"The motive hunting of a motiveless malignity" (Coleridge). Is this a fair assessment of Iago's motivation in the play?

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Othello Coursework                                                21st April 2005

“The motive hunting of a motiveless malignity” (Coleridge). Is this a fair assessment of Iago’s motivation in the play?

This essay will explore Coleridge’s assessment of Iago. In Iago’s soliloquies, Iago gives many reasons as to why he hates Othello but he often abandons his ideas and searches for new ones. This is because he is not completely sure himself why he hates Othello so much and is just trying to find reasons so that he can plot against him. Iago often does not know if his reasons are true but will behave as if they are just so that he has a reason to hate Othello. Iago is always looking to justify himself and his hatred because it annoys him that he does not know why he despises Othello so much. We cannot rely on speeches of Iago talking to other characters because he is not always acting himself; most of the time he is just putting on an act. In his soliloquies however, we can see what Iago is really like.

Iago’s first reason for hating Othello is because Cassio was given the job as lieutenant which was the job that Iago sought after. We can see his sense of inferiority, as he feels resentful of rewards and promotions when he is not the one receiving them.

                        Despise me if I do not: three great ones of the city,

                        In personal suit to make me his lieutenant

                                                        (Act I, Scene I, Line 8)

                                                

Iago is jealous of Cassio who got the job and Iago thinks very highly of himself – he thinks he could do a much better job than Cassio because he thinks he is cleverer than anyone else. Iago does not think Cassio is a proper soldier because he thinks he does not have enough experience and he just learns everything from books.

                        One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

                        A fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife,

                        That never set a squadron in the field,

                        Nor the division of a battle knows

                        More than a spinster, unless the bookish theoric

                                                        (Act I, Scene I, Line 20)

Iago is a perfect example of a racist person – Iago and Roderigo are both racist towards Othello and Cassio because they are foreigners and of course, Othello is black. Iago calls Othello “the Moor of Venice” and calls Othello the “moor” throughout the play. This is a name for a person who is black. Another nickname mentioned for Othello in the play is “thick lips”. Racism is a theme of the play coming from Iago, Roderigo and even Brabantio. Iago is also extremely jealous of Othello because his job is in such a high position of authority – he is a general in the Venetian army. Also, Othello is also valued by the Duke - the most important person in Venice. Othello is the best general that the Venetian army has and he is very confident with his job. He is also very powerful and has great charisma so people listen to him and obey him – Iago may be jealous of this. In Act One, Scene 3, Othello manages to stop the fight just by saying a few words.

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                        Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.

                                                        (Act I, Scene III, Line 58)

Othello also prefers peace to fighting – the opposite to Iago. Iago likes to stir things up and cause a lot of trouble.

We can learn a lot about Iago’s character and motives just in the first scene. Some of his motives are kept constant throughout the play, but often he discards some of them and looks for new ones. We can see that Iago is a troublemaker and enjoys tormenting people. He wants to upset them as much as ...

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