People say that actions are louder than words. However, the art of persuasion are mostly about the usage of language; how words affect actions that follows it. What Machiavelli suggested is what every politician today does; use words in whichever manner to get to one's goal, but do not fall for flattery. Politicians and people alike have been able to talk their way into peace, treaties, and other negotiations. On current terms, it's a diplomatic advice. How George Bush got the United States to support his idea for war was through his speech to the Americans. He certainly did not pay the American citizens for their support, unless one counts the tax cut. There are situations in life where money serves no purpose. One can buy temporary support that is extremely superficial, but for support that reaches their emotions and their hearts, one has to reason and convince the other party. Negotiation is just a fancy word for verbal persuasion when it boils down. Most things in this society are about this "seduction." If Sue wanted to buy the Lord of the Rings DVD set, she would have several options. She could 1) buy it, 2) buy it on eBay (which is a form of negotiation), 3) do a joint-venture with a friend (which is a form of negotiation), 4) plead for a copy (which is using the power of suggestion)... 5) steal (which does not make use of words). Notice how most of the options available requires one to negotiate. In order to persuade the public to hold onto certain values, the media works extremely hard to craft their words so that it'll stick to the audience.
It is said that flattery can get you places if you use it right, but according to Machiavelli, a perfect prince will not fall for flattery. However, in Othello...
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When reading Othello, one may have to admit that Othello was certainly a tragic character for he tried so hard to be a good general, a good prince, yet in the end it was nothing but tragedy because of Iago's flattery. If Iago was not present, or if Iago did not act the way he did, Othello would have been a "prince" with the quality of "seduction also, since he did get the support of Venetians and Desdemona. Iago, on the other hand, although the villain of the story uses flattery followed by persuasion to catch Othello off guard and exploit his weakness. Then from there, Iago also persuades his wife, who is an innocent bystander, to be part of his dirty plan. Othello is only one of the many examples where words were definitely a focal point in the story, since there are many historical events that played out where words either make or break a situation.
”(Neustadt, pg.11) Persuasion and bargaining are techniques that presidents can use to influence policy. Neustadt explains how persuasion can help a president get laws passed and to get favorable public opinion. Neustadt explains that bargaining is important in order to influence other politicians in Congress and inside of the executive branch. He stated that "The essence of a President's persuasive task is to convince such men that what the White House wants of them is what they ought to do for their sake and on their authority" (Neustadt, pg.30). Neustadt believes that a president should use persuasion rather than commanding because it is more effective.
Northrop Frye once said, “Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning.” Othello is the pillar of tragic heros, first playing the part of a loving husband with a beautiful wife, then being manipulated into believing his wife was cheating on him and killing her. Throughout the play, he played the part of the protagonist, everyone hoping he would figure out Iago was lying to him. Othello being the protagonist made the fact he was also a villain bittersweet. His apparent love for his wife Desdemona, his ‘just’ reasoning for killing her, and Iago’s deserving end all contribute to the tragic work as a whole.
Iago, Othello’s ensign, and the villain of the play, performs his monstrous acts in a complex way by deceiving others to believe that he is honest and reliable while using this reputation to manipulate others. In this section, Iago says very little to deceive Othello into thinking that he has information that he would want to know. Iago’s clever use of silence and intimacy
In Othello, Iago uses his fine reputation as an “honest man” and Othello’s insecurities to manipulate him and carry out his master plan of destroying Cassio, Othello, and Desdemona. Iago’s insight towards the other characters’ weaknesses enables him to let them know exactly what they want to hear, which helps him gain their trust. He plays upon the insecurities of others to maneuver them into carrying out the actions he needs done in order to fulfill his own desires. In looking at Othello, we will consider the Othello’s blind acceptance of “the truth” as it is presented to him and find that when we blindly take another’s “truth” and accept it as our own, we merely become tools utilized by the person who gave us that supposed truth and give up the power of being ourselves—we fail to assert a self.
With Roderigo, someone he commands control over, Iago employs pathos, allowing his plan to appeal to Roderigo’s sensitive emotions about Othello. Roderigo and Iago discuss about how each of them despise Othello when Iago says, “If ever I did dream of such a matter, / Abhor me” using pathos to confirm his hatred towards the General (1.2. 5-6). The play commences with Iago employing direct rhetoric and partnering up with Roderigo to enhance a sense of comradery. Harsh language such as “Abhor me”, exemplifies the hateful emotions Iago feels toward Othello as well as enhances the emotions Iago wants to appeal to in Roderigo (1.2. 6). Affecting Roderigo more influentially, Iago uses deeper, more personal pathos, by highlighting the seemingly good qualities in Roderigo. Iago contrasts Roderigo to Othello pointing out, “Let not they discreet heart think it…manners and beauties: all which the/ Moor is defective in” (2.1. 215, 219-220). Firstly, Iago weighs Roderigo’s positive qualities against Othello’s negatives ones, convincing Roderigo to feel more confident with Iago and following along with his scheme. Secondly, Iago alters this rhetoric to include Roderigo’s love interest, Desdemona. By exemplifying a more personal and sensitive side when talking about “manners and beauties”, Iago can create a bigger impact in
Shakespearian tales always leave us with a plethora to ponder about the Elizabethan age and Shakespeare himself. “Othello” is no break in this mold, leaving us to ponder the roll of Iago within the harsh tale of love and murder. Iago is the one to tell Othello of his wife’s betrayal with Cassio, hence making up a story that will work to his favor yet betray those around him. Iago betrays his wife, Emilia, but not only her as he drags Othello, Desdemona, and Cassio into the mix of lies and the hatred he is spreading to improve his rank with Othello. But were Iago’s acts unjust and done for the sake of it? Is he a heartless man who’s only happiness is to bring sorrow upon others? No, Iago has a just reason for what he does, even though he causes the deaths of Cassio, Emilia, and Desdemona in his search for revenge; Iago is not a heartless fiend, just a man wronged.
Iago is the main drive for almost everything in the story. There are times where it does not even seem that Othello is the main character in the story. Iago’s role in the story is to destroy Othello and he does a very good job of convincing the reader that he despises Othello. His monologues go repetitively about how terrible of a man Othello is. The reason why Iago is furious at Othello is that it is rumored that he slept with his wife. Everybody has felt that sting of betrayal and jealousy, but there are some people that do not think before they act and are so bent on making sure people get what they deserve or wanting bad things to happen to the people that have hurt them. These individuals get lost and that is what Iago is an example of that personal event. His monologues range from utterly despicable to some of the most well thought out plans that no one would have ever thought of. The great thing about Iago is he is not a standard villain. Most villains are dumb and always fail in their plans. Iago is completely different from the generic villain; he is smart and plans his moves
In the beginning of the play we see Othello as a strong character. His stature, tall, dark, African Moor, combined with his personal charisma, assist him in gaining the respect and allegiance of the Venetian people and senators. Since Othello has been a soldier all his life, he is seen as a very admirable man. His title alone, governor-general, presents an air of nobility, strength, and confidence. Othello’s title defines someone who is held in extremely high esteem by people of Venice. An example would be when the Duke and a few Senators are discussing issues around the table when Othello enters the room. It’s clear that Othello is held in admiration when, as he enters, one of the senators states “Here comes Barbantio and the valiant Moor” (I...
Language and imagination are among the most dangerous weapons Iago has at his disposal in Othello. Jealous and angered by Othello’s - his commanding officer - passing over him for a promotion, Iago develops a fierce, antagonistic perspective the aforementioned character; this sentiment quickly corrupts his volition, and he subsequently concocts a plot bent on destroying Othello. He renders this revenge scheme credible by concealing his true feelings behind a facade of loyalty and trustworthiness, and fabricating a fictitious story concerning the infidelity of Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Until the play concludes, Iago utilizes purposeful rhetoric to drive his agenda, and also a mastery of deception to mislead the minds of his targets.
Shakespeare develops the character Iago into an instigator and evil man. Iago attempts and succeeds to convince Othello that his wife has had an affair with his friend Cassio. We see Iago beginning his plans at the very start of the play. “But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve for daws to peck at, I am not what I am.”(Oth 1:1:64-65) He immediately tries to start trouble with Brabantio and Othello over the marriage to Desdemona. Iago want to get in Othello’s way because he was passed over for general and Cassio was chosen instead. We see from the start how he plots against Othello and he involves several characters in his plans. “And what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free. I give and honest, probal to thinking, and indeed the course to win the Moor again? For tis easy Th’ inclining Desdemona to subdue in any honest suit; she’s framed as fruitful…”(2:3:295-300).
Iago is widely credited, in the words of Agatha Christie, as “the greatest villain of all time”. He is a manipulative character who “weaves a web of deceit” by exploiting even the tiniest faults in others. By maintaining a facade of comedy and boyishness he uses his honesty and twisted truth to play others “like a virtuoso” and “drive... them to madness”. In the play Othello, Act 2 Scene 1 is perhaps the most enlightening scene with regards to the truly manipulative character of Iago. Containing several soliloquies and interactions between all of the main characters, his manipulation is well encapsulated both in this scene in the play and in the 1965 Stuart Burge film adaptation.
One of the first impressions gained of Othello is that he is a great war hero. Before much else is said of him, tales of his skill and valor in battle are illustrated and he is shown to be a great and famed warrior. He naturally possesses many attributes typically associated with soldiers. From the beginning Othello is noble, quick to act, judicious, trusting, and gives much weight to the importance of duty. These are all traits that serve to make him great at the beginning of the play, and later, ironically become key elements in his downfall. These aspects can be considered the internal causes of Othello’s tragic flaw. “Othello's nature is all of one piece. His trust, where he trusts, is absolute…. Love, if he loves, must be to him the heaven where either he must leave or bear no life. If such a passion as jealousy seizes him, it will swell into a well-night incontrollable flood.” Othello is pure an...
In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is the antagonist and villain who causes all the trouble and disorder. Othello is the protagonist, and is the main person Iago’s destruction and revenge is aimed towards. Othello is naïve and gives everybody his trust even though he may not know them or they haven’t earned his trust yet. He often refers to Iago has “Honest” Iago, which is a direct showing of irony because Iago is not honest at all (Shakespeare, I, iii. 289). Iago is so angry that Othello didn’t give him the promotion that was given to Cassio that he plans to seek revenge against Othello. He seeks his revenge against Othello by manipulating and lying to all of the people around him including his closest friend Roderigo, Cassio, Othello’s wife Desdemona and even his own wife Emilia. In the end, Iago’s lies and manipulation led to the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia, Othello and Desdemona. This isn’t the first time many of these individual characteristics have shown up in one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Iago has been excellent at saying the what is needed to get to people, he misleads them to get a reaction he wants out of them. He is clever with his words to avoid confrontation that can easily happen. “Othello 's confusion is the human experience of language. In other words, language itself, not the outside world, determines meaning” (Christofides 2). Iago uses his words against Othello to get him to do Iago’s doings. Iago has an eloquence with
Shakespeare uses Iago and Othello as the main characters of the play, showing how Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife is cheating on him. Iago, or “honest Iago”, the villain of the play, a perfectionist at manipulation, that manages to influence people into thinking his deceitfulness is an act of honesty. He spends all of his time plotting against Othello and Desdemona, eventually convincing Othello that his wife has been cheating, despite the fact that Desdemona has been completely faithful. Othello, Venice’s most competent general, and the protagonist of the play. He was a noble and respected war hero, and a loving husband, however he was the target of Iago’s atrocities, which lead him to become an irrational, violent, and insanely jealous husband who murders his own wife at the end of the play.