Is Iago An Orator In Othello

The most interesting character in the play Othello is the villain, Iago, commonly referred to as "Honest Iago".  Iago is smart, and well tuned to human behavior, and uses this knowledge to

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

Shakespeare does not waste any time developing the manipulative character of Iago, as his Machiavellian actions are introduced in the first scene of Othello. Iago is a soldier in the Venetian army, who wanted the position of the lieutenant. When Othello, the Venetian army general, appoints Cassio to this position instead of Iago, he begins to portray a revengeful character with problematic actions. When Iago states, “I am not what I am” (1.1.64), this is the first notion that the audience and the characters will not know who he is because his thoughts and his actions are different. He says this to prove that Othello truly does not know who he is and that he may seem good on the outside, but it bad on the inside. In his article, “’I am not what I am’ – Destructive Emotions in an Organizational Hierarchy: The Case of Othello and Iago,” Chris Poulson argues that Iago is Shakespeare’s most complex and powerful character as we see him plotting revenge and his hatred for Othello in the first scene, which sets the tone for what is to come in the tragedy.

Iago, William Shakespeare’s cleverly crafted antagonist in his play “Othello,” could undoubtedly be seen through most rhetorical theorist’s perspectives. The overlooked and bitter advisor of Othello who conceives and executes the demise of his commander through rhetorical means of persuasion is a character rich in depth of Aristotelian tradition. Aristotle, the 4th Century BC, Greek philosopher’s definition entitled “Rhetoric” charts a middle course between those of his predecessors. Plato, who views the art of rhetoric as merely illusion versus those of the Sophists who believed in a do what is necessary to win style of speech.

At the beginning of Othello one particular quotation stated by Iago, sets the stage for his evil nature throughout the entire play, “I’m not what I am” After thoroughly reading this play, and clinically examining this quote, one can conclude that this quote is a response to the dishonesty of the image he portrays of being a kind, loyal, friendly and honest man. This quotation can easily be looked over, but it warns and signals the manipulative behavior, he will portray throughout the entire play.

By spreading nothing but lies, he can manipulate people and in Act 1, scene 3 he verbally expressed “ Virtue? A fig! Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners. So that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or divert it with many, either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why the potency and corrigible ascendancy of this lies in our wills”. This reveals that Iago is a mendacious person and is endeavoring to manipulate Othello’s mind in cerebrating that everything are true.

In the play written by William Shakespeare Iago’s attitude toward all the characters of the play is very deceptive and manipulative using them for his own profit. He has the talents to deceive others destroying their lives to better his own. His abilities to twist the truth is a highly useful tool to him. Instead of using these abilities for the greater good, Iago falls down an evil path to become a villain that hurts people and ruins lives. He uses strategies such as deception and manipulation to distract all the people around him from his true motive. Persuasiveness and excellent word choice are his weapons to get the position of lieutenant.

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.

Most complex of all characters in Shakespeare's famous play ‘Othello’ and our topic for today is, character Iago. This vindictive figure who is written and portrayed as the antagonist is also the building blocks of suspense due to who he really is. When it comes down to Iago, he is perceived with great contrast between how the other characters view him, how we as the audience view him, and how he views himself. So, what are the first impressions of Iago? Is he just another villain? A victim to unfair decisions? An individual seeking revenge due to the wrongs done to him? Who is he?

In “Othello,” William Shakespeare creates a devious character, Iago. He is a very educated young man, who lacks ethics enabling is character to deceive those around him, disguising his true character. With audience perception, opposing character perceptions, Iago portrays a brilliant, manipulative villain who is concealed with false sympathy, integrity and empathy.

Iago's character abounds with amorality, extreme self-love, and cynicism. He does not value loyalty, love, honesty, or nobility. He declares to Roderigo: "I am not what I am" (I-1-71), demonstrating that he is completely void of integrity, acting instead in a duplicitous manner. Iago changes his personality entirely depending on whom he is interacting with - with Othello, Iago is valorous and noble; with Roderigo, he is harsh and brusque. His frequent use of superficial actions is exemplified by his comment, also to Roderigo: "I must show out a sign and flag of love?" (I-1-173).

Is it such a crime to be an honest and good man? Imagine if you believed the wife of your closest friend was cheating on him? Would you just let him go about his life whilst his wife was in bed with another man? Well I'll tell you now, if that's what you would do, you’re no friend. You might as well be the man she was cheating with. What if your friend was going to commit suicide - would you not do everything you could to stop him? How about if your friend lost his job and you knew how he could get it back, would you not help him? I’m brought before the senate today, charged with doing nothing but retaining as my title as “Honest Iago” and staying loyal to my comrades. So I ask you, do you really believe I should be punished for being an honest man who simply cares for his friends when they are in need?

The play written by William Shakespeare "Othello, the Moor of Venice" has many acts of jealousy, violence, and hatred, along with many characters that stand for different matters and that also have different beliefs. These characters go through tragedies which causes corruption for them all. Behind all of this madness is a character named Iago. Iago is an evil villain that causes harm to everyone that gets in his way. He cares for no one, yet he devotes his whole life to revenge, rather than just walking away. In the play, Iago is a dominate and persuasive leader who has the talent for understanding and manipulating the others around him. He gains humor out of watching the people in his life suffer from the damage that he throws upon them.

To begin with, Iago is the most villainy character created by Shakespeare, wearing the mask of honesty, gains everyone’s trust and consequently knows their weakness, and therefore controlling them as a puppet master. In fact, the whole play seems to be puzzle pieces of the cunning plan directed by Iago. He plays a fundamental role in the tragedy as the antagonist, which is without him, there would be no conflict.

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