Iago uses his victim’s weaknesses as well, so that there is some evidence in the play for each with the exception of Desdemona, who, being to some extent responsible for the events that overtake them. In other words, Iago also exploits their weaknesses to bring about their downfall.
Michael Cassio is popular with the ladies. He is smooth and sophisticated and has a social charm and grace.
Iago: ”He hath a person and smooth dispose to be suspected, framed to make women false” (Act 1 Scene 3)
Cassio enjoys drinking and often has too much. He is stupid to take part in a drunken brawl and as second in command he should be more sensible. He is also impulsive and arrogant. The thoughtless and cruel treatment of Bianca allows Iago to set up the scene in which Othello mistakenly assumes that Cassio is laughing and joking about Desdemona’s love for him. (Act 4 Scene 1)
Roderigo is a rich, generous and romantic person. He is a spoilt child so whatever his heart falls to is his he is after Desdemona and can’t get her.
Othello’s weaknesses are that he is jealous. When Iago told Othello that Desdemona is seeing Michael Cassio, he is headless and gullible. He lacks the charm that a man should have and is an irrational person.
Roderigo’s weakness is that he gets carried away by Iago and gives him money all the time to bring Desdemona to him. Iago confronts him to put money in his purse so he can get Desdemona. Roderigo has the same weaknesses as his virtues.
Iago has many reasons for acting the away he does. His reasons may not be right or logical but he believes in them so strongly that he is willing to kill and destroy people’s lives in the process of completing them. His entire motives stem from one thing, jealousy, all of Iago’s motives are due to this single feeling. His revenge comes from wanting to avenge the people he is jealous of. He seems to elaborate on these initial ideas until he thinks that everybody has slept with his wife, for this he wants further revenge. In this expedition for revenge he uses Roderigo for money and the strongest reason of all, he seems to enjoy what he is doing.
Iago becomes very jealous of Othello because of his position in the Venetian army. Iago feels that black men cannot rise above him because they are black. Iago frequently refers to Othello as the ‘Moor’ and the ‘Black Ram’, with theses statements Iago is implying that Othello is worse than white people and because of his race he should not hold the position he does in the army. Out of this racism also extents the jealousy of Othello’s wife, Desdemona. He is sexually attracted to her but that is not a real reason for hating Othello. His mind concocts stories that he believes are true and thus making himself think that it is right to take revenge on Othello by sleeping with his wife. Iago is also jealous of Othello’s sexual power, as it is well known in those times that black men were better in bed than white men. With this in mind Iago feels that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia, “leapt into his seat”, he wants revenge for this too, “not out of absolute lust”, but so he can get back at Othello. He wants to sleep with Desdemona for revenge not just for pleasure. He thinks up a way of turning his sexual urges into revenge for Othello.
He seems to have reason to want revenge for Othello over looking him for promotion and giving it to Cassio instead. This seems to be the starting point at which he imagines all these other stories so he can revenge Othello further. He is almost searching for reasons that he can hurt Othello for, even if they are real or not. His jealousy is also for Cassio too, and this because he feels he should have been promoted to Lieutenant and not Cassio. He also feels inadequate because of Cassio’s good looks. Iago wants revenge for this and he does it by getting Cassio drunk and then getting him into a fight. This incident resulted in Michael Cassio being removed from his position and Iago replacing him. Iago is so jealous of Cassio’s looks he thought that he too had been sleeping with Emilia, “I fear Cassio with me nightcap too”. Iago gets close to Michael Cassio and Othello becoming their friends. He sticks up for them when they are around but when their backs are turned he uses and destroys them. He gets close so they trust him, as Othello often said, “Honest Iago”. Right from the start of the play Iago makes his intention clear: “I follow him to serve my turn upon him”. He also says that he follows Othello for his own gain, “In following him, I follow myself”.
Another reason for Iago’s behaviour is that he wants financial gain by using Roderigo. Roderigo gives Iago money and jewellery to give to Desdemona so that she like him, but Iago does not give any of it to Desdemona but keeps it for himself. Iago also uses Roderigo to do his dirty work and clear up the messes he leaves, such as starting a fight with Cassio so Iago can be promoted.
I also think that Iago enjoys ruining people’s lives; it gives them a “buzz”. Iago can be likened to a Chameleon; this is because he changes when he is in different environments. When he is with Othello he acts very friendly and honest but when he is not with him he is devious and becomes mad with jealousy and is intent on planning ways of confusing him as well.
The play shows how someone can become obsessed with something so much that he can kill people without thinking twice. He did this with his wife when he stabbed her to escape once he had been found out. Once he had achieved his original aims and had got even with Othello and Michael Cassio he still hated them so much that he exploited them further and this led to Othello’s death. I have come to the conclusion that Iago had motives but he developed them and he became obsessed with destroying Othello’s life. He eventually became a Psychopath.
There are two settings in Othello. The settings are Venice and Cyprus. Venice is a posh and wealthy place. It is prosperous and civilised. We know this by looking at Roderigo who is wealthy.
Venice is a place with law and order and it is organised. Everything is in order. If there is crime in Venice it is dealt with by the senates. Venice is an established government.
Othello’s life in Venice is organised and good. He is always happy maybe because he has the wealth and he is general in Venetian army. People respect him a lot.
Cyprus is a rough and tough place. We know this because Othello’s life disintegrates and everything falls apart. There are murders and drinking. There is no justice in Cyprus. It is a chaotic area.
People lose their jobs and reputation. There’s always fighting and Cyprus is under attack by the Turks.
Cyprus is therefore a good setting for Iago to do his mischief because there is no law and order in Cyprus. It is easier for him to do it in Cyprus than in Venice. Justice does not exist in Cyprus because it is a chaotic place.
The play Othello includes different themes like love, trickery, jealousy and racism. It gives a negative view of the human race. It seems to suggest that people’s positives and their good qualities not only protect but also makes them vulnerable to the attack of evil.