Downfall Of Othello Essay, Research Paper

THE DOWNFALL OF OTHELLO AS CAUSED BY IAGO

Iago is one of Shakespeare s most intriguing and credible villains. Iago can be perceived as either evil or brilliant in his plans to be deemed lieutenant. As the villain in Othello , Iago has two main actions: to plot and to deceive. Iago is mad that Cassio was chosen to be lieutenant instead of himself. From this anger comes the main conflict of the play. Iago plans to ruin Othello and Cassio by carrying out a plan based on lies and deceit. This plan will make Iago the only person that Othello believes he can trust, and Iago will use this trust to manipulate Othello.

Foremost, Iago first plan to ruin Othello is to use Roderigo s weakness to help him remove Cassio from his lieutenant position, which will in turn lead to both Othello s and Cassio s demise. Iago tells Roderigo to “put money in thy purse” (Shakespeare 53). Iago urges Roderigo to earn money now so that he can win Desdemona s heart. Iago tells Roderigo what he wants to hear in order to enlist his help. Iago 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 (Shakespeare 55). Iago feels that Roderigo is a foolish man who exists only for his use. He manipulates Roderigo to his fullest extent then says he does so for his own sport and profit. This idea is strengthened by the use of the word snipe. The New Arden Shakespeare defines snipe as fool and states that the word meant gull or dupe before Shakespeare (Honigmann

159). These definitions emphasize the fact that Iago feels no respect for Roderigo and is manipulating Roderigo only to further his plan.

Secondly, Iago plans to remove Cassio from his position as lieutenant so that he himself can take over Cassio s position as confidant to Othello. 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. Cassio is a lady s 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: She is false as water (Shakespeare 247). Meaning that she is unstable for Othello and will only complicate his life. Iago is implying that Desdemona is lying to Othello about her relations with Cassio. Iago wants to ruin Othello s life by making up situations so that he may justify his hatred because he is an evil person. Iago spends his energy on trying to break up the marriage of Desdemona and Othello, first with Roderigo and secondly with Cassio. Iago acts in any way that helps him destroy Othello through Desdemona. Iago knows how much Desdemona means to Othello and makes him extremely jealous of Cassio and ultimately becoming dangerous. Cassio thinks that Iago is “honest” (Shakespeare 49) and trusts the advice that Iago gives. Iago makes it seem as if he is helping Cassio because he is a genuine friend. Throughout the entire play Iago plays Cassio for a fool. Iago offers suggestions to Cassio on how he can win his lieutenancy back, when what he tells Cassio to do is actually just part of his plan to destroy Othello s marriage and destroy Cassio.

Lastly, Iago hopes to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair. If Iago s plan unfolds properly, he will be granted the revenge that he believes he deserves. Iago states that the reason for his hate is that Cassio was chosen to be Othello s lieutenant. Iago s only reason for destroying Othello is that Iago is an inherently bad person. Iago invents reasons for his actions against Othello, so that his own selfish ends can be met. Here, Roderigo learns that he has competition with Cassio for the love of Desdamona, and this information is given to Roderigo only because Iago hopes that Roderigo will initiate a fight with Cassio. This fight will get Cassio in trouble and hopefully remove him from his position.

Sir, he s rash and very sudden in choler and

haply may strike at you. Provoke him that he may,

for even out of that will I cause these of Cyprus to

mutiny, whose qualification shall come into no

true taste again but by the displanting of Cassio. (Shakespeare 79)

The New Arden Shakespeare defines qualifications as “condition, nature or pacification” (180) and uses the word trust instead of taste. When taste is used, the line says that the people of Cyprus will not feel comfortable with their nature until Cassio is removed from his position. In contrast, when trust is used, Iago s words say that the people of Cyprus will not be able to trust authorities again until Cassio is no longer lieutenant. The word trust makes more sense in this sentence, because Cassio lost the trust of the masses when he acted with aggression. He was always a well-mannered and peaceful man, and now the people of Cyprus do not trust his anymore. Iago hopes that this information will make Othello forever jealous.

In summation, through much deceit and manipulation Iago will drive Othello into madness and ruin the lives of everyone. Iago draws Othello into mistaken jealousy in order to ruin him (Encarta). He does this through Desdemona, Othello becomes a mad man after being led to believe that his wife is unfaithful to him and as a result he murders her. Iago destroys Othello s marriage and becomes Othello s lieutenant. Iago acts in this illogical manner because he is a naturally bad person who has no real logical reason to hate Othello. Iago fooled everyone around him, including those who cared for him. The very people he had set out to destroy still thought he was honest until their eyes were opened to the truth: that Iago is a conniving and evil person that shows no remorse. Iago carefully maps out how to do and say things so that he may use people as a means to his own self-production. He takes advantage of those around him, he creates chaos, and he maliciously takes the life of those he takes advantage of, also. He is evil at the core and makes no apologies for it as shown when he says, I bleed, sir, but not killed (Shakespeare 259). He vows never to reveal his motives for causing the events that occurred because he is too proud, and too evil.

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