In Shakespeare, how does Iago successfully manipulates Othello to destroy him? Iago plots to destroy Othello, he sees potential for his plot working by using Cassio to hit on Othello’s wife Desdemona. Iago then deceives Othello into thinking Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Iago destroys Othello by manipulating him into believing in false illusions of an affair between Cassio and Desdemona. In fact, Iago positions Othello to watching Cassio get closer to his wife Desdemona. Othello also knows that Iago is reticence to say anything about Cassio, but he does not know Iago feigned. Instead of telling Othello the truth, Iago speaks, “Cassio, my lord! No sure, I cannot think it, that he could steal away so guilty-like, seeing you coming” (3.3.38-40). This scene actually puts the plot into action by Iago giving Othello suspicion. However, Othello knows that he needs more suspicion to honestly believe his wife is having an affair. Iago becomes more manipulative toward Othello with lies. …show more content…
According to Iago, Cassio talks in his sleep, engaging in a romantic sexual encounter with Desdemona. Iago lies to Othello about the dream, saying: “In sleep I heard him say ‘Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves. ‘And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand, Cry ‘O sweet creature!’ then kiss me hard, As if
The play Othello by William Shakespeare has been argued to have been given the wrong name. The focus of the play is on Iago and the numerous tricks he employs to exact his revenge. Although Othello is a powerful and significant character, Iago is unparalleled in his manipulative nature, causing devastation to the lives of those who trust him. The hatred and jealousy Iago harbors towards Othello leads to the ruin of key characters. How does Iago manage to manipulate so many people in Othello?
Manipulation is viewed in a negative light in society, but if used correctly, such as advertisement, can be quite effective. Despite the fact that Iago is considered to be Othello’s right-hand man, he uses conniving and manipulation to get revenge, shaping every odd occurrence and event to his own cowardly schemes. Iago gets inside of Othello’s mind and uses his jealousy and persecution as the Moor against him. He controls Rodrigo and ultimately destroys his reputation as well as influences Cassio when he is depressed. Iago figures out ways to manipulate multiple characters in Shakespeare’s play Othello using their faults - jealousy, control, and pride – to obtain his wants and desires.
manipulates people about Othello and his wife Desdemona. Iago starts manipulating people by hinting that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, and so in Act 3 scene 3 Iago puts his plans into action. starts manipulating people. Iago’s manipulation of Othello is admirable. Iago starts off very subtle.
In William Shaspeare play Othello, Iago make Othello believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. He does by taking advantage of any situation to make of Othello doubt. Iago make Othello thing a lot of crazy thing on his head, Othello got so jelous leading him to kill his own wife, Desdemona, satisfying iago obseccion for revenge.
Implicitly targeting Othello’s doubts about marrying Desdemona and insecurities about her actions with infidelity, Iago eventually impacts Othello enough that the General himself confides in Iago about his own wife. Earlier in the play, ‘honest Iago’ needs to first gain Othello’s confidence and he does so by expressing his loyalty to Cassio, “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth/ Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio”, while Othello is present in a conflict (2.3. 203-204). Then, later in the play Iago baits Othello by suggesting that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Immediately, Othello wants more information; however, Iago nervously responds with, “…vicious in my guess-/ As I confess…” and tries to calm Othello by saying, “My noble lord-” (3.3 46-47, 93). When voicing his devotion to Cassio, Iago immediately begins to play on his false reputation as ‘honest Iago’. He enables Othello, and his fellow characters, to think highly of him and to respect that even when his partner, Cassio, has not been following orders, Iago would even endure physical pain and have his “tongue cut from [his] mouth” and proves his locality (2.3. 203). This leads to when Iago responds to Othello’s queries, about
to him. For example, on one occasion Othello suspects Cassio, ''ha! I like not that''. This explains to us that Iago is making Othello. suspicious that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair, Othello.
cheater. Iago tell Othello that Cassia was saying stuff about Desdemona in his sleep, and
In Act three, Scene three, Desdemona agrees to speak to Othello in Cassio’s behalf) As Desdemona and Cassio discuss Cassio’s loss of rank and trust in Othello’s eyes. Iago brings to Othello’s attention the discussion taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago knowing full well why the discussion is happening. Iago hints the pair seems to be spending a lot of time together. Iago plants the seed of doubt in Othello’s mind Othello begins to ponder the idea of whether Iago suspicions are true.
With one simple word, “Indeed?” (3.3.113), Iago manages to voice his qualms, while, as usual, not outright implicating or accusing anyone of anything. When, instead of answering Othello’s questions directly, he simply repeats them: “Honest, my lord?” and “Think, my lord?” (3.3.116-120): he is watering and feeding the seeds of doubt and suspicion he has already planted. With his faux surprise, and his seemingly unwillingness to speak out of turn, Iago manages to make Othello begin to doubt Cassio’s character. Iago knew that if he had outright accused Cassio of sleeping with Desdemona, Othello would have immediately dismissed his words, simply because of how much he trusted his wife. But, because of his tone of voice and his way of saying things without actually saying them, he is able to begin to weaken Othello’s belief in the people he thought he could trust. He suggests that there is a slight chance that his wife could be unfaithful, then feeds the doubts with twisted situations, concealed as evidence, until Othello can find no reason not to believe Desdemona has been
The situation above leaves an opening for Iago to fulfill his vital plan to bring down Othello through Desdemona. Cassio was a mental wreck and told Iago that his reputation was ruined. Iago told him that he can get his rank back through Desdemona and get back on Othello's good side. "Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again (p. 54)." Once Cassio talks to Desdemona, Iago will speak with Othello and get him to think of his wife's trust. In Act three Scene three Iago is speaking to Othello and warns him to look out for Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks Iago if it was just Cassio that left from speaking with his wife.
The events that occur in the first half of Act 1 are all in anticipation of the lead character Othello who we are not immediately introduced too. We learn Iago’s name in the second line of the play and Roderigo’s soon after, but Othello is not mentioned by his name once. Instead he is referred to as ‘he’, ‘him’ and is frequently described as ‘the moor’ (1.1.58) he is also described as having ‘thick lips’ (1.1.67) and later as being a ‘Barbary horse’ (1.1.111) is continuously described by his critics, mainly Iago, as a ‘moor’, demonstrating Iago’s frequently concerning nature of race and also portraying Othello as something of an alien. From this reference we are able to immediately understand Iago’s true feelings and motives for Othello.
All Iago had to do was hint at Desdemona being unfaithful and Othello’s becomes very bothered it and eventually starts believing it. The author of an essay does an analysis on Iago and says “He slowly poisons people’s thoughts, creating ideas in their heads without implicating himself. Iago even says himself that the advice he gives is free and honest and thus, people rarely stop to consider the possibility that Iago is fooling them.“ (Shakespeare’s Othello – Honest Iago). So Iago would hint at something going between Desdemona and Cassio so that Othello would become bothered and ask him what he means by that, it was like a game that Iago was playing, he would drop a little hint and then expect Othello to pick up on it and start questioning it and become more even suspicious. Brabantio tells Othello “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee” (I.ii.286-287), So In this scene Brabantio warns Othello that Desdemona has already fooled him and she might fool him too, so be careful, and it turns out, Othello believed in him after all and that’s part of the reason of why he thinks that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. It leads him to start questioning Desdemona in a very suspicious way. At one point he even hits her in front of a nobleman and that was very shocking to the nobleman because he believed him to be a very calm and collected gentleman but obviously he was a changed man. The nobleman even expresses his shock by saying that “My lord, this would not be believed in Venice, though I should swear I saw’t. ‘Tis very much make her amends; she weeps” (IV .i.217-219). This negative thinking and insecurity was one of the main reasons to Othello’s change in a negative way. A lot of this was Iago’s doing but it was also Othello’s fault to fall for Iago’s
While planting ideas and lies he is also confusing him when doing all of the idea planting and lie telling. Othello asks “why dost thou ask?” he asked this because Iago said, “Did Michael Cassio, when (you) wooed my lady, know of your love?” (3.3 105-107). To sum up that conservation Iago was asking if Cassio heard or was there when he confessed his love to Desdemona and if he know that he loves her and that they are married. Iago questions that Cassio and Desdemona if they had been acquainted and Othello responds that they knew each other and Cassio was with them quite
Throughout the drama, Othello let Iago control him as if he was a puppet under his master’s hands. When Iago first brought up the idea that Desdemona and Cassio might be having an affair, Othello did not believe him, he had faith in his wife. After many lies that Iago planted in Othello’s ears, Othello started to believe him and he dropped most of the faith that he had in Desdemona. Iago told Othello that in his sleep, Cassio said “Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our love”. Cursed fate that gave thee the Moor” (III.iii.416-417).
Iago has a sophisticated way of deceiving the characters of the play, making him a very intelligent person. Early in the play Othello introduces Iago to the Duke of Venice as, “My ancient / A man he is of honesty and trust” (!. iii. 284-85). This is but one of the times in the play that Iago is referred to as honest and true. Throughout the play Iago is considered to be honest, but is actuality the villain. In order to maintain this false image one has to have a beguiling character. After Othello and his lieutenant, Michael Cassio, return from the war against the Ottomans, there is a celebration. At this celebration Iago puts his manipulation to work. He knows that Othello and Desdemona’s love for each other is very true, but he tells Rodrigo that Desdemona had love for Cassio: “With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. / Ay, smile upon her, do…” (II. I. 164-65). This quote shows that Iago deceives Roderigo into believing that Desdemona loves Cassio, when in Roderigo’s eyes it is virtually impossible. Iago basically controls Rodrigo because Iago deceives him into believing that he can have Desdemona, by both Cassio and Othello.