Iago's Weakness In Othello

Do you ever feel resentment towards a rival, or bitterness against a person enjoying great success or an advantage? Jealousy is a very dangerous sentiment; it clouds the judgment of its victims and can often lead to some poor actions by those engulfed by it. “It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” (III.iii.195-197) In The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, Iago, Othello’s ensign (standard-bearer)’s bitterness towards Othello for passing the lieutenancy to the inexperience Michael Cassio over he Iago causes him to manipulate his friends and family with the intention of ruining Othello. Iago manipulates other characters using their weaknesses to facilitate ruining the General Othello.

“ Call up her father. / Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen, / and, though he in fertile climate dwell, plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy, / yet throw such chance of vexation on ‘t / as it may lose some color.” (I.i.75-79) This scene occurs promptly after Iago tells Roderigo about his hatred for Othello for giving the lieutenancy to Cassio. Iago’s implicit purpose for telling Roderigo to go rouse Desdemona’s father and telling him news of Othello having sexual interactions or “[…] making the

Although Iago knows that Roderigo has no chance of making the beautiful Desdemona his love, Iago manipulates Roderigo using his love for Desdemona. He does this by telling Roderigo that if he eliminates Othello as the competition, then Roderigo will be able to make Desdemona his love. Iago manipulates Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, using his affection for his daughter Desdemona as well. “ {Zounds,} sir, you’re robbed. For shame, put on your gown! / Your heart is burst. You have lost half your soul. / Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! / Awake the snorting citizens with the bell or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. / Arise I say!” (I.i.94-98) In this scene Iago rouses Brabantio by telling him Othello has ran off with his only daughter Desdemona. Iago also describes Othello using racist, inhuman and carefully chosen animalistic terms to stir Brabantio by reminding him of how the people of Venice would view such a person running off with