A feigned reluctance to speak is a persuasive technique frequently demonstrated by Shakespeare in Iago’s behaviour throughout this scene. For instance in his reply to Othello’s query about the reason behind Iago’s curiosity, he states ‘But for satisfaction of my thought. No further harm’. His repeated repetition of Othello’s words, for example ‘Think, my Lord?’, also proves to be extremely effective in evoking Othello’s suspicions. In withholding his thoughts Iago appears to Othello as being loyal to Cassio and this is the quality recognised by Othello; not Iago’s incrimination of the dependable Lieutenant. Therefore, Othello does not suspect Iago of foul play. The evidence of the effectiveness of these techniques is conveyed through Othello’s words; ‘…thou echo’st me;/As if there were some monster in thy thought…And when I told thee, he was of my counsel…thou criedst, Indeed?...as if thou then had shut up in thy brain/Some horrible conceit.’ This is the first indication that Iago’s attempts at manipulating Othello’s thoughts have been successful, and again prove Shakespeare’s success at depicting Iago as a wily, calculating villain.
Once commanded by Othello to ‘give thy worst of words/The worst of thoughts’, Iago has recognised the effect he is having on the protagonist, and so exploits the control he has gained to a further degree, by withholding information much more openly; ‘I am not bound to that: All slaves are free:/Utter my thoughts? Why say, they are vile, and false?’ Here, Iago distorts Othello’s rational thinking process further, by openly suggesting that he’s having doubts about Desdemona’s faithfulness.
Shakespeare illustrates Iago’s masterly manipulation of syntax throughout this scene also, in order to plant the idea of jealousy in Othello’s mind. He does this it would seem inadvertently to Othello, as he is referring to himself and his own ‘nature’ when he first speaks of ‘jealousy’, and in fact is warning Othello against it, and so the General disregards it as an attempt to manipulate his thoughts by Iago. Othello’s insecurities about his relationship with his wife are then betrayed to Iago, as he attempts to justify events to himself, and dismiss them by reminding himself of simple facts; ‘For she had eyes and chose me.’ Shakespeare displays irony in this scene, as Othello states ‘I’ll see before I doubt’ to Iago, yet does not wait for proof, visual or otherwise, before he doubts his wife, again betraying his personal insecurities.
Once aware of Othello’s insecurities, Iago makes much more explicit suggestions about Desdemona, justified by the way in which he does this: He uses Othello’s claim that he’s not a jealous man against him, expressing it as an invitation to prove his loyalty; ‘I am glad of this: For now I shall have reason/To show the love and duty that I bear you/With franker spirit.’ However, in spite of these open allegations made by him, Iago feigns encouragement for Othello to ‘wear your eyes, thus: not jealous…’ Knowing that Othello is already partially convinced of his wife’s supposed infidelity, here Iago is safe-guarding his position as a trusted friend of Othello's, which evidently is effective, as in response to Iago’s claim that he is ‘much to blame’, Othello states ‘I am bound to thee forever.’
Shakespeare has effectively manipulated the form of the scene here, in order to convey the thought’s of the characters. The broken string;
‘For too much loving you.
‘I am bound to thee forever’
implies the shared thoughts of Iago and Othello, which conveys the success of Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s thoughts. This success is also conveyed through the introduction of words belonging to the semantic field commonly found in Iago’s words, into Othello’s language, which previously has been poetic and extravagant. For instance, Othello states, ‘Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace/Shall ne’er look back’.
Shakespeare’s introduction of language typically associated with Iago into Othello’s speech symbolises the success of Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s thoughts and emotions. Language associated with ‘blood’, ‘poison’ and ‘death’ is typical of Othello’s speech towards the end of this scene, as it has been of Iago’s throughout the duration of the play, therefore conveying that Othello now harbours the same natured thoughts as Iago. Iago’s intelligence and incredible ability to manipulate Othello emotionally is demonstrated by Shakespeare in Othello’s declaration that he wishes to find ‘some swift means of death/For the fair Devil’ at the end of this scene. This statement alone conveys Othello’s altered thinking process, due to the dark language used such as ‘death’ and ‘Devil’, and due to the nature of what he is actually stating: he wishes to kill his wife.
