What
is the nature of the evil that pervades the story of Othello? What is the
central motivating factor for Iago? Is he aware of his own
monstrosity? Why is Iago often characterized as THE most
chilling and evil villain ever?
The evil that pervades the story of Othello is that of immense anger, hatred, and jealousy. Jealousy not only drives Othello to his hatred and eventual murder of Desdemona, it also serves as the central motivating factor for Iago. It is indeed Iago’s jealousy of the positions that Othello and Michael Cassio (two men whom Iago views as inferior to himself) hold that drives Iago’s desire to destroy them both. Thus, Iago is unaware of his own monstrosity because, in his own misguided viewpoint, he is simply righting society’s injustices. It is for this reason that Iago is often called “the most chilling and evil villain ever,” because like all great villains in literature, his steadfast desire to be a protector of justice actually drives his inexplicable villainy.
Having seen The Dark Knight lately, I cannot help but to draw parallels between Iago and the jewel thief that Alfred and his friends tried to capture in Burma. This thief used to rob precious jewels and then burn them. A puzzled Bruce Wayne asks Alfred why the thief would go through the trouble of robbing the jewels if he wasn't going to use them for any real purpose to which Alfred responded that some men simply want to watch the world burn. Iago is one such man, which is why he might be described as the most chilling villain ever. From the start, he has no motivating factor to construct and carry out the elaborate scheme to bring about Othello's fall except for the fact that Othello gave "his" promotion to Cassio and suspicion that Emilia and Othello slept together. In order to right the "wrong" Othello, Iago knocks down pretty much everyone close to Othello and has no limitations, so much so that he kills his own wife as well in order to prevent the truth about his monstrosity, something that he is well aware of, from coming out. He has often referred to himself as Janus, the two-faced Roman god, and there are several references to hell and devil in Othello to indicate that he is aware of his own villainy. The nature of evil that pervades Othello in the evil of deception and hatred for man. Iago is the most unsuspecting person to the other characters because of the persona he has created of an "honest Iago" which is what makes the revelation to the other characters of his plotting all the more devastating. Ultimately, it is no surprise to me that Iago has been deemed the most chilling and most evil of villains since he represents the threat of someone who doesn't care about anyone else. He represents a man that wants to see the world burn, and those are the most dangerous and evil of men anywhere to be found.
The nature of evil that is seen in Othello is one that is unique from many other great works of literature. Villains generally have two motives driving their actions: either they benefit themselves, or desecrate another. Along with the two motives, the pattern for most literary villainous actions is the antagonist is the one inflicting the harm on others. For example, the driving factor behind The White Witch in the novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is to hold her power as queen of Narnia by forcing the land to be "always winter and never Christmas." She enforces this with her own powers and greed, unlike Iago. Iago's evil is embedded in his own personal quest for self gain as well as his hatred and desire to ruin the lives of those who have done him wrong. I think Iago is considered the most chilling and devious villain ever because of his comprehension of his own destruction as well as his desire to force everyone around him to hate one another, and allowing himself to look like the innocent, honest friend in the process.
Evilness usually stems from insecurities within. For example, in many stories, the villain usually had a childish wish for revenge on those who were much more fortunate than themselves. Perhaps these villains lack the attention they require, or maybe the love of a parent. However, in Othello, Iago is motivated for self interest. As we learn no true reason for Iago's hostility, readers can assume that Iago is purely interested in making himself feel better through others demise. Iago is considered evil because he manipulates the characters into thinking what he wants him to think. My research project is based off the question, ‘why do characters trust Iago’, and I have concluded that because of Iago's persuasive gestures, and saying the exact right thing at the right time, he gains the confidence of every other character. Iago is the character that plays to everyone's emotions, controlling them as a puppet-master would control his puppets.
The nature of evil that pervades the story of Othello is the completely deceptive nature of manipulation. Perhaps the reason that Iago is so successful as a villain is that he manipulates each character into believing that their thoughts and accusations are their own, therefor seemingly making them horrible horrible people as well. Until the end, Iago controls every character and every situation without anyone else's knowledge. You almost have to admire his work. This is what makes Iago such a chilling villain; you find yourself liking him even though you know what he is causing. We can see a villain as having multiple motives. Usually, they either do their evil deeds for personal gain, they just enjoy chaos, or they actually think they are righting some wrong(s). In Iago's case, he utilizes both the first and the latter. The first is a small part because, although Iago wants a promotion, it is his suspicions that concern him more. This is where the third comes in. By manipulating all of the characters, Iago does not see himself as villainous because he is simply punishing those who have done wrong (in his mind). Is is also this psychopathic thought process that makes Iago such an interesting and evil villain.
The nature of Iago's evil is that he uses trust and friendship to manipulate people. The movie's depiction of Iago moving chess pieces around is very telling. He may not seem like the typical villain at first, but when you look at his motives you can see he is driven by jealousy, a typical trait in a villain. He is jealous that Cassio gets the promotion and he has unproven suspicions that Cassio and Othello have slept with his wife. His actions are what he calls revenge which makes him unaware of his own monstrosity. He believes he is simply giving out deserved revenge for what Cassio and Othello did. But, he shows very little regret when he realizes Desdemona is suffering and she has done nothing to him. Yet, his anger and jealousy toward Cassio and Othello drive him to meticulously and ingeniously manipulate people to do exactly what he wants. What makes Iago so evil is that everything falls in to place the way he wants it to. He is the unstoppable chess player that nobody seems to notice and he does not care who he brings down in his quest to take down the king and his knight.
In Othello, the evil that manifests itself is due to the extremely manipulative ways of Iago. Iago seeks to destroy the lives of Cassio and Othello because he is jealous that they hold positions as high ranking members of the military. His jealousy and anger toward not being promoted to a higher position in the military causes Iago to pathologically manipulate the emotions and thought processes of Othello in order to get what he wants. His ability to change Othello allows him to succeed in his first goal of removing Cassio from his position in the military. His second goal was to break Othello’s relationship with Desdemona up, but this ends in the murder of Desdemona, which is far more than he Iago ever intended. Iago was certainly aware of his monstrosity when he was seeking for Cassio’s position and during the beginning of his effort to break up Desdemona and Othello. However, after this point he begins to destroy the lives of Othello, Cassio, and Desdemona far more than he ever intended to. This makes him the most chillingly evil villain ever because he is so concerned with his well-being that it causes him to subconsciously dismantle the lives of others around him, a characteristic of the most evil of villains.
The evil that Iago possesses stems from his ability to draw people in so that they trust him, and then he is able to deceive them, or go behind their backs in such a way that they don’t even realize that he is deceiving them. I believe that Iago is aware of and proud of his ability to trick and manipulate people, but I don’t think he truly realizes the severity of his actions. It seems that jealously and self-interest are the two motivating factors for Iago. For example, he is jealous that Cassio gets promoted and lets this drive him to manipulate people. It seems that he is constantly trying to drag others down in order to bring himself higher up. The more the he is able to tarnish the reputations of others and turn the characters against each other, the better and more trustworthy he looks. He builds up this trust with the characters while altering their views of others until he seems to be the only reliable person. Soon everyone is relying on him, and he has complete power over every situation that presents itself.
Othello begins with a not so extreme Iago talking to his bud Roderigo about his anger because he didn’t get the promotion he was hoping for. So immediately one can see that his actions were driven by his jealousy. His jealousy stemmed not only from Cassio, but also from Othello’s constant loving nature. By the middle of the play he is jealous of almost every character in the play. It motivates him to strike people he may not have because they are connected to his original jealousy. In my opinion, Iago is very aware of what he is doing, but does not realize the wrong in it. I believed this while reading the book, but then the movie had a very interesting display of this, which swayed me even more. Iago would look directly at the camera and reflect on what just happened and tell the audience his next move. He knew exactly what he was doing, but maybe he did not understand why it was truly that evil, because all he was trying to do was get his revenge. Iago is characterized as purely evil because his actions are. What he does out of revenge for one person ruins the lives of seven. The way he goes about ruining these lives is the worst. His lies and deceit are what help him to be characterized as evil because he portrays himself as “honest Iago” and pretends to be everyones friend.
It's safe to characterize Iago as one of literature's most evil villains ever because of his extremely manipulative ways and how he can be pictured as someone completely honest to everyone while truthfully, he's using them as pawns in his game to receive a promotion he believes rightfully belongs to him. The kinds of evil that Iago possesses are jealousy, anger, and a kind of superiority complex. He believes that he deserved Cassio's promotion that he received from Othello and Iago seeks revenge on the both of them. He takes away what means most to them (for Cassio, it's his new position while for Othello, it's his relationship with Desdemona) in order to achieve what he believes is rightfully his. In fact, he isn't aware of his own monstrosity because he focuses on what he can do in the present to obtain what he wants quicker but doesn't pay attention to the lasting impacts it could have on the future. He is so completely self-absorbed in his own benefits that he would gain from their destruction that he doesn't expect the extent of what's to come of the mess he creates and the long-term effects he's causing.
The central motivating factors for Iago are jealousy towards Othello for his position and the possible affair with his wife, self interest to acquire Cassio's position, and just his overall burning hatred for the world. There was take in the movie "Othello" with Iago playing with a chess set and I believe this is a very powerful analogy for the play. The whole play could be described as a chess game with Iago at the center, controlling all the pieces. Iago is brilliant at being able to use other people to his advantage, he is always in command and he has no limits which is why he is such an evil character. Iago's ability to manipulate others into doing what he wants makes it so that whatever destruction is caused can never be linked back to him- he never has any blood on his hands.
Iago is one of the most selfish and unforgiving characters ever to be found in literature. This is because his motivation for his evil actions is only the suspicion that Othello slept with his wife. Also, Iago felt betrayed by Othello for passing him up on a promotion, even though he admitted he only serves Othello so that he can gain in status. Through just this suspicion and his feeling of betrayal, he determines to completely destroy Othello’s life. Most villains have a reason for their actions, even considering themselves to be correct. Even then they still adhere to their own moral code. Iago on the other hand is completely trusted by everyone. Nevertheless, Iago takes advantage of all of them to further his own goals. It is because of Iago’s complete lack of concern for others as well as his ability to appear trusted while ultimately creating other’s downfall that leads to his description as the most evil villain of all.
The evil present in the story of Othello takes the form of manipulation. Iago believes that the position of lieutenant, which belongs to Cassio, rightfully belongs to him and he uses this as a motive to plot revenge against both Cassio and Othello. Othello carries his revenge out towards these characters by manipulating other characters, in both a direct way as with Roderigo, who is asked to carry out deeds for Iago with promised intimacy with Desdemona, and in an indirect way with characters who are convinced of Iago's goodness. Iago, throughout the play, appears unaware of his own monstrosity because, in his mind, he is simply correcting what he sees as a wrong carried out both againist him and society. Iago believes that he was the better choice for lieutenant and is heavily angered that Cassio was selected. Throughout the course of his revenge, Iago causes harm to other characters, but does this through his rage towards Cassio and Othello. The other characters who are harmed in Othello just happen to fall victim to Iago's plot for revenge and are not direct targets in his evil scheme. Iago is characterized as the most chilling and evil villain ever because of his complete disregard for the well being of the other characters and his ability to maintain his reputation as a trustworthy individual while plotting a revenge that will ultimately lead to the deaths of both Cassio and Othello.
Iago is easily the most treacherous villain of all times as he is so manipulative. He has fostered deep relations with everyone around him only to inevitably destroy each one of their lives from the inside. Iago uses other characters to do his biddings and in this case becomes much more evil as he can entice people to do his deeds for him while harming those same people. The force of his revenge runs so deep that it cuts into everyone he comes anywhere close to. The fact that all of his actions are so self centered and there's absolutely no concern for anyone else's feelings makes for the most treacherous villain there ever was.
Originally, I believed the motivating factor for Iago’s evil actions was the fact that he wasn’t promoted and on his belief that Othello might have slept with his wife, but as the story continues these two reasons don’t seem to be the main driving force behind his manipulation. I actually feel his reason to cause this chaos is simply because he wants to see others suffer. As Alfred from the Dark Knight put it: “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” This disregard for others is what makes Iago the most chilling and evil villain ever. You can’t negotiate with him, can’t buy him off, or even reason with him because all he cares about is to see your downfall. I believe in his mind he does not believe he is evil; he is able to justify his deplorable actions.
The best part and by far the most interesting talking point within the story is what truly drives Iago to act with such duplicity, betrayal, and jealousy? Is it really the fact that he was passed over for a promotion in favor of Cassio? Is it the fact that he thinks Othello has slept with his wife? Both are presented as evidence by Iago in his conversations towards the audience but both never provide adequate reasoning for his actions. The fact that there is no motivation for the deplorable actions that Iago commits make Iago one of the most evil villains in history. He is possibly the most chilling victim due to the fact that his evil is one that could be represented by anyone. Shakespeare is suggesting through Iago that duplicity and evil can take place in even our most trusted advisers. Iago is definitely not aware of his own monstrosity, he thinks the ends justify the means.
In reading, and rereading Othello, I've come up with several theories on why Iago is driven to such depths of hate. Sure they might be aided by some independent research, but hey standing on shoulders. One, Infidelity. This is a driving point through the play, and Iago makes mention of it several times. "A wife for a wife" is used in reference to Othello, making it clear that either Othello slept with Emilia, or that Emilia is in love with Othello. Iago's insecurities also apply to Cassio, whom is mentioned several times as possibly sleeping with Emilia. This theory would also bring merit to why Iago was so steadfast on bringing down Othello in that particular manner, and eye for an imaginary eye. Another theory is that Iago is in a social struggle with those above him. In a key moment Iago states "referment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation" While this explains the Cassio angle, it also provides insight to Othello. For one, Othello promoted Cassio in lieu of Iago, a moment Iago would not soon forget. Furthermore, the very fact that Iago is serving under Othello would cause him grief, this was a very racist society. While there are an abundance of theories and speculations about Iago's motives, I believe the most horrific aspect is that we do not know. It could be any of the above, it could be none of them. As Iago is dragged off without uttering another word, so are we left with nothing but rumors and speculation.
Countless suggestions have been made in Othello's literary history for Iago's motivation in enacting his heinous schemes. Most obvious are his jealousy of not receiving the promotion, his hatred towards Othello for the previous,and even his belief that Othello has slept with Emilia. Less clear but not less valid are suggestions of Iago's homosexual love for Othello or even his hatred for women. These theories offer excellent insight into issues of societies then and now such as infidelity and racism. But is Iago really the most evil character in literary history because he gets jealous? As Macray and Markos have indicated, it is so much more daunting that we cannot identify Iago's motives. If Iago's jealous were the driving force behind his actions then you would expect him to direct all of his manipulation towards Othello and to have some sort of loyalty towards someone or something. In contrast, Iago kills his own wife and manipulates Cassio and Roderigo just as vehemently. Not only is the lack of motivation terrifying, but Iago's talent for manipulation is just as frightening. Iago understands the other characters' desires and always seems to know what advice to give or what tone to use so that he can arise suspicion and anger in the characters. The scariest part about Othello though is his apparent enjoyment in the pain he is causing every character in the play. Reinforced strongly by the movie version seen in class where Iago reveals his plans looking directly to the camera and even winks at it, I would argue that Iago is very aware of his own monstrosity and this may be the only logical reason for why Iago does anything that he does. If not for some sick,deep desire within Iago to cause others pain, perhaps he simply enjoys causing trouble too much to stop.
When reading Othello, I couldn't help but compare the story's main antagonist, Iago, to Satan in Paradise Lost. The main difference between the two characters was, surprisingly, that Iago was noticeably more evil. While Satan had a reason to attack God, he had been replaced, Iago has no obvious motives. With that in mind I think it is safe to say that Iago is literally worse that the Devil. The reason Iago is so compelling to read about is we want to know what Othello could have done to deserve his rage. Did he sleep with Emilia, or insult him? In reality, I believe that Iago just enjoys causing pain in others. He also enjoys a having control over them, so when the story ends and he loses control, he chooses not to speak. All though Othello lost, Iago did also.
In my opinion I think that jealousy is the driving factor of evil that enters into the story through Iago. Iago is jealous of Cassio for taking what, he thought should have been his position. He is jealous of Othello because he thinks that his wife slept with him. Iago also has a talent of using people's self doubts and making them jealous and acting upon that jealousy which is never a good thing to cloud your vision. He is a truly evil character because he can be directly related back to the devil. A characteristic that both Iago and the devil share are that they both stay back and treat people in their lives like puppets and they control an entire event with just a sentence. It's this character that makes Iago truly devilish and a deviant mastermind.
The nature of the evil in Othello is in the form of jealousy. Jealousy is a force that compels many of the major characters, whether they are innately good or evil, towards destructive actions. In earlier English literature the villains of stories caused more immediate and physical damage. However, the damage that is wrought by Iago on the company of Othello is far more subtle at first and occurs through the power of suggestion. Iago himself is motivated by a jealousy of Othello that he cannot control, as is explained by Iago's reasoning for his actions "I am not what I am", which suggests that the green-eyed monster is also pushing Iago towards actions he would not otherwise so easily commit, and Iago is even aware of this. Iago can be considered the most chilling villain of all time because of the nature of his evil. Iago plants thoughts into the minds of the men around him, compelling them to destructive actions while hardly moving at all. His actions are quick, cold and calculated, and very hard to trace. However, Iago's true evil is the fact that he does not merely want to kill Othello, but instead he actually wants to see him completely destroyed before it happens, which he succeeds in doing but at the cost of his own life.
The nature of the evil in Othello is the vanity of each character. Many of the characters are driven by the desire of material objects, such as money or an occupation, while other characters are driven by jealousy, especially of the flesh, and the prominent fear and embarrassment of being cuckold. While Iago is the main villain, each character's own flaws leads to their downfalls, whether it is Othello's wrath, Roderigo's jealousy or Cassio's ambition. What makes Iago such a chilling character is that he isn't the aggressor most of the time. He is like a devil whispering in people's ears, giving a driving force behind them. Iago is the perfect villain because he brings out the absolute worst in the rest of the characters, especially the protagonist, Othello.
The evil that pervades the story of Othello is that of immense anger, hatred, and jealousy. Jealousy not only drives Othello to his hatred and eventual murder of Desdemona, it also serves as the central motivating factor for Iago. It is indeed Iago’s jealousy of the positions that Othello and Michael Cassio (two men whom Iago views as inferior to himself) hold that drives Iago’s desire to destroy them both. Thus, Iago is unaware of his own monstrosity because, in his own misguided viewpoint, he is simply righting society’s injustices. It is for this reason that Iago is often called “the most chilling and evil villain ever,” because like all great villains in literature, his steadfast desire to be a protector of justice actually drives his inexplicable villainy.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen The Dark Knight lately, I cannot help but to draw parallels between Iago and the jewel thief that Alfred and his friends tried to capture in Burma. This thief used to rob precious jewels and then burn them. A puzzled Bruce Wayne asks Alfred why the thief would go through the trouble of robbing the jewels if he wasn't going to use them for any real purpose to which Alfred responded that some men simply want to watch the world burn. Iago is one such man, which is why he might be described as the most chilling villain ever. From the start, he has no motivating factor to construct and carry out the elaborate scheme to bring about Othello's fall except for the fact that Othello gave "his" promotion to Cassio and suspicion that Emilia and Othello slept together. In order to right the "wrong" Othello, Iago knocks down pretty much everyone close to Othello and has no limitations, so much so that he kills his own wife as well in order to prevent the truth about his monstrosity, something that he is well aware of, from coming out. He has often referred to himself as Janus, the two-faced Roman god, and there are several references to hell and devil in Othello to indicate that he is aware of his own villainy. The nature of evil that pervades Othello in the evil of deception and hatred for man. Iago is the most unsuspecting person to the other characters because of the persona he has created of an "honest Iago" which is what makes the revelation to the other characters of his plotting all the more devastating. Ultimately, it is no surprise to me that Iago has been deemed the most chilling and most evil of villains since he represents the threat of someone who doesn't care about anyone else. He represents a man that wants to see the world burn, and those are the most dangerous and evil of men anywhere to be found.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of evil that is seen in Othello is one that is unique from many other great works of literature. Villains generally have two motives driving their actions: either they benefit themselves, or desecrate another. Along with the two motives, the pattern for most literary villainous actions is the antagonist is the one inflicting the harm on others. For example, the driving factor behind The White Witch in the novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is to hold her power as queen of Narnia by forcing the land to be "always winter and never Christmas." She enforces this with her own powers and greed, unlike Iago. Iago's evil is embedded in his own personal quest for self gain as well as his hatred and desire to ruin the lives of those who have done him wrong. I think Iago is considered the most chilling and devious villain ever because of his comprehension of his own destruction as well as his desire to force everyone around him to hate one another, and allowing himself to look like the innocent, honest friend in the process.
ReplyDeleteEvilness usually stems from insecurities within. For example, in many stories, the villain usually had a childish wish for revenge on those who were much more fortunate than themselves. Perhaps these villains lack the attention they require, or maybe the love of a parent. However, in Othello, Iago is motivated for self interest. As we learn no true reason for Iago's hostility, readers can assume that Iago is purely interested in making himself feel better through others demise. Iago is considered evil because he manipulates the characters into thinking what he wants him to think. My research project is based off the question, ‘why do characters trust Iago’, and I have concluded that because of Iago's persuasive gestures, and saying the exact right thing at the right time, he gains the confidence of every other character. Iago is the character that plays to everyone's emotions, controlling them as a puppet-master would control his puppets.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of evil that pervades the story of Othello is the completely deceptive nature of manipulation. Perhaps the reason that Iago is so successful as a villain is that he manipulates each character into believing that their thoughts and accusations are their own, therefor seemingly making them horrible horrible people as well. Until the end, Iago controls every character and every situation without anyone else's knowledge. You almost have to admire his work. This is what makes Iago such a chilling villain; you find yourself liking him even though you know what he is causing. We can see a villain as having multiple motives. Usually, they either do their evil deeds for personal gain, they just enjoy chaos, or they actually think they are righting some wrong(s). In Iago's case, he utilizes both the first and the latter. The first is a small part because, although Iago wants a promotion, it is his suspicions that concern him more. This is where the third comes in. By manipulating all of the characters, Iago does not see himself as villainous because he is simply punishing those who have done wrong (in his mind). Is is also this psychopathic thought process that makes Iago such an interesting and evil villain.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of Iago's evil is that he uses trust and friendship to manipulate people. The movie's depiction of Iago moving chess pieces around is very telling. He may not seem like the typical villain at first, but when you look at his motives you can see he is driven by jealousy, a typical trait in a villain. He is jealous that Cassio gets the promotion and he has unproven suspicions that Cassio and Othello have slept with his wife. His actions are what he calls revenge which makes him unaware of his own monstrosity. He believes he is simply giving out deserved revenge for what Cassio and Othello did. But, he shows very little regret when he realizes Desdemona is suffering and she has done nothing to him. Yet, his anger and jealousy toward Cassio and Othello drive him to meticulously and ingeniously manipulate people to do exactly what he wants. What makes Iago so evil is that everything falls in to place the way he wants it to. He is the unstoppable chess player that nobody seems to notice and he does not care who he brings down in his quest to take down the king and his knight.
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ReplyDeleteIn Othello, the evil that manifests itself is due to the extremely manipulative ways of Iago. Iago seeks to destroy the lives of Cassio and Othello because he is jealous that they hold positions as high ranking members of the military. His jealousy and anger toward not being promoted to a higher position in the military causes Iago to pathologically manipulate the emotions and thought processes of Othello in order to get what he wants. His ability to change Othello allows him to succeed in his first goal of removing Cassio from his position in the military. His second goal was to break Othello’s relationship with Desdemona up, but this ends in the murder of Desdemona, which is far more than he Iago ever intended. Iago was certainly aware of his monstrosity when he was seeking for Cassio’s position and during the beginning of his effort to break up Desdemona and Othello. However, after this point he begins to destroy the lives of Othello, Cassio, and Desdemona far more than he ever intended to. This makes him the most chillingly evil villain ever because he is so concerned with his well-being that it causes him to subconsciously dismantle the lives of others around him, a characteristic of the most evil of villains.
ReplyDeleteThe evil that Iago possesses stems from his ability to draw people in so that they trust him, and then he is able to deceive them, or go behind their backs in such a way that they don’t even realize that he is deceiving them. I believe that Iago is aware of and proud of his ability to trick and manipulate people, but I don’t think he truly realizes the severity of his actions. It seems that jealously and self-interest are the two motivating factors for Iago. For example, he is jealous that Cassio gets promoted and lets this drive him to manipulate people. It seems that he is constantly trying to drag others down in order to bring himself higher up. The more the he is able to tarnish the reputations of others and turn the characters against each other, the better and more trustworthy he looks. He builds up this trust with the characters while altering their views of others until he seems to be the only reliable person. Soon everyone is relying on him, and he has complete power over every situation that presents itself.
ReplyDeleteOthello begins with a not so extreme Iago talking to his bud Roderigo about his anger because he didn’t get the promotion he was hoping for. So immediately one can see that his actions were driven by his jealousy. His jealousy stemmed not only from Cassio, but also from Othello’s constant loving nature. By the middle of the play he is jealous of almost every character in the play. It motivates him to strike people he may not have because they are connected to his original jealousy. In my opinion, Iago is very aware of what he is doing, but does not realize the wrong in it. I believed this while reading the book, but then the movie had a very interesting display of this, which swayed me even more. Iago would look directly at the camera and reflect on what just happened and tell the audience his next move. He knew exactly what he was doing, but maybe he did not understand why it was truly that evil, because all he was trying to do was get his revenge. Iago is characterized as purely evil because his actions are. What he does out of revenge for one person ruins the lives of seven. The way he goes about ruining these lives is the worst. His lies and deceit are what help him to be characterized as evil because he portrays himself as “honest Iago” and pretends to be everyones friend.
ReplyDeleteIt's safe to characterize Iago as one of literature's most evil villains ever because of his extremely manipulative ways and how he can be pictured as someone completely honest to everyone while truthfully, he's using them as pawns in his game to receive a promotion he believes rightfully belongs to him. The kinds of evil that Iago possesses are jealousy, anger, and a kind of superiority complex. He believes that he deserved Cassio's promotion that he received from Othello and Iago seeks revenge on the both of them. He takes away what means most to them (for Cassio, it's his new position while for Othello, it's his relationship with Desdemona) in order to achieve what he believes is rightfully his. In fact, he isn't aware of his own monstrosity because he focuses on what he can do in the present to obtain what he wants quicker but doesn't pay attention to the lasting impacts it could have on the future. He is so completely self-absorbed in his own benefits that he would gain from their destruction that he doesn't expect the extent of what's to come of the mess he creates and the long-term effects he's causing.
ReplyDeleteThe central motivating factors for Iago are jealousy towards Othello for his position and the possible affair with his wife, self interest to acquire Cassio's position, and just his overall burning hatred for the world. There was take in the movie "Othello" with Iago playing with a chess set and I believe this is a very powerful analogy for the play. The whole play could be described as a chess game with Iago at the center, controlling all the pieces. Iago is brilliant at being able to use other people to his advantage, he is always in command and he has no limits which is why he is such an evil character. Iago's ability to manipulate others into doing what he wants makes it so that whatever destruction is caused can never be linked back to him- he never has any blood on his hands.
ReplyDeleteIago is one of the most selfish and unforgiving characters ever to be found in literature. This is because his motivation for his evil actions is only the suspicion that Othello slept with his wife. Also, Iago felt betrayed by Othello for passing him up on a promotion, even though he admitted he only serves Othello so that he can gain in status. Through just this suspicion and his feeling of betrayal, he determines to completely destroy Othello’s life. Most villains have a reason for their actions, even considering themselves to be correct. Even then they still adhere to their own moral code. Iago on the other hand is completely trusted by everyone. Nevertheless, Iago takes advantage of all of them to further his own goals. It is because of Iago’s complete lack of concern for others as well as his ability to appear trusted while ultimately creating other’s downfall that leads to his description as the most evil villain of all.
ReplyDeleteThe evil present in the story of Othello takes the form of manipulation. Iago believes that the position of lieutenant, which belongs to Cassio, rightfully belongs to him and he uses this as a motive to plot revenge against both Cassio and Othello. Othello carries his revenge out towards these characters by manipulating other characters, in both a direct way as with Roderigo, who is asked to carry out deeds for Iago with promised intimacy with Desdemona, and in an indirect way with characters who are convinced of Iago's goodness. Iago, throughout the play, appears unaware of his own monstrosity because, in his mind, he is simply correcting what he sees as a wrong carried out both againist him and society. Iago believes that he was the better choice for lieutenant and is heavily angered that Cassio was selected. Throughout the course of his revenge, Iago causes harm to other characters, but does this through his rage towards Cassio and Othello. The other characters who are harmed in Othello just happen to fall victim to Iago's plot for revenge and are not direct targets in his evil scheme. Iago is characterized as the most chilling and evil villain ever because of his complete disregard for the well being of the other characters and his ability to maintain his reputation as a trustworthy individual while plotting a revenge that will ultimately lead to the deaths of both Cassio and Othello.
ReplyDeleteIago is easily the most treacherous villain of all times as he is so manipulative. He has fostered deep relations with everyone around him only to inevitably destroy each one of their lives from the inside. Iago uses other characters to do his biddings and in this case becomes much more evil as he can entice people to do his deeds for him while harming those same people. The force of his revenge runs so deep that it cuts into everyone he comes anywhere close to. The fact that all of his actions are so self centered and there's absolutely no concern for anyone else's feelings makes for the most treacherous villain there ever was.
ReplyDeleteOriginally, I believed the motivating factor for Iago’s evil actions was the fact that he wasn’t promoted and on his belief that Othello might have slept with his wife, but as the story continues these two reasons don’t seem to be the main driving force behind his manipulation. I actually feel his reason to cause this chaos is simply because he wants to see others suffer. As Alfred from the Dark Knight put it: “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” This disregard for others is what makes Iago the most chilling and evil villain ever. You can’t negotiate with him, can’t buy him off, or even reason with him because all he cares about is to see your downfall. I believe in his mind he does not believe he is evil; he is able to justify his deplorable actions.
ReplyDeleteThe best part and by far the most interesting talking point within the story is what truly drives Iago to act with such duplicity, betrayal, and jealousy? Is it really the fact that he was passed over for a promotion in favor of Cassio? Is it the fact that he thinks Othello has slept with his wife? Both are presented as evidence by Iago in his conversations towards the audience but both never provide adequate reasoning for his actions. The fact that there is no motivation for the deplorable actions that Iago commits make Iago one of the most evil villains in history. He is possibly the most chilling victim due to the fact that his evil is one that could be represented by anyone. Shakespeare is suggesting through Iago that duplicity and evil can take place in even our most trusted advisers. Iago is definitely not aware of his own monstrosity, he thinks the ends justify the means.
ReplyDeleteIn reading, and rereading Othello, I've come up with several theories on why Iago is driven to such depths of hate. Sure they might be aided by some independent research, but hey standing on shoulders. One, Infidelity. This is a driving point through the play, and Iago makes mention of it several times. "A wife for a wife" is used in reference to Othello, making it clear that either Othello slept with Emilia, or that Emilia is in love with Othello. Iago's insecurities also apply to Cassio, whom is mentioned several times as possibly sleeping with Emilia. This theory would also bring merit to why Iago was so steadfast on bringing down Othello in that particular manner, and eye for an imaginary eye. Another theory is that Iago is in a social struggle with those above him. In a key moment Iago states "referment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation" While this explains the Cassio angle, it also provides insight to Othello. For one, Othello promoted Cassio in lieu of Iago, a moment Iago would not soon forget. Furthermore, the very fact that Iago is serving under Othello would cause him grief, this was a very racist society. While there are an abundance of theories and speculations about Iago's motives, I believe the most horrific aspect is that we do not know. It could be any of the above, it could be none of them. As Iago is dragged off without uttering another word, so are we left with nothing but rumors and speculation.
ReplyDeleteCountless suggestions have been made in Othello's literary history for Iago's motivation in enacting his heinous schemes. Most obvious are his jealousy of not receiving the promotion, his hatred towards Othello for the previous,and even his belief that Othello has slept with Emilia. Less clear but not less valid are suggestions of Iago's homosexual love for Othello or even his hatred for women. These theories offer excellent insight into issues of societies then and now such as infidelity and racism. But is Iago really the most evil character in literary history because he gets jealous? As Macray and Markos have indicated, it is so much more daunting that we cannot identify Iago's motives. If Iago's jealous were the driving force behind his actions then you would expect him to direct all of his manipulation towards Othello and to have some sort of loyalty towards someone or something. In contrast, Iago kills his own wife and manipulates Cassio and Roderigo just as vehemently. Not only is the lack of motivation terrifying, but Iago's talent for manipulation is just as frightening. Iago understands the other characters' desires and always seems to know what advice to give or what tone to use so that he can arise suspicion and anger in the characters. The scariest part about Othello though is his apparent enjoyment in the pain he is causing every character in the play. Reinforced strongly by the movie version seen in class where Iago reveals his plans looking directly to the camera and even winks at it, I would argue that Iago is very aware of his own monstrosity and this may be the only logical reason for why Iago does anything that he does. If not for some sick,deep desire within Iago to cause others pain, perhaps he simply enjoys causing trouble too much to stop.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading Othello, I couldn't help but compare the story's main antagonist, Iago, to Satan in Paradise Lost. The main difference between the two characters was, surprisingly, that Iago was noticeably more evil. While Satan had a reason to attack God, he had been replaced, Iago has no obvious motives. With that in mind I think it is safe to say that Iago is literally worse that the Devil. The reason Iago is so compelling to read about is we want to know what Othello could have done to deserve his rage. Did he sleep with Emilia, or insult him? In reality, I believe that Iago just enjoys causing pain in others. He also enjoys a having control over them, so when the story ends and he loses control, he chooses not to speak. All though Othello lost, Iago did also.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I think that jealousy is the driving factor of evil that enters into the story through Iago. Iago is jealous of Cassio for taking what, he thought should have been his position. He is jealous of Othello because he thinks that his wife slept with him. Iago also has a talent of using people's self doubts and making them jealous and acting upon that jealousy which is never a good thing to cloud your vision. He is a truly evil character because he can be directly related back to the devil. A characteristic that both Iago and the devil share are that they both stay back and treat people in their lives like puppets and they control an entire event with just a sentence. It's this character that makes Iago truly devilish and a deviant mastermind.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of the evil in Othello is in the form of jealousy. Jealousy is a force that compels many of the major characters, whether they are innately good or evil, towards destructive actions. In earlier English literature the villains of stories caused more immediate and physical damage. However, the damage that is wrought by Iago on the company of Othello is far more subtle at first and occurs through the power of suggestion. Iago himself is motivated by a jealousy of Othello that he cannot control, as is explained by Iago's reasoning for his actions "I am not what I am", which suggests that the green-eyed monster is also pushing Iago towards actions he would not otherwise so easily commit, and Iago is even aware of this. Iago can be considered the most chilling villain of all time because of the nature of his evil. Iago plants thoughts into the minds of the men around him, compelling them to destructive actions while hardly moving at all. His actions are quick, cold and calculated, and very hard to trace. However, Iago's true evil is the fact that he does not merely want to kill Othello, but instead he actually wants to see him completely destroyed before it happens, which he succeeds in doing but at the cost of his own life.
ReplyDeleteThe nature of the evil in Othello is the vanity of each character. Many of the characters are driven by the desire of material objects, such as money or an occupation, while other characters are driven by jealousy, especially of the flesh, and the prominent fear and embarrassment of being cuckold. While Iago is the main villain, each character's own flaws leads to their downfalls, whether it is Othello's wrath, Roderigo's jealousy or Cassio's ambition. What makes Iago such a chilling character is that he isn't the aggressor most of the time. He is like a devil whispering in people's ears, giving a driving force behind them. Iago is the perfect villain because he brings out the absolute worst in the rest of the characters, especially the protagonist, Othello.
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