“But I do think it is their husband’s faults If wives do fall” (Act 5 Scene 1, Lines 85–86). Bitter about being passed up for Cassio's post, Iago reveals he serves Othello only to serve himself. You see right away that he is able to give the appearance of one thing, but in reality be something quite different. To make Othello believe that Desdemona has been unfaithful, Iago plans to use her and talks her into giving him Desdemona’s handkerchief so that he may plant it in Cassio’s quarters. He cares for no one, yet he devotes his whole life to revenge rather than walk away in disdain. 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. Roderigo says that Othello only got Desdemona out of luck and he will not be able to carry it off. Othello Characters guide studies each character's role and motivation in this play. Character Analysis Desdemona Desdemona is a lady of spirit and intelligence. Character Analysis The play Othello begins with an argument between two men, Iago and Roderigo. Unfortunately, Iago takes advantage of Desdemona’s good … He likes to have others unwittingly working to serve his purposes. a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. He is deeply unpleasant, and this is revealed to the audience in no uncertain terms in his numerous asides. ... for it was one thing to befriend a ‘moor’ and another to marry them.Although in Act One Othello demonstrates he is not as Iago, Roderigo and Brabantio describe him, would the … Throughout the play, Iago provides multiple and incompatible motives for hating Othello. How Nick describes him in chapter’s Actions character makes: opening: Connection to Nick: Description of his house: A symbol … In doing so, he comes across as even more villainous, now that he is prepared to ruin Othello’s life despite his acknowledged goodness. The thing about Iago is this—we never really know for certain why it is that Iago wants to destroy Othello. Iago is unrepentant in his communication with the audience. The other one says that iago was the one involved in all this roderigo also says how iago told him to pick a fight with Cassio Two of the key characters are Cassio, Othello's loyal captain, and Roderigo, a man who is love with Othello's wife, Desdemona. My take on Othello is that he is a credible character. Say, hypothetically, that we staged an Othello were it was perfectly obvious that Othello had indeed slept with Iago’s wife. One thing another character says about her: What are two words you would use to describe Daisy’s character: Name: _____ Period: _____ Gatsby: Character Chart (chapter 1) Directions: Complete each bubble with information about the character. However, Roderigo seems to know Iago best. What would such an interpretation do to Iago’s character? Probably, yes! of diseased intellectual activity, with the most perfect indifference to moral good or evil, or rather with a decided preference of the latter, because it falls more readily in with his favorite propensity, gives greater zest to his thoughts and scope to his actions. Shakespeare's Characters: Iago (Othello) ... Iago's motive for wanting to destroy Othello could be one of several. Desdemona swears she would love him even if his mistreatment was responsible for her death, but we don’t know how seriously she takes this possibility. Desdemona says this line to Emilia and Iago as she explains how she will remain faithful and loving to Othello even if he insists on accusing her of infidelity. Brabantio also speaks disparagingly of Othello's "sooty bosom." His is the longest part with 1,070 lines. He has risen through the ranks in the army by merit and achievement, and Othello, whose military judgment is excellent, has taken him as ancient (captain) because of his qualities. He treats others as fools and has no time for tender emotion, yet he is a married man and presumably once loved his wife. Shakespeare has built the character of Iago from an idea already existing in the theatrical culture of his time: the Devil in religious morality plays, which developed into the villain in Elizabethan drama and tragedy. Don't act the villain, don't look it, or speak it, (by scowling and growling, I mean), but think it all the time. He believes in cheating and lying for gain, yet Shakespeare placed some of the most beautiful words in Iago's mouth. Roderigo. . Iago represents evil and cruelty for its own sake. Cassio is handsome, charming, and charismatic; as Iago notes when he starts to hatch his devious plan, “He hath a person and a smooth dispose / To be suspected, framed to make women false” (1.3. Perhaps having guessed that he may be double-crossed, he writes letters which he keeps on his person that eventually discredit Iago and his motives completely. From Leonardo to Shakespeare there is certainly one thing that they all possess and that is their eloquent ‘genius’. and any corresponding bookmarks? Not after all I’ve done to them, all that I continue to do. Iago”s deception, which in appearance looks similar to Desdemona”s deception, is in fact very different. Othello » Act 2 Scene 1 now; Related material. William Hazlitt wrote: "Iago is an extreme instance . He points out to Roderigo that men cannot follow leaders if they want to lead themselves. Iago represents evil and cruelty for its own sake. An audience may even collude in Emilia’s belief that even if she did cheat, Iago deserved it. From this time forth I will never speak a word” (Act 5 Scene 2, Lines 309–310). All rights reserved. ). Also in that same scene Cassio calls Iago "honest Iago" (2.3, p. 52, line 335). © 2020 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ... white is black and generally the characters and themes have contradictory aspects. This statement is one of the few moments of honesty between Iago and another character. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. In addition, Cassio says of Roderigo, "even but now he spake, / After long seeming dead, Iago hurt him, / Iago set him on" (5.2.327-329). Use evidence from the text. We learn that Othello is black and that he is an important officer. Most other Shakespearean characters do bad things in order to achieve a particular goal. It is because of this jealousy that Roderigo continues to seek Iago’s assistance. Iago portrays Desdemona as lustful, desperate to trade Othello for a more refined Cassio. For all the claims of military straightforwardness of some other characters, Desdemona is the most direct and honest speaker in the play. Racial and female stereotypes also dominate. Texts His fate is left in Cassio’s hands. Iago is a man with an obsession for control and power over others who has let this obsession take over his whole life. Irony … He previously served as a theater studies lecturer at Stratford-upon Avon College in the United Kingdom. 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