This is shown throughout Iago’s speech more than any other characters through his frequent use of imagery connected to the devil and hell.
When Iago is describing to Roderigo in the first scene that Desdemona will fall out of love with Othello eventually, he says ‘Her eye must be fed, and what delight shall she have to look on the devil?’
Here he is saying that she will no longer lust after Othello and he is paralled with the Devil in connection to his dark skin. He is saying that she will realise that Othello is lacking in physical appearance and similarity in age and culture and will soon look for someone else.
This reveals Iago’s dark slant on Desdemona and Othello’s relationship and how he uses this language to manipulate others to aid him in his plan.
He uses imagery connected with hell such as ‘inflame’ and in order to convince Roderigo focuses on Desdemona’s ‘delicate tenderness’ in contrast to Othello’s ‘violence’ and ‘bragging’ and how she will ‘begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the moor’ This imagery of being sick and describing him as being disgusting is linked to taste and reflects his feelings of hate and disgust for the moor. Iago is a character who is able to use strong language and descriptions to express his feelings.
I think it reveals that Iago himself is only sure of one thing throughout this speech and that is that he hates Othello, and most of his speech is directed at this and portrays his need for revenge. His continued praise of Desdemona’s loveliness shows he doesn’t quite believe she would feel this way about Othello and is really seeking Roderigo’s support in his revenge.
Iago in this Act manipulates the characters to become like a playwright and exaggerates their roles in this plan. In speaking to Roderigo it seems he is not to successful in his full support when all he replies is ‘I cannot believe that of her, she’s full of most blessed condition’ but he succeeds in convincing himself and evolving his plan to a more serious level and outlines his thirst for revenge.
He talks of Othello ‘bragging and telling fantastical lies’ when this really shows the deeply hypocritical side of Iago, in that most of is criticisms of others are reflected from his true nature, the lying and evil side to him that is set to destroy his master and everyone around him.
Later on in his monologue he describes the moor ‘howbeit that I endure him not, is of a constant, loving and noble nature, and I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona a most dear husband’
As this is a monologue and is heard by no-one it is expected to be what he really feels, not any twisting or lying of words as he may have done before, it reveals his true feelings that Othello would actually make a good husband to Desdemona, despite how he described him before. Describing him as a ‘devil’ before does not have the characteristics of a ‘most dear husband’ and would therefore imply that he was lying before to Roderigo in his language and exaggerating it for effect.
The monologue outlines his suspicions of Othello ‘hath leaped into my seat’ and describes him as the ‘lusty moor’. His reason for revenge is that he suspects him of sleeping with Emilia.
It seems that most of Iago’s speech to other characters is for his own ends, most of it is lies and twisting words until he convinces others and can manipulate and use them, and as an audience you can not trust what he says other than that it reveals his intentions and his dark nature.
The language and imagery is therefore particularly important in Iago’s speeches because it gives clues to the rest of the play and his main intentions. The life-threatening images of poison, evil, heaven, hell and disease were used to portray the tragedy of the play. Iago when describing Michael Cassio also parallels him to ‘a devilish knave’ and is trying to show Roderigo how attractive and tempting he will seem to Desdemona if she tires of Othello.
He thinks that Cassio pretends to be ‘humane and civil’ to others when really he is hiding very secret and immoral desires for Desdemona.
He describes Cassio as a smooth talking rogue, devious, slimy and an opportunist.
Whether or not Cassio holds these secret desires, again it reflects more how Iago is, he admits later his feelings for Desdemona, and how he wishes to ‘make the moor thank me, love and reward me, for making him egregiously an ass.’
It shows that Iago is really the one with the devilish and devious ways and who hides his plans by pretending to be something he isn’t, a loyal and faithful servant to Othello. It reflects his ability to twist words.
His success in appearing this way to Othello is shown at the beginning of Scene 3 when Cassio says about Iago ‘Iago hath direction what to do’ and Othello replies ‘Iago is most honest’
This shows they are oblivious to his plotting against them and think of him as honest and reliable, when really he is anything but that.
The language and imagery of honesty is used to contrast with Iago’s real personality and to the reveal to the audience that Iago is a successful manipulator.
