Essay about Othello and Iago Two of a kind - 1284 Words

When reading Shakespeares â€Å"Othello the Moor of Venice†, the two main heros seem to be very different, both in character and actions. Othello seems to be an honest man who believes other people. He is respected by society for his nobility and bravery. Iago is a villain, plotting around not only against Othello. Othello demotes him to a lower status, and despite beeing a trained soldier, Iago is quite a coward when it comes to confronting an enemy with a sword. Although these two figures seem so different, they are [much more] alike, in more than one way. They both share the army way of life, and they tend to curse and use harsh language when upset. They both betray the people they are close to. Othello and Iago are suspicious towards†¦show more content†¦Iago, on the other hand, is a coward. The audience hears him talk about his battles, but when actually holding a sword, he prefers to avoid confrontation. [FOR INSTANCE , WHEN TRYING TO KILL CASIO,]quot;Iago darts from concealment behind Cassio, wounds him in the leg, and exitquot; (V, i, 27). The audience can therefore see two different characters. Othello is naà ¯ve while Iago is the villain. Othello is respected by everyone. Iago feels he disserves[DESERVES] more respect, better position, more money, and a more beautiful woman. Othello is a brave and victorious general that overshadows Iago, a coward that stabs his rivals from behind. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;However, in spite of this difference, Othello and Iago are alike in more than one way. Othello and Iago are both soldiers. They obey orders of military fashion. Othello gets his orders from the duke and senate. Iago is doing more simple soldier chores, like when Cassio calls him quot;to the watchquot; (II, iii, 13). This shared way of life probably made them talk the way they do, in a rude fashion, especially when they are mad. quot;Ill tear her all to piecesquot; (III, iii, 431), quot;O, blood, Iago, blood!quot; (III, iii, 451), cries Othello during a conversation of theirs. When interrogating Desdemona, he degrades her by asking quot;What, not a whore?quot; (IV, ii, 86). Iago too, builds up a negative impressionShow MoreRelatedIago, By William Shakespeare1563 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s malicious characters, Iago seems to be one of a kind. At the beginning of the play, Iago is described as a character who is a good liar with a silver tongued eloquence. However, he turns out be a more villain in the end, putting other characters in peril without any justifiable reason. In Act 1 Scene 1 (Shakespeare, 1997), Iago shows discontentment toward Othello for placing him as lieutenant instead of promotion. This part clearly shows why Iago is upset and feels hatred. However,Read MoreFoils in Othello1326 Words   |  6 PagesThe Foils of Othello One of William Shakespeare’s many attributes as a playwright of the late 16th century was his character development. Shakespeare’s seamless use of indirect characterization sets his works apart from the other playwrights and authors of his time. In Othello, the Shakespearian tragedy about the newlywed Othello and Desdemona, Shakespeare uses character foils to emphasize the strengths and weaknesses of the characters. By making inwardly similar characters seem like polar oppositesRead MoreJealousy, Love, And Death964 Words   |  4 Pagespresent in Othello. However, the most dynamic of themes in this play is jealousy. White describes jealousy as a â€Å"complex of thoughts, feelings, and actions which follow threats to self-esteem and/or threats to the existence or quality of a relationship† (qtd in UK essays par 1). Two types of jealousy are presented to the audience in Othello; the kind of jealousy that is fear of losing what one has, and the kind that is envio us of what others have. Jealousy is a prevalent theme in Othello; it is rootedRead MoreThe Most Gifted : Othello By William Shakespeare770 Words   |  4 PagesVillain in Literature The tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare takes place in Venice and Cyprus approximately in 1603. Othello, the valiant Moor of Venice and the play’s protagonist, is a noble gifted leader looked up to by the people of Venice. His â€Å"free and open nature† (1.3.390) allows Iago, the play’s antagonist, to be able to identify Othello’s tragic flaw: credulity. Iago’s consuming desire for power fuels his meticulous plot to hurt and manipulate Othello. Through the use of jealousy andRead MoreIago is Portrayed as the Greater Villain in Shakespeares Othello1453 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Othello† is a tragic play of jealousy, racism and struggle for power. Right from the beginning, Shakespeare has created vigorous dialogue and conflicting situations. There is a direct contrast between black and white in this play, with black meaning something negative and evil and white meaning pure and fairness. The clash between these two colours leads to s evere hatred and enmity between a few people. Othello is a black army general in the service of the Venetian government. Iago is Othello’sRead MoreIagos Alter Ego : The Existential Villain946 Words   |  4 PagesIago: The Existential Villain Everyone has desires and goals that they would do anything to achieve. Some people will do whatever it takes, despite moral limitations to achieve what they want. Terrorists in modern day do the same by blowing up places despite that if they win they will receive nothing but scorched earth. In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago goes to any distance to achieve what he wants, which is to take Othello down. He manipulates and mentally corrupts him to achieve what he wants, whichRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello 957 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare s literature the most sinister one is without a doubt Iago. He is a ruthless sociopath. No other character can even come close to his evil. Most of the antagonists present in Shakespeare s plays have valid reasons for the troubles the cause. Iago doesn t for the most part he just has a burning hatred for the world especially Othello. Iago is the whole reason there is any conflict in Othello . If he never had entered the play Othello would have married Desdimonia and they would have lived happilyRead MoreThe Snake: Iago in Othello Essay1248 Words   |  5 Pagesproblems. In Othello, the evil Iago manipulates Othello into ruining his own life in the name of revenge. He tells Othello that his wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him. He presents Othello fake evidence time and time again until he is convinced. Othello is so angered that he murders his own wife, who has done nothing wrong. Only after she is dead, Desdemona is proven innocent. In immense guilt, Othello commits suicide. Iago finally gets his revenge. The character Iago, in Shakespeares Othello, goes fromRead MoreShakespeare s Othello - Iago And Emilia889 Words   |  4 PagesIago and Emilia â€Å"A liar begins with making falsehood appear like truth and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood,† said William Shenstone. This I believe to be so, in the story Othello, Iago was conceived as the most dishonest individual in the plot. Iago played mind games on everyone without them even knowing. Iago is like a snake, he first deceives Othello by turning him against his wife Desdemona. Iago then proves his theories with Desdemona sleeping with her longtime friend CassioRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello 1593 Words   |  7 Pages 1/20/17 OTHELLO : grit/mindset â€Å"I do not believe that any writer has ever exposed this bovarysme, the human will to see things as they are not, more clearly than Shakespeare (T.S. Eliot)†. Shakespeare used psychological traits to bring his work to life. in the play Othello uses grit and mindset to show people can be deceiving, untrustworthy, foolish and manipulative. Othello reflects how we let our thoughts consume us and how we let darkness