When Shakespeare attempted to create the ultimate villain (and I must say he was.
stunningly successful), Iago was the result. This cunningly evil character always keeps the.
audience guessing at his true personality until he has the opportunity to plan in solitude or.
so gracefully manipulate an inferior intellect that he can let his true colors shine while.
preserving his "image". Such is the case in act I, scene III, when he recites to Roderigo a.
beautifully worded speech revealing his true feelings about life, love, and Othello. This.
near-soliloquy shows us some of the thinking behind Iago's Machiavellian actions. 320 .
Virtue! a fig! 'Tis in ourselves are we thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens, to which our.
wills are gardeners; so that if we plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up.
thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with 325 many, either to have it.
sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why, the power and corrigible authority of.
this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise.
another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to the most .
330 preposterous conclusions. But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal.
stings, our umbitted lusts, wherof I take this that you call love to be a sect or scion It is.
merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will. Come, be a man. Drown thyself?.
Drown cats and blind 335 puppies. I profess me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy.
deserving with cables of perdurable toughness. I could never better stead thee than now.
Put money in thy purse. Follow these wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard I say,.
put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona 340 should long continue her love.
unto the Moor,-Put money in thy purse,-nor he his to her. It was a violent commencement,.
and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration.