on. Though anyone who is reading the book can easily see that none of what he says to expresses to other people is truly honest. Affected by the jealousy of Cassio getting the position, Iago is angered to make a plan to get the position instead of Cassio. First proving that Cassio is not fit, then pinning an affair between Cassio and Othello’s wife Desdemona. He pins little details like a handkerchief that Othello gave Desdemona, in Cassio’s, then brought Othello to see that. Once he has Othello believing his wife was cheating on him, Iago misses that his own wife isn’t necessarily on his side. Iago’s wife Emelia ends up telling everyone the truth, sadly after Othello does go unhinged and kills Desdemona. In the end the story shows that love and honesty go hand in hand. Dishonesty makes love grow weak, like it did between Desdemona and Othello. Iago’s actions were majorly punishable by death, not getting him what he had wanted. He manipulated so many people in efforts to get a single position, but ruins everyone’s life around him without having a single care about what he is doing. The idea of honesty is repeated to dramatize the idea of what happens when honesty is betrayed. If Iago were to have been an honest man, he wouldn’t have made the people around him
Iago's supposed honesty is ironically, also a result of his own lying, by making statements that help him sustain his reputation. When he explains Roderigo and Cassio's fight to Othello, he claims to do it with a heavy heart, because he does not want to cause problems for Cassio. However, he feels he must tell the truth; " I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offense to Michael Cassio. Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth." [Act II, scene iii]. By saying this, others are led to believe that the guilt of not speaking the truth is
The play "Othello" by William Shakespeare is based on an Italian story in Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatommithi (Groliers). In "Othello" we encounter Iago, one of Shakespeare's most evil characters. Iago is an ensign in Othello's army and is jealous of Cassio's promotion to Lieutenant. Through deception and appearance, we see unfolded a plethora of lies and clever schemes. The astonishing thing about Iago is that he seems to make up his malicious schemes as he goes along without any forethought. Noted writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge describes Iago's plan as "motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity" (Scott 413). Iago seizes every opportunity to further advance his plan to his advantage. Greed plays a
Shakespeare’s play Othello is based on tragedy of Othello’s jealousy, which ironically leads Othello to kill Desdemona, his beloved (wife). Evil Iago is above all Shakespeare’s villains. Iago is a person with evil emotions, and as a result he deceives everybody, he also is exceptionally influential character who has taken in everyone, above all his own wife Emilia. His public face of bravery and honesty conceals a satanic delight in manipulation and destruction, and he will stop at nothing. Iago’s opinion on women is that he detests women in all kinds and shapes, and finds faults even when they have little or no faults.
In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, the Iago is the most important character. It is his dreams, hopes and desires that turn him evil, bringing out the worst possible characteristics in order to achieve all the things he wants. Iago’s manipulative traits, deceitful actions and love for Othello eventually cause the death Emilia, Desdemona and Othello himself.
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
Throughout the play, Iago is thought to be honest and a good advisor. We often see " honest Iago ", or in Othello's words " this fellow's of exceeding honesty ". None of the characters in the play knows what Iago is really up to, and they blindly trust him and accept his advice.
William Shakespeare wrote Othello in 1603. It is a tragic, love story full of love, honour, and betrayal. Othello is the protagonist in this drama. He is a skilled fighter and he is not from Venice. He falls in love with Desdemona, a beautiful and innocent woman from Venice. Her father disowns her for the marriage because he is racist toward Othello. Iago is the antagonist in the drama. The drama starts with him and shows that he is an instigator. He manipulates his way in to the lives of all of the characters and gains their trust. Iago is responsible for most of the sins. He takes on the role of Satan in the ways that he entices the characters into sinning, which leads to their own
The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the potential of the villain, Iago, to deceive other characters, above all Roderigo and Othello, through encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Othello is prone to Iago 's ploys seeing that he himself is so sincere and
He fears the exposure of his actual character and wants to execute his plan by keeping other individuals believing that he is an honest and a trustworthy man. Firstly, Iago undermines Emilia not to say another word in regards to the handkerchief that he utilizes as a major aspect of the arrangement to devastate Othello. He advises Emilia to “Be wise and get you home.” (Act 5.2.221). Emilia disagrees with what Iago says and soon after, Iago draws his sword. This shows Iago really thinks about his personality and notoriety, his trepidation of presentation is fierce to the point that it drives him to execute his own particular wife. Also, there is not a single line written in the play, which uncovers Iago presenting his reality to someone else. In spite of the fact that everybody makes sense of Iago's two-sided personality towards the end of the play, despite everything he doesn't have the quality to uncover his actual two- sided character or translate why he has done such offensive deeds. When Othello demands Iago for a reasoning behind his actions, he responds back saying, “Demand me nothing; what you know, you know. / From this time forth I never will speak word” (Act 5.2.300-301). Iago's instability of character is powerful to the point that is prohibits him to talk up and give a sensible reaction to Othello regarding why he has done such malevolence activities. Identity, as well as reputation, is what a man is acknowledged for, a wide range of wrong decisions will destroy this part of Iago
Iago is the antagonist of the play, and one of the most evil Shakespearean villains. Iago is extremely clever in the way he uses unsuspecting power- especially psychological power. He gets into people’s heads in many dishonest ways- by spreading false rumours, telling lies and psychologically tricking people and secretly controlling certain situations. His power to manipulate is a key point in the play, as it results in major consequences and the deaths of some main characters. Iago’s schemes are multi-levelled- he conspires with roderigo, and makes him believe that Desdemona will take him back. On another level, he leads Othello to believe his wife is having an affair with Cassio. He uses his wife Emilia (unknown to her), to bring back the handkerchief he uses to deceive Othello. Iago is an extremely resourceful and talented man, but he uses these resources and talents in detrimental ways. Iago is constantly referred to by numerous characters as ‘honest’. He himself also refers to honesty. Numerous characters believe that they know and trust Iago and that he would not lie, nor deceive them. Iago’s soliloquies also provide invaluable insight into his wicked mind and evil schemes and plans.
Othello’s love for Desdemona was so deep he could not bear the thought of another being with her; “If she be false, O! Then heaven mocks itself. I’ll not believe’t.” Iago uses the characters of Cassio and the obsessive Roderigo as his weapons in his cunning plan. Iago drives the idea into Othello’s mind that Desdemona has been unfaithful, inciting him into a state of jealousy. “Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee; and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” Othello growing insecurities about his wife’s faithfulness only adds to his psychological suffering which in turn acts as a catalyst towards the suffering of other characters involved in the play.Iago tells these lies with the intention of driving Othello insane as well as establish his dominance and influence the situations of those characters close to Othello. Evidence of this comes in one of Iago’s soliloquies from act two, scene one; “That Cassio loves her, I do well Believe’t: That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.” This section shows that he is trying to convince himself that his own manipulative lies are true and is trying to reassure his motives by justifying his own actions. By convincing Othello
Though the name of the play written by William Shakespeare is called "Othello," the character Othello is not the main character, but rather Iago is. Iago is the character who drives the play, he is the one who makes things happen. Without his greed and hated, there would be no play at all. The whole play is centered around Iago's revenge and in doing so, he is willing to make other people's lives miserable. Through "Othello," Iago uses the other characters to avenge the wrong doings which Othello has inflicted upon him, and will go to any means to do so.
Murder, deception, and tragedy are all found in the play by Shakespeare, Othello. The play Othello is set in the Elizabethan era, and is found on the streets of Venice. Shakespeare was a playwright, from the Elizabethan era (1600’s),who wrote many great plays that are still read to this day in age. Othello is a war general, an older man, and a black man, who, by the end of the novel, goes from having it all, to having nothing. This wouldn’t be possible though without the help of the incredibly deceitful Iago, who at all costs wants to ruin Othello and take his job as general. Othello isn’t the only target though, for Cassio, the young right hand man of Othello, will also taste the trickery that is Iago. Iago is a man with a plan, but at what cost does he go to get his way. Iago went too far from his original plan for revenge, and that is why he will be caught in the end.
Iago then takes advantage of Othello's insecurities and he reassures him that Desdemona is unlike other Venetian women, but sounds like she is. He reminds Othello that she "did deceive her father, marrying you". Othello accept: " And so she did". Iago completes with his all techniques of reassuring and inciting his victim.
As Iago lies to Othello about Cassio and Desdemona having an affair, he makes himself appear loyal and concerned for Othello’s well being. Lying is a vicious act that Iago goes to because it can have unintended consequences and be hurtful when the truth comes out. By doing this Iago is able to manipulate others and have them unknowingly follow his