I believe that to an audience Iago is basically Shakespeare. Iago is special as a villain as he is entirely and solely responsible for the organising and planning behind the tragic events that come in the play. His position in the play as a creator of events mirrors that of Shakespeare writing the play, whereby he leads the other characters to their tragic doom. For example When Roderigo follows through with the plan Iago has set on him, Cassio is made to look like an irresponsible fool, resulting in his termination as lieutenant. After this incident, Iago sets another of his plans in motion by telling Cassio to beg Desdemona to help his cause, saying,
"She holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested."
Cassio is set on a dark path which leads to trouble and mischief. Yet, Cassio follows it blindly telling Iago,
"You advise me well."
Therefore through Cassio and Rodrigo’s absolute blind faith in Iago, along with Iago’s genius manipulation of the human mind they allow him to create these stories and lead these two men to their tragic end.
Iago is no ordinary villain. The role he plays is rather unique and complex, far from what one might expect. Iago is smart. He is an expert judge of people and their characters and uses this to his advantage. How could anyone truly recognise his hidden agenda? Hidden villainy is much more dangerous than open one. Something as small an insignificant, like the use of a handkerchief to drive a noble, good man completely insane and driven and by jealous would seem ridiculous to most people; however it is Iago’s constant planning and thinking ahead that makes him such a brilliant and successful Machiavellian manipulator.
Along with this is the extreme trust and reputation he holds with others. His wife remains questionless about his plans, Othello reacts and is reeled in by Iago’s words and stories. No one doubts him, which gives him complete and utter power. Therefore this makes him, in my opinion, Shakespeare’s strongest character and therefore the centre of the tragedy Othello.
Being as smart as he is, Iago is quick to recognize the advantages of trust and uses it as a tool to forward his purposes. Throughout the story he is commonly known as, and commonly called, "Honest Iago." He even says it of himself,
"I am an honest man...."
Trust is a very powerful emotion that is easily abused. Iago is a master of abuse in this case turning people's trust in him into tools to forward his own goals. He even admits that it has worked when he has reeled in the characters;
"Thus credulous fools are caught...."
Iago slowly poisons people's thoughts, creating ideas in their heads without implicating himself. And therefore the characters in the play rarely stop to consider the possibility that Iago could be deceiving them or manipulating them, after all to them he is "Honest Iago." This simply exemplifies Iago’s genius and knowledge of human behaviour and emotion. This profound knowledge puts him in the absolute centre of the play using the people in his web of tragedy.
In tragedy the audience is often given knowledge that is denied to the characters. Because the audience is not subjected to clouded judgement by participation in the action, it has the freedom to understand why catastrophe must occur and must watch helplessly while the characters use their freedom and proceed in ignorance. However, generally in Elizabethan theatre the use of direct address to the audience was used by the hero of the story in pantomime and comedy. For Othello Shakespeare made radical alterations to the technique. He flipped it, by making the villain rather than the hero, in charge of the information passed to the audience. Iago can then relentlessly victimise the audience through tension. Iago is the only character who knows that there is an audience. He plays before the audience no less successful; his monologues are even more important because they open us his features, ideas and plans, which are hidden for others.
"And what's he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free I give and honest"
Here he is right. His advices are philosophically valuable, and useful, but the result of them is different, because Iago has hidden agenda for each of them he is using villainy just for villainy. During the play it is clear that Iago enjoys his success, he has no remorse at all. I believe that for him the process is much more important than the result. Iago’s link with the audience focuses the audience’s full attention onto him, making him the centre of the stage, and the tragedy at hand.
Iago is an absolutely timeless character. In modern times the type of people like Iago are common. The symbol of villainy remains the same for our generation; however it changed shape and image. Throughout history there were people like Iago, famous, important, well-know people. History usually remembers those for their evil actions and not dull good doers. Maybe that is why Shakespeare wanted a character like Iago so he could go down in history. Anyhow audiences of modern day can completely understand the pure villainy and evilness that is the character Iago.
However as for Othello, the real shock factor for an Elizabethan audience would have been the idea and themes of racism in a play. Generally in Elizabethan times there were very few black people in England, and customarily the idea of mix raced marriages and a black lieutenant were more or less unheard of and in a lot of cases shocking. However to a modern audience, typically the shock factor is lost. Othello the character and themes around him become outdated. Therefore to a modern audience Iago is still in the main focus as a standard villain character and the centre of the play.
Iago is absolutely capable of anything. Audiences are captivated by his conniving plots, twisted lies and brutal, sexual language. Iago takes us on the tragic journey to view the overpowering force of jealousy has over love. In the end of the play however he is caught up in his own tragic trap. Although throughout the play we are absolutely sickened by his pure evilness, we have to admire him for what he is; extremely clever.
