Othello, by William Shakespeare

In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is portrayed as a cruel puppet master, using his high order critical analysis and manipulative skills to exact on those he believe wronged him; as he weaves a web of deceit to ensnare the play’s protagonist (and namesake of the play) Othello. Various movie adaptations have portrayed the characters in different ways, often resulting in a fusion of the context of the age, artistic license and Shakespeare’s character. One such fusion is Stuart Burge’s 1965 filmic portrayal of Iago in his Othello. Act II, scene I is a prime example of how Iago can be adapted for film.

Other characters within the play assist in Iago’s plot by revealing their weaknesses. Cassio, who speaks of Desdemona as the “Divine Desdemona,” a name accompanied by a change in lighting to symbolise divinity, greets her with a kiss on the hand, excusing his courteous upbringing while doing so; having just spoken of her overtly positively with “Most fortunately. He hath achieved a maid/That paragons description and wild fame,/One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,/And in th' essential vesture of creation/Does tire the ingener.” Cassio also kisses his hands when he references Desdemona, showing his obvious attraction towards her. This gives Iago both an insight to his character and a tool to exploit with his schemes. Other characters often mistake his cruel, truthful words to be in jest and light-hearted, with his rant about Emilia and women in general being shrugged off by the characters in the scene, or met with false complaints. Iago’s constant walking around during the banter indicates nonchalance towards what he’s saying, which is reaffirmed by his complete lack of eye contact. However, the Shakespearian play has the possibi...

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...enge. The foreshadowing present in “If it were now to die, t’were now to be most happy” is met with an ironic reply from Desdemona, considering their fate at the hands of Iago. Othello exits the scene using Iago as a workhorse, which is not befitting of Iago’s self image but his willingness to help indicates his will for revenge.

Iago’s subtle manipulation of those around him creates a classic villain who thrives on the misery of others by weaving a web of deceit. His characteristics allow him to manipulate others to a high degree in order to achieve his goal, and he shows no remorse in doing so. Stuart Burge’s filmic adaption displays him as the manipulative and vengeful character that Shakespeare wrote him as. Iago’s own words are particularly exceptional in describing his character, in “Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used.”

Works Cited

Wikipedia