This gets the audience to go along with Iago because it’s human nature to like seeing bad things happening to somebody else. The plotting also has shock value and anticipation because anything could happen and Iago changes his tone when speaking to different people. The audience is interested in the plot because they see Othello as respectful and honest and they don’t want anything bad to happen to him.
In Act 2 Scene 1, Othello says, “not another comfort like to this succeeds in unknown fate”; he believes that he will never be this happy again. This is ironic because soon after Iago says, “I’ll set down the pegs that make this music”; he is going to destroy Othello’s happiness and manipulate him. Iago says this in an aside so that the audience knows the whole plot and the characters don’t. Iago has observed what makes Othello happy and straightaway plots to his downfall. Scene 1 ends with Iago’s soliloquy in which he reveals another motive for his evil plotting, perhaps to justify his behaviour to the audience and try to keep them on his side.
In Act 2 Scene 3, Iago relates to the audience by talking about English people in a favourable way, “O sweet England”, he reacts how people, including the audience, want him to. Shakespeare has done this so that the audience are involved and are provided with some comic relief from the seriousness and intrigue of the play. Also, so that the audience remember he is only human and are more likely to go along with him and feel that he isn’t really doing anything wrong in making Cassio drunk, just having a good time. By thinking this way, the audience don’t feel so guilty for admiring Iago’s cleverness.
Shortly after, Iago manipulates Othello when he is angry and wants to know what has been going on. He uses imagery of lovers, “like bride and groom devesting them for bed”, to remind Othello of where he was and to make him resentful of the disturbance. This generalisation discreetly deceives Cassio and arouses Othello but makes himself look better. Iago then goes on to say that he would “rather this tongue cut from my mouth than it should do offence to Michael Cassio”, to make it seen as though the information will have to be dragged from his mouth, the audience know this is a lie and Iago’s calm tone makes Othello even angrier. Things are going exactly as Iago wants them to and at this point the audience can enjoy his plots coming to life and, although the results are devastating to other characters, admire the quickness of Iago’s mind as he makes things up on the spur of the moment. The fact that the audience know everything might make them think Othello is stupid to believe everything he is told but he is unaware of the web of lies surrounding the characters in the play. Therefore, the audience may be more likely to side with Iago because they think Othello is just being foolish and doesn’t deserve his high rank in society.
At the end of Act 2 Iago confides in the audience with the rest of his plan as it emerges. When he talks to Roderigo he says, “this advice is free I give and honest”, he’s defending himself and when the audience begin to side with him his plan gets worse. However, he goes too far and when death is involved it’s not funny anymore. The audience can, however, admire the way he makes the most of opportunities.
In Act 3 Scene 3 the audience watch Othello fall straight into Iago’s trap when Iago says, “I like not that”. Iago has made something from nothing and just because Cassio is too scared to face Othello, and Desdemona is kind-hearted, Othello is manipulated into believing they are having an affair. Iago makes it seem that Othello has thought of it by himself when actually Iago has planted it in his head. He does this by being subversive, “In Venice they do let God see the pranks they dare not show their husbands”, giving hypotheses and making explicit suggestions. He also uses facts for example, “She did deceive her father, marrying you”, to let the audience know he isn’t all evil and to give him power over Othello. This can be seen when Othello mirrors Iago’s language, “goat” and “monster”. Iago is repellent because he is evil and a villain but he is also attractive because he is cunning and clever.
In Act 3 Scene 4 Iago makes something from nothing by making Othello caught up by the business of the handkerchief. The way Othello acts here would be totally unbelievable if not for the lead up to this scene. This is one of the few scenes when Othello and Desdemona speak to each other, Iago is careful not to let them talk too often or too much because Desdemona would make Othello realise that he is wrong about Cassio. Instead dramatic tension is built up and the audience long to say something to the characters to release it and give the play a happy ending. Confusion is a main element of the play, for example Desdemona has no idea that Othello suspects her of being disloyal so she keeps on about Cassio and unknowing makes things worse instead of better. This causes frustration in the audience and they can feel annoyance with Iago for causing this pain.
Othello is Iago’s device in this play and Iago is asking the audience to approve of torturing a nice person by ruining his life. To a certain extent the audience follow him by admiration of his quick thinking and daring personality. However, by destroying innocent and naïve people and splitting up lovers, the audience distance themselves from him. They can find comedy in some of the images he uses and in the irony of the play but there is no way they can agree with what he’s doing. Feelings of sympathy are aroused towards characters that are unknowing caught up in evil goings on and are soon to be brought down. Othello is a nice person and the fact that Iago is ruining his life proves that it’s not possible to stay on his side.
