In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago deceives others, mainly Othello and Roderigo, due to his desire for revenge, an improved reputation, and power. Throughout the play, Iago uses his desire for revenge to deceive others, like Othello. Iago’s desire for revenge shows when he states, “For “Certes,” says he, / “I have already chose my officer.”/ And what was he?/ Forsooth, a great arithmetician, / One Michael Cassio, a Florentine” (1.1.17-21). Othello’s choice reveals Iago’s jealousy of Cassio earning the position which fuels Iago’s desire for revenge on not only Othello, but also on Cassio. Another time Iago deceives someone to build up his plan is when he tells Roderigo, “When she is sated with his/ body she will find the errors of
Iago then plants it into Cassio’s possession, which Iago then uses to further convince Othello of the affair. Furthermore, Othello’s gullibility facilitates Iago’s plan, and Othello makes his death and the death of Desdemona inevitable. He turns into a vindictive man, and strikes and calls Desdemona a “Devil” (Oth. 4.224). Othello willing allows
Throughout the play, he would often talk about Iago in the same manner as in Act 2, scene 2, “a man he is of honesty and trust”( II,ii. 323-324). Given that Othello trusted who he thought was his best friend, it was easier for Iago to bring Othello down. The root of Iago’s evil intentions is jealousy, which he describes to be like a “green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (III,iii. 196-197).
Iago’s intentions unveil themselves not only through actions, but through his engagement with the audience. “Iago’s self-understanding is well-express when he explains to viewers his plan to put a plague in Othello’s ear that will cause him to misinterpret Desdemona’s advocacy to Cassio.” (The Art) In order to commence suspicion within Othello, Iago utilizes the elopement of Othello and Desdemona. “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father and may thee.” (1.3. 330-335) Moreover, Iago took initiative to set up Desdemona by removing the handkerchief of her possession.
To Othello, Iago is more reputable now causing Iago is, at this point, reputable, meaning Othello will to believe anything that Iago says even if it is a lie. Iago’s psychopathic manipulations of Cassio then ultimately cause his downfall once Othello discovers that Iago has been dishonest, his punishment of torture and imprisonment at the end of the play is his downfall. Iago’s Throughout the play, since Iago is trustworthy to Othello, Iago plants seeds of jealousy in Othello’s mind. In Act Five, scene two, Othello shows the audience how he believes that Iago is “most honest” (Shakespeare 1302). After he kills Desdemona, Othello explains his reasoning to Iago’s wife, Emilia, justifying that “Cassio did top her, ask thy husband else” (Shakespeare 1360), meaning that he killed his wife because according to Iago, Cassio and
This causes Othello to trust Iago and have suspicion towards his wife Desdemona. . Ironically Iago says “Men should be what they seem” (3.3.7) which ironies that he lied and is two faced. Desdemona later talks to Othello and says that he’s known cassio for a long time and doesn’t understand why he won’t give him a send chance “You do love my lord you have known him long” (3.3.128). This starts to make Othello truly believe what Iago said was true and that his wife is cheating on him.
As Iago manipulates Othello, Othello starts to believe that his marriage with Desdemona has become ‘’blackened’’ with lies, Othello becomes more aware of himself as a black man in a white world and begins to use racial stereotypes. He now too views blackness as something negative. “Her name, that was as fresh as Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black as my own face” (3.3.387-391). When Othello starts to suspect that Desdemona is cheating on him he suggests that his reputation is soiled and begrimed because of her adultery. Othello slanders his race when talking about his reputation, he compares his prior good reputation to the freshness of a white face and now that Othello feels like Desdemona tainted his reputation, he compares it to his ‘begrimed and black face’.
He got embarrassed and had to publicly defend himself in the Duke’s meeting room, something that an “honest” (as described many times by himself and others) character like Iago shouldn’t have done. He betrayed the privacy of Othello and Desdemona, and set the play up by showing that he didn’t care for what they wanted. Right off the bat, the reader saw that Iago was comfortable making others uncomfortable, a quality that many betrayers possess. Iago’s betrayal allowed Othello’s insecurities to be used against him by other characters throughout the play, which contributed heavily to his suspicions against Desdemona—and, eventually, their deaths. All in all, Iago’s betrayal of spreading Othello and Desdemona’s secret marriage led to prejudiced statements against Othello—like Desdemona’s father calling him a “black ram”—which eventually led to anguish heavy enough to betray his wife, killing Desdemona and then
The fact that Othello truly believes Iago is honest, coupled with the fact that he has no reason to be suspicious of a plot against him, especially from Iago, is what lets Iago’s plan become so successful. While it is unclear why Othello automatically believes Iago’s insinuations—perhaps because they have known each other longer than Othello has known Desdemona, or because he doesn’t believe Iago would gain anything from lying, but Desdemona would gain a lot from lying about an affair—Othello does almost immediately conclude, solely from Iago’s reports, that Desdemona is cheating on him. This conclusion would be almost impossible without Othello’s confidence in Iago’s
Iago manipulates most of the characters in the play for the purpose of his plan to be successful. Iago manipulates Othello by telling him that his wife Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. When Iago 's with Othello he tells him, “look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio. Wears your eyes thus, not jealous nor secure” (3.3.201-202). This quote shows Iago manipulate Othello into making him beware of Desdemona actions.