This shows us that Iago’s plan is working and that he’s kept his jealousy disguised and changed his real personality into a loving caring person who cares for Othello and what’s happening with the ‘imaginary’ affair. Othello is so brainwashed in what say to him throughout the play and believes him. In a result Othello has an epileptic fit, close towards the end of the play. A quotation, which shows that Iago doesn’t really like Othello, and that he’s doing it for his own good, is early on in the play when he says, “Even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”. This is racist towards Othello and said by Iago to Brabantio. Iago is implying this to Brabantio trying to tell him that Desdemona and Othello are . He is trying to get a reaction from Brabantio, and instead calls Othello a black ram and Desdemona a white ewe, trying to suggest that Desdemona shouldn’t marry a black man. In Shakespeare time if two people had sex, they would have to get married. Iago’s failed in a sense because he wanted Brabantio to go round to see if it was true, however Brabantio was worried when he found out it was true. Looking deeply into Iago’s jealousy towards the characters is also with Othello and Desdemona like Roderigo does. However he keeps his emotions clear from his mind to stop it affecting his plans. Brabantio didn’t think Desdemona would do such a thing.
Another thing, which leads Othello’s life to destruction, is revenge. Quotations showing Iago starting to plot his revenge “Call up her father, Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight”. This is Iago telling Roderigo to tell Brabantio about Othello, which he does. This is Iago getting Roderigo to do his ‘dirty work’, basically using him to keep his innocence, and also plot his revenge towards Othello. Iago only has one thing in mind and that was revenge, and tells the audience what he is thinking and what he is going to do, but the characters don’t think anything is wrong or any suspicions of Iago. I think revenge is the second biggest quality Iago has set in his mind, and leads him through destroying Othello’s life. So for Iago he has a huge success in revenge, and achieves it by the end of the play. The only thing, which hasn’t gone well at the end, is that noble Cassio ends up being the Governor of Cyprus and lives unlike Iago.
In conclusion with Iago’s revenge it is also a big character trait in a way, and with revenge being none of the main things he wanted to achieve in which he was mostly successful. He wanted revenge on both Cassio and Othello. His revenge towards Cassio was substantially successful because Iago got Cassio drunk, which made him lose his position as lieutenant, but then again he gained the biggest position by the end of the play and that was the Governor of Cyprus.
Iago also has another quality, racism. He is racist towards Othello and this information is giving at the beginning of the play when he says, “Even now, now, very now an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”! He calls Othello a black ram behind his back this was because of Othello not promoting Iago.
Iago’s personality and character changes when he talks to different people. He doesn’t have great respect for Emilia and he says, “To have a foolish wife”, when Emilia says she has a thing for him. He is very cruel towards her and uses her; he doesn’t really love her. Love is also a main plan in his revenge towards both Cassio and Othello and uses the relationship to his advantage.
