Iago does not know for certain what he is accusing Othello of yet he vows to act as if they are facts. While one could attribute Iago’s disdain for Othello to many things, namely, feelings of envy towards Cassio, sexual interest towards Othello, or simple racism; the mere fact that there is no clear motivation for Iago’s actions is a clear indication that Iago cares very little for his relationships and does not wince at the thought of treachery and the vicious backstabbing of those closest to
Edmund enters with a letter and states, “Stand in the plague of custom, and permit the curiosity of nations to deprive me” (1.2.3-4). Edmund’s resentment is also about his being regarded as inferior, as illegitimate. He regards his body and mind to be as good Edgar’s. Edmund is revealing his anger and hatred of the way he is treated and others like him are treated. He is angered by the fact that he is a bastard child and unlike his brother Edgar, will not receive his father's wealth.
Iago, during the play, displays a notable lack of remorse or guilt for the many horrendous deeds he commits. This is seen twice in the scenes where Iago is confronted about his devilish plan. (2.) After Othello kills Desdemona and reveals to Emilia that it was Iago who convinced him about the affair. This causes Emillia to start to realize her husband’s plans.
Edmund’s ambitious yet daring decision to challenge for Gloucester’s position reveals both his strengths and weaknesses within his character. In the quote,”Why bastard? Wherefore base, When my dimensions are as well compact, my mind as generous and my shape as true” (Edmund). Shakespeare uses anaphora to highlight how Edmund is solely focused on himself and how his feeling of powerlessness eventually leads to Edmund challenging Gloucester for his nobility. The use of the rhetorical questions shows that Edmund doesn’t believe in the label he is given and it also shows his questioning of the rules of society and Gloucester.
The two more prominent characters of the play, Lear and Gloucester, shows us the importance of humility. Lear is finally able to understand his circumstances when he finally detaches himself from his title and status. This allows him to reunite happily with Cordelia despite their past. Similarly, Gloucester’s arrogance can be observed when he boasts about how his bastard son came to be, blinding him from the treachery of Edmund. It is arrogance that can often impair our judgement and one may suffer greatly because of
Iago’s Plan In Shakespeare’s “Othello”, manipulation and deceit are prevalent throughout the play, and the use of these tools causes multiple characters to become more and more violent as a result. Through the use of verbal and physical manipulation of others combined with the use of irony, simile, and metaphor, Iago progressively shifts Othello’s positive mental attitude towards his peers into one more similar to that of the cold blooded and vicious killer that he is deep down which can be seen through his actions. At the beginning of the play, in Act 1 Scene 1, Iago can be seen verbally communicating with his peers in which his lying spree begins.
Then after Edmund stabs himself and convinces him that Edgar assaulted him, Gloucester issues a warrant for the arrest of Edgar. Gloucester is blinded by the aroused emotions of distrust. Gloucester is continuously deceived by Edmund’s deceptive nature. His gullibility causes him to turn his back on Edgar and embrace Edmund; who is manipulating his
The false letter that Edmund wrote fools Gloucester into thinking that Edgar is plotting against his life. Edmund, fools his father into thinking he is a loving son which is to hide his true intentions.
Gloucester is an old man with both his heirs as traitors it is a heinous injustice that Edmund has done to his family. With the estrange, due to Edmund’s schemes, Edgar and a traitor
Once he realizes his wrongdoing he calls out to the gods that they need to prosper Edgar and not Edmund. This is ironic because Gloucester realizes that he made a blind decision only when he is actually
In a tragedy such as Othello by William Shakespeare, the character, Iago, falls not from an excess of evil but from an excess of good. In the beginning, Iago just wanted to get the justice he believed he deserved. The difference between the audience and Iago is the character traits that make Iago the villain. Iago need for justice and the way he goes about obtaining said justice reveals his true character: bitter, hateful,
Edmund is made fun of by his father and denied some of the rights he deserves, such as land. In other words, Edmund is punished all his life for a sin his father committed. Furthermore, Gloucester makes it a point to introduce him as the illegitimate
While he knows that his actions are immoral, he embraces it fully by calling for evil forces to help in his plans to destroy Othello’s life. This imagery shows Iago’s true nature to the audience, one that wishes for the corruption of people’s lives and actively acting it out. Moreover, Iago refers to himself as a devil in a soliloquy after Cassio drunkenly --------, saying "When devils will the blackest sins put on, / They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, / As I do now" (2.3.351-353). He reveals his intentions to harm Othello to the audience, showing that he does not have empathy for Othello or those his actions would affect, showing his ------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Iago is a unique and complicated character. He is intelligent in that he is able to manipulate people and events in his favour, which he thrives on throughout the play, classifying him as the antagonist of the play. Driven by jealousy and hatred, Iago plots against Othello to destroy his character and reputation. Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. As a result, he devises to use other people to obtain what he desires by influencing the characters in the play to suit his plan.
Edmund plots against his legitimate brother Edgar and wants to get what is his “Edmund the base/ Shall top the legitimate. I grow, I prosper:/ Now gods, stand up for bastards” (Shakespeare 1.2.20-23) Another thing that should make Gloucester suspicious towards Edmund is that he planned to send him away again “He hath been out nine years and away he shall again” Although Gloucester should be aware of the envy that Edmund feels towards his brother Edgar and the hatred that he might feel towards Gloucester himself he doesn’t see these feelings as a possibility and trusts Edmund when he presents the letter which he claims is from Edgar and in which he supposedly conspires against his own father. This is a foreshadowing about the physical blindness that shall befall Gloucester later in the Play, because he couldn’t tell which of his sons he could trust and because he was blind towards the greed and envy of Edmund.
