Iago's Ambitions in William Shakespeare's Othello

Iago's Ambitions in William Shakespeare's Othello

‘Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light’

(Act 1 sc. 3 L.358-6) Iago says this statement in a soliloquy at the

end of act 1 sc. 3. It could mean several things. ‘Hell and night’ are

both associated with evil in which Othello has been called before at

the beginning of scene 1. ‘The devil’ (Act 1 sc.1 L.92). Therefore

hell could be Othello, night is also associated with secrecy and how

Iago will act to make his plan work. ‘Monstrous’ is also connected

with evil, and a monster is seen as a large, frightening animal, but

in the context of this text it is a large, frightening plan. ‘Birth’

is personification of Iago’s plan, but it could also be taken as

actually giving birth because birth involves pain. ‘World’s light’

Both world and light are contrasts to hell and night. The World and

light are good and Iago wants to use the opposite of them to turn them

into evil. It can also be interpreted that Iago wants to control

people’s sphere of knowledge or power to make his plan work.

Overall the statement shows what his intentions are, in many

Shakespearean plays the soliloquy is used as dramatic irony to get the

audience involved into the story; it is also used for the character to

enlighten the audience with his version of events. The plan could be

to ruin Cassio’s life. ‘To get his place and plume up my will in

double knavery’ (Act 1 sc.3 L.374) Iago wants Cassio’s job, as Cassio

was promoted with the job that Iago wanted to get, but ‘plume up my

will’ is an unusual phrase to say, it suggests that Iago wants to have

a bit of fun while double crossing Cassio but...

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... plan, though, could have been a lot darker then he put out to be. He

could have been jealous of Othello and Desdemona and either wanted

Othello or Desdemona for himself, he could be jealous of Desdemona for

being so close to Othello and he knows he could never be unless he

makes her out to be a deceitful whore, which he does. Iago is

definitely to blame for all bad feelings between Othello and Desdemona

as made sure everyone was where they were supposed to be to make

Othello feel that Desdemona is deceitful. He also created the seeds of

doubt and jealousy in Othello that carries the whole plan off. I don’t

think Iago being arrested makes Iago’s plan unsuccessful, as he has

done what he originally set out to do, he ruined many people’s lives

and now his bliss is death, which in his eyes cannot be as bad as

living.