How does Iago Convince Othello to Kill Cassio and Desdemona by the End of Act Three?…
Shakespeare’s plays are famously renowned for their intimate connections between character and responder, creating significant relationships relevant to audiences today. Othello focuses on relationships between lovers, families, friends and foes, to captivate the responder and express concerns and ideas of human nature. The intense relationship between Othello and Iago plays centre piece to the play and it is through betrayal of trust and manipulation leading to the downfall of the protagonist that relates to audiences and captivates their attention.…
Iago’s influence and mistreatment of his own wife caused Othello’s mistreatment. When Desdemona and Othello eloped, everyone believed that Othello had bewitched her to disrespect her father’s wishes. Iago allowed his wife to be verbally accosted by his men, and kissed by many during the travel to Cyprus. The toxic environment Iago created caused Othello to stop believing his wife was faithful. APT’s interpretation emphasized this change, in a heart-wrenching way, because the audience feel Othello’s pain. His acting was so relatable because everyone has been jealous at some point in their lives. Jealousy and doubt have touched everyone at some point, and seeing this brought to life brings back memories of people’s…
In 1603, William Shakespeare wrote a tragedy called Othello about a Spanish moor that ultimately fell victim to his own skepticism and emotions and murders his wife due to the machinations of his ancient, Iago. Iago is the most interesting character in this Shakespearean play and in fact, has more speaking parts than even Othello himself. A man that can even convince his own wife to help with his masterfully manipulated puppetry of Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Cassio, and Emilia is an exquisite character. This villain seemed to have no real motive for his actions, but the enjoyment of the trouble he caused and the fact that Othello passed him over for his lieutenant. Although, Iago seems to quite, passionately want Othello’s affections, whether…
From beginning to end Iago moves the characters of Othello as if they were chessmen. He uses their individual aspirations and passions to motivate them to whatever devious plan he desires. His adroit manipulation of those characters range from convincing Roderigo to serve Cassio another glass of wine, to leading Othello to the conclusion that only by killing Desdemona could he save himself and mankind from her treacherous acts of infidelity. However, in each case Iago doesn’t have to push very hard because his suggested actions either seem harmless resolutions to each character’s woes or take advantage of character flaws. In each case, because he does not have to push very hard, he is able to maintain an air of apathy while promoting his ultimate malevolent goals: ?I am not what I am?(I, i, 71). In this manner, Iago manipulates Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, Roderigo, and Othello to play their separate pieces in the puzzle that will ultimately mean Desdemona’s death.…
In the play Othello written by Shakespeare, Iago is characterized as an individual who is both manipulative, egoistic and troubled. He had previously suspected that Othello, otherwise known as Moor had slept with his wife Emilia. Leaving Iago with a strong desire for revenge. Shakespeare successfully uses diction and symbolism throughout the passage. These devices are used to provide the reader insights regarding Iago’s character and motivation.…
As in almost all tragedies, especially those of William Shakespeare, the tragic hero always runs into misfortune. The play Othello is no exception. In this play, every character acquainted with the tragic hero appears to be unfortunate. While these misfortunes are oddly related to Othello, are they his fault or did each character attract them out of their own actions? To answer this daunting question, one must consider the three most unfortunate characters: Othello, Desdamona and Roderigo and analyse their downfall which eventually lead to their deaths. It is known from reading the play that Iago is the one who manipulates all three of them. Examinations of their connection with him before their deaths are necessary to answer this question. After scrutinizing those three characters it is apparent that all of the characters who experience misfortune in Othello bring it on themselves.…
Othello, a brave, honourable, “valiant” and respected man, is an impressive army commander, whose masculinity and persona is brought to a destructive end. Iago, his so called “honourable” ensign, undermines Othello’s masculinity by poisoning and manipulating his mind into believing his beloved wife Desdemona had committed adulterous acts with his lieutenant; Michael Cassio, therefore leading him murder his innocent wife. The idea of his wife committing such acts repulses and humiliates Othello. It shatters his role as army general. Othello’s revenge partly comes from fact that he needs to recover his reputation and regain the respect deserves. Also, to show that he is still a strong and valiant hero whose pride will not be brought down by any…
A thorough analysis of the play Othello tends to reveal that the focus of the play is actually about Othello’s flaws and weaknesses rather than Iago’s villainy. This conclusion has been reached due to the fact that many elements of drama as well as a characteristic of Shakespearean tragedy are centered on Othello and his imperfections. In essence, the conflict and thematic concerns which Shakespeare addresses, surround Othello’s flaws, whereas his downfall as the protagonist fulfills the requirements of a Shakespearean tragedy. Despite this, Iago has undoubtedly contributed to the play with his masterful manipulation as a Machiavellian villain. In solidifying this theory, four key factors must be examined; the first three points address the fact that Othello’s flaws and weaknesses are the focus of the play through his involvement in the dramatic elements of the play. They are: his involvement in the major conflict, his involvement in the main theme and Othello having a tragic flaw. On the other hand, the final point is Iago as the foundation for the conflict.…
Throughout the play Iago displays an ability to identify flaws and weaknesses of others, which allows him to create devastation through subverting others who follow their own agenda, to achieve a web of events. In the quote “Where I the Moor, I would not be Iago. In following him, I follow but myself” – Act I, Scene I, Iago explains to Roderigo, that he follows Othello, not out of love or duty, but because he feels he can exploit Othello’s flaws. Iago identifies Othello’s trusting nature, as seen in the quote “That thinks men honest that but seem to be so” Act I, Scene II and plans to use Othello’s trust in him, which he considers is a flaw, to bring about Othello’s downfall. Shakespeare uses the character Iago to highlight issues relating to trust and betrayal “I follow him, to serve my turn upon him”- Iago, Act I, Scene I. Iago is the ultimate protagonist, his lack of morals, duplicitous nature and ability to manipulate others allows him to make Othello trust in the untrustworthy, Iago, and betray the people loyal to him, Desdemona. The central themes of trust and betrayal in Othello are reliant on the character Iago to create and accentuate. It is this reliance on Iago that suggests that he is a central for the understanding and interpreting of the play…
Shakespeare has an exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, trickery, murderous revenge, and jealousy. In Othello, one of his most recognized tragedies was consistently evolving around the central theme of jealousy. Jealousy in Othello is what the play was founded on. One of Shakespeare's most credible characteristics in his writing is his ability to compose a play in which has a story that originates, and strides on lies. As theses lies were unraveled the central theme of his play became distinct, and clearly visible. The central theme was based on the acts that characters had taken based on their jealous feelings. The flaws within all of the characters lied within their blindness to over look Iago's lies. What made each character jealous, was what they perceived as the truth. What adds to this great tragedy is that it is a love story as well. In which a man, Othello, loves Desdemona excessively and passionately, however he loves her unwisely. Love consumes all those who take part in it, and in Othello's case his flaws lie in his loving Desdemona so blindly. It is for that single reason that Iago knows that such a naïve man as Othello, who loves his wife so blindly and unrealistically, can be made to think whatever Iago wants Othello to believe. Just as Othello's flaws lied within his inability to see past his jealous feelings, so did most of the rest of characters, no matter what social ranking they were classified in. Even from the well-developed characters, such as Othello, to the lesser figures, such as Roderigo, envy and lust were feelings all of Shakespeare's characters were accountable of holding at one time or other in the play. Within each of the characters in Othello was a level of jealousy, which Iago created by testing their pressure points for his benefit.…
From the opening scene of the play, Othello, Iago is driven by envy and the overwhelming need for revenge as a result of being overlooked for a promotion. He deliberately begins to weave his manipulation over Othello for the sole purpose of revenge: “after some time, to abuse Othello’s ear, that he [being Cassio] is too familiar with his wife”. Through the effective utilisation of the technique of a hyperbole and sensory imagery, the responder recognises the severity of the lies that Iago will “pour” into Othello’s ear. As a result of this, the responder is able to comprehend how Iago will go about his exploitation of Othello’s fragile peace of mind with regards to Desdemona’s fidelity. Iago’s horrendous deeds of lying and deliberate deceit ultimately lead to Othello’s and Desdemona’s marriage being filled with conflict which leads to their untimely death. Therefore, relationships are altered as a result of conflict as demonstrated with Desdemona and Othello.…
Shakespeare explores the universal concepts of jealousy and revenge, and their implications on individuals, through his Venetian play; Othello. He enables the audience to witness the demise of the respected protagonist as a result of his fatal flaws which are relatable to his audience. Noble Othello’s jealousy and passion is heightened by Iago; an external force who takes advantage of Othello’s naivety and trust in him. Iago’s motives for revenge are manifested in his soliloquy, where he reveals his hatred for the black outsider, as well as his jealousy of Cassio. Whilst Iago manipulates Othello’s rationality by misrepresenting Desdemona’s relationship with Cassio, one can justify that it was Othello’s response to what was presented to him…
Othello Coursework: How far do you agree with Bradley’s view that Iago is wholly responsible for Othello’s downfall?…
In William Shakespeare’s Othello, the characters’ personalities and motivations influence the plot heavily. Iago is driven by his jealousy of Cassio and his desire to exact revenge on Othello. Othello’s trusting nature leads to his undoing in the play. Iago takes advantage of how he’s seen in the eyes of those around him to carry out his plans. Although Othello is the protagonist of the play and Iago is the antagonist, the two characters are not the ultimate portrayals of good and evil. Othello is not a war between good and evil, but instead a demonstration on how destructive jealousy and gullibleness can be.…