How Does Shakespeare Present Iago's Betrayal In Othello

353 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of The Tragedy Othello

Shakespeare explores the potential of humans to betray others and how we have a choice not to be deceitful. Betrayal is in every character of the play, but it is most evident in the villainous character of Iago. His sly, cunning actions expose him as the puppet master, manipulating and tricking those who are too trustworthy or blinded by jealousy to see through his façade. Iago’s betrayal of Othello evident in the first scene of the play, where Iago admits that he hates Othello, “despise me if I do not”. Shakespeare immediately shows the audience that Iago is a malevolent, untrustworthy character who should not be trusted. However, Iago believes he has been wronged by him as he suspects Othello has slept with his wife, “I do suspect the lusty

Show More
Related

  • Iago As A Multifaceted Character In Shakespeare's Othello

    136 Words  | 1 Pages

    “I am not what I am,” proclaims one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most enigmatic villains, Iago, in the tragedy Othello. Iago’s journey for revenge enables him to become capable of immoral acts, and whilst his malevolence excites us, we are no more intrigued by his attributes than we are of the play’s tragic hero, Othellos’. Rather, both characters’ confrontation with jealousy and their subsequent moral demise as a result of failing to control such an emotion provides the true excitement for audiences. Iago’s spiteful manipulation of Othello makes him a multifaceted character — whose corrupt attributes make the audience examine their own morality. However, the same can be said of Othello; his failure to withstand Iago’s ‘pouring of pestilence’

    Read More

  • Iago Deceptiveness In Othello

    788 Words  | 2 Pages

    Act iii, scene iii, lines 108-131 of William Shakespeare’s “Othello” unquestionably shows Iago’s trickery and deceptiveness which is masked through his reputation for honesty, reliability and direct speaking. This section not only shows Iago’s slow but powerful act of deception, but also shows the jealousy and insecurities slowly depriving Othello’s inner peace and balance.

    Read More

  • Comparing Will In Shakespeare's Othello And Henry IV

    728 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Othello, Iago is Shakespeare’s most malicious character and serves as a vehicle to these two themes. Iago despises Othello; he has a strong will to destroy Othello’s life, yet the motive behind his plan goes unexplained. Iago is a great manipulator of the tongue and lies to everyone in order to advance his plan; however, every character in the play considers Iago an honest character, and Othello even associates Iago with light and eyesight. Othello continuously asks Iago to explain or make something clearer. Until the very end, Iago appears to be honest and helpful to the other characters, but underneath this seemingly harmless façade, Iago is a demon with the strongest will; he will stop at nothing until he ruins Othello’s life. Iago uses a positive appearance to enact his

    Read More

  • Truth in Shakespeare's Othello

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Othello, Iago uses his fine reputation as an “honest man” and Othello’s insecurities to manipulate him and carry out his master plan of destroying Cassio, Othello, and Desdemona. Iago’s insight towards the other characters’ weaknesses enables him to let them know exactly what they want to hear, which helps him gain their trust. He plays upon the insecurities of others to maneuver them into carrying out the actions he needs done in order to fulfill his own desires. In looking at Othello, we will consider the Othello’s blind acceptance of “the truth” as it is presented to him and find that when we blindly take another’s “truth” and accept it as our own, we merely become tools utilized by the person who gave us that supposed truth and give up the power of being ourselves—we fail to assert a self.

    Read More

  • The Misunderstood Iago of Othello

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shakespearian tales always leave us with a plethora to ponder about the Elizabethan age and Shakespeare himself. “Othello” is no break in this mold, leaving us to ponder the roll of Iago within the harsh tale of love and murder. Iago is the one to tell Othello of his wife’s betrayal with Cassio, hence making up a story that will work to his favor yet betray those around him. Iago betrays his wife, Emilia, but not only her as he drags Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio into the mix of lies and the hatred he is spreading to improve his rank with Othello. But were Iago’s acts unjust and done for the sake of it? Is he a heartless man who’s only happiness is to bring sorrow upon others? No, Iago has a just reason for what he does, even though he causes the deaths of Cassio, Emilia, and Desdemona in his search for revenge; Iago is not a heartless fiend, just a man wronged.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Othello

    1248 Words  | 3 Pages

    Characters in the play fail to comprehend Iago’s true nature until it is too late. Those interacting with Iago fall into the belief that Iago is loyal to his superiors, when Iago is actually focused on bringing them (Cassio and Othello) down. Iago constructs a false impression of his loyalty to Othello through ...

    Read More

  • Theme Of Loyalty In Othello

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tragedy of Othello, written by William Shakespeare, is a play about a Moor of Venice and his downfall by deception and love. The themes of two-facedness, narcissism, and honor are all prominent in this play; the theme overarching these, however, is loyalty. Similar to a satirist, Shakespeare shows that the true nature of a person’s loyalty is not always as it appears. Othello’s loyalty to his own honor exposes his false loyalty to his wife. Iago, the antagonist, is deceptive in portraying himself as honest and committed to those he supposedly loves, but at the same time he plans their downfall. Honor, narcissism, and deception are each concepts Shakespeare uses to convey the ambiguity of loyalty in people.

    Read More

  • Iago as the Perfect Villain of Shakespeare's Othello

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    Iago, the villain in Shakespeare’s Othello, is a round character of great depth and many dimensions. Iago works towards an aim that is constantly changing and becomes progressively more tragic. Yet, at times, "honest" Iago does actually seem honest. This essay will explore the complex character of "honest Iago.

    Read More

  • The Nature of Evil in William Shakespeare’'s Othello

    1646 Words  | 4 Pages

    Corruption overcomes the Venetian society as Iago uses his crafty skills of deceit. The plan to have Othello turn against the ones he loves is the perfect example of evil’s nature. The power struggle is evident between these two. This situation is the start to Iago’s plan to corrupt the society and take Othello’s place. The root of Iago’s “evil” is jealousy indeed, in turn changing into a power hungry manipulator. Iago is tired of acting like one "courteous and knee-crooking knave" like he always appears to be [I. i. 46]. Since Iago is reluctant to choose to be a master, he is the servant that bites off the fame and "keep yet their hearts attending on themselves," still showing his service to his master but instead is more self-preserving with no attachments at all towards the master [I. i. 52]. Irony is used diligently in Shakespeare’s unique language style.

    Read More

  • The Manipulation Of Honest Iago In Shakespeare's Othello

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    With the creation of Iago’s plan, he now can truly demolish the confidence and care in our hero Othello’s heart. Through an established ethos Iago implants doubt in Othello’s mind. Moreover here Othello responds to Iago’s proposal, “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty,” (Act 3 Scene 3 Line 299). Through the lies behind a mask Iago lures Othello to the thought that his wife could be having an affair.

    Read More

  • Iago the Machiavellian in Othello

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare, has created a villain who behaves in this manner. Iago’s hatred, method of revenge, and vengeful hatred are the reasons for the lives lost in this play and the reasons that led to Iago’s downfall. Iago’s hatred of Othello and Cassio causes him to seek revenge, and he is able to succeed because his victims are too innocent to suspect him. Iago is a Machiavellian Shakespearean character who cunningly convinces his victims of his full moral support and proves his innocence in a way that his victims do not suspect him. When Cassio finishes his conversation with Desdemona about how he will not have his job back, Iago unfolds his mischievous plan against Desdemona when he says that, “so will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all” (Shakespeare, 49).

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Iago and Lucifer

    2324 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is the antagonist and villain who causes all the trouble and disorder. Othello is the protagonist, and is the main person Iago’s destruction and revenge is aimed towards. Othello is naïve and gives everybody his trust even though he may not know them or they haven’t earned his trust yet. He often refers to Iago has “Honest” Iago, which is a direct showing of irony because Iago is not honest at all (Shakespeare, I, iii. 289). Iago is so angry that Othello didn’t give him the promotion that was given to Cassio that he plans to seek revenge against Othello. He seeks his revenge against Othello by manipulating and lying to all of the people around him including his closest friend Roderigo, Cassio, Othello’s wife Desdemona and even his own wife Emilia. In the end, Iago’s lies and manipulation led to the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia, Othello and Desdemona. This isn’t the first time many of these individual characteristics have shown up in one of Shakespeare’s plays.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Othello - Honest Iago

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    Without a doubt, one of the main themes that runs throughout William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, is that of honesty.  In the play, the most interesting character is Iago, who is commonly called and known as "Honest Iago."  However, this could not be farther from the truth.  Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits and moves him closer to his own goals.  He is smart and an expert at judging the characters of others.  Because of this, Iago pushes everyone to their tragic end.

    Read More

  • Iago And Loathes In Othello

    372 Words  | 1 Pages

    As we began to read the tragedy of Othello, William Shakespeare immediately introduces us to the mischievous, witty, and vulgar character of Iago. The author discloses to the audience that the two-faced character, Iago, loathes his general Othello and plans to diet his revenge due to his rank in the military. Throughout the play, Iago’s manipulative skills are communicated to the audience through his evil soliloquies, devastating effect on others, and the several ironic lies he states. Iago consistently broadcasts his villainous personality through his thoughts, expressing the plans he has to sink any other opponents that get in the way.

    Read More

  • Is Othello Still Relevant Today Essay

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    Iago is a perfect example of one who is not truly as he appears. As the only character in Shakespeare’s works who can lie in a soliloquy, Iago presents many different faces to those he interacts with. Towards Othello, he present a mask of loyalty and love, then drops part of that same mask with Roderigo, proclaiming his hatred of Othello, while professing friendship and loyalty to Roderigo instead. He acts as a loyal friend to Cassio, pretending to help him regain the favour of Othello, while in reality, he is only stoking the forge of Othello’s own jealousy and hatred towards the lieutenant. Unfortunately, this issue can be quite easily found in today’s society.

    Read More

More about How Does Shakespeare Present Iago's Betrayal In Othello

Open Document