Essay On How Iago Manipulate Othello

Iago’s methods of manipulating Othello and others around him serve as a key attribute when considering his role as a silent antagonist. We see different ways that Iago manipulates Othello, and even utilizes the other characters in order to build more trust between them. We know by Othello’s reaction of the unmasking that he truly believed Iago in his efforts, which results in the deaths of various characters. Ultimately, Shakespeare illustrates the main source of evil in the play and how it exploits Othello’s weaknesses, primarily through trust and manipulation. Throughout the beginning of the play, Shakespeare presents Iago as nothing more as a scheming culprit, jealous of Cassio since Othello had appointed him as lieutenant, saying “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows…” (I.1, 18). At this point, the reader simply assumes that Iago is jealous of Cassio and angry at Othello for appointing Cassio as lieutenant, which leads to the scene in which Iago and Roderigo are alerting Brabantio that Othello is sleeping with Desdemona. At this point, we see Iago’s first successful manipulation in his speech, in which he claims “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise Arise!” (I.1, 87). Here, Iago is attempting to manipulate how Brabantio thinks of Othello. We know that Brabantio did not originally hold any hatred for Othello, and actually often invited him over and asked about