Iago the Machiavellian in Othello

     Iago told Othello that he would discuss Desdemona with Cassio, and that he would talk about the affair. Iago does not do this, and instead he talks about Bianca with Cassio, and Cassio laughs at things Iago says. Othello sees Cassio laughing and just assumes he is laughing at Desdemona, which in return upsets him very much. Iago used several tactics to set up Othello for deception in this case.

Othello trusts Iago and now Iago is trying to take his wife from him for someone else. Furthermore, “He takes her by the palm...sir in.” (pg. 71). Iago watches Cassio and Emilia because he thinks they had an affair he watches them carefully so he can figure out how to convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Another example involves the plan to help Othello kill Desdemona. “Do it not with poison. Strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated” (pg. 185). Othello believes that Iago is most honest, thus he believed killing his wife Desdemona was the right thing to do. Iago brainwashed Othello into believing the wrong thing was the right thing. The characterization of Iago is created by the use of dramatic irony. The audience knew how devious Iago is, but the characters fell for his mischievous acts.

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

Although Iago, did not directly murder someone, this text shows that his manipulation causes Othello to build up vengeance and jealously throughout the play. Later, in act five Iago says, “I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense and he grows angry… No, he must die but so, I hear him coming (Othello 5.1.11-22).” During this scene, Iago was talking about how it did not matter to him if either Cassio or Roderigo dies. This shows that, Iago has no sympathy or compassion for his friends.

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The evil character Iago has a plan to hurt and make Othello jealous from the beginning because he is incredibly jealous of him. Iago continually makes trouble by taking Othello’s special handkerchief and giving it to Cassio to make it appear as though Desdemona is cheating on him. Emilia, Iago’s wife proclaims to Iago, “You told a lie, an odious, damned lie! Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie! She false with Cassio?

Iago pretends he is defending Desdemona: “Nay, yet be wise, yet we seen nothing done, she may be honest yet.” (3.3.431-32 ) Iago pretending to be innocent is part of his scheme as a psychopath. Iago defends Desdemona, but to later ask in the same sentence: Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand?” (3.3.434) Iago perfectly conceals his lies and with this Iago knows Othello is his puppet. Iago elaborates on his question and responds to Othello: “I know not that, but such a handkerchief- I am sure it was your wife’s- did I today see Cassio wipe his beard with.” (3.3.436-38

After seeing everything that he has done and the evidence that he has left behind Iago is the one to blame for the deaths of Desdemona, Roderigo, Othello, and Emilia. From the beginning of the play we can see the hate that he has for Othello after promoting Cassio to Lieutenant. There is evidence that Iago said “I am not what I am” which shows the reader that even from the beginning he was just putting up an act to make everyone think that he was honest but he just used this to deceive them. Iago used this in order to get Othello on his side even to the point where he only referred to Iago as “honest Iago” even though Iago was only telling him lies. Iago put Othello in a sort of trance because he only believed what Iago said and thought everyone else was lying and conspiring behind his back which made him a

Iago and the Literary Tradition of a Villain in William Shakespeare's Othello In this essay, I am going to explain how Iago conforms to the literary tradition of a villain. Firstly, to answer this question, we must understand what exactly is meant by the term 'villain'. The Collins Plain English Dictionary states that a villain is someone who 'deliberately sets out to harm other people.'

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.

In every scene in which Iago speaks, one can point out his deceptive manner. Iago tricks Othello into believing that his own wife is having an affair without providing any concrete proof. Othello is so caught up in Iago's lies that he refuses to believe Desdemona when she denies the whole thing. Much credit must be given to Iago's diabolical power, which enables him to bend and twist the minds of his friends and spouse. Iago is able to take the handkerchief from Emilia and is confident that he can deflect her questions.

Thirdly, Iago participated in killing actions. Whether it was physically and mentally, Iago killed everyone in the story. He lied and manipulated the characters to a point that the whole village was confused. This was his way of killing mentally. Iago killed his wife, Emilia, physically by stabbing her to death. The story reads, “Othello admits to Emilia that he killed Desdemona, and when she asks him why, Othello tells her that Iago told him of Desdemona’s falsehood” (5.2.168). Iago mess eventually catches up with him. In the end Iago, Desdemona, Emilia, and Othello were

Did Iago have good intentions or was he evil? Evil is the opposite of being good. Evil is having qualities tending to injury, hurt, or be mischievous. If you read the story, you’ll know Iago was definitely an evil human-being. Iago was a man driven by jealousy, anger, and hatred.

We agree with the idea Iago is not a person directly causes the tragedy, but he is supposed to be punished for what he has done to innocent people. To destroy Othello’s life, he is willing to do everything. Indeed, even if Iago is promoted; even if he had no jealousy or no suspicions, he would create other motives to achieve his purpose. In facts, to Iago, watching Othello suffers panic is his

The purpose of this case study is to examine Iago, specifically his actions, to diagnose him with antisocial personality disorder. Iago is an extremely talented manipulator, and reveals this through his plot against Othello in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Othello. According to DSM-5, persons with antisocial personality disorder exhibit actions that contradict laws, violate the well-being of others, and lack remorse. Additionally, persons with antisocial personality disorder are deceitful, impulsive, irritable, aggressive, reckless, and irresponsible (American Psychiatric Association). Throughout the play, Iago continuously exhibits many of these characteristics. Therefore, Iago is being diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder because he manipulates others to obtain the things he wants and he provokes actions of violence that disregard other’s well-being.