Though the name of the play written by William Shakespeare is called "Othello," the character Othello is not the main character, but rather Iago is. Iago is the character who drives the play, he is the one who makes things happen. Without his greed and hated, there would be no play at all. The whole play is centered around Iago's revenge and in doing so, he is willing to make other people's lives miserable. Through "Othello," Iago uses the other characters to avenge the wrong doings which Othello has inflicted upon him, and will go to any means to do so.
The play starts out with Iago not attaining the position he wanted from Othello, but rather the position was given to Cassio, who in Iago's mind is unqualified for the job. This is where Iago starts to spin his web of destruction. Iago hates Othello with a passion, and in his heart he truly believes that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia. "I hate the Moor, and it is abroad that 'twixt my sheets 'has done my office" Othello. Act I. iii. 429-431. Being placed aside for the lieutenant position made him even more mad. He then decided on a plan and took full action upon it "to abuse Othello's ear that he (Cassio) is too familiar with his (Othello's) wife" Othello. Act I. iii. 438-439. .
Roderigo was Iago's puppet. He believed everything that Iago told him and always did as he said, which in the end got him killed. Through the play one wonders often why Roderigo keeps following Iago's demands, and it was because he truly loved Desdemona. He was willing to kill himself if he couldn't have her "it is silliness to live, when to live is torment" Othello. Act I. iii. 350. Iago used this knowledge and made Roderigo to believe that if he did what he was told, in the end he would really have her, but in turn for following Iago's advice, he lost his land, he lost his money, he lost his life. Iago used Roderigo till the end and felt no remorse for it what so ever.
