The Tragedy is more dependant upon Iago's wickedness than Othello's willingness to be led.

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George Jackson

The Tragedy is more dependant upon Iago’s wickedness than Othello’s willingness to be led

        In Shakespeare’s play “Othello”, he conveys sheer wickedness through the character Iago and a certain willingness to be led by Othello.  Both the characters have different roles to lead in the play.  

        Iago is an extremely subtle character in the play.  Comparing him to an iceberg is an excellent analysis because only a tiny part of his personality is above the surface on view to all.  His true self is kept hidden and is only known by himself.  He is a mysterious person who works on the inside and keeps his true thoughts to himself in order to conceal his wickedness.  He admits to himself that he is two-faced as he says “By Janus I think so”.  Janus is the God with two faces and Iago swears on him.  Also, he even says at the beginning of the play “I am not what I am”, admitting that he is two faced.

        As the play gets underway with scene 1, the situation in Venice is explained as the characters are introduced to the audience.  Rodrigo and Iago are seen talking to Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, at his house.  Right from the word go, Iago’s first incident of wickedness is shown as he stirs trouble by attempting to break up the marriage between Othello and Desdemona.  Iago is extremely annoyed because he missed the promotion in the dividing force.  Othello gave the promotion to Michael Cassio, making Iago very jealous.  He succeeds in tipping off Brabantio about the secret marriage between Othello and Desdemona.  Brabantio immediately thinks that Othello has forced Desdemona into it.  This belief is helped along by Iago as he uses some very racist comments towards him, such as “that black ram has been tupping your white ewe” and “he has worked black magic upon her”.  He distorts the language of love to that of lust.  This persuades Brabantio to take Othello to court, but it doesn’t fully disrupt the marriage.  This is a very beneficial example of Iago’s wickedness and persuasion right from the very beginning of the play.  

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        Iago’s soliloquies are a very constructive way to divulge the audience in his plans.  Shakespeare uses this to keep them incorporated and informed because Iago lies and deceives all the time.  His first soliloquy is used as the basis of his plan for revenge.  He says, “Cassio is a proper man”, which tells the audience that even a proper man who is described as a “great mathematician” can fall victim to his power.  As he starts to pace up his ideas a bit towards the end, he says, “This monstrous birth must bring to the world’s light”, using images of ...

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