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The relationship of othello and iago
The relationship of othello and iago
The relationship of othello and iago
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The play introduces us to two characters Roderigo and Iago, which sets up the first external conflict of which Roderigo owes Iago money , “That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.” (Shakespeare, Act I) . Roderigo was referring to his payments to Iago in return Iago would get him his dream girl, Desdemona, which brings up another external conflict because Desdemona is married to the illustrious general Othello. Iago has some animosity towards Othello because Cassio got the job of lieutenant instead of himself. Iago instigates a fight between a drunken Cassio and Roderigo which results in Cassio being fired by Othello.
As the play begins Othello is looking for a new Lieutenant. Iago has always been dependable to Othello, but he ends up overpassing the position to Cassio, who doesn 't know anything about war duties. Although Iago wants to exterminate Othello over of his jealousy of his popularity, he also wants to sabotage him because of the promotion that he thinks was mistaken, he uses Desdemona as a sin. Indeed Iago is going to destroy Othello because of the promotion that was misconstrued.
In the beginning of this play the readers are at first kept in the dark about Iago's motives and from the envy he faces, but it becomes very clear when he is talking to Rogrigo, “One Michael Cassio, a Florentine/… That never set a squadron in the field, /… And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof/... Must beleed and calmed. ”(I.i.21-32). This quote is the earliest example of Iago’s jealousy towards Cassio receiving the influential position Iago considers rightfully his. This trait is demonstrated again in Act 5 when Iago declares, “If Cassio does remain, He hath a daily beauty in his life// That makes me ugly.
In the beginning of the novel, Shakespeare describes Iago as a mastermind of manipulating others. Iago holds a grudge and resentment towards the Moor, Othello, because another soldier, lieutenant Cassio, has been promoted
Iago puts doubt into Cassio about his own worth, causing him to feel he has failed. The article quotes “Iago puts it differently when he asks, "Have you forgot all sense of place and duty?” (Woods pg.5). Iago himself has lost sight of who he is. Iago harbors a hate towards Othello because he believes Othello has slept with his own wife, and so he manipulates those closest to Othello.
Possibly you could call him an antihero then. So what are his motives? Clearly he has some sort of vendetta against Othello, but is that racism, or rather just bitterness? Maybe it’s PTSD. Even though some people think that Iago is a diabolical villain, it’s presumably thought that he may suffer from a psychological disorder that developed during his childhood.
How does Shakespeare develop the theme of jealousy through Iago's soliloquies? Shakespeare is able to develop the theme of jealousy by creating a few main parts in the story where Iago goes over his thoughts after everyone else leaves the scene when is true plans and thoughts are revealed, dangerous plans of revenge and manipulation began to form. These plans were about ranking, Desdemona, and revenge in the cruelest form, murder. Ranking At the beginning of the story (act 1), Iago is furious at Othello for not electing him for the promotion of lieutenant rather giving it to Michael Cassio, a young and un-experienced soldier.
Iago is angry that Othello has promoted Cassio to be his lieutenant rather than himself for he explains that he has more experience as a soldier while Cassio is a soldier who boasts about experiences he never had. This is why Iago believes in taking down Cassio as well by breaking up his bond with Othello as displayed in act 3 scene 3 as Iago questions Othello about seeing Cassio leave Desdemona’s room, “Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it that he would steal away so guilty like, seeing your coming” (3.3.41-43). Iago appears to be as shocked as Othello after witnessing Cassio scurry away from Desdemona’s room, but in truth, it was he who presented to Cassio that he should talk to Desdemona about getting Othello to forgive him as taken place in act 2 scene 3, “Confess yourself freely to her.
When Cassio is promoted, Iago’s insecurities fuel his jealous rage, which led him to being referred to as a “damned… demi-devil” (V.ii.353). In “Jealousy: Loves Destroyer”, Marano also observes that “a person who is very insecure is not just sexually jealous but jealous of… anything that takes attention of them”. Iago feels like the attention is constantly on Othello and Cassio. Iago plans to destroy them by any means because he did not attain the promotion, and the attention is not on
The major conflict in this scene surrounds Cassio’s distraught over losing his reputation. The conflict is between Cassio who is unable to decide a rational path to move forward and Iago who tries to push Cassio to take a path that will further his plans to destroy Othello. The despair from being removed from the position as lieutenant overwhelms Cassio allowing Iago to easily manipulate him.
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Similar to where he demonstrates his honestly, at the beginning of the play, Iago reveals his complex identity by saying, “I am not what I am” (1.1.71). After explaining his actual intentions, Iago quickly unveils his paradox as his words contradict each other. Although truthfully, Iago admits his unfaithfulness, his language about his unreal self also reveals his deceitful character. Iago’s words convey that he will not be showing his truthful side to Othello. Furthermore, Iago often secretly describes to himself the progress he makes at different stages of the plot.
Throughout the play, he would often talk about Iago in the same manner as in Act 2, scene 2, “a man he is of honesty and trust”( II,ii. 323-324). Given that Othello trusted who he thought was his best friend, it was easier for Iago to bring Othello down. The root of Iago’s evil intentions is jealousy, which he describes to be like a “green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (III,iii. 196-197). He speaks of it in a way that captures how it affects man because that is what he was going through after Cassio got the lieutenancy.
Jealousy is the most dominant theme of Othello. “Honest” Iago, the protagonist, is utterly absorbed with his jealousy of Michael Cassio because Cassio was chosen as lieutenant instead of Iago. He yearns for everyone to be as miserable as himself by implementing seeds of doubt resulting jealousy of other characters. His mind is clouded by animosity; Iago acquires for others to be justly jealous shown through Iago’s manipulation of characters, especially Othello.
As a scheming villain, Iago begins to ensnare Othello into his trap of vengeance by echoing in Othello’s mind prospect of an affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago begins his insinuations by reminding Othello that Cassio served as their go-between during their courtship through a rhetorical
