Othello, Moorish commander of the armed forces of Venice, had secretly married Desdemona, the much younger daughter of the respected Senator Brabantio. Capitalizing on this news, Othello's ensign, Iago, who had earlier professed his desires to Desdemona without receiving her love in return, sought revenge. Also passed over for promotion as Othello's new lieutenant chief of staff, the Moor having chosen instead a loyal Florentine, Michael Cassio, Iago now devised a scheme to rid himself of these sorry reminders of his own failings. He dispatched his inexperienced follower, Roderigo, to inform Brabantio of the illicit marriage.
The thought of a beguiling Moor's marrying his beloved daughter without consent, led the Senator with his guards to Othello's house. However, violence was postponed by the report of an imminent attack on Cyprus from armed Turkish galleys. The Duke of Venice summoned Othello to the senate chambers. When Desdemona appeared and professed her love for Othello, the Duke cleared him of wrongdoing, saying to Brabantio, "If virtue no delighted beauty lack, / Your son-in-law is far more fair than black." Then the Duke directed his courageous commander to lead the Venetian forces to Cyprus in its defense.
With his honor intact, and through Desdemona's pleas to remain with her love, Othello gained permission to have her sail with him. For the voyage, Othello entrusted Desdemona to the care of Iago's wife, Emilia, who did not suspect her husband's treachery. Before the soldier band could reach its enemy, a storm destroyed the Turkish fleet and dispersed the Venetian vessels. Fortunately, all of Othello's ships returned safely to Cyprus and Othello and his bride were reunited.
Iago's hateful plan turned now to lies and innuendo. Seeing the infatuation his pawn Roderigo had for Desdemona, Iago engaged Rodcrigo in conversation, promising that he could secure for him Desdemona's love:
I hate the Moor. My cause is hearted: thine both no less reason. Let s be conjunctive in our revenge against him. If thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport.
But then evil Iago demanded a price for Desdemona: Roderigo would have to engage Cassio in a fight during the lieutenant's night watch. Iago further fanned Roderigo's readiness to kill Cassio by claiming that Cassio was Desdcmona's latest love.
That night Iago succeeded in getting Cassio drunk, and the brawl turned to riot. By way of reprimand, Othello was forced to demotc Cassio, a severe blow to the high-ranking officer.
Iago takes on many different persona’s to enact his plan of revenge upon Othello. He plays the friend, a trustworthy and credible source of information for Othello in his feat of drama with his innocent wife, Desdemona. He also plays the wingman for Roderigo who is madly in love with Desdemona, encouraging him to make advances towards her to woo Desdemona away from Othello. Iago even persuades Roderigo to kill Cassio with his lies about Cassio and Desdemona’s affair. “...you may take him at your pleasure: I will be near to second your attempt, and he shall fall between us.” Iago promises to assist Roderigo in the murder of Cassio and he will be rewarded with Desdemona’s love (Navigators.) Iago’s true persona, though, is a heartless, woman-hating villain who would go to great lengths to get revenge against Othello for preferring Cassio over him for the military promotion.
Roderigo has a desire for Desdemona but the lady is already married to Othello. Roderigo asked his friend Iago to help him. Iago is Othello’s trusted but jealous and traitorous ensign since Othello promotes a younger man named Cassio above him. Iago convinced Roderigo to ask Brabantio and tell him about his daughter’s elopement. Brabantio went to Cyprus to know about her daughter Desdemona being married to Othello. News has arrived in Venice that Turks are going to attack
Iago has a close friend named, Roderigo, he loves Desdemona and wishes she loved him back. Iago starts his scheme by saying “I am not what I am”(I.i.71). This is one of many warnings that Iago gives the people that he schemes against. This warning is telling him that what you see is not what you are going to get. One can also elude from this warning that he will only let you see what he wants you to see. One can see that Iago is clearly going to lie to Roderigo by that single statement. The statement alone should shoot red flags up in anyone’s mind. Once Roderigo gets Brabantio out of bed; Iago says something strange to Roderigo, “Though I do hate him as I do hell, yet, for necessity of present life, I must show out a flag and sign of love”(I.i.171-173). Subsequently warning Roderigo about how he lies to people, Iago expects Roderigo to trust him. Unfortunately Roderigo falls into the trap and trusts Iago. Well along Cassio loses his lieutenancy Roderigo is discombobulated. He begins complaining about things Iago asked him to trust him with; corresponding his money, him getting into a ...
Roderigo is an emotional and fool-minded Venetian man that is in love with Desdemona. Roderigo’s life is tortured by his unceasing and unreciprocated love for Desdemona. After Iago tells Roderigo of Desdemona’s secret marriage to Othello, Roderigo feels there is no longer a will to live and says, “It is silliness to live when to live is torment.” (Othello. Act 1 Scene 3: 350.). Iago takes advantage of Roderigo’s sadness and assures Roderigo that if he does as Iago tells him, he will get Desdemona’s love. Iago does not in any way help Roderigo attain the love that consu...
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The story is about Othello, who is a general in the Venetian army and is convinced by his trusted ensign, Iago that his wife is cheating on him. Eventually Othello kills his wife and when he finds out the truth he then kills himself. Most of the conflict in the play stems from Othello’s value assumption that women are not equal to men, which leads to dramatic and value irony. Othello’s relationship with Desdemona, his trust in Iago and Othello’s jealousy indicates Othello’s belief that women are not equal to men.
Iago states that the only reason he spends time with Roderigo is for his own wealth and pleasure. His plan is to continue giving Roderigo unfulfilled promises. Iago continues to manipulate Roderigo. He convinces him that Desdemona will soon grow tired of Othello and begin to search for a younger, handsome man to fulfill her desires. Continuing to build on Rod...
Iago elaborates a master plan to get Cassio position as a lieutenant. Iago get Cassio drunk so he could fight Roderigo. Othello then discharge Cassio from the lieutenant position when he says, How must poor Cassio have felt? To lose all he had worked for, working up his reputation that any half-hearted human can tell he earned and deserved. Iago know that Othello who ask him about the deed because of he fame of being a honest man. Iago tell Othello about the deed winning his trust that is when Iago starts to crab Othello by his weak point his Love for Desdemona.
Iago proceeds to tell the news of Desdemona and Othello's marriage to a shocked Brabantio. He uses offensive imagery, showing the extent to which he will go to win Brabantio's support against Othello. While not in the company of either Othello or Brabantio, Iago debases the marria...
We get introduced to Iago and Roderigo, who are scheming about getting back at Othello or so called the Moore, for promoting Cassio to lieutenant instead of Iago. We find out that Iago’s plan is to be friendly to everybody in order to gain their trust and betray them. They go to the house of a person called Brabantio, to tell them that Othello has stolen his daughter. He is in shock because this is Venice a place of logic and peace. This makes Barbantio pissed and he gathers up a mob to find Othello. Iago snags off to buddy up with Othello to make himself look like a good guy. Iago tells Othello that he is his “friend”. Cassio comes in to tell Othello that duke request him. Barbantio then comes in to accuse Othello of using dark magic to seduce his daughter and tries to arrest him. Othello says that they were both summoned by the duke. The duke and the senator are discussing the war in Cyprus. That the Turkish fleet is coming. We find out that Othello is a general and they need him for the war. However Barbanto explains what that “Othello stole his daughter” and the duke agrees with Barbantio that whosever took his daughter should be punished. Othello explains that he and Desdemona fell in love when she heard him tell stories Barbantio about his life and experiences. Brabantio doesn’t believe Desdemona isn’t like that, but then Desdemona comes in for herself and says she did fall in love with Othello. Barbantio accepts
Iago tells Roderigo that he can make Desdemona fall in love with him for a ‘small fee.’ Iago used Roderigo to make money. Iago also told Roderigo that Cassio was talking to Desdemona. Roderigo did not approve and Iago persuaded him to fight Cassio. Cassio ended up losing his ‘good reputation” and his position as Lieutenant, in the fight with Roderigo. Iago became the Lieutenant, just as he had
In The Tragedy of Othello, William Shakespeare tells the tale of the “noble Moor” whose honor and innocence bring about his downfall. Shakespeare writes of the power of jealousy, and the art of masterful deception and trickery. The story primarily takes place in Cyprus, during a war between the people of Venice and the invading Turks. In this play Shakespeare shows the feelings of Othello’s embittered right-hand man of, Iago, who feels he is passed over for a promotion and swears his revenge. He proceeds to manipulate his friends, enemies, and family into doing his bidding without any of them ever realizing his ultimate goal. He makes Othello believe that his new wife, the innocent Desdemona, is committing adultery with his newly promoted officer Michael Cassio. After this seed of jealousy has been planted, Othello’s mind takes its course in determining the true outcome, with a little more nudging from Iago. The course of action he proceeds to follow is one that not only ends his own life, but also the life of his wife and others. In Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Othello, Othello is a man who is still truly honorable, despite the course of action he takes to resolve his perceived problem.
The situation above leaves an opening for Iago to fulfill his vital plan to bring down Othello through Desdemona. Cassio was a mental wreck and told Iago that his reputation was ruined. Iago told him that he can get his rank back through Desdemona and get back on Othello's good side. "Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again (p. 54)." Once Cassio talks to Desdemona, Iago will speak with Othello and get him to think of his wife's trust. In Act three Scene three Iago is speaking to Othello and warns him to look out for Cassio and Desdemona. Othello asks Iago if it was just Cassio that left from speaking with his wife.
Like Roderigo, Cassio also believes in "Honest Iago," for he thinks that Iago is only trying to help him. On the night of Cassio’s watch, Iago convinces him to take another drink, knowing very well that it will make him drunk. Even though he really doesn’t want to, Roderigo puts his faith into Iago and states, "I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me." Iago’s plan goes smoothly when Cassio is make to look like an irresponsible fool, resulting in his termination as lieutenant.
"I follow him to serve my turn upon him," said Iago (9:45). From the beginning of the story Iago has a cruel intent bent on destroying Othello merely because the job that he sought after was given to young Cassio. Exactly why his hatred burns so bright is unclear because it was not uncommon to lose a position to another soldier. With or without reasonable justification for revenge, Iago immediately starts to tear Othello apart by informing Brabantio (Desdemon's father, Othello;s wife) that she is out with a black ram and committing unjust acts. As time progresses Iago becomes more wrapped up in his lies that he even begins to believe that Othello has slept with his own wife, Emelia, and now he has even more reason to hate "the Moor", "I hate the Moor and it is thought abroad that `twixt my sheets `has done my office"( 55:429-431). Iago is so obsessed with his revenge on Othello that he does not care what happens to anyone else so long as he is happy. In the process of hurting Othello he manages to have Roderigo killed, Cassio severely injured, his own wife Emelia is slain by his own hands, Desdemona dies at the hands of her husband Othello, and after everything Othello kills himself. Sadly Iago accomplishes his revenge but with so many casualties and then he himself is tortured and killed for his part in the great conspiracy, but before he is punished he has to see that Cassio will be the one to take Othello's place (a strange irony since it was Cassio that Iago was jealous of).
Iago knows Cassio is a light drinker and that Cassio and Othello are close friends. So Iago uses their friendship to coerce Cassio to drink. He makes him feel bad when he refuses to drink. To put his plan in action he uses their close relationship to guilt Cassio into drinking for Othello. His use of Cassio’s relationship with Othello is shown in act two of the play. When Iago asks Cassio to drink, Cassio replies, “Not to-night Iago. I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking” (II.iii.27-28). Iago finds this fact out and says,“O, they are our friends. But one cup!” (II.iii.30). Iago uses Cassio 's friendship against him. Cassio finally agrees to this by saying, “I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me” (II.iii.37). To the audience Iago plans his next step and says, “If I can fasten one cup upon him / With that which he hath drunk to-night already” (II.iii.38-39). He tells the audience his plan and says that he will stage a fight. Iago says, “He’ll be as full of quarrel and offense / As my young mistress’ dog” (II.iii.40-41). This sets the play in motion. His use of Cassio is working in a great way. He successfully gets his plan in motion by making him feel