Re-read Iago(TM)s soliloquies at the end of Acts I and II. How might the actions here reverberate throughout the play? How might the actions be spoken, staged and filmed to create different emphasis and interpretations?
Re-read Iago’s soliloquies at the end of Acts I and II. How might the actions here reverberate throughout the play? How might the actions be spoken, staged and filmed to create different emphasis and interpretations?
In my opinion Iago is a crude character with evil imbedded into his soul – a typical villain in a Shakespearian play. The line “put money in they purse” shows Iago as his manipulative self. I believe his mind is fixed on causing hurt and destruction, fuelled by his jealousy over Othello and his wife. This view is outlined well by the critic Helen Gardener. ‘Malice is motiveless’. This view is shown well in operatic version of Othello, in which Iago states that ‘vile is [his] my tissue’, which just shows that Iago does this to Othello because he is evil, not through jealousy. In comparison to this the view of Neville Coghill is that Iago has been turned to this evil plot because of the actions of Othello. However I really don’t think this is a feasible argument simply because, Iago continues with his evil plans after Cassio has been sacked and Othello tells Iago he can be ‘his most trusted lieutenant’ so it is absurd to believe that Iago is simply plotting a revenge attack on Othello. This is therefore why Iago’s evil actions are so shocking because he has no real motive. He is clearly jealous of Othello and believes he should be in a better position than he is because of the line, “know my price”. Shakespeare shows Iago at first to have strong feelings of jealousy and bitterness towards Othello. Lines such as ‘his own pride and purposes’ shows how Shakespeare wants us to know how jealous Iago is of Othello, by using insults and sly comments. The reader therefore understands Iago’s dominant emotions of anger and jealousy. Iago is a man who insults those who have done better than him often throughout the play, ‘A Florentine’; with the language used here Shakespeare is clearly conveying to the audience this feeling of jealousy, which is to set the whole story.
There are many literary techniques used in the play to portray this evil image of Iago. In his first speech he uses words of absolute hatred when referring to Othello; he expresses his ‘monstrous’ wish to ‘abuse’ because he has this ‘hate’ inside him. As he says ‘framed to make women false’, Iago’s view of women is shown, also the way he uses Emilia to steal the handkerchief is devious and when he states that he will ‘turn her [Desdemona’s] virtue in pitch’ In Othello’s speech in Act 5 Scene 2 it is clear that Iago’s poison has influenced Othello and almost transformed Othello into a man like Iago. ‘She was foul’. Othello would never describe a woman like this but Iago’s view of women has influenced him and therefore he is now thinking like Iago. His nature is shown through the pace at which he talks; he speaks in continuous prose which is fast paced, just like Iago. The irony over Cassio being ‘a proper man’ shows the audience what a crude character he is and also goes some way to show how he treats people he doesn’t like. The simile ‘is as luscious as locusts’ I believe is a summary of Iago, he is a great person at first until you realise what he is made up of; evil, hatred and jealousy. Rhetorical questions are also used to create make Roderigo think, which undermines him and makes him look inadequate, making Iago look like the more dominant male. ‘Drown thyself?’ This is a very strong line which later turns out to be reality, Iago is suggesting that he would never want Roderigo to harm himself, but in Act 5, scene 1 it is through Iago’s vicious plans that Roderigo does get hurt, this is an example of a parallel in this play. An excellent example of Iago’s viciousness is in The Nunn version of Othello, where Iago is overpowering and stands above everyone else, his tone of voice creates a dark and evil mood and the audience can see his viciousness through e mood felt. So this use of emotive language causes the audience to feel sympathetic towards Roderigo who is constantly being victimised throughout the play. Also literary techniques are used to try and persuade people too, such as the power of three. “Put money in thy purse” is repeated three times, stressing its importance, almost persuading the reader to believe him. This is also an example of dramatic irony as the audience know what kind of a man Iago is by him secretive motives, such as the line, “monstrous birth to the world’s light”. Suggesting he wants to complete his ideas and make them work. The shadow on Iago in Otello shows this evil living in Iago and this monster inside him is portrayed with the use of lighting. Similar to that of the sketch by Thomas Stothard – The meeting of Othello and Desdemona, c. 1799, where Iago was drawn as a dark sinister figure, with light on half of his face, once again an example of Iago being evil.
