FREE ESSAY ON SHAKESPEARE'S OTHELLO

SHAKESPEARE'S OTHELLO

I am not what I am. What is Iago?, as distinct from what he pretends to be, and what are
his motives? In Shakespeare's, Othello, the reader is presented the classic battle
between the deceitful forces of evil and the innocence of good. It is these forces of
evil that ultimately lead to the breakdown of Othello, a noble Venetian moor, well-known
by the people of Venice as a honorable soldier and a worthy leader. Othello's breakdown
results in the murder of his wife Desdemona. Desdemona is a representative of the good in
nature. Good can be defined as forgiving, honest, innocent and unsuspecting. The evil
contained within Othello is by no means magical or mythical yet is represented by the
character Iago. Iago is cunning, untrustworthy, selfish, and plotting. He uses these
traits to his advantage by slowly planning his own triumph while watching the demise of
others. It is this that is Iago's motivation: The ultimate defeat of good by the wrath of
evil. Not only is it in his own nature of evil that he succeeds but also in the
weaknesses of the other characters.
Iago uses the weaknesses of Othello, specifically jealousy and his devotion to things as
they seem, to conquer his opposite in Desdemona. From the start of the play, Iago's
scheming ability is shown when he convinces Roderigo to tell about Othello and
Desdemonda's elopement to Desdemona's father, Brabantio. Confidentially Iago continues
his plot successfully, making fools of others while being rewarded. Besides Roderigo, no
one is aware of Iago's strategy. This is because Iago pretends to be an honest man loyal
to his superiors. The fact that Othello himself views Iago as trustworthy and honest
gives the evil within Iago a perfect unsuspecting victim for his schemes. The opportunity
to get to Desdemona through Othello is one temptation that Iago cannot refuse. He creates
the impression that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio in order to stir the
jealousy within Othello. It is this jealousy and the ignorance of Othello that lead to
the downfall of Desdemona; the one truly good-natured character in the play. As the play
opens the hostility of Iago against Othello is immediately introduced. Iago has been
appointed the position of servant to Othello instead of the more prestigous position of
lieutenant. Michael Cassio has been appointed this position. Iago feels betrayed because
he considers him self more qualified than Cassio to serve as lieutenant. Iago then
foreshadows his plans for Othello to Roderigo, O, sir, content you. / I follow him to
serve my turn upon him (Act I, Scene I). Iago already realizes that Othello thinks about
him as an honest man. Iago uses Roderigo as an apprentice and someone to do his dirty
work. Roderigo is naively unsuspecting.
As the play shifts from Venice to Cyprus there is an interesting contrast. Venice, a
respectful and honorable town is overshadowed by the war torn villages of Cyprus. It
could be said that Venice represents good or specifically Desdemona and that Cyprus
represents evil in Iago. Desdemona has been taken from her peacefulness and brought onto
the grounds of evil. Iago commits his largest acts of deceit in Cyprus, fittingly
considering the atmosphere. Ironically, the Venetians feel the Turks are their only enemy
while in fact Iago is in hindsight the one man who destroys their stable state.
Act II Scene III shows Iago's willing ability to manipulate characters in the play. Iago
convinces Montano to inform Othello of Cassio's weakness for alchohol hoping this would
rouse dissatisfaction by Othello. Iago, when forced to tell the truth against another
character, does so very suspiciously. He pretends not to offend Cassio when telling
Othello of the fight Cassio was involved in, but Iago secretly wants the worst to become
of Cassio's situation without seeming responsible. Cassio is relieved of his duty as
lieutenant. With Cassio no longer in the position of lieutenant, this gives Iago the
opportunity to more effectively interact with and manipulate Othello. By controlling
Othello, Iago would essentially control Desdemona. To reach Desdemona directly is
unforeseeable for Iago considering that Othello is superior to him. It is for this reason
that Iago decides to exploit Othello. If Iago can turn Othello against his own wife he
will have defeated his opposition.
Act III Scene III, is very important because it is the point in the play where Iago
begins to establish his manipulation of Othello. Cassio feels that it is necessary to
seek the help of Desdemona in order to regain his position of lieutenant and therefore
meets with her to discuss this possibility. Iago and Othello enter the scene just after
Cassio leaves, and Iago cleverly attempts to make it look like Cassio left because he
does not want to be seen in the courtship of Desdemona. Iago sarcastically remarks:
"Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing your coming". (Act III, Scene III) When Desdemona leaves, Iago takes the
opportunity to strengthen Othello's views of honesty and trust towards him by saying
ironically, Men should be what they seem; / Or those that be not, would they might seem
none!  (Act III, Scene III). This cleverness by Iago works upon one of the tragic flaws
of Othello. Othello has a tendency to take everything he sees and everything he is told
at face value without questioning the circumstances. Iago wonders why someone would
pretend to be something they are not, while in fact that is the exact thing he
represents. 
Eventually, after hearing the exploits of Iago and witnessing the events surrounding
Cassio, Othello for the first time is in conflict about what is the truth. This is the
first stage of Iago's scheme to control Othello. As Emilia becomes suspicious about
Othello's development of jealousy, Desdemona defends her husband by blaming herself for
any harm done. This once again shows Desdemona's compassion and willingness to sacrifice
herself for her husband. Othello begins to show his difficulty in maintaining his
composure: "Well, my good lady. O, hardness to dissemble -- How do you, Desdemona?" (Act
III, Scene IV).
Act IV, Scene I is a continuation of the anxiety and indifference Othello is under going.
Iago takes advantage of this by being blunt with Othello about his wife Desdemona. Iago
suggests that she is having sexual relations with other men, possibly Cassio, and
continues on as if nothing has happened. This suggestion puts Othello into a state of
such emotional turmoil that he is lost in a trance. Iago's control over Othello is so
strong now that he convinces him to consider getting rid of Desdemona and even suggests
methods of killing her. Iago is so proud of his accomplishments of underhandedness:" Work
on. My med'cine works! Thus credulous fools are caught, And many worthy and chaste dames
even thus, All guiltless, meet reproach". (Act IV, Scene I) Othello in this state commits
his first act of violence against Desdemona by hitting her. This as a result of
Desdemona's mention of Cassio. This shows now Othello's other tragic flaw. He made
himself susceptible to Iago and the jealousy within him begins to lead to the demise of
others. By his actions Othello has isolated himself from everyone except Iago. This gives
Iago the perfect opportunity to complete his course of action. Iago does not tolerate any
interference in his plans, and he first murders Roderigo before he can dispel the evil
that Iago represents. 
Finally, Othello, so full of the lies told to him by Iago murders his wife. Desdemona,
representative of goodness and heaven as a whole blames her death on herself and not
Othello. Iago's wife, Emilia, becomes the ultimate undoing of Iago. After revealing
Iago's plot to Othello, Iago kills her. This is yet another vicious act to show the true
evil Iago represents. Othello finally realizes after being fooled into murder: "I look
down towards his feet -- but that's a fable If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill
thee". (Act V, Scene II) Iago says I bleed, sir, but not killed, this is the final
statement by Iago himself that truly shows his belief in evil and that he truly thinks he
is the devil. That is the destruction of all that is good. Hell over heaven and black
over white. 
Iago, as a representation of evil, has one major motivational factor that leads him to
lie, cheat, and commit crimes on other characters. This motivation is the destruction of
all that is good and the rise of evil. This contrast is represented between Iago and
Desdemona. Desdemona is described frequently by other characters as she is divine, the
grace of heaven (Act II, Scene I), while Iago in contrast is described as hellish after
his plot is uncovered. Iago uses the other characters in the play to work specifically
towards his goal. In this way, he can maintain his supposed unknowingness about the
events going on and still work his scheming ways. Iago's schemes however at times seem to
work unrealistically well which may or may not be a case of witchcraft or magic. Iago's
major mistake, ironically, is that he trusted his wife Emilia and found that she was not
as trustworthy as he thought. Although not completely victorious at the conclusion of the
play, Iago does successfully eliminate the one character representative of heaven,
innocence, and honesty. Yet remains the censure of this hellish villain (Act V, Scene
II). Finally, everything Iago pretends to be led to his demise: Honesty, Innocence, and
Love. 
Good Vs. Evil
In Shakespeare's Othello
Tiffany Galvao
Honors English III
Period 6
4/30/01