Iago's Manipulation In Act 3 Scene 3 Of Othello

Throughout act 3 scene 3 Iago’s manipulation through the power of language gradually destroys Othello’s sanity and takes control over his full mental and emotional state. He does this by using his skills an orator to create an illusion that Desdemona is ‘directly in love’ with Cassio, thus attacking his emotional vulnerability. Iago advances his attack on Othello due to his opportunistic behaviour and gradually destroys his dignity, putting him into an uncontrollable rage.

At the beginning, we see Othello’s total love for and trust in his wife. However, in scene three that we start to deal with Iago eating away at Othello’s mind and reason. Iago’s comments on Cassio’s exit from the garden when he says: “Ha! I like not that.” From this he creates suspicion in Othello. He carefully maneuvers his words in order for Othello to become more distressed by what he has to say. “But he that filches from me my good name/ Robs me of that which not enriches him”. He suggests that Othello should be wary of being jealous, knowing full well that by nature Othello is not a jealous man: “O! Beware, my lord, of jealousy:/ It is the green-eye’d monster, which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on: that cuckold lives in bliss/ Who, certain of its fate, loves not his wronger”.

Iago goes on to remind Othello
We have watched Othello change from being the hero to the victim. Othello fears the public humiliation he would receive if Desdemona was to be proved guilty of sleeping with Cassio and his passionate nature doesn't allow him to think over what he hears or if its true. Iago understands this as he is a very imaginative individual, who can picture themselves feeling the way Othello would feel. “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