At the beginning of the play Othello trusts himself a lot. For example, ‘my services which I have done my signiory shall out-tongue his complaints’. Here Othello is saying that Iago can do as much as he can but the hard work I have done shall definitely reward me.
Iago is also a very important character in the play. Othello's ensign, and passed over for the lieutenant position in favour of Cassio. Iago is young and treacherous; he is a villain from the start, and though he cites his hurt pride over the lost promotion and Othello's alleged infidelity with Iago's wife Emilia as being reasons for his actions, he is without reasons. He is immoral, but very perceptive, keen, and able to manipulate people into falling for the traps he sets without them being aware. Iago is very clever, he manipulates Othello very easily. Othello is very stupid to fall in his trap.
Discussions of Iago's reasons for his hatred of Othello often begin with the fact that in choosing a lieutenant, Othello passed over Iago in favour of Cassio, but Iago may have hated Othello even before that. Roderigo opens the play by exclaiming to Iago, "Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly / Thine thou, Iago, who hast had my purse / As if the strings were thane, shouldst know of this". The "this" is the elopement of Othello and Desdemona. Roderigo has been giving Iago money to help him into Desdemona's favour, and he assumes that Iago knew about the elopement. Iago didn't know, which must have been embarrassing.
Iago tells Roderigo that the elopement was a surprise, and Roderigo replies, "Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate" . Then Iago tells Roderigo about being passed over for promotion. So Iago must have told Roderigo of his hatred for Othello before this, and maybe before he was passed over for promotion. If it was earlier that Iago told Roderigo that he hated Othello, that could have been part of Iago's scam, but it also could have been the truth.
Othello's grief and his deep love for Desdemona led to a series of actions and dialogue located at the climax of the story. The chosen passage came near the end of this work--just after Othello smothered Desdemona with her pillow. Shakespeare, simply and probably tritely put, was a genius. His artful mastery of meter, diction, imagery, and tone is matchless and captivates interest and thought like no other.
Othello has his emotions swing. For example, Othello hits Desdemona and calls her ‘’whore’’ and ‘’devil’’. This is when he is angry and becomes confident that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio, when she is not. After wards Othello sees that he has been tricked by Iago and stabs him- but does not kill him, ‘’I bleed sir, but not killed.’’ Othello begs Cassio’s pardon, stabs himself and lies down beside Desdemona to die. This shows us that Othello was clearly unsure of what he was doing. Although, he’s still responsible for Desdemona’s death. He regrets what he has done, although he does not say it.
Othello is a very ambiguous character in this play. Othello's character during the play is first shown as a hero
of war and a man of great pride and courage. The other main characters in the play all form their own opinions of him and as the play continues, his character begins to deteriorate and become less noble. Chronologically through the play Othello's character changes from a flawless military leader, to become a murderer. Also as the play progresses, the other characters in the play change their opinions of Othello, which causes the plot to happen the way it did.
Throughout the first act of the play, Othello was shown as many different characters depending on who was speaking. Iago complains of Othello's pride and "bombast circumstance" and is angered by the appointment of Cassio, and educated military theoretician of Florence to lieutenant, instead of himself. Although he knows Othello is a proud man, his open and trusting nature in the beginning of the play will be eroded by the conclusion of the plot. As Iago is speaking to Brabantio about Othello, he uses the term "white ewe" to represent Desdemona, and "black ram" when referring to Othello. By using these terms, it shows that he is trying to give a bad impression of Othello when he is speaking to the royal family in Venice, because
Othello is a Moor or a Negro. Iago shows his black hatred for the
Moor, and his jealousy of Cassio in his first soliloquy and also reveals his evil intentions. As the act continues and Othello is being searched for by a group of people, Iago attempts to incite
Othello into anger against Brabantio, but Othello does not take the bait. He feels that he (Brabantio) may do his worst because Othello is assured that his military services to the government will outweigh Brabantio's complaints of him marrying Desdemona. These answers to Iago's persistence show that he is still a character of calmness and dignity, and he still has the self-assurance suitable to command armies of men. When Othello is found by Cassio, he seems to be relieved because he does not like personal conflict, which would have occurred if Brabantio had found him instead. After he is found, Othello is taken to Brabantio where he is interrogated on how he possessed Desdemona enough in order to make her run off with him. Brabantio damns Othello and calls him an enchanter, saying that the "tender, fair, and happy" Desdemona was too shy of marriage, which is why she shunned all of the suitors sent to her. This entire scene helps to establish Othello as an alert and composed leader. Later in this act,
Othello offers to explain how he won Desdemona. He chooses not to contradict or deny that he has used "magic" but when the true meaning of the "magic" comes to light it is shown that he used the magic of love and not a conjured magic. Iago also suspects Othello of having some kind of relationship with his own wife, although he doesn't know or even seem to care whether or not his suspicions have any foundation at all. Again, according to Iago, Othello is an "ass" because he has a "free and open nature." This act works as an introduction to the
Othello character and shows how other characters react to his presence in different ways.
Given these statements, Othello, Iago and Roderigo are the people who are responsible for Desdemona’s death. Iago for planning the whole thing. He uses any chance, he gets to arouse Othello's anger and jealousy to make Desdemona and Cassio seem guilty. Planting the handkerchief...which is the symbol of faithfulness.
Othello for being too trusting, and trusting the wrong people, for example, Iago. He listens to Iago and eventually even adopts his nature and language.
Roderigo for being gullible and too easily duped into Iago's plans. He believes that he will have a chance with Desdemona. For example, "put money in thy purse" shows how clever Iago is with his subtle techniques of persuasion.
These three Othello, Iago and Roderigo are the people who are responsible for Desdemona’s death.
