Iago's Use Of Manipulation In Othello
The Jacobean play Othello, written by William Shakespeare effectively explores the power of manipulation. The audience is exposed to Iago’s revenge-fuelled tactics when encouraged to look beyond superficial appearance to underlying reality. Iago, Othello’s “ancient” manipulates him due to his outsider insecurities in the Venetian society. Iago’s dissembling and resulting jealousy ultimately leads Othello, to “farewell the tranquil mind.”
Othello’s outsider status and ethnic difference is an important factor in Iago’s manipulation as it encourages Othello’s insecurities and is thus a flaw which Iago uses in his manipulation. The audience is confronted with Iago’s manipulation at the beginning of the play when Roderigo and Iago try to define and mock Othello using racial terms such as “Moor”, “barbary horse” and “thick lips”. Othello is
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This is evident in the use of bestial terms by Iago to Brabantio, “An old black ram is tupping you white ewe”. Great dichotomy and contrast is created here. As a result, despite Othello’s high standing military rank”, Othello is never able to feel comfortable nor accepted in the broader Venetian society. The bestial imagery evident in this metaphor highlights and contrast these differences. Historical evidence from the play depicts the motif of race as representative of contemporary Elizabethan society, which is challenged by Shakespeare in Othello. Unfortunately, through Iago’s successful manipulations Othello begins to describe himself in similarly unflattering racial terms,
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