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Othello Unblessed And Ingredient Is The Devil

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The play, Othello, by William Shakespeare, involves the works of a criminal mastermind and a couple, deep in love, ending in tragedy. Shakespeare portrays the main characters to symbolize a feeling or person. Desdemona, Othello’s wife, symbolizes goodness and purity. However, the main antagonist Iago portrays the human form of the devil At the end of the play, Iago leads Othello to think that his wife has cheated on him and he believes it. He murders his wife then Iago comes back kills his wife because he thinks she has cheated too. In this tragedy, Iago represents the devil with his constant efforts to destroy purity, but his reasons do not match his evil because his underlying motive looks like racism. Shakespeare intended for Iago to be …show more content…

There are numerous sentences involving him that correspond with him being a devil. Part of the main antagonist’s plan was to get Cassio drunk, so he could mess up his job and get fired. After being drunk and getting in a fight with Roderigo, he comes to his senses. While ashamed of his doings he says, “Every inordinate cup is unblessed and ingredient is the devil” ( 2.3.307 - 308 ). Cassio talks about how alcohol will make a person do many things out of character and the main ingredient, the devil. The main ingredient represents Iago. The only reason he went out to drink was because Iago kept insisting he did. Now that he has succumb to the temptations of the devil, he must accept the repercussions of his deeds. Shakespeare added that line to make another correlation out of many between Iago and the devil. Iago even mentions, “And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona A most dear husbands. Now, I do love her too,” ( 2.1.312 - 313 ). Iago admits that he thinks Othello will be a good husband, but he continues to ruin his reputation, relationships, and life. He likes to see peace become chaos. At the end, the most obvious correlation between Iago and the devil show up. Othello, infuriated with him, wonders why he would do such a thing so terrible. Othello says, “I look down towards his feet; but that’s a fable. If thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee” ( 5.2.286 - …show more content…

Iago’s underlying motives are racism. He constantly refers to him as the Moor even though he has been in countless battles with him. He openly called him an old black ram and a barbary horse. He also repeats the fact that he hates Othello many times. He says to Brabantio, “You’ll have your daughter covered in barbary horse, you’ll have your nephews neigh to you,” ( 1.1.125 - 126 ). It was not uncommon for racism to be apart of everyone’s daily life back then. In the 1600s minorities were at the bottom of class rankings, basically ignored. How can wanting a position fuel someone towards murder? Shakespeare implies at the end that there are obviously underlying motives for Iago. His last words are,“Demand me nothing; what you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word” ( 5.2.303 - 304 ). By this time everyone found out about his evil plan and they are sentencing him to torture. In the 1600 Catholic idealism, it was custom to confess sins before death and die with a clear conscience, but Iago knowing he was being sentenced to death does not say a word. He has no remorse and he does not care about having a clear

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