An Analysis Of Psychopathy In Othello

In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the main antagonist Iago is often considered no have to real motive for his hatred of the main character Othello by literary critics such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who once wrote that Iago's soliloquies are the "motive-hunting of motiveless malignity". This observation could not be more accurate. Iago has no logical motive for his atrocious actions because he suffers from psychopathy. Psychopathy is a mental disorder in which an individual manifests amoral and antisocial behavior, lack of ability to love or establish meaningful personal relationships, extreme egocentricity, failure to learn from experience, etc. Psychiatrist look for certain traits, of which there are five main ones, when trying

After Othello kills his wife in bed, after he kills Roderigo, wounds cassio, kills his wife she shows no remorse when they capture him and he is found out. All he says is.”Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word”(V.ii.1364). He is not sorry for his crimes he just sees it as if his job is done.

In the play, Iago will show a bit of his true nature which is arrogance when speaking or comparing himself to other characters in the play. When speaking to Roderigo he speaks about how his deserved the position as lieutenant not Cassio,”I know my price, I am worth no worse a place”(I.i.1274). He is narcissistic and is very sure of himself and his worth. Psychopaths can not see flaws in themselves and constantly over glamourize themselves into godlike

Morin describes psychopaths as having “little regard for safety, especially other people's. They often lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead… Their misconduct is usually well-organized, and they leave few clues behind. Psychopaths tend to be very intelligent, which makes them great con artists” He takes a huge risk when he runs behind cassio and stabs him in the leg. He risks himself even more when he goes back to patch up Cassio to keep up his image. The entire scheme of ruining Othello’s life, getting his wife killed. These actions are of someone who is in a life or death situation, but no he is not. He is simply taking this huge risk without cause, because he is mentally ill.

Iago could be considered one of the best manipulators in all of literature. He tricks Roderigo into giving him all of his money, he tricks him into risking his life to try to kill Cassio. He sets up this elaborate set up with Cassio inadvertently placing evidence of betrayal into Othello’s mind. He convinces Othello to kill his own wife, to question everything he