Othello Essay, Research Paper

OTHELLO FINAL PAPER

2. Discuss the techniques Iago used to manipulate others

Through out the play of Othello Iago used many techniques to get what he wanted

and one way or another he some how all most always got what he wanted. His techniques

were that of an everyday sneaky, conniving bad guy, who always got people to trust him,

except the person that was closest to him. But the main overall techniques he used were;

1)He gained the trust of people. Which was the number one technique, and from gaining

their trust he could branch off form that and then he could manipulate the people he was

playing into thinking that he was on their side even when he might be on the opposite side.

Another thing that he could do to people was to, from gaining their trust and making then

think that he was on their side he could manipulate them and make them turn on each

other. The other technique that he used which didn?t nearly play a role as large as the first

technique but was important was he was always very careful, in being discovered and by

covering his tracks. He knew how to take care of things in precarious situation. There was

in my own personal opinion one more technique, and that was that he knew how to use all

his options and could use his wits and cunningness.

Iago?s number one technique was his ability to make people trust him. He had just

about everyone spun in Iago?s web. Rodrigo, Othello, Cassio, Desdemona, Emilia, and

etc. And he got every one of them to trust him, although he still hadn?t got Emilia into his

web fully. She still had suspicions about him. He could gain the trust of people as if it was

nothing to him. He always when talking to that certain person said that he was on their

side, making a false trust that the person believed, and therefore trusted him. Now most of

the people he did this to it worked on. Such as Cassio calling him ?Honest Iago? and when

Cassio got in that fight with Rodrigo, he believed that Iago was the only good, honest man

on his side, even though he was the one who set him up. By getting him drunk through his

other technique of being cunning. Ok so now that he gets the trust of people he can work

with that, he would make everyone he came in contact with feel as if he was on their side.

He could manipulate their minds, tell them false things. Such as who?s the bad guy, who?s

planing against them, and when he was talking to Othello who was cheating on who. Such

a lady named Desdemona, who was supposedly cheating on a guy whom he once fired. And

that was all accomplished through one guy named Iago. He got Cassio fired, got the

hanky that Othello gave to Des. in Cassio?s possession, and convinced Othello that Cassio

was cheating with his wife Desdemona. Now that he could do all that with out anyone but

his wife finding out, he must have had some good techniques. He had from the very

beginning known what he wanted. He wanted revenge from Othello for not getting the

job, and Cassio for getting the job. And for whoever gets caught in the middle of his web

oh well, too bad. In his work he got what he wanted, and all by using his techniques, so

they do work. He got everything accomplished but one thing didn?t tun out as he wanted

and that was that he got caught.

Now for the other technique that he used that was that he knew how to cover his

tracks, and try to make sure that he wouldn?t be caught. Even though he did it took them

a very long time. He did this by being very careful. He did things such as when Brabantio

was outside talking and hearing news about his daughter, he could see Rod. but there was

another voice, talking and telling him about Othello his daughter Des. and how Othello

got her through witchcraft. Now by not showing his face he could run over to Othello

pretend to tell him some false information and then have Bra. walking up the street and

not know that it was Iago telling him that information. Then later on when there was a

fight and Rod. was hurt he was about to spill all and tell about Iago?s hidden agenda,

Iago killed him ending the threat that his wildcard Rod. might get him in trouble, and he

killed him when he was on the ground and no one was looking. So he therefore was

covering his back and making sure he wouldn?t be caught.

The next technique that he used was that he knew how to use all his options

he could use all the tools in his grasp. Such as using the slow wit of Rod. and exploiting

that to get him to do things, like give him money. He had his wits, his cunningness, and

his use to exploit people.

Ok so those were the techniques that Iago used to manipulate others. Although we

only read about him gaining Cassio in his web I?m sure he might have used other

techniques to get the trust of the others. So the techniques that he used were to gain their

trust, then branch off that. Another one was that he knew how to cover his tracks, and the

last one was that he knew how to use all his options. So Iago accomplished all his tasks

with those simple techniques.

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