How does Shakespeare reveal Iago's villainy throughout 'Othello'?

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How does Shakespeare reveal Iago’s villainy throughout ‘Othello’?

Othello is considered a typical Shakespeare tragedy because of the elements that make up a Shakespearean tragedy are included within Othello. These elements include the presence of supernatural elements or madness, a tragic hero of a high social status and a new order moving in after the old one is thrown down. It also includes the element of chance, the tragic hero has a fatal flaw that brings about the downfall and most of the main characters, apart from the new order, die at the end of the play. These are the traditional elements to a Shakespearean revenge tragedy although these aren’t the only type of tragedies in literary history.

Tragedy is one of the oldest genres in literature and originated from as early as the Greek times, carrying through to Roman times where it was also popular. One of the first people to consider tragedy and its elements was Aristotle, a Greek author and philosopher. Another famous early tragedy author was Seneca. The Elizabethans thought the genre to be good and they based their tragedies on Seneca’s works. Thomas Kyd, however, changed and revolutionised the way tragedies were constructed with ‘Spanish Tragedy’. This looked more at people’s psychology and feelings while also changing the structure of tragedies. Shakespeare took all this onboard and with Seneca’s ideas and works, Shakespeare wrote various tragedies based on these ideas but moving them on for an Elizabethan audience.

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Iago is a typical villain in one of Shakespeare’s revenge tragedies. He seeks revenge against the tragic hero because of something he has done to the villain either directly or indirectly. In ‘Othello’ Iago seeks revenge on Othello because he feels that he should’ve been Lieutenant rather than Cassio. “Off-capped to him: and by the faith of man, I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.” Moreover he thinks that Othello slept with his wife and also it could be argued from that his use of language Iago is racist and dislikes black people. Stating, “I ...

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