Iago Annalysis Essay.Docx

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Iago is one of the most important characters in Shakespeare’s Othello. Iago is the one who creates the plot for the whole story. He is the obvious villain of the play, but his motivations and methods are not clear to most. Iago has several motivations that cause him to want revenge on Othello, but his real motivation is hidden behind the ones he openly states. The techniques he uses to ensnare are crude yet effective. Though the movie starring Kenneth Branagh as Iago, he is portrayed well enough but the motivation is not well shown.
Iago is jealous and petty, so he lets any small thing give him reason to hate Othello more than he already does. Iago’s motivations appear to be clear. Though there is no point where he is specific about his main motivation to destroy Othello and everything he loves. Yet in act one scene one he states his prime motivation is bitterness at having been passed over for the promotion to be Othello’s lieutenant by Cassio. Iago is also motivated by his confidence in his abilities to destroy Othello and his life without detection. His anger towards Othello is mostly caused by his suspicion that Othello slept with his wife. Iago states it himself in 1.3.387-388 “I hate the Moor; And it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets”.
There is a motivation that is never actually mentioned in the play, and that is that Iago has homosexual feeling for Othello. Iago is jealous of Othello’s affection towards Desdemona and that is one of the reasons why he manipulates Othello into killing her. There is also a burning hatred towards Othello. Iago’s anger towards Othello is really anger at himself for his unholy wants. It is only the theory of several other writers though. Yet there is something said to Othello by Iago “I am your own forever.” (3.4.495). It might have just been a part of Iago’s deception, but it might have been a promise. There is another

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