Power In Othello

The tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare shows what a person, like Iago, with great intellect and wit uses these talents to cause pain in love and terror to those around him. Iago holds physiological power over Othello thoughts by lying to him and giving him false evidence of his wife Desdemona. In the process of Iago’s plan, Desdemona becomes the victim of pain and sorrow from Othello. Although Iago possess great intellect, he also feels threat of jeopardy towards his plan of bringing down Othello by, Cassio, Roderigo, and Emilie. Iago uses his intellect as a weapon by overwhelming the other characters with derogatory language.

Iago decides to turn against Othello because he feels as if he lost towards a Moor. Iago tells Brabantio, “. . . you’ll have your daughter covered with Barbary horse” (Othello I.i.12). Iago notifies Desdemona’s father that she has married a color

Iago states to Roderigo, “Now whether he kill Cassio, / Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,/ ever way makes my gain” (V.i.12-14). If Othello kills Cassio, the job will become easier for Iago. Iago will not have to get his hands dirty and he will deny his presence and knowledge of the incident. Iago stabs Roderigo after Iago injures Cassio to accuse Roderigo the murder so that no accusations lead to Iago. On the other hand, the opinion from the article, “Common-Sense Interpretations of Shaksp[a]ere” by Edwin W. Chubb states, “We know that if Cassio is killed, Iago will be freed from source of exposure, and if Roderigo is killed, he will be freed from the reproaches of a fool from whom he had borrowed money”(426). Iago sees Cassio’s life as a threat towards the lies he has told Othello making Iago solve the problem by killing Cassio. Iago only cares about himself; Iago knows if Roderigo dies he no longer has to pay back the money Iago borrowed from Roderigo in Act