How Does Iago Use Race In Othello

In the play of Othello written by Shakespeare, the destructiveness of Iago's evil deeds are compared and examined against Othello's race for his downfall. Othello’s race is an important factor which leads to his downfall. Without race, Iago’s plans would not be as destructive. The collaboration of these two components therefore resulted in such a tragedy.

Othello’s awareness to his race increases as the play moves on from Act 1 to Act 3. In Act 1, it is obvious that Othello’s race stands out from the white Venetian society. Although he is confident about his position in the Venetian Society when he says, “My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly.”, he is aware of his difference among the others in the duke’s court. He becomes cautious in his speech, putting himself down in front of these people claiming he is not particularly good with words of expression, “Rude am I in my speech”. Secondly, he
believes white Venetians are more superior that his own race, he has more confidence that a white venetian’s decision would be more justified than one of his own.
This is shown when Othello was dealing with the situation of Cassio’s fight on the street in Act 2, he often looks to Iago for an explanation, often referring him as “honest Iago” through out act 2 scene 3. Othello believes Iago as a loyal, white Venetian man who would make the correct decisions. He gives no doubts on Iago’s judgment without any further hesitation as he trusts Iago entirely, not showing any signs of wanting to further investigate on the case. Thirdly, when Iago reveals to Othello of his suspicion that Desdemona is cheating on him, it leads Othello to question the reason for his race, “And yet how
nature erring from itself”, which was strongly agreed by Iago, “one may smell, in such, a will most rank, Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural” forcing Othello to believe his race is a reason for Desdemona’s betrayal. By the end of Act 3 scene 3, he is successfully convinced by Iago to show his negative attention towards his race and age when he says, “Haply for I am black,
And have not those soft parts of conversation…or for I am declined Into the vale of years”. This is justified when he completely gives up on saving his marriage and status to return to his original identity of loneliness and the never-ending inferiority, “Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!” showing his despair for his race.

Iago’s original simple plan becomes complex when he involves more characters into his plan. He uses more people in his plan because of his growing hatred for those people; using them to “make the net that shall emmesh them all”. His devil-like character of enjoying setting up evil traps and watching aside as people suffer in horrible situations motivates him. He knows it for himself and admits it when he says “When devils will the blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows as I do now” which reveals his lies of appearing to be ‘heavenly’. His enjoyment of doing evil deeds and his thirst for revenge is obvious to the audience through his soliloquys and dramatizations.

At the beginning of the play, Iago is the person who stirs up a conflict between Brabantio and Othello, however, the audience could see he is only pretending to be loyal to Othello while reporting about him to Brabantio. We see Iago as a two-faced character. Then Iago constantly manipulates Roderigo, using him to plan his revenge on Othello, urging Roderigo to “Put money in thy purse” and follow Othello and Desdemona to Cyprus to await the changes in their marriage. Iago has swayed Roderigo’s mind convincing him that he can win Desdemona eventually. By persuading Roderigo to go to Cyprus with him, Roderigo can continue to be used by Iago in plotting his revenge. While in Cyprus, he makes Cassio fall into his trap to decrease Othello’s trust in Cassio, he says, “Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb”. He is paranoid and comes up with a bizarre idea that Cassio has also slept with his wife which is a reason to motivate for his revenge. In front of Cassio, Iago displays his fake fondness for Cassio and acts like a loyal friend trying to defend him for his mistakes which was planned by himself, “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio”, making others believe he takes Cassio’s side and does not wish to put Cassio in a disadvantaged and harmful situation. From the above actions we can see Iago makes the people believe he is only a loyal friend. From this scenario, Othello’s absolute trust in Iago is shown as he looks to Iago for a justified explanation. The staging adds effect to Iago’s manipulation of other characters when we see that most of the time, the characters’ entrances and exits on the stage are controlled by him, dismissing them whenever he pleases.
Iago’s burgeoning ambition is dramatized when he speaks aside of his twisted, evil ideas which gives a clear picture to the audience of Iago’s personality. His soliloquy also shows his evil thoughts because it reflects his inner mind. From the evidence given above, Othello’s growing insecurity of his race was not entirely driven by Iago, his self realization of his difference in race enables the enforcement of success for Iago’s plan. Iago’s increasing thirst for evil deeds drives the plan to a tragic end. Without Othello’s race as an important component, Iago’s plan may not be able to succeed as he had planned. As outlined, Othello’s race and Iago’s evil deeds are equally destructive to the cause of Othello’s downfall.