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Shakespeare drama literary analysis
Shakespeare drama literary analysis
Shakespeare drama literary analysis
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The play, Othello was written by William Shakespeare in the later years of his career. Giraldi Cinthios, Tale of a Moor, based Othello on a story that was a mellow Drama, about a moor and his doubts about his wife’s fidelity. In Shakespeare’s play the Moor (Othello) convinced by his jealous aid (Iago) that his wife (Desdemona) is not Being faithful. Iago’s jealousy is motivated by his anger when he learns that Cassio of Florentine has been appointed Governor of Cyprus. He felt that he deserved this promotion and vowed to seek revenge against Othello.
Othello being a Moor commanding the armies of Venice is a celebrated general and heroic figure whose “free and open nature “ will enable Iago to twist his love for his wife, Desdemona into a powerful jealousy. Iago is Othello’s ensign, and Shakespeare’s greatest villain. His public face of honesty and bravery conceals a satanic delight in manipulation and destruction. .
The crucial moment in the play is the scene where Iago deceives Othello and induces him to fall. He does this by expanding the tactics used in prior scenes. Iago plants the seed of doubt in the Moor’s mind when he says, “Ha! I like that not “ (III, iii) as they came upon Cassio and Desdemona talking. He then retreats into a guise as “honest Iago” as he did in the brawl (II, ii). When he was the reluctant truth teller who must have unpleasant news dragged from him by a determined Othello.
The honesty by him being reluctant to speak is reinforced by the moralizing tone he takes with his commander. Iago actually lectures Othello about his jealousy “the green-eyed monster” and insisting that he’ll not speak slander “he that filches from me my good name / Robs of that which not enriched him / And makes me poor indeed” (III, iii). At the same time he is playing upon Othello’s insecurities by lecturing him on how Venetian women are deceitful and treacherous by nature. The seizure of the handkerchief is a great achievement for Iago in his quest to destroy Othello and was aided by his wife, who apparently has no scruples about betraying her mistress in small matters.
Shakespeare will eventually transform Emilia into a voice of moral outrage, and by the final scene the audience will applaud her role in Iago’s destruction, but for now she is Iago’s accomplice.
The Reason why Iago develop such as evil plan is because Iago suspect that Othello is having an affair with his wife Emilia. He cited when he said "And it is thought abroad that 'twist my sheets he's done my office." The irony behind this line is that he then says, "I know not if't be true, but I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety." That mean, He is not sure that Othello is having an affair with his wife but he will pay anyhow, this show that Iago is so blind with his jealousy that he will do anything on his reach to make Othello for such act no sure committed.
Shakespeare is prominent not only in inventing new words, but also in using such themes as death, love, and betrayal throughout his works including Othello. However the central theme of the play is jealousy which we face right from the beginning meeting Roderigo, who envies Othello because he wants to be with Desdemona. In the end of the play we see how furiously jealous Othello is because he is sure Cassio and Desdemona have an affair. In the story of Othello by Shakespeare it is clear that Iago plays a significant part as he is introduced right from the first scene. Iago was Othello 's ensign who was passed over for the lieutenant position in favor of Cassio. We tend to follow Iago during the play more than Othello. Iago leads us through
Othello, “The Moor of Venice,” was a good man, who had influence and control over men, and loved his newly wed wife Desdemona. Othello’s downfall occurred because of Iago, his adviser, becoming obsessed with ruining his life, for his own se...
Iago is a man wronged by Othello in the fact that he was not chosen to be Othello’s lieutenant, which is what put the dastardly idea into Iago’s head to trick them all and bring them to their knees. As Iago tells Roderigo within the first act and scene of “Othello”, Despise me if I do not. Three great ones of the city,/ In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,... ... middle of paper ... ... n the end of the play.
Iago is a twenty- eight years old Caucasian married man and he is soldier in the Venetian army. Iago is viewed as modest, honest, and a good friend to people in public. People refer to him as “honest Iago” which lead them to trust him. Iago plans to destroy Othello by manipulating him to believe that his wife is being unfaithful to him with his promoted lieutenant Cassio, a position Iago wanted to have. Although the scandal that Iago came up with is a complete lie, Othello ends up believing him. Iago uses his ability to talk to people in order to accomplish his plan of destroying Othello because he wasn’t granted the position of the Venice army. (Sorto 1)
The key to Iago’s deception is his ability to convince others that he is on their side. This first comes up when Iago gets Roderigo to “put money enough in [his] purse” to pay Iago for his services (1.3.316). Iago then tells the audience that he would “be time expend with such a snipe but for my sport and profit” (1.3.318-323). This sets the stage for the rest of Iago’s betrayal as he is constantly trying to make himself the protagonist while being the antagonist behind the scenes. Through Iago’s feeling that he has to cover himself from seeming like the villain, it becomes clear that he has thought out all the possible implications his act could have on him which is ironic considering how little he cares for his action’s implication on others. Through the juxtaposition, Shakespeare demonstrates how Iago has lost sight of humanity while still having enough reason to carry out his carefully planned betrayal. In continuation with the pattern of differentiating between thoughts and actions, Shakespeare again utilizes this juxtaposition when Iago convinces Cassio that he is “in the right,” while wondering to himself, “what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free I give and honest” (2.3.245-247). The juxtaposition again depicts how concerned Iago is with how others are seeing him. In addition, it is not just Iago’s fantasy that believes he is doing the right thing. Cassio even calls him “honest Iago” (2.3.243). While cynical, there is a certain art to Iago’s carefully thought out betrayal in its ability to have a convincing effect on everyone involved. The two sides to the betrayal counteract, yet complement each other as Iago’s plan would not work without other’s trusting him, but it does cause Iago to lose sight of
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 ...
Othello, a play by William Shakespeare, takes place in Venice during the invasion of the island of Cyprus by the Turks. The protagonist of the story, Othello, is a newlywed, Moorish general with a very gullible nature. The antagonist of the story is Iago, an officer under Othello who wishes to be promoted to lieutenant, but the position was given to the young and attractive Cassio. Other major characters in the play are Desdemona, Othello's wife who is accused of having an affair with Cassio. In addition, there are Roderigo, a Venetian who is deeply in love with Desdemona; and Emilia (Iago's wife) who could have prevented the death of Desdemona.
Othello is the tragedy, and, incidentally, the name of a Moor who serves as a general in the Italian military. He spends the first act of Shakespeare’s play in Venice, but is ordered shortly to Cyprus to fight the Turkish invasion. His journey isn’t officially noticeable at all in the play. One moment he’s defending himself in the Senate of Venice, the next he’s in Cyprus, taking credit for being victorious in a battle the storms fought for him against the Turks. The story unravels from there. His soon-to-be-lieutenant, Iago, whispers in his ear about his wife, Desdemona, and the unforgivable crime of adultery, throwing Othello’s orderly world to the winds of fate.
Desdemona is one of the protagonists of the play contributes to the play and also fleshes out certain aspects of characterisation mainly where Othello and Iago are concerned. Thus her relevance is highlighted consistently throughout Othello, since without her ppresence, Iago would not have succeeded in manipulating Othello, and Othello's drastic transformation would not have been made evident.
William Shakespeare’s Othello follows the downfall of the Moor Othello and those associated with him. Othello’s ensign, Iago, causes the demise of Othello as payback for not being chosen as Othello’s lieutenant. Shakespeare makes Iago a puppeteer in a sense so that he may control those around him without getting caught, up until his own demise. Through the manipulation of the people around him, and Othello’s emotions and insecurities, Iago manages to completely destroy the lives of Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and everyone affected by the innocent deaths. Shakespeare uses imagery, diction, and the antagonist to reveal the effects of manipulation and jealousy on love, as well as the importance of distinguishing appearance versus reality.
'” (III,3,2092) This psychological strategy angers Othello to no end. Othello has been jealous of Cassio (who is everything that Othello is not: white, Christian, young). This shows that Iago is very clever: he first uses psychological plants before he moves to physical evidence. When Othello demands ocular proof, Iago brings out the handkerchief, the magical symbol of Othello 's manhood and source of his jealousy: “I know not that; but such a handkerchief I am sure it was your wife 's--did I to-day
Iago, the evil villain of Shakespeare's Othello, is more than just a villain. In many ways he is the most intelligent and appealing character in the play. Iago shows superiority over the rest of the characters in the play. He has the ability to manipulate the characters in the play, therefore controlling the play with every sequence of events. His intelligence shines through his ability to deceive, his ability to strategize, and his ability to twist the truth. Iago is appealing to the characters of the pay because he gives them what they want. Iago is appealing to the reader as well. His character is totally unconflicted about being evil, making him known to some authors as the villain of all villains. Iago is, in many ways, the most intelligent and appealing character in the play.
Iago has been excellent at saying the what is needed to get to people, he misleads them to get a reaction he wants out of them. He is clever with his words to avoid confrontation that can easily happen. “Othello 's confusion is the human experience of language. In other words, language itself, not the outside world, determines meaning” (Christofides 2). Iago uses his words against Othello to get him to do Iago’s doings. Iago has an eloquence with
Shakespeare uses Iago and Othello as the main characters of the play, showing how Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife is cheating on him. Iago, or “honest Iago”, the villain of the play, a perfectionist at manipulation, that manages to influence people into thinking his deceitfulness is an act of honesty. He spends all of his time plotting against Othello and Desdemona, eventually convincing Othello that his wife has been cheating, despite the fact that Desdemona has been completely faithful. Othello, Venice’s most competent general, and the protagonist of the play. He was a noble and respected war hero, and a loving husband, however he was the target of Iago’s atrocities, which lead him to become an irrational, violent, and insanely jealous husband who murders his own wife at the end of the play.