Othello is a play about deception and jealousy. Our main character is tricked into believing that his new wife, Desdemona, is secretly seeing another man behind his back. The antagonist in this play is Iago. He is jealous of the promotion Cassio has received from Othello, and takes matters into his own hands to get revenge. His plan is to talk Cassio into meeting with Desdemona, at certain opportune times so that Othello might catch a glimpse of them together of find clues that have been seeing each other. He then plants the seed of jealousy in Othello’s mind, “Iago: Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady, know of your love?
Othello: He did, from first to last. Why does thou ask?
Iago: But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm.” (3.3.94-98)
Iago slowly but surely gets his plan to work. Othello is so certain that Desdemona has been unfaithful that comes to her room and kills her, and later himself, “Desdemona: O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
Othello: Down, strumpet!
Desdemona: Kill me to-morrow; let me live to-night!
Othello: Nay, if you strive”(5.2.78-81)
Some might ask the question, was Othello really that gullible to fall for all of Iago’s tricks and deceit or was Iago just that cleaver? I tend to agree with the latter. In my opinion I believe Othello was not gullible, but too trusting. Iago was supposed to be a man her could trust, he served under him certainly he wouldn’t lead Othello astray. Well he did and he did a pretty darn good job of it too. Iago used Othello’s trust against him; he knew that he could say certain things without looking like some kind of tattletale. He never came right out and said anything he just suggested certain situations.
Iago’s cleaver and devious tendencies are the direct result of being jealous. He couldn’t stand that Michael Cassio, a mere man of high learning, whom he believed took his position when promoted. Iago used his cunning abilities to attempt to have Cassio murdered, thought he was able to escape. I don’t know how Iago feels in the end when he is basically to blame for the deaths of two innocent people, but Lodovico, has a final statement to Iago on the matter, “This heavy act with heavy heart relate.”
I agree that Iago show a great deal of hatred and jealousy, with betrayal as the consequence of these emotions. The hatred shown by Iago towards his friend and master is founded on weak ground, but his motivation to destroy Othello does not falter. Further, Iago manages to convert Othello’s love for his wife into hatred, by convincing him of her unfaithfulness, hence he kills her. The detrimental effects of such hatred are clear in the play, since Iago also meets an untimely end.
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