In Sakespeare s Othello, Iago is infatuated with getting back at Othello for
naming Cassio his lieutenant instead of Iago. Iago is so upset with Othello that
he is willing to do anything, or talk anybody into doing things for him to gain his
revenge on his master. Iago has a tremendous ability to manipulate people into
doing things, that under normal circumstances, they would not even contemplate
doing. In the play Iago despises and often riducles the other characters,
especially Cassio, who was selected as lietuenant over Iago to which Iago is still
extremely upset about, and Roderigo, whom Iago believes to be a fool. Iago is
such a great manipulator that he is able to get Cassio and Roderigo to completly
trust him and do anything he tells them to do.
Iago realizes that to gain revenge on Othello and Cassio he needs help
both with money and with physical labor. Iago hires Roderigo, a man that he
can not stand because he feels that Roderigo is too weak and too stupid to do
anything for himself. Iago often refers to Roderigo as his fool because
Roderigo will do anything that Iago tells him to do as long as Iago is able to
convince Roderigo that Desdemona will fall in love with Roderigo for helping
Iago. In the beginning of the play, Iago manipulates Roderigo into going with
going with him to inform Barbantio of the great crime that Othello has done to
The Essay on Contrast Between Iago And Othello Is The Most Important Contrast In The Play
... his jealousy. Iago who is both clever and charismatic, plants ideas into Othello’s head, such Desdemona having an affair with Cassio, and allows ... himself for a woman and he is in fact mocking Roderigo and implying that he is weak. He also makes multiple ... crudely. Iago on the other hand prefers the use of animal imagery such as when he is talking to the suicidal Roderigo ...
Barbantio s daughter, marrying her without Barbantio s knowledge. When this
plan fails Roderigo blames himself and wants to kill himself instead of blaming
Iago.
While in Cyprus Othello puts Cassio in charge while he spends time with
his wife, Desdemona. Througout the night Iago keeps encouraging Casis to
drink until finnally Cassio is completely drunk and is no longer aware of his
actions. The drunkeness caused Cassio to brawl with Montano and caused
Othello to fire Cassio as his lieutenant. Iago manipulates Cassio out of placing
blame on him when he tells Othello that it is very hard on him to do offense to
Michael Cassio and then stays with Cassio to comfort him in his time of need.
Instead of veing upset with Iago, Cassio places the blame on himself, he feels
that it was his stupidity that caused him to lose his job and his dignity. Confess
yourself / freely to her. Importune her to put you in your / place again
(II.iii.337-339).
In these lines Iago tells Cassio to go to Desdemona to ask her
for help because her heart is too good not to help. Now Iago manipulates
Cassio into consulting with Desdemona. These manipulations may seem easy,
but Iago took a lot of time convincing Cassio to drink and then knew the exact
point to send out Roderigo to stir up the whole fight between Cassio and
Montano. Then Iago is able to sit there and give comfort and advice to Cassio
even though he completely despises Cassio and will do anything to destroy him.
