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How Is Iago's Words Used In Othello

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'Put the moor in a jealousy so strong judgement cannot cure ' speaks Iago in Shakespeare 's play Othello. Iago achieves this not by his action, but rather a few spiteful words whispered into his master 's, Othello 's ear, hence unleashing in Othello a jealousy that overpowered his ability for rational thinking. Through this, Shakespeare shows us the danger of Iago’s words compared to his actions. As Iago 's spiteful plotting demonstrates, all it takes is a few words to unravel a person, which we see through the demise of Othello and the jealous mess he transformed into.

The dangers of one 's word is emphasised early in the play. The opening begins with Iago 's spiteful talk of Othello. Through Iago 's speech, Othello is described as a …show more content…

By planting the idea into Othello 's mind that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with his lieutenant, Iago transforms the once rational Othello into a creature. Through this, the audience learns that it is not Iago 's actions, but rather his words that enabled the monster that is jealousy to be unleashed within Othello. Through his subtle suggestions of “Desdemona should not be trusted”, since she has 'deceived her father ', Iago encourages the on-start of jealousy within Othello. The dangers of the spoken word is further shown through Iago 's manipulation of Othello. Throughout the play, Iago doesn 't show much action but instead he is a character known …show more content…

A display Othello’s trust towards Iago is shown when the Duke tells Othello that he must leave for Cyprus, but must also leave behind an officer to deliver documents from the Senate. Othello appoints Iago to be that officer, because "A man he is of honesty and trust." A little later, Othello entrusts Iago with the responsibility of escorting Desdemona to Cyprus, and asks him to have Iago 's wife be her companion. He says, "Honest Iago, / My Desdemona must I leave to thee: / I prithee, let thy wife attend on her: / And bring them after in the best advantage" At the end of the scene, when Iago is hatching his plan against Othello, he comments that "The Moor is of a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are" Iago knows that Othello considers him honest, and he is planning on

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The first act of Othello is a microcosm of sorts for the entire play. In the first act, the reader sees Iago infect two characters with his evil methods, which are reflections of Iagos’ maneuvers in the subsequent Acts of the play, those Acts which progress according to Iago’s actions. In Shakespeare’s Othello, the characters’ strong and symbolic diction is an essential element in the progression of the events of the play. In considering the character of Iago with respect to his diction, the reader recognizes literary patterns which allow for a more profound insight into the text.

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Though given the nickname “Honest Iago”, his acts throughout William Shakespeare's, Othello, is not so honest. Iago is an intelligent, convincing, and manipulative man. He enjoys feeding off of people's misery especially when something is in it for him. His intelligence allows him to convince people using the sway of his words so fluently and make them blind to the truth by eluting them with false appearances and telling half truths. This allows him to numerous characters throughout Othello by using their personal beliefs, jealous tendencies, and misleading them into false assumptions by twisting the truth around in his own words in a way that will be beneficial to himself.

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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.

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Othello appeared to have sound judgment, but almost immediately after showing blind trust in Iago he lacked “the judicial temper, and in important crises [did] not observe the judicial procedures” (Martin 47). As soon as Othello shows blind trust in Iago Othello is only nominally “searching for evidence; in actuality he is crying for certainty at any price, and doing so in the office of prosecuting counsel” rather than take his time and make sound rational judgments (Kliger 137). Othello became completely ensnared in Iago’s web and believed Iago’s every word as

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In William Shakespeare’s Othello the two main characters are Iago and Othello. The entire story centers around Iago 's plan to achieve revenge on Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. Throughout the story Iago tries to convince Othello that his wife Desdemona has cheated on him with his lieutenant Cassio. Iago’s plan is successfully and easily executed. Othello is tricked into believing that desdemona has been unfaithful and in the end he kills her.

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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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