How is Iago an artist in villainy in Othello? He misuses Roderigos love for Desdemona, Cassio under the appearance of companionship, and toys with Othellos mind by playing on his self-question. When Macbeth arrives home she suggests they kill him, after he declines, she starts questioning his manhood and peer pressures him until he decides to kill Duncan. Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. Driven by jealousy and hatred, Iago plots against Othello to destroy his character and reputation. Driven by jealousy and hatred, Iago plots against Othello to destroy his character and reputation. Othello Act V: Scenes i & ii Summary & Analysis Iagos contribution to an unstable mood shapes the theme of the play because he demonstrates that Othello is being swallowed by his rancorous acts as Othello speaks in prose and Iago allowed himself to evolve deeper into jealousy. Once Iago comes up with a plan for revenge it . Iago is the mastermind behind all of the mayhem in this play, and it all starts in act one when Othello made Michael Cassio the lieutenant over him. Iago appears to think of Othello as an incredible man, but he still wants to cause his ultimate downfall. And in hopes of using Othellos openness and naivet to manipulate him, Iago conspires with himself to convince Othello that his lieutenant, Cassio, who is good looking and well-spoken, is too familiar with his wife (Act 1, Scene 3, 397), Desdemona. 147, 5.2. He is angry with Othello for promoting Michael Cassio, an officer with no real battle experience, to lieutenant over him. Rather than talking his beloved wife and trusting her. When Othello is gone at war, Iago tells him that Cassio and Desdemona were getting too close. Othello asks him to say more but he refuses to do so. Farewell the plumd troops and the big wars. What reason does Iago give for his hatred of Othello? If all goes as planned, Desdemona will then attempt to convince Othello to forgive and forget Cassios drunken behavior, which will assuredly convince him of their infidelity and destroy her credibility with him. Because Cassio is distraught from the sequences that occurred earlier, he confides to Iago for advice. When Othello asks who initiated the quarrel, Iago is quick to respond by saying; I do not knowin quarter and in terms like bride and groom [II iii 160-161], knowing that this kind of language is going to go down well with Othello. During the Elizabethan Era, drama began to flourish in Western Europe. Make after him, poison has delight (68). In the first act, we find out how Othello perceives Iago when he says he is, "A manof honesty and trust. Boose further explains this, writing that Iago makes use of the token of love to create falsity as he first puts the object in an erotic context and transforms the motif of marital consummation into an evidence of adultery, Iago: The Main Cause Of Downfall In Shakespeare's Othello. Iago admits that he has no proof of Othellos crime against him, but he still states it as a reason for his hatred. Latest answer posted February 06, 2021 at 2:05:38 PM. From this point on, the ultimate plan has begun and the pace speeds up. Venice was very much a white-male dominated society. As he plots the downfall of many of the characters including Othello and Cassio, he lies to Roderigo telling him that Desdemona will soon tire of the moor and that he should go to Cyprus in order to be there when it happens. More books than SparkNotes. Iago gradually drove Othello to the edge, he convinced him of the affair between the two and so he felt the need to kill her. Iago mutters this in act 3 scene 3 when he sees Desdemona and Cassio talking. Afterwards Othello found out that she didn 't cheat on him, and so he killed himself. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Have You Not Read of Some Such Thing? When controlling Roderigo, Iago uses his knowledge of his weaknesses, in this case his love for Desdemona, in order to get what he wants. However, one character, Iago, manipulated all of them. When Iago spins his lies of Desdemonas adulterous actions with Cassio, Othello decides instead of consulting Desdemona or Cassio directly, he allows time for Iago to show him evidence of Desdemonas unfaithfulness. Iago plans his scheme based on, [Othello] has done my office, I know not ift be true/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety (I. III. Thus deciding to devote his life to loathe and revenge rather than walking away. The Role Of Iago To Blame For The Downfall Of Othello Iago constantly uses his innocence to make Othello jealous and start to assume that it is true. Already a member? When he does not get the position he wants and also heard that Othello has been sleeping with his wife Emilia, Iagos manipulation increases. For Iago, Roderigos presence there is vital as he unknowingly becomes a puppet in Iagos game, carrying out deeds Iago himself is unwilling to. I like not that [III ii 34]. Iago manipulated Emilia to have her take the handkerchief from Desdemona without her knowing. After the drunken fight between the soldiers in Cyprus, when Othello questions the men in order to reveal what happened, another of Iagos manipulative techniques come to light. His Moorship 's ancient" (I.i.33). This use of manipulation is all based on an assumption that Othello has slept with Iagos wife, and this assumption leads to even more horrible events. He talks in prose mainly when speaking to characters individually, which enables them to be taken into his confidence. The tragedy of the Moor of Venice is inflicted by the cruelty of Iago, perhaps one of the most intriguing antagonists in literary history. Here he has used his language to manipulate Roderigo into putting money in his purse, which, as we learn later in Iagos soliloquy, is for his own financial benefit. He is so smart and careful that he even gestures Othello to come closer when Cassio is about to illustrate how Bianca entangles him. All of this manipulation results in Desdemonas death. At one point, after Iago has first pointed out that he should look to [his] wife, observe her well with Cassio [III iii 199], Othello then becomes so affected by this that he actually starts having doubts about his marriage. These actions eventually lead to a tragic event. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago is the main cause of every downfall throughout the play. This caused Iago to feel like he wasn 't appreciated and he vowed to get revenge on Othello. He does this by repeating that the soldiers would like to relax and that they deserve it, insisting that Cassio join the celebrations. Both Iago and Richard III are Shakespeares most thrilling and sinister figures. He first starts off with realizing his irony of helping Cassio while trying to be evil at the same time. Analyzes how desdemona falls in love with the great warrior that he is from all the stories of triumph. As a result, he devises to use other people to obtain what he desires by influencing the characters in the play to suit his plan. In many Shakespearean tragedies the main character 's downfall is usually a consequence of their own action or weaknesses and Othello is no different. III. Prose can be considered to be a more informal way of talking; therefore Iago uses this in order to guarantee that Roderigo (and others) trust him. Othello thinks in absolutes so it is easy for Iago to plant the seeds of doubt in his mind. Iago is a unique and complicated character. The audience would watch and see how everything will unravel. Therefore, in this case, a large part of Roderigos downfall is a direct result of Iagos manipulation, particularly through his use of language. He also asks Cassio who it was the provoked him into such a quarrel, which is Iagos sly way of guaranteeing that Roderigo wont be implicated. After Iago got Cassio drunk one night, Cassio lost his place as lieutenant. The fact that Iago is so easily able to manipulate Othello points us towards his real tragic flawOthello is naive in a way that suggests he suffers from insecurity. His discourse immediately calms the tension. For example, Iago claims casio said sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves in his sleep while grasping and putting his leg around him(3.3.417). Iago gets Desdemonas handkerchief given to her by Othello from Emilia and planted it in Cassios chambers to, Desdemona reflects Othellos good qualities including his bravery, strength, and intelligence. gets into a negative environment which changes his view on Desdemona. After Iago starts to interfere with Othellos relationship with Desdemona, Iago has control of Othello, since Othello regards the word of Iago as gospel. Iago continues his insinuations when speaking to Othello; he provides more "proofs" that are anything but ocular, though Othello has calmed, and . Iago absolutely hates Othello. When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows, as I do now (Act 3, Scene 1. Not only did Iago tell fallacious statements, but also structured a reputation based on honesty and plain speaking. Iago suggested that he go plead to Desdemona to show her he is a good man, and then she would convince Othello. Iago is so determined to ruin Othello that he deceives his own wife, Emilia. He got his revenge by working Othello 's mind to believe that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. Shakespeare utilizes this technique frequently throughout the performance especially for the antagonist for the play, Iago. These insecurities have a key role in the development of the play and the creation of Othellos tragedy. Graziano stops him and Emilia explains how she . This left Iago flabbergasted saying Cassio "never set a squadron in the field" (I.i.22) and he sarcastically says "And I-God bless the mark! However, Shakespeare has chosen to alter this in the case of Iago, which also helps to reflect his manipulative nature, as he is able to speak in both ways in order to use different people according to their characters. The Shakespearean character Iago is the trusted friend and advisor of the General Othello, who plots the downfall of several characters within the play, due to a number of reasons including jealousy and a search for revenge. I. Therefore Iago says things such as she did deceive her father marrying you/ and when she seemed to shake and fear your looks/ she loved them most [III iii 206-208], pointing out Othellos differences with the rest of the society he lives in. Act 1 Scene 1 begins abruptly with an ongoing argument between Roderigo and Iago. The downfall of Othello is a story by William Shakespeare which is a romantic tragedy involving some themes such as jealousy, revenge, greed, reality versus appearance which all play a role in bringing the play into a tragic end. So in the end he ends up getting what he wanted, revenge. The main reason for Iago's success was based on the social differences between the two. It has been so easy for Iago to mold the other characters into his plan that it is hilarious to him. Iago preys on Othello's insecurities by giving him lies and half truths about the fidelity of Desdemona. Who Is Responsible For Othello's Downfall Who Is Responsible For Othello's Downfall Othello is characterized as a great military general, who a compassionate love for his soldiers but an even more compassionate love for his beloved wife Desdemona, a woman that Othello views as perfect. In Act Five, scene two, Othello shows the audience how he believes that Iago is most honest (Shakespeare 1302). Perhaps this is his classic Shakespearean tragic flaw. He is also an extremely jealous and incredibly insecure character, and Iago only helps to reinforce these feelings. This contrasts Cassios language completely, who speaks highly of Desdemona calling her a most exquisite lady [II iii 17]. Othello demands that Iago truthfully tell him how the fight started and what happened. Alternatively, Iago incites jealousy within Othello and watches him erupt. However, How can one be consistently honest over long periods of time? Elizabethan England and Italy were patriarchal cultures of honor, where the male name and reputation were prided above all. Iagos manipulation of Cassio is quite similar to that of Roderigo, in the fact that language plays a major role. Among some of the crucial characters who were targeted by Iagos manipulative plans are Othello, Cassio, and Rodrigo. This use of manipulation is all based on an assumption that Othello has slept with Iagos wife, and this assumption leads to even more horrible events. Othello written by William Shakespeare revolves around this protagonist who is depicted as strong and powerful. Othello's downfall comes about due to a combination of the influence of Iago and the fatal character flaws of the otherwise virtuous Othello. Untruths and misdirections are normal in the public eye, and numerous people veil their actual goals with a lacquer. Another example would be the handkerchief, instead of giving exact proof he went on telling Othello to watch Cassio for it. Who is responsible for Othello's downfall? - GraduateWay Although a good reason to dislike Othello, not receiving a promotion should not lead to the conclusion of the murder of Othello. Iago is regarded as a powerful, Machiavellian villain and antagonist as he holds the majority of the lines, almost double to that of the protagonist and tragic hero, Othello, giving him power over Othello as well as the space to use the maximum amount of words to manipulate the hero into participating in his crimes. Iago even manipulates Othello to strangle her, which is a much personal and vengeful death than poison. As he plots the downfall of many of the characters including Othello and Cassio, he lies to Roderigo telling him that Desdemona will soon tire of the moor and that he should go to Cyprus in order to be there when it happens. Not only did Iago not directly say Desdemona was having an affair, he neither didn't give proof to confirm the rumours. The Othello's Downfall and Its Causes - GradesFixer Latest answer posted April 06, 2020 at 3:38:13 PM, Explain this quote from act 1, scene 3 ofOthello: "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may thee. Iago represents a spider web who tries to weave his web to ensnare them all. Iagos manipulation has not only lead Othello to believe the rumor is true, but has lead him to kill his own wife as well. Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them (1.2 59). Iago secretly sets Desdemonas handkerchief in Cassios house so that Othello would find it and come to realize that Iago was telling the truth about her cheating on him. He tells Cassio that in order to regain his title and reputation, he must speak to Desdemona, because she is the only one who can change Othellos mind. To be exact, Iago is a puppeteer who sets up scenes to deceive the credulous foolsOthello, Cassio and Desdemona (4.1.45). Although he is overcome with jealousy there are other motives behind his plot to kill her. Iago, due to the understatement to his name, is not perceivable as hateful. Iagos informal conversation is an attempt to create some sort of bond between them; no matter how false it is in Iagos eyes, so that Cassio will become more trusting of him. Unfortunately for Cassio, it was all a part of Iago 's plan, he then planted the handkerchief that Othello gave Desdemona as a symbol of love, in Cassio 's room. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays numerous counts of jealousy and manipulation around many of the characters. Each of these male characters have different personalities and knowing them can be useful to Iago in his hope of completely fooling them in thus ruining their names and making everyone turn on each other.
Mini Lili Cirque Du Soleil,
Catholic Home Care Services,
Articles H