Iago in William Shakespeare's Othello

Iago in William Shakespeare's Othello

Iago is a very complex villain in William Shakesphere’s ‘Othello’.

During the book he uses carefully thought out words and actions which

allows him to manipulate other characters and do things in a way which

benefits himself and lets him do things as he wants them to be done.

Iago has his reasons for the hatred he feels towards the other

characters. Othello appointed Cassio as his lieutenant, a job that

Iago desperately wanted and felt that he was much better qualified

than Cassio for the job. Iago says,

"With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as

Cassio.”

Iago also feels that Othello is having an affair with his own wife,

Emilia and comments in Act 4 Scene 3 add to his suspicions. I believe

that this is one of the reasons that he tricks and manipulates

Othello.

Although he never directly tells his motive for hating Othello, there

is definite hatred throughout the play. Iago repeatedly says things

like –

‘I hate the Moor’

‘The Devil’

Iago is also racist towards Othello as his hatred towards him spills

out into a racist verbal attack –

‘Black Ram’

Iago uses cunning and trickery to make peoples impression of him, as

he would like. He seems to know people very well and is an excellent

judge of the other characters. He knows that Roderigo for example is

in love with Desdemona who is married to Othello. Iago uses the quote

‘Thus do I ever fool my purse’

By playing around with Roderigo’s hopes Iago is aiming to take money

and jewels from him. Roderigo gives Iago gives to pass on to Desdemona

as signs of Roderigo’s affection, but Iago keeps the gifts for

himself. It is Roderigo however that first smells a rat in what Iago

is doing –

‘I think it is getting a bit Scurvy and begin to find myself

fopped in it’

Iago responds to this allegation by offering to kill Cassio and