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 he can. In Act One, Scene One he manages to accomplish this by waking Brabantio to tell him that his daughter, Desdemona has run off with Othello without his consent. Iago stirs up the situation and then leaves everybody to panic.
Farewell, for I must leave you.
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place
To be produc’d, as if I stay I shall,
Against the Moor.
(Act I, Scene I, Line 144)
Iago’s words often seem harmless but to himself, secretly he is plotting to ruin people’s lives and their happiness. In Act 3, Scene 3 when Emilia gives Othello’s handkerchief to Iago, he immediately starts plotting against Othello and Cassio. He shows immense satisfaction and pleasure from what he is doing.
Be not ackknown on’t:
I have use for it. Go, leave me.
I will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin
And let him find it. Trifles light as air
Are to the jealous confirmations strong
As proofs of holy writ. This many do something.
(Act III, Scene III, Line 321)
Also in Act 3, Scene 3, we can see that Iago really loves the thrills and excitement of plotting – it’s one of his true hobbies. Iago enjoys the idea of Othello not being able to have a peace of mind when he knows about Cassio and Desdemona.
Look where he comes! Not poppy nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owed’st yesterday.
(Act III, Scene III, Line 331)
Iago’s true character is not revealed to anyone in the play, it is only known by the audience. The readers can learn more about Iago than of any other character – this is known as dramatic irony. We can see that Iago is untrustworthy and unpredictable whereas everyone thinks he is trustworthy, open, honest and a good person which is entirely wrong. Iago’s wife, Emilia seems to have some inkling that Iago is not as honest as everyone thinks but she is not entirely sure herself.
Throughout the play, other characters call Iago by saying “honest Iago.” He is not, however, as honest as everyone thinks – he just keeps his immorality to himself. Even Othello does not know Iago’s true identity and Iago is fully aware of this as we can see what he says in Act One, Scene Three.
The moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by the nose
As asses are.
(Act I, Scene III, Line 390)
Iago pretends to be friends with people to use them for example Iago uses Roderigo because he has lots of money but really Iago despises him. The readers can see that Iago does not like Roderigo, but Roderigo cannot see this. He does not realise that Iago is betraying their friendship.
Thus do I ever make my fool my purse;
For I mine own gain’d knowledge should profane
If I would time expend with such a snipe
(Act I, Scene III, Line 375)
Iago also likes making fun of Roderigo because he likes having private jokes to himself. He could be seen as a practical joker because he likes to play jokes on people. Iago enjoys playing with the idea that he is a good person – this is a private joke for himself. He enjoys the irony of people thinking he is good but actually evil. The person Iago reveals himself most to is Roderigo, even though we know Iago does not like him. Iago is ruthless in order to achieve the goals he sets for himself. After calling Roderigo “a snipe” (see quote above), Iago suddenly dismisses Roderigo and focuses on his hate for Othello.
I hate the Moor
(Act I, Scene III, Line 377)
Here Iago uses such simple language but yet the sentence “I hate the Moor” is a very intense way of expressing his hatred for Othello.
Iago also mentions the idea of Othello sleeping with his wife, Emilia. Iago does not know for sure that this idea is true, but he will act as if it is because it is yet another reason for his hatred towards Othello.
And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets
He’s done my office, I know not if’t be true
Yet I, for mere suspicious in that kind,
Will do as if for surety.
(Act I, Scene III, Line 378)
It is very unlikely that Othello would sleep with Emilia, as he is a strong Christian and he truly loves Desdemona. Also, Iago is a misogynist – he hates women, has a low opinion of them and he thinks they are all prostitutes. He probably thinks Emilia is a prostitute therefore this backs up his idea of Emilia and Cassio having an affair.
Iago feels his plotting against Cassio is justified by Cassio’s behaviour. Iago sneers at the goodness of Cassio – this could be an element of jealously. Cassio has good manners, a good job, is good looking and is familiar with women. Iago being against Cassio could also be an element of social class – most of the other characters are of a higher social class than Iago therefore Iago could be jealous of Cassio because he is well educated. Iago spots Cassio’s courtliness and is aware that Cassio kisses Desdemona on the cheek to greet her and Iago also sees him holding Desdemona’s hand – Iago sees this as a sign that they are having an affair. Roderigo however sees them holding hands but thinks nothing of it. It is only Iago that sees the act as one of lechery. It suits Iago to believe that they are having an affair because it is convenient for him to believe and it fits with his plot.
That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t;
That she loves him, ‘tis apt and of great credit.
(Act II, Scene II, Line 275)
Cassio does admire Desdemona, but only from afar and is not interested in her sexually. However, this is enough for an evil-minded person such as Iago to count as proof of Cassio and Desdemona’s so called affair.
Iago thinks he is cleverer than anyone else in the play and is extremely self-centered. He is also very arrogant and thinks he is superior to everyone. One of Iago’s tactics is to manipulate people – if he wants something, he has the ability to make it happen.
Virtue? A fig! ‘Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus.
Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.
(Act I, Scene III, Line 315)
Even though Iago acts so sadistically to characters such as Othello, he does still recognise goodness and good qualities in other people. However, he thinks goodness is worthless and sneers at good people as it just annoys him. He is entirely against things which are pure such as love, friendship and compassion – he does not believe in either of these.
But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love to be a sect or scion.
It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will.
(Act I, Scene III, Line325)
Iago could be jealous of other people’s goodness but he still chooses evil over good which makes him a sadist. Iago recognises Othello’s good nature and him being a good husband towards Desdemona but he most likely feels threatened by it.
The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature
And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona
A most dear husband.
(Act II, Scene II, Line 277)
Even Cassio’s goodness annoys Iago and he wants to destroy it straight away. The fact that Cassio is a good and “proper” man makes Iago feel ugly.
If Cassio do remain,
He hath a daily beauty in his life
That makes me ugly
(Act IV, Scene I, Line 18)
Iago’s plan for Cassio and Desdemona’s does not advance but Iago still enjoys tormenting Othello. Iago asks Othello what is wrong with Desdemona sleeping with Cassio which shows he was being very naive.
Or to be naked with her friend in bed
An hour or more, not meaning any harm?
(Act VI, Scene I, Line 3)
As Othello is very inexperienced with women, he entirely believes everything Iago tells him.
In Shakespeare’s time, many of the Elizabethan audience would have identified Iago with the devil and said that he was possessed. Near the end of the play when Othello finds out what Iago did, he calls Iago a “demi-devil” meaning he thinks Iago is half man and half devil. Othello demands to know the reasons for Iago’s behaviour.
I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.
Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil
Why he hath thus ensnar’d my soul and body?
(Act IV, Scene II, Line 297)
Iago does not give Othello an answer, therefore leaving the audience in wonder of why he did this to Othello. Iago cannot tell Othello the reason for the way he acted partly because he does not know himself.
Demand me nothing, what you know, you know.
From this time forth I never will speak word.
(Act IV, Scene II, Line 300)
In Iago’s first soliloquy we can also see Iago’s true motive. He mentions the “divinity of hell” – the thoughts of a devil. Iago also proves that he can be seen as a tempter of getting people such as Othello to do terrible things.
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
(Act II, Scene III, Line 327)
Christopher Marlowe explores the same sort of idea in the play “Dr Faustus” when Mephistophilis pretends he is Dr Faustus’ friend when he actually is not. This is exactly what Iago does – pretends to be someone he is not.
Coleridge’s assessment of Iago is not entirely valid. It is not true to say Iago has no motives – he is not “motiveless”. He does have many motives, but he tries them at his own convenience and then discards them. In my opinion, Iago is evil and he does have constant motives such as his hatred of Othello throughout the play. His hatred could be seen like love for Othello which means many people think that perhaps Iago is homosexual because of Iago’s perverse story about Cassio in bed with him. Some people just see him as a psychopath because there is no other way to describe him and no way to answer to why someone is evil – they just are. Another one of his motives is that he hates goodness and wants to destroy anything that makes people happy such as Othello’s marriage. Iago can also not keep his sense of inferiority and superiority in balance.
I do however agree with the part of the quote “the motive hunting” because it is true that Iago does not know why he hates Othello so much therefore he needs to invent many reasons for hating him. I also agree with Iago being a “malignity” because he causes harm to others intentionally.
In this play, Shakespeare explores the question “why are people evil?” but he does not know the answer. He suggests that sometimes there is no reason; someone such as Iago is just evil.
By Neha Amlani L5 Alpha