Iago Manipulation
“Othello, the Moor of Venice” is a Shakespearean play which talks about the life of Othello who is a general in the Vatican army. Also, featured in the play is Iago, a junior Vatican army officer under whose traits and habits other characters suffer severely (Bevington, 2014). In the play, Iago happens to be a manipulative figure who uses the trust and weaknesses of other characters to ruin them in various ways, including revenge against Othello for what he refers to as the latter’s unfairness in choosing Cassio over him for a job promotion (Arthos, 2013).
In the play, Iago is a skillful manipulator who uses his ability to get what he wants (Bevington, 2014). Surprisingly, some of his victims are his close friends who had
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Iago knows that drunken, Cassio will behave uncontrollably in a way that Othello will not tolerate and thus will fire him (Bevington, 2014). Iago vows to use this method to make Othello withdraw his trust on Cassio and thus believe whatever Iago will say to him.
`Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep.
He’ll watch the horologe a double set
If drink rock, not his cradle. (2.3.122-24).
Still motivated to get the position of the lieutenant, Iago ill-advises Cassio to claim back Desdemona, that she was rightfully his and thus he needed to talk to her to get her back (Bevington, 2014). To sound honest, Iago assures Cassio that he “protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness (3.1.321) so that Cassio may agree with what he is saying.
Lastly, still motivated to get the position of a lieutenant, Iago lies to Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona and that his wife prefers Cassio to him because he is ugly and old (Bevington, 2014; Adelman, 1997). As a proof, Iago refers to the beginning of Othello marriage to Desdemona,
She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And when she seemed to shake and fear your
Another piece of evidence from Othello states,” You are happy now, but I'll ruin your happiness, no matter how honest you may think I am” (II.i.220). This evidence is relevant considering that this hints at what Iago is capable of doing. For example, when he says” no matter how honest you may think I am”. This leads readers to the plot when Othello does believe Iago is honest because of what he told him about Desdemona. Furthermore, this portrays Iago’s character trait as; since he is doing all this because Cassio got lieutenant while he did not; this would lead him to inflict harm upon Othello.
Iago knew that Othello trusted his character to the point that he would believe essentially everything Iago told him. "I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, And let him find it. Triffles light as air are to the jealous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writs. This may do something. "(III.iii.320-324).
In chapter 3 scene 3 page 141 Iago accuses Desdemona of cheating on Othello with Cassio. Othello is in distress and in disbelief that she would do such a thing. This ends in Othello believing the lies and murdering his own wife when she was fully loyal to him. Desdemona never did anything wrong and only lied in order to save her own life. Her goal in her marriage was to live happily with her husband but Iago ruined that for his own selfish desires.
Iago had told Othello that his wife Desdemona cheated on him with Cassio. When all of it was just a lie so Iago can get a chance to kill Cassio. “Othello: It’s sad, but Iago knows she had sex with Cassio a thousand times. Cassio confessed it, and she pledged her love for him by giving him the handkerchief I’d given to her. I saw it in his hand.
Othello, one of the main characters in the play is a very trusting person causing him to be easily manipulated by others. Iago, a flag bearer and a friend to Othello uses his trustworthy persona against him to get revenge on him for not giving him the job as lieutenant. One of his manipulation tactics is to tell Othello that his wife is having an affair with a man named Cassio. In the play, Iago begins to talk to Othello about his proof that his wife is actually cheating on him by telling him, that Desdemona gave a handkerchief to Cassio, in which Othello gave to her that was passed on by his parents. Othello was not happy about that which ultimately lead Othello to be disrespectful towards Desdemona by hitting her, constantly calling her a whore and later killing her for thinking that she was cheating on him with Cassio (Shakespeare 1603).
Secondly, Iago manipulates Cassio the most throughout the book. He uses Cassio’s social status and his trust with Othello to ruin his reputation. Iago is jealous of Cassio because he is higher status and has a strong relationship with Othello. For Iago’s plan to work he needs to get closer to Othello, but first he needs to break Othello and Cassio’s trust first. So one night Cassio is supposed to be keeping a party under control Othello tells him “good Michael, look you to the guard tonight.
First deception being between Desdemona, Othello, and her father with the elopement. Next, The lack of communication between the two characters signifies the type of relationship Othello and Desdemona had. Despite the fact that each were loyal to each other, it proves to show how unhealthy their relationship truly was, and reflects how it was in the beginning as well when they eloped and how much it was a bad idea. Iago, however, remained sovereign over their relationship, allowing the loves to fall right into his trap. However, Iago is not the only one that is to take all the blame.
Othello starts to believe Iago’s lies about his friends and wife, leading Othello to change his behavior towards his closest allies. Iago instigates a fight between Cassio and Montano, and Othello must take charge of his soldiers, he says: Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee But never more be officer of mine. (2.3.210-213) Othello makes the decision to fire Cassio, and things get worse when Iago makes his wife, Emilia, steal Desdemona 's handkerchief.
He expresses his jealousy for Cassio when he says that Othello “already chose [his] officer” who he calls “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine” who “never set a squadron in the field.” Iago believes he should have gotten the promotion because he had more military experience and training. After he gets Cassio drunk and dismissed from service, he devises a plan to manipulate Othello into believing he is cheating with Desdemona in order that Cassio never gets his position again or even killed. Iago also hears a rumor that Othello slept with his
When he does not get the position he wants and also heard that Othello has been sleeping with his wife Emilia, Iago’s manipulation increases. Iago plans his scheme based on, “[Othello] has done my office, I know not if’t be true/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety” (I. III. 431-433). This use of manipulation is all based on an assumption that Othello has slept with Iago’s wife, and this assumption leads to even more horrible events.
In Act 4, Iago lies to Othello saying,“What if I had said I had seen him do you wrong?” convincing Othello of Desdemona and Cassio’s affair (4.1.24). Iago knows Othello’s jealousy overwhelms him at the thought of Cassio and Desdemona, giving Iago control over Othello’s emotions and
Iago’s powerfully disruptive insinuations torment Othello to fall precipitously into his intricate trap, believing in the prospect of Cassio and Desdemona’s fictitious affair. Through the use of linguistic techniques such as elliptical speech, subservient vocative choices and a hesitant tone, Iago is able to construct artful innuendoes to deceive and manipulate Othello. Supplementary to linguistic techniques, dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony reinforces Iago’s role as a two-faced villain, who is making a pretence of being Othello’s loyal ensign. Eventually, Iago’s villainy nature sows a seed of doubt in Othello that germinates into the murder of Desdemona. Through the characterisation of Iago as a notorious villain, Shakespeare is able to hold Iago’s actions accountable for the play’s tragic downfall, establishing a sense of powerlessness amongst the
For example, Iago takes notice when he sees Cassio kiss Desdemona’s hand before Othello’s arrival at Cyprus. Kissing a hand in the 17th century was a sign of close relationship, and Iago uses this to influence Othello to believe that Cassio loves Desdemona. He influences Cassio to drink while he is on watch duty, knowing that Othello would dismiss him. Cassio tells Desdemona to ask Othello to reinstate his position knowing well that this would infuriate Othello and lead him to be more suspicious of Desdemona’s loyalty. All the incidents that follow fall into place making it easy for Othello to trust Iago’s lies.
But, Othello did not seem to think so. This caused Iago to feel like he wasn 't appreciated and he vowed to get revenge on Othello. He got his revenge by working Othello 's mind to believe that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. After Iago got Cassio drunk one night, Cassio lost his place as lieutenant. Iago suggested that he go plead to Desdemona to show her he is a good man, and then she would convince Othello.
In many stories, there are villains who seem to control how the characters act by manipulation. These kinds of villains use multiple techniques to get what they want and to execute their plans. The techniques are used to affect the characters in a negative way in favor of the villain. In Othello, the antagonist Iago, plays that role. Iago affects the characters’ lives in a negative way by his honest reputation, his ability to “read” people, and how he “proves” to be Loyal.