Honestly Hysterical Iago in Shakespeare´s Othello

Appearances are often deceitful. In the play Othello, Iago seemed to be a rather moral person to the other characters in the play. He used his honest ways and twisted words. The tragic events that occurred in Othello could have been avoided if Iago did not spread his lies.

In the play, everyone refers to Iago as “Honest Iago”, because he is seen as honest and gives good advice. The characters did not see his true colors until the end of the play when it is too late to save anyone. Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and Iago used it to his advantage to do all his dirty work for him. In Act 1; Scene 1 when they stood in front of Brabantio’s house yelling outside that Desdemona has ran away with the Moor to get married, Brabantio made his way outside, and Iago told Roderigo that “Farewell, for I must leave you. / It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, / To be producted (as, if I stay, I shall)/ Against the Moor.” (1.1. 143-146). He treats Roderigo as a seed and he planted him until he grew and killed him off “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse./ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit.” (1.3. 374-377). Iago was a genius and he took the characters weaknesses and used it for his own gain. He turned people against each other and caused chaos.

Iago uses Roderigo several times in the play, Iago tells Roderigo that Cassio is in love with Desdemona as well and that he should start a fight with Cassio when he is on guard and if he does fight him then Cassio will get fired and get him out of the way. Roderigo did exactly what Iago said and Cassio was indeed fired. Iago plants many seeds for Roderigo, but the last seed was the deadliest. Iago asks Roderig...

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...h his own lieutenant. After Othello thinks that his beloved wife Desdemona is cheating, he made a vow with Iago to kill both Cassio, and Desdemona. Cassio is not successfully killed. Othello smothers Desdemona with a pillow to her death and when Othello found out that it was all a lie, he kills himself “Then must you speak/ Of one that loved not wisely, but too well./ Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought”(5.2. 357-370).

The play is a tragedy indeed, four tragic deaths that could have been avoided, but because Iago allowed vengeance to get the better of him, lives were loss. Iago does give good advice to the other characters, but it is all for the wrong reasons. Iago is too perfect to be true in the play and at the end of the play everyone sees what a snake he is. A person can never trust someone else too much, and they should never second guess themselves.