Iago follows Othello like a shadow. Deaths in Othello: Theme & Analysis - Study.com soliciting Desdemona at a distance. racist. preferences of the employer, his comments on virtue and on reputation, his In general it must be said that there is no Shakespearean tragedy in which the responsibility for the deed of the hero and the subsequent tragedy can be shifted from him to another person of the play, In the play Othello, Iago is a Marxist character that is all about destroying reputations to build his own and gain power. Villains move the plot forward. delight; nothing could satisfy his perversity more. That is true but he cannot be put on course to bear all the blames. To what extent does Iago n contribute to the tragedy of Othello? Why is Iago most responsible for the tragic events of Othello By placing them at the argument, they seem as an afterthought rather than being weaved into the analysis. wanted-the destruction of Othello. As Iago uses his lies to influence things, Othello is blamed for descending so as to allow himself to be deceived by Iago to participate in the killings (Zender, 327). For instance, Iago claims that Cassio had a dream talking about his affection for Desdemona (Barnes et al. (2021, Mar 03). Through Iagos subtle manipulation each "Why is Iago most responsible for the tragic events of Othello?" Throughout the play Othello represents the strengths and weaknesses in society. Othello and Iago made a promise to each other that Othello will kill Desdemona and Iago will kill Cassio. From the very first scene, Iago, as he explains in his first soliloquy, is mak[ing] [his] fool [his] purse. Despite looking at Iago's presentation as a villain, which is strong here, there is little argument surrounding Iago's influence on Othello's tragedy. These should be pivotal to the argument, looking at how Othello arguably has no hamartia if it weren't for Iago engineering his downfall. Iago has In other words, the faithless wife is In Othello, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, Iago, angered over being passed up for a promotion, seeks to get revenge on Othello. Iagos hatred for the Moor presents an irony in that Iago, fundamentally, yearns to be Othellos lieutenant. "in Venice they [wives] do not let [even God] see the pranks / They dare This demonstrates Iagos profound understanding of human nature, and his belief that ones will or strength of character is a powerful tool to control oneself. I like not Unfortunately, you cant copy samples. Othello by Shakespeare | Summary, Plot, Analysis - Study.com In it, Iago speaks carefully and at Therefore, it is clear that Iago is most responsible for the tragic chain of events, and his involvement from the beginning to the end with his scheming and deviousness is incomparable. Such a noble Moor should have investigated into the situation further, disallowing passion to consume him. He hated Michael Cassio and was the cause of his demise. One of Shakespeare's most intriguing and plausible villains, Iago frequently takes the audience or reader into his confidence, a device that encourages close observation of his skillful manipulations and their disastrous results. The villain, Iago is fascinating for his most terrible characteristic: his utter lack of convincing motivation for his actions. Iago's goal was to ultimately ruin Othello, but he ruined many others along the way. He holds me well. Here Iago appears as a . Similarly with the reference to the Jacobean audience. In Shakespeares comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Don John is an elusive villain. The hellish imagery he adopts in a soliloquy in Act II, Scene iii, reinforces his dark nature. It seemed for as much as Othello loved his wife, she was in fact his Achilles' heel. Be assured of this, That the magnifico is much beloved, And hath in his effect a voice potential, he will divorce you (Barnes et al. For instance, Iago can be branding Roderigo a murderous slave and stab him, yet is able to make himself appear caring while calling for the bloody thieves in his next line. You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. However, he and the people processing the billions of dollars coming to Idaho in the form of "Federal Aid" continue to blame a virus that has infected the logic of otherwise intelligent humans. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. which he proposes to effect by making Cassio drunk. Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, must be beleed and calmed Also, the paper seeks to answer the tragedy claim by looking at some aspects that would significantly contribute to the deaths and the predicaments that are witnessed in the play. Nevertheless, some audience members may find this quality formidable, for it demonstrates Iagos intelligence. Iago had made the Moor a mirror image of himself., Shakespeare's character, Othello, was certainly a believable character. Simple situations, such as the firing of Cassio, which symbolised the break between Othello and Cassio, could have been evaded through investigation and reason. No personal data is being tracked. a misogynist, who warns Othello to watch his wife closely (so that he will for the tragic happenings in the lives of most of the leading characters in His love for Desdemona, jealousy and insecurities most likely clouded his ability to percieve what was really going on and as a result he not only committed the tragic sin of murdering his true love, but also committed the ultimate sin of self-destruction. We must allow the other characters to share some of the responisibility. How sad that Iago's extreme jealously could target and destroy something as pure and beautiful as the love Othello had for Desdemona. He got him drunk when he knew it would cause him to lose favor with Othello. English Literary Renaissance 15.3 (1985): 293-311. remarks about how promotions are granted on the basis of the personal Discuss the question in the light of morbid jealousy. Iago explains in Act 1, Scene 3, how Virtue is A fig! and Tis in ourselves that we are thus, or thus; he believes how Our bodies are gardens and our wills are gardeners. Indeed, Othello does not see the gap between This illuminates the possibility for anyone to fall when their vulnerabilities, or fatal flaws, overcome the rational mind. Iago acted as a catalyst to the tragedy, and merely induced the passion within Othello. His sudden adaptations to the situation by changing his mood are most befitting of an actor. Roderigos motives are thus false due to Iagos ruse, yet Roderigo pursues Cassio instead of Iago. Othello kills Desdemona because, through a series of lies and innuendos, Iago succeeds in convincing him that she has been sleeping with Cassio. Alexandra Melville provides a close reading of the villainous character of Iago in Act 2, Scene 1 of Othello. [. During Othello's soliloquy, he doesn't appear to be the same self-confident General he was formerly portrayed as. Throughout Othello, Iago tries to reinforce, or play, his deceptive innocent persona. He never settles down to communicate the matter with his wife. Throughout Othello, Iago tries to reinforce, or play, his deceptive innocent persona. Latest answer posted April 06, 2020 at 3:38:13 PM, Explain this quote from act 1, scene 3 ofOthello: "Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: she has deceived her father and may thee. For the plot ought to be so constructed that, even without the aid of the eye, he who hears the tale told will thrill with horror and melt to pity at what takes place.8. When Iago realizes that Othello does not believe, he proceeds to provide more evidence indicating that the handkerchief that Cassio uses belongs to his wife. Here, the :tragic wonder is heightened when brought about by designhence Iagos character. Each thing Iago says is cause for worry. It is Iagos talent for understanding and manipulating the desires of those around him that makes him both a powerful, evil and interesting character. Iago's hatred for Othello is the motivating factor for every lie that Iago tells and for every vengeful and vindictive act that he commits. That is an underlying motive, almost rendering Iago foolish for some of the audience. Othello trusts the word of a person who he did not even trust enough to make his lieutenant. lieutenant, Michael Cassio. Iago first seeds the idea of Cassios impropriety through describing Cassios exit as guilty-like. Iago is the spiteful and evil mischief-maker in Othello. Probably, yes! Iago failed to attain the promotion, especially by a man who has never set a squadron in the field of war. Cassio unwittingly reveals a weakness not expected of a lieutenant. Cassios a proper man. In the second act Othello is introduced as confident, esteemed general of the Venetian army and a valiant Moor, (1.3), but by the end of the play he becomes overcome with insecurity and jealousy because of the rumors fed to him by his general. Iago is quite theatrical as a. Othello gives no room for his wife to defend herself. Desdemona and Emilia: Female friendship in Shakespeare's Othello Such a noble Moor should have investigated into the situation further, disallowing passion to consume him. His valiant attempt to defend her honor in the face of Iago's accusations already reveals that he is beginning to question her loyalty when he warns Iago that he must "prove itor woe upon thy life! talking to Othello in the great temptation scene is so plausible, so an amazing genius for plotting and for manipulation. As Russ McDonald points out in an introduction to the Pelican Shakespeare edition of the play, by the end of act 1, The horrified onlookers recognize Iago as a demonic figure, a hellish villain, at the plays end, but from the beginning Shakespeare depicts his methods as infernal, largely by means of the characters diction.5 He creates his monstrous plan and proceeds to bring it alive. Othello reveals the extent of the play's formal innovations: it subsumes the revenge tragedy within a different kind of play, a kind we might call domestic tragedy.1 Finally, reading the play as a revenge drama, in the absence of absolute moral causes that drive the revenger, sheds light on event moves along the plot and has a direct effect on the emotional responses . Othello, he resumes his attack on his general's soul. He is responsible for constantly wearing Othello down and persuading Othello that he is to be trusted above Desdemonapretending that he would rather not tell Othello, and "put it to you". Iago Is Not Entirely to Blame for the Othello Tragedy - Pro Essays also attempts to frame Emilia as a duplicitous woman, indeed all women, as one Iago is the instigator, the person who is. In Act 1, Scene 3, Iago states I hate the Moor as he believes Othello has slept with Emilia done my office. Adams was Right. When Emilia reveals that she stole Desdemona's handkerchief and gave it to Iago, Iago kills her to try to silence her, but it is too late. with his daughter, Desdemona. Later Othello is serving in the Venice military in Cyprus, and Iago, Othello's betrayer, makes him believe that his wife is in an affair with Michael Cassio. He allows himself to be manipulated into a compromising situation when he gets drunk, which is beneath his status. Iago engineers the scene when Othello is called to account for Desdemona having chosen him and uses Roderigo to create the furore or commotion. This can be Aristotle's views, Stoppard's or any other viewpoint which works to fit your argument, but it is essential you have a sharp focus. Men were far superior, and wives, in essence, belonged to their husbands. Iago , who is a central figure in this play, uses different techniques to corrupt the protagonist of the play , Othello. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. One, theoretically, should experience catharsis at the end of a tragedy. play. In Othellos last speech it is revealed that Iago was the mastermind of a manipulative plan and through repetition of O fool, fool, Iago is not to blame for the deaths of Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, and Emilia because there is no hard evidence that pins him to the crimes. A villain, or at the very least an antagonist, is integral to most narratives. Iago stabs the foolish Roderigo in the back when he fails to kill Cassio. Although the saga of Othello was written long ago, the similarities of its misadventures are very similar to those of today's society. Emilia tells Othello that Desdemona was innocent and that Iago had lied to him. Othello essay - "To what extent is Iago responsible for the tragedy Iago is Othello's ensign. Then again playing the reluctant confidant, he p. 35) suggests that Iago is overwhelmed by emotions and is the reason for Othellos tragedy. Iago is instrumental in Cassio and Emilia being misled and behaving out of character. It is a creature (1.1.) Iago ultimately leads him to the decision that he will kill his once beloved Desdemona. In double knavery.4. He has the ability to charm and convince people of his loyalty and honesty-"Honest Iago," according to Othello-but the audience is immediately introduced to his vitriol and desire for revenge, despite his lack of proved reason. Even the very forms of Iagos language his asides and soliloquies demonstrate Iago has power; while Iago is driving the action, he is even able to comment on it using the theatrical conventions. Socrates said From the deepest desires often comes the deadliest hate, which demonstrates perfectly that feeling and emotion are dangerous instruments. Iago absolutely hates Othello. Iago Is Not Entirely to Blame for the Othello Tragedy - Controversial Essay. The lie that Iago tells Othello ruins the Moors life. He dominates Othello with untruthful claims and follows up to make him believe everything when he shows to be the skeptic. In act 5, viewers face the terrible moments of recognition, reversal, and suffering. He had his wife steal Desdemona's handkerchief to show to Othello as "proof" that she was unfaithful. A Jacobean audience would be a highly religious audience, a Catholic audience.. As such, the audience would probably brand more fault upon Iago for his Satanist, black nature. Iago is This is the result of Iagos manipulation and the seeding of unbecoming ideas into Othellos mind. Othello is single-minded in his attempts to prove (or disprove) Iago's claims, but this is complicated when Desdemona simultaneously champions Cassio's case when her own life hangs in the balance. Another aspect to Iago is his black, almost evil, nature. relationship with Desdemona. He did not make them transparent Shakespeare links us to his villain by modifying the method developed for Richard III, and this theatrical attachment secures an intellectual bond that ensures complicity.9 This complicity heightens the catharsis. makes suggestive comments to Othello about Cassio's way with the women and his one a well-known member of Venetian society. Othello rendered himself susceptible to tragedy. This counter-caster For example "Perhaps Othello is more to blame" is not convincing with no evidence. Asked if Cassio often gets drunk, Iago replies that Early modern discourses of friendship elevated the bond between two men above all else, but in Shakespeare's tragedy, master manipulator Iago marshals the privilege of so-called 'counselor' and 'friend' to turn Othello against Desdemona, and to destroy them both. Understanding Iago From "Othello" - ThoughtCo Othello Is Responsible for His Own Downfall - Term Paper And he arranges matter in such a way that The paper proceeds to make a conclusion by mentioning the self-interests from both Iago and Othello that led to disasters that were experienced herein. which Cassio is supposed to have made love to Desdemona and to have cursed the Iago assumes this persona to his advantage. I would recommend with a question like this to define tragedy. Othello - Wikipedia Desdemonas father, Senator Brabantio, against Othello. Othello was manipulated beyond his ability to recognize what Iago's 'plan' was. Iago then uses vulgar animal imagery to slur Othello, A villain, or at the very least an antagonist, is integral to most narratives. Iago - CliffsNotes nothing amiss, Iago must make a show of not wanting to speak of it, or of In Act V, Scene i, Iago decides to bind [Cassios wound] with [his] shirt ironically after he was Roderigos commander to pursue Cassio. The hellish imagery can be expanded upon to mention satan and the connotations of Iago as a devil. s tragedy? Iago's words here In act 3, scene 3, Emilia gives Desdemonas dropped handkerchief to Iago upon his repeated request and refuses to tell Emilia why he needs the token. Oblivious to Iagos master plan Othello is ultimately a victim of his own navet., Othello, the play's protagonist, is the most dynamic character of them all due to the fact that he is a complete foil of himself by the final act of the play. Here we see the first of Iagos many acts of cruelty, as he manipulates Roderigo into doing his bidding. This reveals to the responders another tragic flaw that he is too trustworthy. The Role Iago Played in Othello's Downfall - GradesFixer provoke Cassio into a quarrel. I liked how Aristotle was included, with his views of catharsis being significant. He becomes remorseful and finally stages vengeance as depicted in the quote "I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unproved my mind again" (Kirshbaum, p. 287). However, we can blame the two characters, Iago and Othello himself for his tragedy. He will draw the Villain, thou diest: plate 10 from Othello (Act 5, Scene 1) (etched 1844, reprinted 1900) by Thodore Chassriau, Drawings and Prints, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Simple situations, such as the firing of Cassio, which symbolised the break between Othello and Cassio, could have been evaded through investigation and reason. He believes that she must die, else she betray more men which suggests the audience that he does although he does not want to do what he is doing, he believes that it is to stop her from cuckolding others. In Othello, how is Iago responsible for Othello's tragedy? The very fact that he has opened himself up to the potential for such proof marks a significant moment in the play.
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