Iago – character study

Iago is the villainous genius of Othello and it is his behaviour that ultimately curbs to the fall of Othello himself, the tragic hero. Iago is duplicitous to all the characters he is a source of friendly relationship, frankness and knowledge, merely in soliloquis he reveals his real self to the sense of hearing. It becomes app bent that his machinations are fuelled by anger and a desire for revenge, and he carries them out with an doughnut of self-belief and resoluteness.What makes Iago so different from the others is that he is calculating while Othello operates and hindsight and naivety, Iago is untold more than than perceptive and uses foresight. Although on the exterior Iago projects an image of practicality, rationality and self-confidence, it emerges that his behaviour stems from agitated emotions and feelings of inferiority. Iagos thoughts and attitudes are clear from the beginning of the tactic, and they are what drive him on into transport voltaic pile Othello. He calls virtue a fig and tries to deport Roderigo that there is belittled point in being moral.His for the first time word of the tamper, in exertion I Scene I, of SBlood is an indication of the kind of man Iago is. This violent propound is fitting for the rough soldier, however it veils the cunning and cleverness which he possesses. go on proof of his cruel nature is exposed when he is in negotiation with Roderigo, saying Drown cats and blind puppies It is also during this scene that Iago reveals the dominant reason out behind his loathing of the bind off, which is that Cassio, who Iago describes as a bookish theoric has been chosen bothplace him as the new lieutenant.He is angered at the fact that Cassios many another(prenominal) paper qualifications diminish his extensive field experience, and so divulges to Roderigo that he in fact does not serve Othello, but instead serves himself. This is summed up with his distinguish I am not what I am. While it seems to t he other characters, and so to Othello himself, that Iago is devoted to The Moor, really he is engineering Othellos demise. Also, in this and other scenes of the play, a racist element to Iago, and another reason of his hatred of Othello, is evident.This is illustrated by his boisterous line to Brabantio (Desdemonas Father) of An old black ram is tupping your white ewe. The black ram gist Othello, and the white ewe referring to Desdemona. Iagos view that he is inferior seems to have been established refer fitting to the fact that Othello, who is black, holds a higher ranked position than himself. Another of Iagos thoughts is evident by his constant use of the words Fill thy purse and put funds in thy purse during his run-in to Roderigo in proceeding I Scene 3. This suggests that Iago believes a life full of m unmatchabley and material possessions is that path to happiness.He reinforces this when speaking with Othello, stressing the importance of name and reputation by stat ing, Good name in man and women, dear my lord, is the immediate jewel of their souls. He seems to have no desire for love, and treats women with disrespect, calling his own wife, albeit jokingly, a common prostitute. However, women, the audience is lead to believe, are the basis of further motivation for Iago to destroy Othello, as during single of his soliloquis he says he go forth not be satisfied, Till I am evened with him Othello wife for wifeThere are two evident sides to Iagos behaviour throughout the first three acts of the play. Publicly, Iago is a friend to all. To Othello he is the trusted ancient and to Roderigo a counsellor and friend. Many of the characters refer to him as clean Iago and when Othello arrives at the scene after Cassios drunken episode, it is Iago he trusts to tell him the fairness about what happened. All this however, is merely a faiade to the real Iago. Only alone, and partially when Roderigo is present, does he begin to act as his real self.Duri ng these times he openly mocks the Moor and Cassio, and make slanderous comments about women. It is during these rare moments of secrecy that he reveals his plans for Othello, and the motives behind them. Firstly, A classic example of a stigmatize Iago scheme takes place in the first scene. Acting upon emotion and anger, Iago devises a well thought out plan, and with trusty sidekick Roderigo, proceeds to Brabantios home. There, he drops his defences and to a degree, the real Iago comes alive. They break to Brabantio the news of his daughters secret marriage to Othello, and he is enraged, as Iago knew he would be.However, using forethought and perception that Iago seems to be the altogether character in the play to be blessed with he departs prominently early in order to go to Othello and warn him that Brabantio is after him, and so keep intact the alternate part of his character, the Honest Iago. In this, give care so many of Iagos other ploys he has initiated the action becaus e of his twisted dusky hatred of the Moor and own self-serving nature, but it is Roderigo, who Iago has exploited, who delivers. In humanitarian to Iagos exploits in Venice, he too drives the action once everyone arrives in Cyprus. non surprisingly, the success of his plan hinges upon the ability of Roderigo, whom Iago has convinced that if the Moor is eliminated, he will have another chance with Desdemona, who Roderigo is totally in love with. Roderigo however is not the only one who has allowed themselves to be manipulated by Iagos eloquence. Cassio too, falls chthonian his spell when he is convinced to have just one more drink. Iagos ability to persuade and cajole in his subtle, general, almost casual focus is one of his most important traits, which he uses to devastating effect on Othello, and leads him in to believing Desdemona is having an affair.A crucial part in every one of his plans is his own confidence. He carries out his actions with aplomb and when present he is a commanding figure, dominating the stage and speaking with powerful assurance, much like Othello in the first act, when Brabantio insults him and accuses him of witchcraft. To the audience, Iagos behaviour qualifies him as the villainous character of the play, and his immoral nature is plain to see. He takes advantage of Othellos trust, and preys on severally of the main characters weaknesses in turn, out of spite and self-interest.He claims, however he doing this for valid reasons, and through soliloquies begins to break down the barrier between himself and the audience by exposing his inner thoughts, in an attempt to provoke pathos and vindicate his actions. In addition, Iagos style of language plays an important role in establishing his character. He has a unique way of speaking, and when he does, it seems he holds the attention of everyone on stage. His speech is so important to the development of the plot in fact, that bulky parts of scenes are devoted entirely to him in soli loquis.Throughout the first three acts of the play he speaks with the utmost confidence in himself, and he has the ability to inspire similar confidence in others, or he can use his eloquence to push others, albeit gently, into a state of angst and worry. Firstly, one of the dominant features of Iagos speech is his constant use of hypocrisy. For example, at the opening of Act I Scene 2 Iago tells Othello how Roderigo spoke such scurvy and elicit terms against your honour when really, as the audience knows, it is Iago himself who so practically insults the Moor behind his back.Irony, on the other hand, is not used by Iago himself, but it is present when the others characters of the play refer to him as Honest Iago, when really, this could not be further from the truth, as Iagos whole surface demeanour of respectability and friendship is a lie. A number of Iagos speech techniques become evident in Act 1 Scene 3, as he counsels the downcast Roderigo, who has been spurned by Desdem ona. Throughout his speech, Iago uses a series of imperatives, preying on Roderigos weakness of needing to be led. He orders Roderigo, Come, be a man and Put money in thy purse. The last mentioned of these two phrases is repeated several times by Iago, as he attempts to instil in Roderigo his own idea that happiness stems from material wealth. not only is Iago able to speak intelligently and with style, he occasionally lapses into the speech of a hard soldier, being sexist and racist, and playing on Roderigos primp and virility. Unlike other characters in the play, Iago is an orator, and is able to use a nice balance of emotion and reason in his words and, which he pulls of with right-down self-confidence, often with his style driving the argument everyplace substance.His ability to persuade lies also in the fact that he is never absolutely specific, often speaking in a speculative, indirect style, or using uncertain metaphors or rhetorical questions. He demonstrates his abili ty to manipulate and toy with raft on two important occasions the first is when he convinces Roderigo to embolden him to bring about the downfall of Othello, and the second is later in the play, at Act 3 Scene 3, when he insinuates to Othello that Cassio and Desdemona are having an affair.It is Iagos language that shapes the play and drives the plot of the novel, as he is involved with every strand of it. He has a dominating presence and uses his eloquence to possess influence over every character, from the lowest citizen, to the highest-ranking official. In conclusion, over the first three acts of the play Iagos character is firmly established and his purpose and motives exposed to the audience. Whilst he keeps up a faiade of honesty and trustworthiness in public, in private he confesses to being immoral and self-serving.He is unique in that he is able to befriend all, and use a blend of emotion and rational counting to achieve his goals, and simultaneously ruin others lives and careers. He does this without remorse and is propelled seemingly by his own unwavering self-belief, however if also becomes apparent that he is forever and a day at battle with his own feelings of inferiority, which he smothers by bringing down the lives of others and making them suffer, in the same way that he feels he has had to.