Iago's Motivation Towards Evil

Iago is perhaps Shakespeare’s most perfectly crafted villains, for that his intense complexity makes him different than any other. Iago is a manipulative, envious, egotistical, and immensely clever character, who’s motivations for Othello’s defeat stem from the all too common feeling of jealousy. These qualities that Iago embodies are those mutual of a rational human being, however, his motivations towards evil are indistinct. The audience of Othello learns that Iago is jealous of Othello, though, would that motivate a rational human being to murder others? It seems as though Iago has always had inclinations towards evil, possibly he has always been malevolent. Additionally, Iago’s malicious qualities are all too similar to those of the Devil himself, which could indicate

In review of Richard Raatzsch’s “The Apologetics of Evil: The Case of Iago,” Colin McGinn of the University of Miami explains how Othello’s audience is unclear of Iago’s motivation, for that his actions are clearly grasped, but “we don’t understand why he does what he does.” (McGinn) In McGinn’s review, he further explains how Raatzch pointed out Iago’s three interpretations of his motives. “The first is the resentment… he feels in being passed over for promotion… The second alleged reason is jealousy for his suspected cuckolding by Othello… Third, he cites his own cupidity in extracting money from Roderigo.” Raatxch proposed these three possible motivations for Iago’s actions, though each still were found to be doubtful. Concluding these allegations, the only prospective motivation for Iago’s actions is simply the fact that “He is rather, as Othello says, a “demi-devil”, a supernatural agency somehow deposited on Earth.” (McGinn) With this, it is easy to conclude that Iago’s actions weren’t out of motivation at all, but because of his wickedness in which is analogous with the