...Iago’s manipulation is key in how Othello reveals his destined monstrosity. In the beginning of the story Othello is excessively proud of his color/race, this is evident as when Iago throws dirt on Desdemona’s name Othello clearly enhances his belief that “she had eyes, and chose me”(Shakespeare, 3.3.192). He is confident and secure in his love and believes it overpowers the color of his skin as well as proud of his race. As Iago finally gets under Othello’s skin we begin to see the violent and color-aware Othello that had not appeared before. The dark side of Othello has supplanted the fair Othello as he replies to Iago’s trickery with “Her name…begrimed and black as my own face.”(3.3.389-91). One can see that Othello recognizes himself as an air to darkness and that he is of an evil nature. As before he took pride in his skin color, however, now he is referring to his skin as an example...
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...Iago’s Strategic Acts of Character Manipulation W.H. Auden once said, "There is more than meets the eye", suggesting that there may be a hidden or deeper meaning behind a person's initial appearance. Lies and deceits are common in society, and many individuals mask their true intentions with a veneer. In Shakespeare's play Othello, the character Iago is no different from those deceptive individuals. Behind his façade as a trustworthy ensign and friend, Iago is a multilayered, deceptive and manipulative villain, concocting chaos and causing mishaps to other characters for revenge. Iago uses his deft and astute strategic acts of manipulation to undermine each character’s weaknesses. He exploits Roderigo’s love for Desdemona, cajoles Cassio under the guise of friendship, and toys with Othello’s mind by playing on his self-doubt. Evidently, Iago manipulates the people around him by using their weaknesses: Roderigo’s naiveté, Cassio’s trusting nature, and Othello’s insecurity, against them. First of all, Iago uses Roderigo’s gullible and naive personality to his advantage. Roderigo’s obsession and lust for Desdemona renders him susceptible to Iago’s manipulation. This obsession causes him to unquestioningly believe anything Iago says in hopes of getting Desdemona. Initially, Iago dupes Roderigo of his fortune. He convinces him that the gold and jewels will be given to Desdemona as a proclamation of his love when in actuality, Iago plans to keep it for himself. Iago states: “Thus...
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...and so convincing. Language manipulation can have two different purposes. It can be used against an individual in which it does not favour the victims best interest, but allows the manipulator to get a personal gain at the expense of another. Words used in this way are seen as a weapon in which it can inflict suffering and hurt to the victim. On the other hand it can have the opposite intention. It can be used in a positive way and to the benefits of both individuals. It can be uplifting, motivating, and inspirational and will often persuade individual’s interests in a helpful direction. This is how language can be used to manipulate meaning and intent and is shown clearly through William Shakespeare’s characters in the play, ‘Othello’. Language can be used against an individual to cause suffering and pain. This is through the manipulation of meaning and intent. In Shakespeare’s play ‘Othello’, Iago who is the main villain in the film uses his manipulative language to deceive other characters in such a way that it makes him both a powerful and persuasive figure. His understanding of the individuals around him and their desires lets him engage in this deceitfulness even more and persuade individuals with his lies and scheming stories. In Act 1 scene 1, the audience is straight away immersed into the action of the play. In this scene Iago already starts to manipulate Roderigo through his naivety to Iago’s doublecrossing and overall manipulation. Roderigo’s first statement...
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...Shakespeare himself once described the state of humanity, “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” He applied this profound observation to the characters of his play Othello, the story of an interracial marriage destroyed by manipulation. In this tragedy, the title character Othello falls from his status as a respected, even glorified, leader to an incredulous murderer, while his “friend” Iago thrives on Othello’s downfall. Shakespeare’s original script illustrates Othello’s vulnerability and destruction quite obviously, while more modern interpretations take a vaguer approach. The 1995 feature film Othello and the video adaption of Verdi’s opera Otello both serve as prime examples of how Othello’s demise can be interpreted, and present all characters in varying light. Between these three versions of Shakespeare’s play, the original work presents Othello’s change most clearly. In it, Othello’s transition from “good” to “bad” is very apparent. Shakespeare portrays Othello as a simplified human, perhaps to make him more relatable in vagueness, and in so doing makes his deterioration obvious. At the beginning of the play, the Duke addresses Othello as “Valiant Othello,” and values his advice on political matters (1.3.50). At this time, Othello (though disrespected on the issue of race) is a prized presence in his country and among his peers. His bravery is matched by his character, as he loves his wife and “puts [his] life upon her faith!” (1.3.293). He represents the...
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...English 1020 5, May 2014 The Green Fire of Jealousy In the story Othello by William Shakespeare jealousy rears her ugly head at every aspect of the characters’ lives. Right from the beginning when Roderigo is envious of Othello from his wishes to court with Desdemona, and to the end of the play, when Othello is manic with envy because he believes Cassio and Desdemona have been engaging in an affair. Some characters’ jealousy is fashioned by other characters. Iago is involved in much of this, creating lies and implementing misleading situations. He is consumed with jealousy of Cassio and masked with hatred of Othello because he is not chosen as lieutenant, Cassio was. Iago becomes one of the most evil villains in literature, he wants everyone to feel rage. He very skillfully manipulates the emotions, trust and jealousy of other characters. Iago is a man blinded by envy and anger, with one goal in mind for everyone to become equally jealous, an ambition he completes through his betrayal, deceit, and adept manipulation of characters. The seeds of deception are grown early on with Roderigo confiding in Iago. Roderigo frantically loves Desdemona and he pays Iago to draw her away from Othello. Here we see the malicious intent from Iago and paint him as a villain. Along with his actions, what Iago says also conveys him as a manipulative character. Iago has fabricated a plan to pose Othello as a thief by saying that he has stolen Desdemona’s heart using witchcraft. Iago coaxes...
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...is complex, but in Act I, Scene I, where he describes his disgust at being overlooked for Othello's lieutenant, we can see that a primary motivation for Iago's skillful manipulations was revenge and anger; revenge for Cassio replacing him, anger that Othello overlooked him. Thus it can be seen that Iago's manipulations are driven by a basic desire to avenge those who hurt him but also to gain what he believes is his, indeed Iago's suggestion that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair earns Iago Othello's trust and the position as his lieutenant in Act III, Scene III. However being made lieutenant only satisfies his pride, his continuing with his plan to discredit Desdemona shows us that it is not enough for Iago to have what he believes is his, he must punish Othello for overlooking him in the first place by making Othello disbelieve and destroy his virtuous wife... Iago is pragmatic. We see this in the manner in which he uses opportunity to aid his plan to hurt Cassio and Othello. When Iago realizes Cassio's admiration of Desdemona, he immediately formulates a plan to use this to make Othello suspect adultery. Though Iago appears to have the goal of misery for Othello and Cassio, he does not appear to have a specific detailed plan, he continually refers to using insights he makes about Cassio, Othello, Roderigo and Desdemona to further his plan in his asides in the play. Iago's pragmatism is also evident in his use...
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...At the beginning of 3.3, Othello is completely in love with Desdemona. By the end of that scene, 480 lines later, Othello is ready to murder her for having an affair with Cassio. How have we gone from the first position to the second position so quickly? How does Iago plant the idea of Desdemona’s infidelity in Othello’s mind, and how does he make it grow? In Act 3 Scene 3, the storyline races extremely quickly and so does Othello’s mind, all thanks to Iago’s manipulation and careful planning. First, in Act 2 Scene 1, Iago has orchestrated the brawl. He gets Cassio drunk and has Roderigo pick a fight with him. Iago gives a falsely sympathetic account of Cassio’s behavior “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio”, and Othello is taken in by Iago’s cunning words and confirms that his “honesty” and “love” have made it “light to Cassio”.Othello then decided to fire Cassio, “Cassio, I love thee but never more be officer of mine.”, which is a stepping stone for Iago’s plans. Afterwards, Iago convinces Cassio to let Desdemona convince her husband to grant him his lieutenancy back again, “Our general’s wife is now the general…Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.” However, in Iago’s soliloquy a few lines after, Iago’s intention becomes crystal...
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...Othello Write In the tragedy Othello by William Shakespeare The conniving character Iago’s evil leads to the undoing of the other characters. It is Iago’s henise skill of understanding and manipulating the wants and desires of those around him that makes him a dangerous character. His lack of a constant motivation throughout the play show his true underlying desire, his homosexual love for Othello and Cassio and the enjoyment he receives from the pain and damage he causes. The worst characteristic of Iago’s evil is his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. In the beginning , Iago claims to be angry at Othello for having passed him over for the position of lieutenant but, this motivation does not stay constant throughout the play. At the end of Act I, Iago states that he thinks Othello slept with his wife, Emilia, “It is thought abroad that ’twixt my sheets / He has done my office” Iago again states his motivation for revenge again saying “wife for wife” explaining that he wants to have sex with Desdemona because he wants to get even with Othello. Iago’s lack of motivation makes his evil actions more treacherous and maniacal. None of these seems to explain Iago’s hatred of Othello, which begs the question if Iago’s evil is because a hidden homosexual love Iago has for Othello. Without a consistent motivation for Iago’s trecorous revenge plot the reader can infer that Iago’s true motive for plotting against Othello is his forbidding homosexual love for...
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...LITERARY THEMES IN OTHELLO The play, Othello, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, that circles around a man by the name Othello. He is a highly esteemed general in the service of Venice. Iago is Othello's ambitious friend. Othello promotes the Michael Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is deadly jealous. Othello elopes with Desdemona, who a gentleman Roderigo, had once hoped to marry. Iago starts to plot against the newly wed couple. Desdemona is also the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian senator, who considers the union theft of his property and is more than convinced that Othello used magic to get Desdemona to marry him. Othello becomes jealous and suspicious of Desdemona, as Iago has managed to poison his mind by convincing him that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. This is supported by Bianca, Cassio's significant other, being in possession of Desdemona's handkerchief, which Othello had given to Desdemona. Plots and murders ensue and Othello returns to the castle to kill his innocent wife. He then kills her on her marital bed. Emilia, Iago's wife and Desdemona's lady-in-waiting, tells Othello the truth about the scheming Iago. Othello wounds Iago and then proceeds to kill himself. Iago in turn, kills Emilia. A theme can be defined as the central topic, subject or concept that the author is trying to put across. The themes Shakespeare used in the play are as follows: 1. JEALOUSY Jealousy is a resentful and bitter feeling usually associated...
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...Sophocles's Oedipu Rex and William Shakespeare’s Othello. Oedipus the King and Othello the Moor both experience a catharsis, or emotional downfall, due to fate. Fate is not only a prevalent theme in both works, but a basis of plot as well. Sophocles and Shakespeare both employ elements of fate being influential in their works. Fate in Oedipus Rex does not possess the same meaning as it does in Othello. In Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, however, fate is depicted as the idea that one’s destiny in predetermined. In Othello, fate pertains to the limit that is placed on the control of one’s own destiny. Fate can be used to show how different authors portray the theme in their work and how each different vision of fate...
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...The Ambivalence of Human Nature Othello—one of Shakespeare’s more dreadful tragedies, tragedy of an un-heroic egotistical fool, a tragedy that shows how both good and evil are summed up within a person and how manipulation and ambivalence are stronger than love and logic together. The play opens with Othello and Desdemona, a newlywed couple in Venice and Iago, a man jealous and envious of Othello and his newly appointed lieutenant Cassio. In his jealousy, Iago destroys not only Othello and Cassio but virtually all the other characters in the play including his own wife, Emilia. The story of this play represents the classic battle between the forces of good and evil leading to the ultimate triumph of evil over good with the demise of other characters in the play. There is a pattern of good and evil closely that can be identified to the three main personages in the play: Iago with Evil, Desdemona as good and Othello as good overthrown. Iago is represented as the wrath of evil in the play. He uses his cunning, untrustworthy and selfish traits to manipulate the minds of Roderigo, Cassio and Othello and confidently moves the plot forward. Iago is jealous and envious of Michael Cassio and believes that Othello has wronged his honour by terming Michael Cassio as the lieutenant and him as the ancient of the army. He believes that Michael Cassio “that never set a squadron in the field/ nor the division of a battle knows” (1.1.22-3) is less deserving than him for the position. His...
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...great role in William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello. Most of the irony in the play relates to the main villain in the play, Iago, who is motivated by his jealousy. Iago is jealous of Othello’s military success and Cassio being promoted to Othello’s lieutenant position instead of himself. Iago plans to take revenge against Othello by manipulating Cassio and Desdemona, who is Othello’s wife. Iago is a well respected character in the play, so he would not be suspected to be the culprit. He tries to fake an affair between Cassio and Desdemona that would surely be tragic for Othello. The...
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...triggers many other emotions in the human psyche. From fear, grief and depression, jealousy can lead to anger and violence. Humans are not privileged to this emotion alone but all mammals are susceptible to such feelings. It has been suggested through research “jealousy first evolved in the context of sibling-parent relationships where dependent offspring compete for parental resources” (Harris and Prouvost). In both the movie O. and the play Othello jealousy is the driving emotion that causes the major conflicts. Despite their 400-year time difference, O. exhibits a near exact representation of Shakespeare’s Othello. In Othello, the character Iago is jealous that he was passed over for a promotion. Because of this, he attempts to get revenge by lying and deceiving others to discredit their character. An instance of this is when Iago deceived his friend Cassio by getting him drunk and causing him to fight Roderigo. This fight caused Cassio to lose his lieutenant position, which was the promotion Iago was jealous about. Iago also lied to Othello to convince him that his wife was being unfaithful with Cassio. These lies caused Othello’s jealousy and rage that lead him to murder his wife. In the movie O., the character Hugo is jealous that his father, the head basketball coach, has chosen two other basketball players as the MVP’s of the team. These two players, Oden and Michael, seem destine to have bright futures. Hugo, being jealous of these two, concocts a plan with the help of...
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...The True Hero, Emilia In Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia evolves from a vulnerable wife desperately seeking her husband’s attention into a woman of strength. After learning about Iago’s lies, Emilia defies Iago in order to save the reputation of her friend Desdemona. It is Emilia’s choice not to remain silent and side with Iago’s deceitful ways but to follow her morality and defend Desdemona, who is accused of cheating on Othello. Emilia’s actions show her heroism, as she verbally stands up to Iago and refuses to silence herself when she is asked. Emilia changes from a being manipulated and meek into a confident woman capable of being strong willed, proving that women can step beyond their traditional stereotype if they possess courage and...
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...that continues to captivate audiences of Othello. Explore this statement with reference to one intense human relationship in the play In Shakespeare’s, Othello, it is the tragic downfall of the protagonist which intrigues audiences, exploring elements of the human condition through intricate human interactions. Utilizing the emotional depth of complex human relationships, Shakespeare discusses fundamental human characteristics in passion, desire and revenge, creating the primary drama of the play as audiences consider the relevant nature of Othello’s tragic downfall, as orchestrated by the duplicitous Iago. Othello’s tragic downfall captivates audiences through the intensity of his relationships with other characters. Within Othello, Shakespeare is able to involve the audience in the emotional conflict of the play, as the titular hero is manipulated by his symbiotic relationship with iago, leading to his self-destruction. Throughout the play, Iago relentlessly exploits Othello’s tragic flaw of absolutism through his devilish intellectual superiority, evoking a sense of sympathy as Iago is resolute in turning Othello’s power, reputation and relationships into chaos via human nature. Iago’s contempt for the “thick lips” subsequently leads to the revelation of his expedient and duplicitous character, as he feigns loyalty to the Moor only to, “serve his turn upon him” by “pouring pestilence into his hear”. Iago’s manipulation of Othello becomes a focal point of the play, as his...
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