Iago Manipulation
“Othello, the Moor of Venice” is a Shakespearean play which talks about the life of Othello who is a general in the Vatican army. Also, featured in the play is Iago, a junior Vatican army officer under whose traits and habits other characters suffer severely (Bevington, 2014). In the play, Iago happens to be a manipulative figure who uses the trust and weaknesses of other characters to ruin them in various ways, including revenge against Othello for what he refers to as the latter’s unfairness in choosing Cassio over him for a job promotion (Arthos, 2013).
In the play, Iago is a skillful manipulator who uses his ability to get what he wants (Bevington, 2014). Surprisingly, some of his victims are his close friends who had
…show more content…
Iago knows that drunken, Cassio will behave uncontrollably in a way that Othello will not tolerate and thus will fire him (Bevington, 2014). Iago vows to use this method to make Othello withdraw his trust on Cassio and thus believe whatever Iago will say to him.
`Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep.
He’ll watch the horologe a double set
If drink rock, not his cradle. (2.3.122-24).
Still motivated to get the position of the lieutenant, Iago ill-advises Cassio to claim back Desdemona, that she was rightfully his and thus he needed to talk to her to get her back (Bevington, 2014). To sound honest, Iago assures Cassio that he “protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness (3.1.321) so that Cassio may agree with what he is saying.
Lastly, still motivated to get the position of a lieutenant, Iago lies to Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona and that his wife prefers Cassio to him because he is ugly and old (Bevington, 2014; Adelman, 1997). As a proof, Iago refers to the beginning of Othello marriage to Desdemona,
She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And when she seemed to shake and fear your