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Examples Of Central Conflict In Othello

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The central conflict in Shakespeare's Othello is hatred that Iago had for Othello. With every twist and turn, Iago plays on insecurities and hope. His entire plan unfolds throughout the whole play, dragging down many innocent parties. Although most of what Iago says is lies he conjures up, some of the scenes are entirely innocent and would not typically cause any harm. From the beginning of the play, Iago does not like that he was passed up for a promotion and seeks revenge. Starting with scene one Iago gets Roderigo up, to hopefully spoil life for Othello. Since that plan does not play exactly the way Iago wants, he tricks Roderigo into stabbing Cassio. Not to forget how he plants a handkerchief and happens to be there when it is returned …show more content…

Although it was still very early on, as a reader, it sets up Iago’s plan to denounce Othello by any means possible. In reality, Iago was trying to get Othello on bad terms with Brabantio. Brabantio was unaware of Desdemona's marriage to Othello and did not believe what Roderigo was screaming in the streets. All set into motion by one conniving Iago. The second instance where Iago sours reality and perception is in scene three. Where once again Iago persuades Roderigo by planting seeds of doubt and hate. By poisoning Roderigo's idea of Cassio and Desdemona, not to forget the love Roderigo has for Desdemona making him the perfect man to manipulate and control. Ultimately causing Cassio to get drunk while on duty, and not taking no for an answer. The entire scene between Roderigo stabbing Cassio was put together by Iago. With every last detail being well thought out and put together. Finally, another example of perception and reality are played out right in front of Othello, while he cannot hear everything that is being said. Othello watches Cassio and Iago talk about Bianca, although Othello believes they are talking about Desdemona. Also, Bianca shows up to return the handkerchief that was stolen from Desdemona and planted into Cassio’s room. With his own eyes Othello sees the handkerchief that was his mothers and continues down the path of jealousy and deception that Iago has so cleverly laid in front of

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Iago then has Emilia, his wife, get Othello’s mother’s handkerchief and plants in Cassio’s room, then warns Othello to watch out for Cassio and Desdemona. Iago then sent Cassio to ask Desdemona and for his job back. Othello then suspects his wife of cheating. When she comes to him soon later vouching for him to give Cassio his job

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735 Words | 3 Pages

"(IV.i.78-88). In these lines Iago tells Othello that he will question Cassio about Desdemona, he tells Othello to watch from afar and pay attention to Cassio's facial expressions when he speaks of her. The reader knows Iago is actually asking Cassio about Bianca, however, Othello is too far away to hear what is actually being said and thinks Cassio is talking about Desdemona. This added to Othello's jealousy, making him more certain that his wife was cheating on him with

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521 Words | 3 Pages

Iago’s contribution to an unstable mood shapes the theme of the play because he demonstrates that Othello is being “swallowed” by his rancorous acts as Othello speaks in prose and Iago allowed himself to evolve deeper into jealousy. Iago continues to exact revenge on Othello and other people are being affected negatively as they fall with Othello. As Iago and Roderigo are fighting, Iago steps aside and says: “ Now, whether he kill Cassio,/or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,/ Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo,/ he calls me to a restitution large/ of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him/… If Cassio do remain,/ he hath a daily beauty in his life/ that makes me ugly.

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718 Words | 3 Pages

In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago deceives others, mainly Othello and Roderigo, due to his desire for revenge, an improved reputation, and power. Throughout the play, Iago uses his desire for revenge to deceive others, like Othello. Iago’s desire for revenge shows when he states, “For “Certes,” says he, / “I have already chose my officer.

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1206 Words | 5 Pages

Iago is a vengeful person who pretends to be a friend to Othello, and Shakespeare paints this character through soliloquy. Soliloquy is revealed in Act one; scene iii-Iago reveals his secret intentions of vengeance against Othello for promoting a junior soldier over him to the prestigious lieutenant position. The promotion

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1673 Words | 7 Pages

Othello sends a servant down to dismiss the musicians and Cassio asks the servant to get Emilia to speak with him so he can get access to Desdemona. Iago enters and tells Cassio that he will ask for Emilia and figure out a way to speak with Othello so that Cassio can speak with Desdemona privately. Iago leaves and Emilia enters. Emilia tells Cassio that Othello and Desdemona have been conferring about his case. Desdemona pleads with Othello for Cassio but Othello is worried that Montano’s influence would make it impractical to reinstate Cassio.

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1031 Words | 5 Pages

Iago gives Cassio the handkerchief and Cassio ends up giving it to Bianca, telling her it is not from another woman. Iago then expands his manipulation of Othello by striking up a conversation between himself and Cassio. Iago leads him into speaking provocatively of Bianca, all the while Iago hopes Othello is eavesdropping, hearing their conversation and assuming Cassio is talking about Desdemona. Then, Bianca gets upset with Cassio, telling him the handkerchief had actually come from another woman. With Othello hearing all of this, he becomes very angry and Iago tells him he should choke Desdemona.

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1204 Words | 5 Pages

At this point Iago lets jealousy take over and control his emotions and actions beginning the strategy to ruin Othello’s life. From here, Iago will reveal the power of jealousy and the destruction that jealousy can cause when one stays driven by

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In the play Othello, William Shakespeare creates an elaborate tragedy with various in depth characters, enhancing the story with powerful characterization. Iago, the main antagonist of Othello, exemplifies Shakespeare’s use of characterization to create in depth and complex characters. Using his manipulative nature, intellectual mind, egotistical attitude, and dishonesty, Iago controls the other characters in order to achieve his goal, leading Othello to succumb to an overwhelming jealousy causing his downfall. In order for Iago to gain control of the characters in the play, he manipulates Othello, Roderigo, Cassio, and more to believe false information and turn on one another.

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658 Words | 3 Pages

Roderigo is jealous in the play because he is in love with Desdemona but Desdemona really doesn’t notice him and she is truly in love with Othello. Roderigo is good friends with Iago, so Iago, as his evil self, tries to ruin Othello’s relationship with Desdemona so Roderigo can get what he wants. Adding to that, Iago has always been jealous that Cassio, Othello’s partner or the generals partner, got the job and not Iago. So what Iago does is to try to ruin Cassio’s reputation by getting into Othello’s head and “poisoning his thoughts” by saying that Desdemona, his true love, and Cassio, his partner, were having an affair behind his back.

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611 Words | 3 Pages

Not wanting to cross paths after just being fired, Cassio attempts to slip off without being seen. Unfortunately, Iago sees him and expresses to Othello how awkward and suspicious it was for Cassio to do such a thing. Once alone, Iago hints more about Cassio and Desdemona’s affair and warns Othello to remain vigilant for anything suspicious or any conversations between the

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944 Words | 4 Pages

Using the character of Roderigo, Iago manipulates him into doing everything he wants. At the beginning of the tragedy, Iago and Roderigo are talking poorly about Othello. Roderigo, who is in love with Desdemona, is upset due to hearing that Othello and Desdemona have recently married. Iago, who just found out Othello did not give him

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893 Words | 4 Pages

Iago studies Othello’s behavior and starts to recognize his weaknesses and use them to drive Othello to his downfall, making Iago the culprit and Othello the victim. Because of the fact that Othello is an outsider and his self-consciousness and his defense about his differences from the other Venetians,

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573 Words | 3 Pages

Iago knew that this was going to happen, and has Othello intentionally overhear the two talk about Desdemona and Cassio together, when they are really talking about Bianca and Cassio sleeping together. This “ocular proof” (III.iii.376) is the final nail in the coffin for Othello to believe in the affair between Cassio and Desdemona. If Cassio had not bragged about his encounter with Bianca, then Othello would not have heard the discussion that sends him over the edge into wanting to murder and his wife and friend for a crime they didn’t

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982 Words | 4 Pages

Iago’s powerfully disruptive insinuations torment Othello to fall precipitously into his intricate trap, believing in the prospect of Cassio and Desdemona’s fictitious affair. Through the use of linguistic techniques such as elliptical speech, subservient vocative choices and a hesitant tone, Iago is able to construct artful innuendoes to deceive and manipulate Othello. Supplementary to linguistic techniques, dramatic techniques such as dramatic irony reinforces Iago’s role as a two-faced villain, who is making a pretence of being Othello’s loyal ensign. Eventually, Iago’s villainy nature sows a seed of doubt in Othello that germinates into the murder of Desdemona. Through the characterisation of Iago as a notorious villain, Shakespeare is able to hold Iago’s actions accountable for the play’s tragic downfall, establishing a sense of powerlessness amongst the

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