Indeed, the theme of unrelenting violence is common to Greek tragedy
and Shakespeare manages to subvert the genre in “Othello”. The play is
much more psychological. Iago is an insidious villain, as he slowly
applies an evil pressure on Othello through trickery (the stealing of the
handkerchief) and lies: “In his sleep I heard [Cassio] say “Sweet
Desdemona…””. These manipulative techniques gradually convince
Othello of his wife’s infidelity and (as Iago himself states): “[practise]
upon his peace and quiet even to madness.” The most shocking aspect of
Iago’s character is that, unlike most tragic villains, he appears to have no
clear motives for the chaos he brings about, only vague suspicions: “I do
suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat…”. His jealousy of
Cassio’s position is obvious, however the fact that Cassio loses his rank
quite early on in the play suggests that this envy cannot be the driving
force behind Iago’s fierce desire for revenge. Many critics believe that
Iago has no motives at all and is, as William Hazlitt suggests, “a
philosopher…who plots the ruin of his friends as an exercise for his
understanding…”4 . Hence, Iago is an example of Shakespeare effectively
breaking the mould where classical tragic villains are concerned.
In respect of Todd Lidh’s understanding of a tragic villain, Iago
undoubtedly follows the course this critic describes to a high extent,
making him an effective tragic villain. From the outset of the play, Iago
begins to weave a web of deceit that is necessary for his “grand program
of uncreation”1. Undoubtedly, the structure of “Othello” is an example of
the classical tragedy form, in the sense that there is an introduction
followed by a series of complications (Othello’s trust in Iago etc.) that
build up towards a climax (Desdemona’s murder), followed by an
understanding and resolution, in which Othello’s nobility returns
subsequently resulting in his suicide. Throughout this, it is clear Iago’s
scheming drives the plot. Indeed, Harold Bloom goes as far as saying that
“Othello” is, in actual fact, “Iago’s play”1.
Tragic villains “reaching a high point” and subsequently plummeting to
“their doom”, is a notion that could be seen to apply to Iago very fittingly.
Indeed, the character constantly manipulates those around him until he is
in complete control of the tragic situation. However, in the latter scenes
of “Othello”, Iago’s plans clearly don’t run as smoothly as before
(Cassio’s survival etc.) and Emilia’s betrayal makes for a short-lived
vengeance. Iago is promptly arrested and will probably be executed. Due
to this it would appear that Iago follows the course that Lidh has
identified for tragic villains because of the structure Shakespeare follows.
On the other hand, it could be argued that Iago does not “plummet to his
doom” at all, because he doesn’t die on stage like so many other typical
tragic villains in Shakespeare plays, (Edmund in “King Lear” for
example). Indeed, the audience is left with no absolute resolution. In a
performance of “Othello” by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the final
scene ended with Iago’s lingering laugh resounding into the darkness.
This had the effect of portraying Iago as unrepentant and almost
victorious in his own mind. Therefore, this suggests that he does not
necessarily hit rock bottom at the end of “Othello”, as it all depends on
individual interpretation of the play. In this sense, it could be implied that
Iago is not a typical tragic villain and perhaps this is the point that Lidh
wishes to get across. Shakespeare once again subverts the classical
tragedy form through keeping Iago alive at the end of the play; this is
quite innovative for the time as most Elizabethan audiences would not
expect to have any loose ends to contend with: “Demand of me nothing,
what you know you know.” This was not the norm and is an element
featured more frequently in modern theatre.
Taking the second quote into consideration, Iago is certainly a very
“mysterious creature.” This is partly due to his unclear motives for
revenge, as well as his uncanny ability to mask his true thoughts and
feelings. Samuel Johnson describes Iago as having a “cool malignity”5 ;
the word “cool” implying that Iago does not let his emotions overwhelm
him, he keeps them all under the surface. This suppression is a skill that
empowers Iago, since it allows him to build trusting bonds between
himself and the other characters in the play, leaving him free to abuse the
trust for his own benefit. He easily manages to lead Othello “by the
nose…as asses are”. Indeed, the character is ironically referred to as
“honest Iago” throughout the play, because he comes across as a sincere
character with frank advice. The fact that many of the characters rely on
him for help makes it all the more easy for Iago to influence other’s
actions; due to this he has frequently been compared to a puppeteer. He is
able to gain control over his “puppets” through his undoubtedly superior
intellect, which also contributes to his overall mystery and emphasises his
role as a masterful tragic villain.
His “unlimited cynicism” is very apparent through out the play because
of his insecurities regarding Emilia’s fidelity and his vow to never “wear
[his] heart upon [his] sleeve for daws to peck at.” Indeed, D.R. Godfrey
concludes that Iago displays an “all encompassing jealousy…against love
itself in all its manifestations.”6 The fact that Iago feels he cannot trust
others makes it impossible for him to experience love, which is the reason
for his jealousy and desire for revenge, which in turn originates from
Iago’s cynicism; the driving force behind his evil behaviour.
Knight’s wording is interesting, in the sense that he refers to Iago as a
“creature”. This implies that Iago is so lacking in emotion, he cannot be
considered fully human. A.C. Bradley supports this idea, as he views Iago
as “if not a psychological impossibility, not a human being.”7 Certainly,
it is difficult to grasp such a despicable personality and many consider
Iago to be a personification of the Devil himself, which would rise him
above a mere tragic villain. In the last scene of “Othello”, the Moor
realises he has been fooled into murder and cries:
“I look down towards his feet, but that’s a fable. If that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee.”
To which Iago replies: “I bleed Sir, but not killed.” This exchange
appears to support the idea that Iago is not human, but an evil spirit.
Viewing Iago in this light, his motives for causing such chaos become
more clear, in the sense that the Devil seeks destruction of all that is good
and the rise of evil. These contrasting forces are represented through Iago
and Desdemona. The latter character is frequently described by others as
“divine, the grace of heaven.”, whilst Iago is deemed “hellish” once his
plot is uncovered. In many ways, Iago could be seen as much more than a
tragic villain because of this; he is part of the representation of a “heaven
vs. hell” theme within the play.
Interestingly, there are subversions of this idea proposing that Iago is an
avenging angel rather than a devil. In order to have this view, it is
necessary to regard Desdemona as the tragic villain, in the sense that
Othello is destroyed because of his love for her. Elizabethan society was
still very prejudiced against women and many would have believed the
story of Adam and Eve, and the idea that women were the downfall of
men. Indeed, this interpretation suggests that Iago is a hero for trying to
help Othello out of loyalty and love, both of which qualities are
convincingly shown when Iago states “Witness that here Iago doth give
up the execution of his wit, hands and heart, to wrong’d Othello’s
service.” Although there are numerous viewpoints, undoubtedly Iago
possesses many inhuman traits, which further compounds the mystery
surrounding him.
The fact that Iago revels in his villainy is typical of many antagonists in
Shakespeare’s tragedies; “Richard III” also features a villain with
similar characteristics, in the sense that Richard delights in his treachery
too: “I am subtle, false and treacherous…”. This is similar to Iago’s
awareness of his own deceitful nature: ““…but yet confused, knavery’s
plain face is never seen, till used.” The theatrical use of rhyme in the
latter quote emphasises the notion that Iago possesses a “gaiety in
destruction”7, fitting in with the tragic villain stereotype. Certainly, Iago
has been judged “the most perfect evildom…”8 by Swinburne and Harold
Bloom considers him a “flawless conception”1; indeed, he is in many
ways superior to Shakespeare’s more “crude”1 Machiavels, Aaron the
Moor for example, due to his refined intellect, his opportunist qualities
and his poetic nature. He is not only an effective tragic villain, he is
Shakespeare’s “radical invention”1 because Iago defies many of the
standard elements associated with an Elizabethan antagonist. His
complex personality gives way to numerous interpretations, which
contribute to his mystery. In Iago’s own words:
“I am not what I am.”
Bibliography
-
Bloom, Harold. ‘Shakespeare- The Invention of the Human’, 1998.
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Rosenberg, Marvin. ‘In Defense of Iago’, Shakespeare Quarterly, 1955.
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Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. ‘Lectures 1808-1819 On Literature’.
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Hazlitt, William. ‘Characters in Shakespeare’s Plays’, 1817.
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Johnson, Samuel. ‘The Plays of William Shakespeare’, 1765.
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Godfrey, D.R. ‘Shakespeare and the Green-eyed Monster’, 1972.
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Bradley, A.C. ‘Shakespearean Tragedy’, 1904.
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Swinburne, Algernon. ‘A Study of Shakespeare’, 1867.
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