how is iago responsible for othello's downfall

In the last act Othello was trying to act as Desdemona's defender, and Iago was the accuser; ironically, they seem to have switched places here, and Iago seems to be defending Desdemona, all while producing more "evidence" to condemn her. The reader does not want to realize unpleasant flaws in an honorable character; just, Customarily, an author will construct a narrative in which the protagonist, a character contrived to be implausible, as well as honorable is destined to decline along the path of tragedy leading to suffering and misfortune. This is done in order to give Othello some sort of ocular proof that an affair between his wife and his Lieutenant is real. Iago has been selfish and takes it upon himself to get revenge against Othello. As Alvin Kernan states in his source , Oblivious to Iagos scheming and the transparent innocence of his wife and lieutenant, Othello is ultimately a victim of his own naivete and implacable ignorance ( Kernan) He is so caught up in the drama and scheming of iagos plot he fails to see the logic of the situation resulting in catastrophic results. The notion of jealousy that lies inside Othello is something that Iago uses to bring down the mighty warrior. Shakespeare crafts Iago's evil characteristic through the way he manipulates others in order to carry out his plans and his unfit motivation for his maliciousness. Since Othello focused on the negative possibility, instead of being open to a positive possibility, and since hedonism was evident in himself and Iago, Othello, a tragic hero in the Aristotelian tragedy, obviously fell from being a man whom the senators revered to a man who was wifeless and powerless and who committed suicide., In Shakespeares Othello, Othello suffers the classic war between passion and responsibility due to his conflicting thoughts about Desdemona allegedly being unfaithful, while attempting to maintain his responsibilities of being a rational and composed leader. Iago's deception is what drives the characters in Othello thereby compounding the belief of his responsibility for the outcome of this tragedy. Although Othello is named after the Moor of Venice, Bloom comments that it is Iagos play because he predominates the stage and remains in ones mind long after one has finished reading or watching the play (433). Its implied that Shakespeare created the character, Iago, Iago uses manipulation to turn the moor into a murderer. Does Othello create his own downfall? The fact that Othello is so III. He is angry with Othello for promoting Michael Cassio, an officer with no real battle experience, to lieutenant over him. Iago even manipulates Othello to strangle her, which is a much personal and vengeful death than poison. Elizabethan England and Italy were patriarchal cultures of honor, where the male name and reputation were prided above all. Untruths and misdirections are normal in the public eye, and numerous people veil their actual goals with a lacquer. Nonetheless, in my opinion Iago and chance play quite an equal role in the fall of these characters. Othellos willingness to sense Iagos distress, and to believe his accusations, is because of the lack of awareness Othello has for his vengeance. Striking at it in different ways is what allows Othello to be manipulated. Understanding that this might be due to the fact that Othello is an outsider, of a different religion, and of a different ethnicity, Iago is able to identify that Othello, for all his greatness, is extremely scared and insecure about losing everything. In the first act, we find out how Othello perceives Iago when he says he is, "A manof honesty and trust. Behind his faade as a dependable ensign and companion, Iago is a multilayered, tricky and manipulative scalawag, coming up with disarray and bringing about setbacks toother characters for requital. Many factors lead up to Othello's downfall. Iago obviously knows this and he intended that Othello would misunderstand. Othello's downfall comes about due to a combination of the influence of Iago and the fatal character flaws of the otherwise virtuous Othello. Throughout the whole play Iago refers to himself as an honest man(2.3.285.) Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. Othello's downfall began when he wholeheartedly trusted the wrong person, Iago. Iagos informal conversation is an attempt to create some sort of bond between them; no matter how false it is in Iagos eyes, so that Cassio will become more trusting of him. How is Iago able to manipulate Othello? Meaning, how does Iago bring Iagos use of repetition in his language is also a key feature in his manipulation of Roderigo. The readers soon comes to realize the reasons for Iago's hate of Othello: the promotion of Cassio instead of himself; the racial prejudice displayed by him; and the rumour that Othello is having an extra-marital relationship with his wife Emilia. He uses all their weaknesses to bring them down. The other way Iago helps bring Othello's downfall is by making use of his pre-built reputation. Chance also plays a major role in Othellos downfall, one of the main factors being that he is far too trusting in nature. Shakespeare crafts Iagos evil characteristic through the way he manipulates others in order to carry out his plans and his unfit motivation for his maliciousness. He jumps to conclusions far too easily which Iago uses to his advantage. There are several characters that I consider to play a part in Othello's downfall, one of which is Desdemona. The Othello's Downfall and Its Causes - GradesFixer In the book Othello, Iago is a very manipulating man, throughout the book he manages to manipulate three main people, Roderigo, Cassio, and Othello. He is angry with Othello for promoting Michael Cassio, an officer with no real battle experience, to lieutenant over him. Iago, a master of how the human mind functions, realises this and so insists that Cassio have a drink, which he eventually does, leading to his demotion from Lieutenant. Iago encourages Roderigo to drink excessively to arouse his anger towards Othello so he will tell Brabantio. In order to heighten Othellos feelings of insecurity, Iago chooses to use lots of imagery connected to black and white, perhaps with the intention of emphasising the fact that Othello isnt socially accepted by the Venetian people because of his race, and his marriage to a white Venetian woman has done nothing to help this. Othello tells Iago to go get some poison to kill Desdemona, but Iago refuses and just tells him to strangle her in her bed (IV. Therefore, it could be said that Cassio and Desdemonas downfall are caused by the handkerchief, but Othellos actual death/downfall doesnt come later, until he realises that his wife was innocent. A. Without guilt Desdemona was killed by Othellos blindness in falling for Iagos trap. His tragic downfall is his own doing, but it would have never happened if Iago did not seek to ruin to his, In most literature, a characters flaws come into play and often pertain to one with a major role. Iago has Roderigo tell Brabantio that Othello is not good enough for Desdemona. How can Iago be blamed for Othello's downfall? - eNotes.com This, as Iago knows, evokes hatred and jealousy towards Cassio in Roderigo, although he is still hesitant about initiating a brawl with him. 1 Works Cited Iago Machiavellian In Othello William Shakespeare's Othello, Iago reflects the traits of a machiavellian who manipulates others for his own interest. Showing his true objective, Iago talks of how the simple fact there is a rumor Othello has slept with his wife is enough for him to seek to destroy him. Similarly, both characters originated from a meager past which they were forced to struggle to achieve a position where they. The first major difference in Iagos manipulation of Othello, compared to the other two, is his large use of imagery in his language. Firstly, Iago attempts to take Cassio into his confidence by his use of mens talk, in other words, the way in which he speaks of Desdemona. But, Othello did not seem to think so. Iago's deception and the ultimate death of Roderigo, Othello, and Iago's own wife Emilia, shows how harsh and inhumane Iago is. By Shakespeare showing Iagos other feelings towards Othello it causes the audience to believe Iagos other. When he does not get the position he wants and also heard that Othello has been sleeping with his wife Emilia, Iagos manipulation increases. Who is responsible for Othello's downfall? - GraduateWay Page: 1 of 2 else. As Alvin, This was shown especially, when Rodrigos fantasy of being with Desdemona was exploited, which took advantage of love. I'm writing a paragraph on Othello's strong exterior compared to his insecure interior. He comes up with a very good plan to get each other to turn against one another. Ergo, Othello is the tragic hero in William Shakespeares play, Othello, the Moor of Venice. The main reason for Iago's success was based on the social differences between the two. Iago utilizes his deft and shrewd key demonstrations of control to undermine each characters shortcomings. How is Iago an artist in villainy in Othello? Nonetheless, few of them can compare to the top villains created by Shakespeare. Farewell the plumd troops and the big wars. Instead of telling Othello what he thinks, and what Othello should think about the possible affair between his wife and Cassio, he resorts to dropping hints occasionally, and refusing to elaborate on them. However, one character, Iago, manipulated all of them. Othello still clings to his belief in Iago's truth and Desdemona's guilt, mentioning the handkerchief and Cassio's "confession." When Othello mentions the handkerchief, Emilia erupts, and Iago, no longer certain that he can keep his plots hidden, attempts to silence her with his sword. Iago wants revenge on Othello, because Othello overlooks Iago and his abilities, so Iago manipulates these three characters to get back at Othello in the long run. So in the end he ends up getting what he wanted, revenge. "..that these worthy people who are so successful and popular and stupid are mere puppets in his hands but living puppets who at the motion of his finger must contort themselves in a. Instead of choosing the more obvious route i.e. Othello's notable tragic flaw is, as Iago states himself, "The Moor is of a free and open nature", meaning that he takes people and things at face value, not expecting any hidden vendetta or betrayal. Both Iago and Richard III are Shakespeares most thrilling and sinister figures. As a result of him being so gullible, it leads to him becoming jealous which leads to him losing control of, His false sense of suspicion and jealousy leads him to make this drastic decision even though sometimes he doubts the truth of the information that he is getting from iago and other sources he is so obsessed with revenge and jealousy he can not even see the logic in the situation. If Othello's fatal flat was jealousy, then it could be said that Desdemona's was generosity. Iago says, Call up her father, Rouse him. Motivated by what he sees as Othellos passing him over for a promotion, along with feelings of jealousy and lust, Iago formulates a plan to reap his revenge for what he believes are the wrongs Othello has committed against him; a decision that ends both of their lives. Othello experiences mixed feelings between these two characters. Iago represents a spider web who tries to weave his web to ensnare them all. This is again another part of chance that played nicely into Iagos hands. "How is Iago able to manipulate Othello? The soliloquies enhance Iagos villainous characteristics by giving him moments to, Society defines a hero as someone of exceptional courage, strength, or outstanding achievements. At one point, after Iago has first pointed out that he should look to [his] wife, observe her well with Cassio [III iii 199], Othello then becomes so affected by this that he actually starts having doubts about his marriage. It has been so easy for Iago to mold the other characters into his plan that it is hilarious to him. Iago's ability to take advantage of people's flaws and situations when they arise also allows him to manipulate Othello's, "free and open nature" through the "pour [ing] pestilence into the ear of the Moor" and provide evidence through the planting of Desdemona's handkerchief , a symbol of the love between Othello and Desdemona, in "Cassio's lod. Why does Iago think that Emilia has slept with both Othello and Cassio, and where in the play does he voice these suspicions? He manages to convince Roderigo to provoke Cassio into a fight when he is drunk; something Roderigo was reluctant to do beforehand. Iago continues to exact revenge on Othello and other people are being affected negatively as they fall with Othello. Another element of fate that plays a role in his downfall is the very myth of the handkerchief, this being that Othellos mother had received it from the Sybil who said that it should be given as a love token, and if it were ever lost or given to someone else, the love would be broken. Othello believes the handkerchief to be magical, and so the thought that Desdemona has given it to someone else is awful in his mind. Unlike Richard III, apart from telling stories, Iago carries out a downright fraud through other means of manipulation, which makes him the most evil and intelligent character. A character can also possess a flaw in which another may exploit and manipulate; such is the case in Shakespeares, Othello allows himself to be poisoned and muddled by Iagos fallacious words (Anand, 77). In the play "Othello" Shakespeare's character Iago deceives many of the other characters in the play for the sole purpose of revenge based on his speculation alone. Who is responsible for Desdemona's death? Analysis Iago talks to Cassio about Bianca while telling Othello that the subject of their conversation is the Moors wife. Jealousy Is Responsible For Othello's Downfall How Does Jealousy Lead To Othello's Downfall | ipl.org His ascendance prompts thoughts of Richard III who is definitely the captivating protagonist in the history play. It is clear that Iago detests Othello simply because he has attained the life he could never have; something he is willing to do whatever it takes to destroy him for. Iago is envious of Othello and it appears that he makes it his goal to destroy the happiness the others. Often when characters feel real, they are stereotyped illusion based on an audiences feelings. Iago is so determined to ruin Othello that he deceives his own wife, Emilia. The general is commanded to go to Cyprus to fight invading Turks. Read More He first starts off with realizing his irony of helping Cassio while trying to be evil at the same time. Many characters fall into Iago 's web of deception throughout the book. At first Othello does not believe him, but by Iago saying nothing,my lord; or if- I know not what Othello starts to question if it is true (III. Consequences Of Othello's Downfall - 1486 Words | Cram Iagos manipulation of Cassio is quite similar to that of Roderigo, in the fact that language plays a major role. However, How can one be consistently honest over long periods of time? The fact that Desdemona and Cassio get on so well together could be another factor in the assistance of Iagos plot, and perhaps even the fact that she ended up in Cyprus, just as in the case of Roderigo. Iagos cruelty is a defining element of the play, in that it pushes the plot forward as the trigger for all of the major actions throughout the story, serves as the cause of the cruelty of others around him, and reveals the character of each person in the play through their responses to his cruelty. To begin with, Iago told Roderigo, I will follow him to serve my turn upon him. The quote means Iago's intentions are to mislead Othello by gaining his trust and turning him into a killer beast. I like not that [III ii 34]. Obviously the play ends with Macbeth as the villain, dethroned and beheaded. The culture of honor. English Literature Coursework - Othello "To what extent is Iago responsible for the downfall of other characters in Othello?". He misuses Roderigos love for Desdemona, Cassio under the appearance of companionship, and toys with Othellos mind by playing on his self-question. In Shakespeare 's play Othello, the character Iago is the same as those tricky people. What is Othello's tragic flaw that causes his downfall? It could be argued that if the handkerchief did not have such a history, perhaps the whole plot involving it would be ineffective because of a lack of value to Othello. Iago has set the trap for Cassio to ask Desdemona to possibly try to change Othellos mind which will lead to Othello believing that they are having an affair. On the contrary, Iago has qualities of the devil, which can be connected to the Medieval and Renaissance age. However, Iago's manipulations and the seeds of jealousy planted in . He often calls Iago honest and can only see the good in people. When Macbeth arrives home she suggests they kill him, after he declines, she starts questioning his manhood and peer pressures him until he decides to kill Duncan. Shakespeare utilizes this technique frequently throughout the performance especially for the antagonist for the play, Iago. At this point, it is questioning to the audience of the continuation of his plot. Iagos Throughout the play, since Iago is trustworthy to Othello, Iago plants seeds of jealousy in Othellos mind. In Othello, act 3, how does Iago make Othello jealous.
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