Another person manipulated by Iago is Cassio. Iago is able to take advantage of Cassio’s courtesy, recognising that his weakness lies in the fact that he is ‘handsome, young and hath all those requisites in him that folly and green minds look after’ (II, 1, 245-6), in short, Iago is able to make Cassio look as if he is ‘framed to make women false’ (I, 3 397). He is able to do this by again making himself appear honest. With Cassio, he is bluff, coarse and genial. He also offers the lieutenant practical advice. He suggests to Cassio that he should approach Desdemona about his reinstatement, saying that ‘she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.’ (II, 3, 291). This seemingly decent piece of advice prompts Cassio to say ‘Good night, honest Iago’ (II, 3, 302). Cassio sees Iago as a trustworthy, helpful character which is exactly how Iago wants Cassio to view him.
Iago also manipulates Emilia in a way. Although he is usually vulgar and vile in his manner towards her, when he wants something, for example Desdemona’s handkerchief, his manner towards her changes to a more pleasant tone.
Iago’s dealings with Othello reveal his real skill. His relationship with the general is complex and fascinating. Some critics have even gone as far to suggest he seeks to replace Desdemona in Othello’s affections- become his homosexual lover. Although this point is highly subjectable to debate, Iago certainly sets out to prove to Othello that his ‘love’ is more honourable than the ‘super-subtle’ Desdemona’s is. (I, 3, 357). Gradually, Iago assumes the control and power we associate with Othello, so successfully that Othello even begins to speak and think like his petty, reductive inferior. Iago makes Othello believe he is loyal, conscientious and noble-minded (ironically Othello’s greatest qualities). He pretends that he’d like to hurt Othello’s detractors in Act I, Scene 2, seems very anxious about the consequences of the brawl in Act II, Scene 3, and then hesitatingly describes his ‘friend’ Cassio’s part in the evening’s events. His show of reluctance in Act III, Scene 3 is also incredibly effective. By pretending that he doesn’t wish to divulge his thoughts he manoeuvres himself into a position where he is able to poison Othello’s mind thoroughly. Iago has a sharp eye for his victim’s weaknesses or flaws and exploits them mercilessly. His role-playing enables him to become stage manager and dramatist, controlling his victim’s fates increasingly effortlessly until he is unmasked by his wife, Emilia, whose obedience he ironically took for granted. A prime example of his setting up, directing and then decoding events for his victims occurs in Act IV, Scene 1, when Iago persuades Othello to eavesdrop on his conversation with Cassio. Othello is not only told what to do, he is also told how to interpret Cassio’s looks and gestures. He also gives off commands in a confident manner, for example;
‘And mark the fleers, the gibes and notable scorns
That dwell in every region of his face;
For I will make him tell the tale anew
Where, how, how oft, how long and when
He hath and is again to cope your wife.’
(IV, 1, 82-7)
These lines reveal another of Iago’s characteristics, his cruel vulgarity. He is gleeful and determined as he tortures Othello with the details of Cassio’s supposed liaison with his wife, he explores Desdemona’s suppose infidelity as carefully and thoroughly as he describes his motives, every fictional look, word, gesture and meeting is relayed in detail by Iago during Acts III and IV. We can analyse a certain section of Othello to see how Iago uses language to create a web to catch Othello. I am going to analyse Act III, Scene 3, lines 207-229. Firstly, Iago reminds Othello that Desdemona has already deceived her father when she decided to marry Othello. He says, ‘She did deceive her father, marrying you/And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks/She loves them most.’ Iago is telling Othello that Desdemona has already deceived one person, so there is no reason that she cannot be suspected of deceiving Othello. However, after saying this Iago professes his love for Othello, ‘I humbly do beseech your pardon/For much too loving you.’ This makes Othello believe that Iago is an honest man, and is loyal to him, so he takes into consideration everything that Iago says. Othello recognises Iago’s supposed show of faith by saying, ‘I am bound to thee for ever.’ Iago’s show of love for his superior has had an obvious effect, and now he proceeds to drop more hints about Desdemona’s lack of fidelity, because he knows Othello considers him honest and will believe him. Iago says, ‘As my thoughts aimed not at. Cassio’s my worthy friend-‘. This again shows that Iago is pretending that he likes Cassio and is reluctant to release his name, but in fact he wants Othello to believe that Desdemona and Cassio have something going on. The final piece that Iago says in this passage is, ‘Long live she so, and long live you to think so!’ Iago is saying that Desdemona is good, as long as Othello thinks she has, further corrupting his mind, which is what Iago wants.
However, we have to question what Iago’s aims in Othello actually are. He seems at the start of the play, to seek revenge for Othello’s appointment of Cassio to lieutenant instead of himself. But, as the play continues, Iago seems to want to punish more people than just Othello and Cassio. By the end of the play, after Iago’s many evil acts, we are forced to come to the conclusion that Iago’s only aims in Othello are to create chaos, by damaging as many people as he possibly can.
The context of when and where the play is performed definitely affects the dramatic of the play. Iago is talking to Roderigo in Act I, Scene 1 at night in the streets of Venice, when there is no one else around, so it makes the scene seem more secretive and suspicious for the audience. Also, during this scene Iago talks exclusively to the audience, revealing his plans. This gives the audience a feeling of what is to come later in the play, however, because Iago is untrustworthy, we as the audience may be forced to question that Iago is telling us the complete truth in his soliloquies, and this mysteriousness heightens the tragic effect of the play.