Uses Roderigo's weakness to help him remove Cassio from his lieutenant position. Iago tells Roderigo to "put money in thy purse" (333) . Iago believes that Othello and Desdemona will not be together for a very long time since Othello is a Moor and Desdemona is an aristocrat. Iago urges Roderigo to earn money now so that he can be an eligible suitor when Desdemona is looking for another husband. This conversation and the soliloquy following it introduce the two different sides of Iago. Iago tells Roderigo what he wants to hear in order to enlist his help. However, in the following soliloquy the reader is introduced to what Iago really has planned. He states that he would never associate with someone like Roderigo except to gain his own ends. "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse--/ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expand with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit" (365-368). Iago feels that Roderigo is a foolish man who exists only for Iago's use or "sport." This idea a strengthened by the word "snipe". The Arden Shakespeare defines snipe as "fool" (p. 159) and states that the word meant "gull or dupe" (p. 159) before Shakespeare. These definitions emphasize the fact that Iago feels no respect for Roderigo and is manipulating Roderigo only to further his plan. In the same speech, Iago's real plan is revealed only to the audience. Iago wants to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are in love. They are the two people that Othello trusts, and if Othello believes that they have turned on him, this will lead to his downfall. Iago plans to tell Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. Cassio is a ladies man, and Iago believes that Cassio's charm makes women fall in love with him. Iago will make the innocent flirtations of Cassio and Desdemona seem like secret love to Othello. "After some time to abuse Othello's ears/ That he is too familiar with his wife/ He hath a person and a smooth dispose/ To be suspected, framed to make women false" (378-380).
Iago is one of Shakespeare's most complex and heinous villains. Iago is not your ordinary villain. ... Iago is ingenious. ... Iago is an expert judge of people and their characters. ... When Roderigo discovers that Iago has been hoarding his money he screams at Iago and threatens him. ...
Through carefully thought out words and actions Iago manipulates others to his benefit. ... Experiencing not even an iota of empathy or guilt Iago becomes the perfect villain, for it is the feeling for another that leads one to experience guilt and Iago feels for no one. Manipulation of others is not questioned by Iago to be right or wrong. To Iago love is merely "a lust of the blood and a permission of the will" and self-love, the mother of all vices, is the only love that Iago respects. ... The inability to posses a conscience aids Iago in his malevolent schemes. ...
Iago With the character of Iago, Othello presents the reader/viewer with an image of absolute malice. ... What vestige of it, of passion unsatisfied or of passion gratified is visible in Iago? ... Iago is not simply a man of action; he is an artist. ... Iago is a character who essentially writes the play's main plot. ... There is no mystery in the psychology of Iago. ...
Othello and all of the immoral acts that it contains are the direct result of Iago's hatred for Othello and the insecurities that Iago has about his own achievements. ... Iago has now gained the promotion that he sought so badly, but his hatred for Othello had already been born and now Iago sets out to destroy Othello. ... He desperately wants to regain Othello's affection and since he has no inclination of Iago's deep seeded hatred of Othello, Cassio believes that Iago will help him regain what he has lost, Iago however has other reasons for aiding Cassio. ... The downfall ...
Manipulations by Iago Iago is all things to all the characters in the play. ... Iago deceives, steals, and kills to gain that position. ... Iago hopes that this would make Othello jealous forever. ... Iago has been asking Emilia for it many times. ... Iago is smart. ...
Iago hates Othello for two reasons. ... In other words, Iago's only reason for destroying Othello is that Iago is an inherently bad person. ... Iago's first dialog with Roderigo serves as an introduction to Iago's plan. ... Iago feels that Roderigo is a foolish man who exists only for Iago's use or "sport." ... Iago has no reason to hate Othello, but because he is an evil person Iago wants to ruin Othello's life. ...
No, Iago/ I"ll see before I doubt; " Othello stills allows Iago to deceive him, based on no accurate evidence, merely observation, " Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio." ... This use of a soliloquy again is effective in informing the audience of Iago's intentions and creates hatred towards the character of Iago. If Othello had trusted his wife, even Iago's jealousy couldn't of caused the tragedy. ... This reveals that Iago's jealousy is not the only factor contributing to the tragedy of Othello, but also the weakness of characters. ... On the other hand,...
Iago When Shakespeare attempted to create the ultimate villain (and I must say he was stunningly successful), Iago was the result. ... This view on life has many hidden insights into the character of Iago. ... These quotes also show what a highly motivated person Iago is. ... The word choice here, as always in the case of Iago, carries a hidden double meaning. ... When looking at the character of Iago, always look for connotations, and hidden meanings in the words he chooses (manured with industry ln 323), and dig deeper to acquire the true picture of Iago, and as these quotes are onl...
