Throughout the play, but of most importance when Iago is manipulating Othello, Shakespeare sets and maintains a fast speed throughout the play creating a theatrical effect on the audience. It is cleverly used to the extent that Othello has no time to think of his actions or Iago’s, and he has no time to talk to other characters, as we see in both act 3 and the beginning of act 4, most of the play in this period (onstage) is mainly between Othello and Iago and, as we know, Iago is always manipulating Othello at every opportunity that he gets. As the audience, we see the rare interaction of Othello and Desdemona but their conversation usually end up in an argument, which angers and creates more hatred towards Desdemona from Othello. “ Was this fair paper, this most goodly book made to write ‘whore’ upon?” This quote clearly shows his anger and despise of his wife, but he has had time to dwell on his own his thoughts, silently digging a greater hole of negative thought. The structure of time in the play doesn’t allow Othello to speak to anyone else that could clear his head or talk some truth and sense into him. He is either by himself or with Iago, and both of these characters are bad to be with him as Iago, of course, will continue to manipulate him, and Othello’s own dwelling will lead him to believe and make things worse for himself.
Iago is always manipulating Othello, with or without his presence, as we see in the case of the handkerchief as Iago cleverly persuades his wife, Emilia, to steal the handkerchief given to Desdemona as a gift from Othello. He then gives it to Cassio. When Othello sees Cassio is possession of it, and then pass it on to his mistress, it creates greater Hatred from Othello of both Desdemona, because he believes the handkerchief to be a symbol of their affair that Desdemona gave to Cassio, and of Cassio because seeing him take the ancient gift and then pass it on to another woman makes his anger and jealousy of Cassio grow. This is important for Iago because Othello showing anger and hatred to these characters means that he can continue with his plan and plot an unhappy, tragic ending to the play.
Iago’s spell leads Othello to speak with imagery,violence,visciousness, poison and animals. The audience can see a vivid change in all aspects of Othello’ speech from the beginning of the play. “Her father lov’d me, oft invited me. Still questioned me the story of my life. From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes that I have passed. I ran it through even from my boyish days to very moment he bade me tell it”. Here can see the contrast. Othello speaks slowly ,calmly ,subtly and eloquently he spoke of no dark imagery or thoughts just intriguing words strung together nicely.
Analysing Othello’s speech demonstrates that he has had a downfall but now we need to look at how. Tragedy is a human concept, as with the renaissance view, the tragic hero has a fatal flaw that leads to a dramatic downfall. This flaw relates to the fact that tragic heroes are dammed by what they do. Othello had a flaw and is not a victim of consequences but an active participant is his own downfall. His not a vehicle for the machinations of Iago, he had free agency. He chose to believe every word of Iago’s and didn’t question his motives. He never stepped down or thought after making a decision which is evident when he tells Iago that he will muder his wife. Othello’s deficiencies are; a lack of critical intelligence; a lack of self knowledge, lack of social values; insecurity and most importantly; lack of faith in his wife. These deficiencies are how Othello is responsible for his own downfall and none more so than the lack of faith in Desdemona. This factor is linked to jealousy of Desdemona and Cassio and when Othello is told of what she has done he doesn’t stop to believe Iago and never once speaks to Desdemona about it. He always acts on Iago’s words and is easily led by Iago’s untruths and Iago’s pretending to be loyal to Othello.
A significant point in the play is the point when Iago very cleverly makes Othello hear Cassio and himself talking about Bianca. Iago the intelligent conjurer creates it, as he does not know of whom they are talking about. This leaves Othello thinking they are talking about Desdemona. With Othello’s uncertainty and the paranoia in his mind, eating away at his heart he only believes it could be his wife, but he was only talking about Cassio’s wife Desdemona. This demonstrates his insecurity of himself and his relationship. If Iago were in a black dominated society he would have more confidence upon himself. But as he is in a predominantly white society, it does not help his confidence in him and his relationship. Also Iago cleverly arranged for Cassio to be in the situations due to his better looks and the age to have a less difference. This would not help Othello with his doubt and his insecurity as it makes him think that Desdemona is having an affair with a better looking, younger person. If he had more confidence about himself and his relationship he would only think of the situation as Cassio as a friend of Desdemona talking with his wife. But as he has not got all the attributes that Michael Cassio has got he cannot be sure of him and his relationship. This is demonstrated when he is on the stage with Cassio, and realises Michael Cassio is better looking than himself and much closer in age to Desdemona. This would exert more jealousy into his heart. If Iago did not include soliloquies the audience would not know how clever and evil he has been in his plans to “put the moor at least into jealousy so strong that judgement cannot cure.” This shows that he has done what he intended to do as he knows he has got jealousy eating into Othello. These points show how Iago caused the situation that Othello is in but they also show how and what Othello does to make matters worse for himself. As Othello is a moor, and of different coloured skin in Venetian society, we can see that he is insecure, which is another flaw to his downfall. “He loves too much” this quote sums up his insecurity in Venice, and relates to his insecurity within his relationship to Desdemona as he sees her as “pure” and uses imagery such as “pearls” and “goddess” and “fair ladies love”. These powerful verbs show the innocent and pure view that Othello had for his wife, but as they turn to Cyprus and there is the pressure and the tension of the war going on that things are not as they were back in Venice and when Othello finds of Desdemona’s affair his pure image of her is ruined and his view of her quickly changes with the lead of Iago.
The phrase the “Green eyed monster” is relating to the jealousy promoted by Cassio. At this point Iago has jealousy eating away inside Othello. Iago knows Othello loves Desdemona and it will despise of him if he didn’t have her. He also knows that he loves her but does not have full trust in the relationship. “Green eyed monster” is suggesting that the jealousy is tormenting Othello, as a result of his insecurity. Shakespeare is now saying that he “doubts, suspects, yet fondly loves?”
Iago first creates jealousy in Othello by organising Cassio and Desdemona to meet each other whilst Iago and Othello are present to witness them being together. This is to get Othello aware of the situation. Iago very cleverly played down the situation of them being together and just stated “ Ha, I like that not” In this part of the play Iago plays the situation well by just mentioning it calmly and carrying on with their initial conversation. This gives Othello even more doubt and just those harmless words have such a big effect on him and it leads him to other conclusions such as he does not like the sight due to Cassio’s reputation of a ladies’ man however the thought of Cassio as a ‘ladies man’ was also an untruth.
At the beginning of Act 4, just as Iago’s plan is beginning to escalate on Othello, we can see a typical example of Iago making something serious of nothing just by the high level of Othello’s insecurity.”Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean any harm? “. These are the words of Othello after Iago has introduced that Cassio kissed Desdemona. Othello jumps to something much more serious as he is paranoid of the situation and will believe anything that Iago tells him and elaborate on what Iago tells him simply because he has very little faith in his wife and no critical knowledge due to the situation.
Othello has been led on by Iago but almost every step of his manipulation has been to a flaw in himself, opening opportunities for Iago and investing too much trust into him. Shakespeare uses both Othellos responsibility and Iagos Machiavellian character cleverly to create the downfall of Othello. Arguably Iago is the main reason for the downfall as he planned it and made it happen, but Othellos actions and personality and responsibility towards the situation enabled Iago to complete his plan, and thus, there was a tragic ending with the deaths to both Othello and Desdemona.