Do you think this is how Shakespeare wanted to portray or present the character?Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote that Iago's soliloquies are the "motive-hunting of motiveless malignity".

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Eenass Shaker                                                                 English Literature Coursework

Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote that Iago’s soliloquies are the “motive-hunting of motiveless malignity”. Do you think this is how Shakespeare wanted to portray or present the character?

‘The Arden Shakespeare’, argues that Othello is the ‘third of greatest tragedies, contains arguably the best plot and two of Shakespeare’s most original characters’. Originating from a tale written by Cinthio, Othello is seen as one of the Bard’s most passionate and intricate tragedies. The play, originally identified as The Tragedy of Othello-the Moor of Venice, can be easily differentiated from Shakespeare’s other plays as Othello explores a sense of cruelty that lacks comic relief. Moreover, Iago’s character greatly emphasises on an intense theme of unity of action that is revealed as there are no subplots throughout. A structuralist approach is discovered as the signifier and signified are inversed frequently during the play. Critics have said ‘Othello subverts traditional theatrical symbolism, through the presentation of characters Othello and Iago’. The drama of the play is usually driven by Iago’s machination to destroy his general. Iago possesses more lines than Othello does throughout the play and moreover uses the speech of soliloquies to communicate with the audience forming a mutual relationship, as the villain reveals other dimensions to his character and schemes. Although Othello expresses wider emotions than Iago, it is clear that they are provoked through Iago’s sociopath-like behaviour. Shakespeare focuses the piece on the Moor who is of African origin.  Comparing Othello to other black leading characters in Shakespeare’s plays (Aaron from Titus Andronicus and The Prince of Morocco in the Merchant of Venice) the Moor is perceived by a variety of audiences and other characters as a magnanimous, authoritative and respected member of high society in Venice. Reputation and status was greatly significant to the society in Shakespeare’s era. We are able to distinguish this in the play as Iago’s ‘honest’ and ‘loyal’ serving repute is what he uses to corrupt those around him. Iago’s multidimensional and complex character impulses the vitality of his revenge and therefore in reflection Iago is incapable in supporting his actions with any precise consolidated reasoning or justification. Nevertheless, Iago’s soliloquies do however provide tedious detail of his hatred for Othello and therefore influence the questioning of how Shakespeare wished the character, Iago, to be perceived in evolving audiences as the bard manipulates an uncertain motive for Iago’s actions.

    Othello was a great success from its first performances. The Elizabethan/Jacobean audience were taken by surprise because it may have been “The most innovative of Shakespeare’s tragedies with regard to sexuality, gender, racial inheritance and social relationships” described by John Russell Brown. Shakespeare wanted the audience to feel a range of emotions towards the depth of different characters and events that had taken place that perhaps assessed society and stereotypes on a whole. One of these issues is the white and black physiognomy of Othello and Iago, where black signifies evil and white signifies purity, which was greatly questioned by audiences of 16th century England. The Bard purposely identifies Othello as the heroic and kind Moor who holds a higher position than Iago, in contrast, who is perceived as wicked and sinful. A Shakespearean audience may have found the status of the white and black man in Othello unacceptable, in addition to how the characters are signified in the play considering stereotypical views about race at that time. Imtiaz Habib’s research has lead to ‘new understanding of the role of cultural politics in Shakespeare’s time’. The critic identified that societies did have black residents and communities in England within Shakespeare’s era (documented proof has been found) which proves that Black people were living amongst white and what’s more is that the critic states that ‘Shakespeare had a very personal, intense sexual experience with a black woman living in London’.  

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A soliloquy is the act of oneself that represents unspoken reflection by a character in drama and is often used by Shakespeare to express personal thoughts and emotions of characters. Iago’s soliloquies expose the depth of his character, as we see when he confesses “I am not what I am” (1.i.63), leading the audience to attempt to understand Iago’s probable motives or the lack of them. Through the power of soliloquy Iago tediously convinces the audience of his cavernous motives for his ‘revenge’. Iago consistently seeks reasoning for his actions to perhaps convince himself why he urges to corrupt ...

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