Later all the characters exit but Iago and Roderigo. Iago has been plotting some more and decides it would be to his advantage if Roderigo was to start a fight with Cassio resulting in one or both of them getting into trouble. Iago tells Roderigo “Desdemona is directly in love with Cassio” and uses the previous affectionate welcome in order to back this up. Here it is plainly obvious that Iago is manipulating the trust his friend Roderigo has in him in order for Roderigo to do Iago’s dirty work, with disregard for the safety of his so called friend.
Iago then talks to himself (creating audience awareness) at the end of act 2, scene 1 of his plans to make Othello jealous by making it appear that Cassio is sleeping with Desdemona. Iago then plans to inform Othello of the ‘happenings’ and hopes Othello will reward him for his ‘loyalty’. The dialogue of Iago at this point suggests that he is a very snide vengeful man as he suggests that he Roderigo or Cassio may have slept with his wife, Emilia previously.
The second and third scene of Act Two begins with the arrival of the official news of the defeat of the Turkish fleet. This great news is to be celebrated by Iago, Montano and some local gentlemen. Iago persuades Cassio to join them in a toast of wine to Othello by telling him “But one cup;I’ll drink for you” and that one diluted cup shall do no harm. Iago’s plan however is to get Cassio drunk and for Roderigo to fight him, causing Cassio to loose his rank as Lieutenant and be replaced by Iago . Cassio gets progressively drunk during the festivities whilst Iago convinces Montano that Cassio is a drunk. When a fight starts between Cassio and the disguised Roderigo Montano fights off the drunken Cassio and sounds an alarm. On hearing the alarm, Othello enters and is disgusted by the ruckus his lieutenant has created. The sly Iago informs Othello of what happened but pretends that he wishes to be ‘loyal’ to Cassio whilst actually incriminating him. Othello is enraged by this disruption Cassio has made and demotes him from his rank as Othello’s lieutenant.
Act Three is the Act in which Iago starts manipulating many people, mainly Othello, to achieve his vengeance on Othello. It begins with Iago and Cassio in conference on how Cassio may be able to earn back his rank by talking to Desdemona and asking her to persuade Othello to reinstate Cassio as his lieutenant. Iago’s busy mind is working already and he decides to use this situation in order to manipulate Othello into thinking Desdemona is interested in Cassio. When Desdemona and Cassio (witnessed by Emilia) are speaking of Cassio’s penance to Othello, Iago speaks to Othello from a distance, overlooking the conversation between Desdemona and Cassio, of how he is suspicious of Cassio’s adulterous motives. Iago uses various tactics to incriminate Cassio from here on in the story. In this Scene (Act Three, Scene Three), Iago suggests Cassio is sneaking away guiltily from Desdemona when he saw Othello by saying, “No, sure, I cannot think it that he would sneak away so guilty like, seeing you coming”. This tactic of incrimination puts the idea in Othello’s head whilst Iago remains seemingly honest and loyal to both Cassio and Othello. This tactic will earn him Othello’s trust which will later be very useful to him.
Desdemona then approaches Othello conveying Cassio’s forgiveness and penance whilst asking Othello to reinstate him. After just hearing that Cassio may have adulterous motives with his wife, this enrages Othello, as he thinks that Desdemona’s ‘love’ for Cassio makes her defend Cassio’s actions. This rage Othello is in causes him to ask Desdemona and Emilia to leave. When they leave Othello asks Iago whether he thinks Cassio is an honest man. Iago replies yes, again playing the innocence game and pretending to be loyal to Cassio whilst further incriminating him. Othello does not believe this is Iago’s honest answer and asks him, “Nay, yet there is something more than this. I prithee speak to me as to thy thinking. As thou dust ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts, the worst of words”. This means Othello wishes to know Iago’s true thoughts and wants to hear Iago name a wrongdoer. It is here that Iago hints that Desdemona may not be being entirely honest to Othello. Iago by now has already planted the seed in Othello’s mind that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him with Cassio. Iago leaves after heavily distressing Othello with doubt in his wife.
When Desdemona calls Othello to dine with the islanders, Desdemona interprets his sadness and distress to be a sickness and pulls out a handkerchief to tie around his head in order to heal his pain. Othello is not in a good mood and pushes Desdemona away, causing her to drop the handkerchief. The couple both depart to dine, leaving the handkerchief on the floor. The important thing about the handkerchief is that it was the first token of his love that Othello gave to Desdemona, it also being an heirloom of Othello’s family. Iago’s wife, Emilia, sees this handkerchief and picks it up as, coincidentally; her husband had asked her to steal that very handkerchief for him. Iago returns to discover that his wife had found the handkerchief that he had so often sought. He is extremely grateful and again informs the audience (as if talking to himself) that he will plant it in Cassio’s chambers in order to confirm Othello’s suspicion that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio.
Shortly after, a still enraged Othello returns and tells Iago of his misery and pleads “Honest Iago” for evidence of the suspicions Iago had created. Iago, seeing Othello’s weakness and a great opportunity claims that he heard Cassio utter phrases in his sleep including, “Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves…Cursed the fate that gave thee to the Moor”. Othello lusts for visual proof so cleverly Iago remarks that he may have seen Cassio wipe his brow with that very same handkerchief that Othello gave to Desdemona as a token of his love. On hearing this information Othello’s blood boils to a state beyond sanity. In this rage, he orders Iago to have Cassio killed within three days, promotes Iago to the position of his lieutenant and tells Iago of how he will kill Desdemona for her treachery.
Despite Othello believing his seemingly honest friend Iago, he does seek his own proof that Desdemona had given Cassio the handkerchief. He claims to be feeling ill and asks to use that same handkerchief. Desdemona cannot find the handkerchief but swears it is not lost. She does not say it is lost, most probably as she does not wish to hurt Othello’s feelings, but this in itself incriminates Desdemona and further fuels Othello’s suspicions. Othello is enraged even further by this ‘proof’ and leaves Desdemona’s company. Cassio appears and again pleads Desdemona to meet with Othello and plead for his reinstatement as lieutenant. Desdemona tells Cassio that Othello is not in the mood for anymore attention on that matter at this time. Cassio sees his mistress, Bianca, on departing from Desdemona and gives the handkerchief to her to copy the embroidery that he likes.
Act Four begins in Othello’s chamber where Iago and Othello speak. They talk of Cassio’s and Desdemona’s treachery. As they speak of it, Othello seems to descend ever further into insanity. When Iago tells Othello that Cassio had admitted to him that he had slept with Desdemona and spoke of it as a joke, Othello reaches his breaking point and falls into a seizure.
When Othello eventually awakens from this seizure Iago acts in a friendly way to Othello, calming him and telling him he will help him get incontrovertible evidence. Iago suggests that Othello conceals himself while Iago openly speaks to Cassio about his escapades with Desdemona. Iago however actually speaks about Cassio’s escapades with Bianca. Othello overhears Cassio comically tell Iago how “Alas, poor rouge; I think I’faith she loves me…she is persuaded I will marry her out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise.” And how “by this hand she falls thus about my neck”. Cassio is in fact obviously referring to Bianca but the deluded Othello thinks Cassio is referring to his own wife Desdemona. Othello winces in emotional pain whilst he hears this tragic news. Suddenly Bianca interrupts the conversation by throwing the handkerchief that Cassio asked her to have copied at him. Bianca accuses him of receiving it from another woman. Othello sees this also from his concealed position. He sees that the ‘fiendish’ Cassio has that handkerchief and token of his love to Desdemona.
Othello is in too deep a rage to think sensibly and is very susceptible to Iago’s manipulation at this point. His attention is turned to his previous wish to see both Desdemona and Cassio dead. Iago tells him that he should suffocate Desdemona with a pillow as she sleeps whilst he vows to Othello that he will deal with Cassio himself.
Othello and Iago soon part and not long after, a new character, Lodovico, arrives bearing instructions from Venice ordering Othello home to Venice leaving Cassio to remain in charge at Cyprus. Othello is enraged that the fiend Cassio will stay with any power whatsoever. Desdemona attempts to calm Othello’s rage but Othello hits her. On seeing this Lodovico is shocked by seeing his white niece hit by her black husband. Othello retires to the citadel in order to question Emilia of Desdemona’s honesty, as after all, Emilia and Desdemona are rarely seen separately. Emilia tells Othello that Desdemona cannot have been at all unfaithful to him as she has been with her all the time and she has not seen any evidence of it. Othello disbelieves Emilia.
A tearful Othello seeks Desdemona and accuses of her of being unfaithful to him by having an affair with Cassio. Desdemona is very upset due to Othello previously striking her combined with the accusations that she is a whore and had been unfaithful to Othello. Emilia comforts the weeping Desdemona and tells Othello that “I will be hanged if some eternal villain, some busy insinuating rouge, some cogging cozening slave, to get office, hath not devised this slander!”, meaning she thinks somebody has put ideas in Othello’s head for personal gain, which is in fact the case. Iago’s response to this reeks somewhat of irony as he replies “Fie, there is no such man! It is impossible.” This is clearly Iago attempting to propagate his innocence. Later Iago privately speaks with Roderigo about the decree from Venice that Othello had earlier received. Iago tells him of the summoning of Othello and Desdemona back to Venice. Iago suggests to Roderigo that if Cassio was to die, Othello would have to remain in Cyprus whilst Desdemona returned to Venice, giving Roderigo the opportunity to have Desdemona to himself. Roderigo agrees with Iago’s plan and decides to kill Cassio. Secretly Iago wishes them both to die in order to prevent the discovery of his manipulation of Othello a secret.
In the final Scene Roderigo attacks Cassio and he manages to chop off Cassio’s leg but gets wounded in the process. Othello hears the commotion and thinks that Iago has carried out the killing of Cassio, though unfortunately to Iago, Cassio is only wounded. Roderigo is also wounded so Iago finishes him off in order to prevent his fiendish scam from being promulgated.
Meanwhile Othello is in his chamber with his wife. Othello still sees much beauty and loves Desdemona and it takes much self-deliberation and protest from Desdemona before he decides to kill Desdemona. He suffocates her on his bed with a pillow whilst Desdemona struggles for her life. Othello thinks he has killed her as Emilia enters the chamber. Emilia hears a scream from Desdemona but it is too late. It appears that Desdemona is too far gone to be resuscitated. Emilia is in deep shock and screams, asking why Othello had murdered her. Othello replies that he was told that Desdemona had cheated on him with Cassio. Iago, Gratiano, and Montano enter the chamber, when Emilia turns on Iago and accuses him of lying to Othello. Gladly Iago seems to admit this and Othello backs up his so called friend by telling Emilia how the missing handkerchief that Cassio had was proof. Emilia is shocked at this and knows it was her husband’s doing as it was she that gave Iago that same handkerchief. Emilia explains this to Othello but is interrupted by an attempt by Iago to hush his wife by killing her. But this is prevented by Gratiano, and Montano holding Iago back. Othello is in a rage as he sees that he has been fooled and aims to strike Iago but misses and strikes Emilia instead as Iago flees. Iago is not long captured by Gratiano and Montano whilst Othello finds a blade and kills himself, bringing an end to the tragedy as he, Desdemona and Emilia lie dead on the bed.
Throughout the play it is evident that Iago lies cheats and steals in relation to his friends, loved ones and enemies alike in order for him to fulfil his vengeance on Othello. He stops at nothing in order to achieve his aim, splitting up Othello from Desdemona. He is very quick thinking and cunning which makes him able to exploit many situations and weaknesses of people around him very easily. He achieves this by acting differently in front of different characters in a somewhat two-faced manner. He exists as a person with two distinctly opposite identities, one an evil, plotting, vengeful mastermind and secondly a loving, trustworthy, loyal friend. Iago gains trust from people by acting in a very friendly manner towards them whilst repeatedly emphasising the fact that he is trustworthy and loyal to his friends in order to make it easier for his later lies to be believed. He appears to be trustworthy to Othello by holding back talking negatively about the people around him but simultaneously conveys that he knows a lot that may hurt Othello if he were to tell him. It is clear that Iago is very good at the art of lying and manipulation; this is highlighted by his use of a single inanimate object, the handkerchief, in order to wreak havoc on the life of Othello
Iago’s primary aim is to destroy Othello’s marriage; he achieves this by manipulating people’s weaknesses. Othello’s main weakness is that of his jealousy, the “green eyed monster”. Othello, being a black Moor is an outsider in Venetian society, and this makes him paranoid of attacks from white Venetians that think he is undeserving of marrying white Desdemona. He thinks Desdemona is too good for him despite his undivided love for her. As a result of this, Othello is ready to believe that his wife has been unfaithful to him very easily and his relationship is “eaten up with passion”, meaning his love for Desdemona destroys his own relationship. Despite Othello’s susceptibility to the emotion of jealousy he does not give up his love for Desdemona very readily. There is evidence for this in Act Three, Scene Three where it is clear that he is very persistent in getting ocular proof of Iago’s fiendish accusations and also in the final scene where it is clear that Othello has second thoughts about murdering his wife. Luckily for Iago, despite these second thoughts that Othello has, he plays to Othello’s weaknesses perfectly, culminating in his jealousy overpowering his love for Desdemona.
Desdemona herself plays into the hands of Iago in order to aid his manipulation of Othello. She seems to be a free spirit and independent thinkers in a male-dominated society which Othello knows, as she had disobeyed her father’s will by marrying Othello. The fact that Desdemona is such a free spirited thinker combined with her young, sexual and slightly frivolous nature again fuels Othello’s new-found suspicions.
Cassio is the object of Iago’s accusation. Desdemona is accused of cheating on Othello with him. Iago manipulates the weakness of his susceptibility to alcohol causing him to start a fight early on in the play, causing Cassio’s demotion as lieutenant. Iago also manipulates Cassio’s charming nature and handsome appearance in order to make Othello jealous of Cassio as he seems to be the perfect white, charming, Venetian war hero whilst Othello is not.
Roderigo is used by Iago throughout the play to do Iago’s dirty work. He often toys with Roderigo’s foolishness which demonstrates his first class manipulative abilities, such as when Iago uses him to kill off Cassio.
Despite Iago’s true brilliance in executing such a long, complicated, manipulative plan he could not have done it without the coincidence of his wife obtaining the handkerchief. It was a complete accident that Desdemona lost her husbands token of love but it was of course Iago’s manipulation of his wife that resulted in it being obtained by Iago and used to bring about the downfall of Othello’s marriage.
In conclusion, Iago manipulates Othello as well as manipulating many other people in order to manipulate Othello. Iago makes others, especially Othello believe he is honest and loyal which makes him able to deceive Othello more readily. Iago manipulates Othello by taking advantage of Othello’s naturally jealousy and belief that he is not worthy of Desdemona.