What Is Iago Evil

In Shakespeare’s “Othello” the character Iago is considered to be the most dangerous of villains. He is a genuine schemer and manipulator, as he is often referred to as “honest Iago”, showing his skills at deceiving other characters so that not only do they suspect him but rely on him for the help that he promised to give. Iago repeatedly betrays other characters while keeping up his reputation as being an honest and noble man. His true thoughts are only revealed through his soliloquies. Iagos soliloquies shows he is searching for motives that he can’t find and only does the terrible things he does to benefit himself, which is inherently evil.
Iagos first soliloquy shows he has no real motives for using Roderigo and seeking revenge on other characters. When Iago says, “thus do I ever make my fool my purse;”(1.3.185) he is revealing that every word he previously said to Roderigo about helping him woo Desdemona
While Othello is hiding, thinking he is listening to Iago speak to Cassio about Desdemona, Iago clarifies things when he says, “Now I will question Cassio of Bianca”(4.1.83) Iago does this to enrage Othello since he knows that Cassio is naive and “when he hears her, he cannot refrain from the excess of laughter”. (4.1.88-89) Iago knows that Othello is such a trusting and loving man to Desdemona and yet he still wants to see Othello suffer. The audience as well as Iago himself knows that everyone’s trust lays in Iago’s hands and he can choose to crush anyone at anytime. Iago is hoping Othello’s “ unbookish jealousy must construe Poor Casio’s smiles, gestures, and light behavior Quite in the wrong”(4.1.91-93) Iago time and time again takes advantage of his name “honest Iago” showing that he can help Othello so when Iago causes something bad to happen to him without anyone knowing, Iago is the first one that he doesn’t