The ancient Greeks had a set of rules called the eight Greek evil thoughts. These were simple morals to keep everyone on the same page and avoid a lot of problems. In the episode of “The Cyclops,” Odysseus and men were trying to steal some food from the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Polyphemus eats two of his men and imprisons the rest. Odysseus comes up with a plan to escape by blinding the Cyclops after he moves the rock blocking the exit.
Iago plants the idea in Othello’s head that his wife is cheating on him with his friend. He believes the lies that Iago crafts to turn him against Desdemona. Instead of asking her directly, Othello keeps in touch with Iago and continuously feeds into jealousy that is “begot upon itself, born on itself” (Shakespeare 3.4.165). He does not have concrete proof of the claim, but he is obsessed with the idea of it being true. He cannot stop thinking about the adultery, and is so consumed by his wrath that he tarnished his reputation and relationship with others.
At this point in the play Iago had told Othello just enough to make him start to doubt his relationship with Desdemona. Iago realized that the small details would begin to drive Othello mad and he would believe anything, even if it was not real evidence of a relationship between Desdemona and Cassio. Othello will eventually let the Jealously take over and kill his wife over the lies told by
The term green with envy has been around for a very long time, all the while, the meaning has remained the exact same way. The connection between the use in the past and the current use is the same. Originally the term was used by Shakespeare in the sixteenth-seventieth century. In Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Othello, Iago warns Othello and says “Beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” A similar phrase was also used by Shakespeare in his plays Antony and Cleopatra and Merchant of Venice.
Contrary to Iago’s immoral values, Othello’s righteousness and connectedness are contradicted by his doubt and uneasy feelings later in the play. Promptly after talking with Iago, Othello begins to doubt Desdemona’s loyalty, questioning “Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds” (Shakespeare 3.3. 283-284). After just a few conversations with Iago, Othello’s confidence in his relationship begins to crumble, going against his steadiness, as a general should be.
As iago sets out to intervene with the couple’s relationship hr aims to target othello’s fear of infidelity. Infidelity could ultimately damage his reputation as a powerful respected general. As stated by Iago “She did deceive
but Iago is even able to get Othello to turn on his own wife. At first Othello questioned Iagos’ statements and requested physical evidence. Iago was able to give him some, even though it was fake evidence, and convince Othello of Desdemona's and Roderigo's “relationship”. Once everything hit the fan, and before Iago hope when he said “Iago, look with care about the town” (II.iii.273) but even then that wasn’t enough for
Unfortunately, he trusted the wrong person due to his growing lack of self-esteem. Iago, a hypocrite who hid his evil thoughts by appearing as a man of extreme honesty, saw that he could erode Othello’s self-esteem because of who he was, a moor living in European society. He realized he could manipulate Othello for his own evil ends. He slyly used pathos to gain his trust, saying, “My Lord, you know I love you” (III.iii.118) to convince him of his honesty and reliability. Then he suggested the unpredictable nature of Desdemona by saying, “Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you, not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion, and degree, whereto we see in all things nature tends - Foh!”
Iago betrays Othello, his supposed friend and commander, by manipulating him into believing that his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful. Iago does this by planting seeds of doubt in Othello's mind, fabricating evidence, and leading him to believe that Cassio, another of his trusted associates, is involved in the affair. Iago's ultimate goal is to destroy Othello, and he uses betrayal as a means to achieve this end.
He is manipulative and tells Othello to “observe her [Desdemona] well with Cassio” (Shakespeare, 3.3:197). Iago feeds Othello with countless lies and makes him miserable with something that is not factual. He is determined to get revenge and he does not realize Iago stands insincere. Furthermore, Iago is selfish when he tells Othello, “I am yours for ever” (3.3:479). He betrays Othello yet still let’s him depend on him for his own
He trusts him and believes the lies that he tells about Desdemona. In one scene, Iago tries to protect Othello from Brabantio, even though he is the one who told him that Desdemona and Othello married in the first place. He exclaims: He prated, And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your honour That, with the little godliness I have, I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray you, sir, Are you fast married?
When he does not get the position he wants and also heard that Othello has been sleeping with his wife Emilia, Iago’s manipulation increases. Iago plans his scheme based on, “[Othello] has done my office, I know not if’t be true/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety” (I. III. 431-433). This use of manipulation is all based on an assumption that Othello has slept with Iago’s wife, and this assumption leads to even more horrible events.
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.
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.
Tragic heroes always meet their demise in the end. They have characteristics that result in their tragic deaths. In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Othello, the protagonist Othello exemplifies the characteristics of a tragic hero. A tragic hero has a flaw which results in the character’s untimely death.
