Essay On Iago In Othello

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William Shakespeare’s play Othello embraces a villain that has come to constitute the true definition of the word villain. Iago is able to successfully manipulate almost every character around him without succumbing to guilt or exposing his own duplicity. As such, these characters have the potential to become very flat if they can fall under a certain label. There is little potential for substance in a character of repeated use that can fit into any plot and have the same affect. Iago could simply lie under the broad title of villain, but usually the villain of the story has some deep driving motivation, a clear past wrong or some deep seeded greed and jealousy. Exhibiting his chameleon-like nature, Iago does give some motivation for his forbearance …show more content…
Iago’s character is so varying that it is hard to pin down. At one point in speaking to Roderigo he states, “Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago. / In following him I follow but myself” (Shakespeare I.i.57-59). This exemplifies the twisted nature of his character reflected in the cunning twists of his language. He openly seems to admit to his duplicity further in this dialogue saying, "I am not what I am" and by being open about this, is purposefully more cryptic in the way he communicates it (I.i.65). The first line in particular "Were I the Moor I would not be Iago," says very little about him in all actuality while appearing to be communicating much. Iago openly declares that his persona is not true His person is a front, a farce, deeply set up and layered by adopted types in order to outwit and dominate his peers. . Iago himself describes Othello as honest and good and then further rubs lemon juice into the paper cut by continuing on the same strain of complements to say that he will “tenderly” be led “by th’nose.” He insults Othello more clearly than he complements, pointing out his foolish blindness. He is mocking of those who are good and derogatory of the innocent as naive or

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