The Deepest Depths of Schadenfreude

As boldly stated by Alfred Pennyworth in The Dark Knight, “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” They find pleasure in others’ pain and misfortune. In Shakespeare’ Othello, Iago portrays this exact character type. Whether a result of nature, nurture, or jealousy, Iago bases his actions solely in an effort to destroy Othello.

Countless scientists and philosophers have, for years, debated the argument between whether nature or nurture determines how a person acts. From Freud, to Charles Darwin, to even Shakespeare himself, the debate has continued for centuries. The nature side of the argument, a much more scientific approach, states that a person’s being is set in stone from the day he or she is born. Genetics play a pivotal role. By this argument, Iago was destined from birth to possess these evil tendencies. Should this be true, Iago would have likely acted this way his entire life, basing his actions on trying to cause some sort of misfortune upon others. No outside influence caused this; it was hard-wired into him.

Conversely, Iago may be this type of man as a result of some experience or his environment. Did his father demonstrate similar qualities toward Iago during his childhood? Was he the victim of some sort of verbal or physical abuse? Of course the audience will never know, but these are the types of experiences that could, according to the nurture side of the argument, imbue these tendencies into Iago’s being. John Locke was the first to propose tabula rasa, or blank slate, proposing that a person’s character is a result of the environment. From birth, he or she is a blank slate, waiting for outside influence to shape his or her life. Iago’s environment of wealth, education, and social status could easily co...

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...how easily people hand out their trust in others. People want to be liked, to be accepted, to feel as if the world is good. But when Iago and countless others take advantage of this trust, it loses its meaning completely.

Surely, Iago’s underlying motivation for destroying others’ lives will never be revealed. There are too many possibilities, and narrowing it down to just one single reason would be absurd. But we do know enough about Iago to determine that, regardless of his motivation, he is willing to tear down any wall in his way and ruin any life to gain what he wants.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William, and Alvin B. Kernan. The tragedy of Othello : the Moor of Venice. New York: Signet Classic, 1998. Print.

Campobasso, Paul. Suite 101. N.p., 10 Dec. 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. .