Iago's Dishonest Quotes

Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy!

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on.

(III.iii.195-197)

Iago from the tragedy of Othello proves himself to be one of Shakespeare’s most fascinating yet perplexing characters: he is narcissistic and manipulative and seems to have no valid motive for creating chaos. The attempt to understand Iago is no simple task; just as with any of Shakespeare’s characters, Iago is complex and multifaceted: not quite Satanic, yet not quite human. Iago is a deeply insecure and unhappy man, and struggles to prove his worth and masculinity through superficial characteristics such as social status and profession. His desire for respect and his jealousy of other honorable men motivate him to spread chaos throughout Cyprus, and this yearning for power forces Iago to use his innate strength—his cunning mastery

Iago detests this epithet, and it could possibly be Iago’s fierce desire to prove himself “dishonest”–-with respect to both meanings—that drives him to spread chaos throughout Cyprus. In an aside as Iago watches Othello and Desdemona greet each other, he says, “O, you are well tuned now,/But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music,/As honest as I am” (II.i.218-220). The audience can sense Iago’s sardonic attitude as he plots against Othello, and that attitude proves his insecurity about being called “honest.” Later in the act, as Cassio complains about ruining his reputation, Iago says, “As I am an honest man, I thought you had received/ some bodily wound” (II.iii.285-286). Iago is again playing with the double-meaning of “honest” as he tells Cassio that reputation means nothing, while Iago knows very well the importance of reputation. Iago pretends he is very humble and honest, but in reality, his reputation is of the utmost importance to