Iago’s Alter Ego:
A Look at Janet Adelman’s Critical Essay, “Iago’s Alter Ego: Race as projection in Othello”
In Janet Adelman’s critical reading of Othello, she tries to identify racial issues in the sub-text, specifically explaining the actions of the title character through the psychoanalytic theory. She believes that Othello is a victim of the racist society in which he was emerged once he married Desdemona. With no other review of himself available, it begins to define his actually personality, leading to a tragic end. As Othello begins looking at his dark skin as an unfortunate “stain” he feels unworthy of Desdemona, which makes it easier for him to believe that she had been unfaithful with someone more deserving of her. Janet Adelman focuses her attention on Iago, who she believes is the main source of racism in the play. She also reads in the text that Iago is jealous of Othello’s presence and sense of wholeness, which contrasts sharply with Iago’s sense of loneliness and fragmentation. She applies some psychoanalytic theories to the play by suggesting that Othello’s eventual downfall was the direct result of his environment, and not the actual man inside.
The first scene (1.1) in which Iago emerges from the darkness to give the audience their first, if unfair, impression of Othello, was closely read by Adelman. She concludes that Iago sets the stage for racism, using “projection” to justify his view of the Moor. Looking through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, this lengthy speech suddenly takes on a more ominous tone than the first time I read it, as well as a heavier one. Throughout the scene, Iago often says “If I were…” referring to what he would be were he not himself, which is the Moor. I did not look at this as jealousy the first time I read it (I thought he was merely making fun of the Moor by stating how ridiculous it was for him to be compared to Othello), but after reading Janet Adelman’s essay, I can see his envy coming through his lines, especially “I follow
In Janet Adelman’s critical reading of Othello, she tries to identify racial issues in the sub-text, specifically explaining the actions of the title character through the psychoanalytic theory. She believes that Othello is a victim of the racist society in which he was emerged once he married Desdemona. With no other review of himself available, it begins to define his actually personality, leading to a tragic end. As Othello begins looking at his dark skin as an unfortunate “stain” he feels unworthy of Desdemona, which makes it easier for him to believe that she had been unfaithful with someone more deserving of her. Janet Adelman focuses her attention on Iago, who she believes is the main source of racism in the play. She also reads in the text that Iago is jealous of Othello’s presence and sense of wholeness, which contrasts sharply with Iago’s sense of loneliness and fragmentation. She applies some psychoanalytic theories to the play by suggesting that Othello’s eventual downfall was the direct result of his environment, and not the actual man inside.
The first scene (1.1) in which Iago emerges from the darkness to give the audience their first, if unfair, impression of Othello, was closely read by Adelman. She concludes that Iago sets the stage for racism, using “projection” to justify his view of the Moor. Looking through the lens of psychoanalytic theory, this lengthy speech suddenly takes on a more ominous tone than the first time I read it, as well as a heavier one. Throughout the scene, Iago often says “If I were…” referring to what he would be were he not himself, which is the Moor. I did not look at this as jealousy the first time I read it (I thought he was merely making fun of the Moor by stating how ridiculous it was for him to be compared to Othello), but after reading Janet Adelman’s essay, I can see his envy coming through his lines, especially “I follow