Iago's Tactics

462 Words2 Pages
Iago employs three tactics to convince Othello of Desdemona’s infidelity and Iago’s faithfulness. He avoids speaking out his thoughts, responds to Othello’s questions with suspicious answers and damns Cassio through his use of faint praise. Iago also convinces Othello of his honesty by warning him about the importance of a man’s reputation and the dangers of jealousy. Once Iago has gained Othello’s trust, he convinces him of Desdemona’s infidelity. Iago avoids speaking out his thoughts and this arouses Othello’s curiousity. Iago asks provoking questions and responds to Othello’s queries with suspicious answers: IAGO: Did Michael Cassio, When you wooed my lady, know of your love? OTHELLO: He did from first to last. Why dost though ask? IAGO: But for a satisfaction of my thought; This makes Othello paranoid and results in him losing his temper. He believes that Iago is not telling him the entire truth and is trying to protect him from the “monster in his thought/Too hideous to be shown.” Othello is further convinced by Iago’s faithfulness through Iago’s faint praise for Cassio. Iago pretends to defend Cassio by not immediately telling Othello of his lies. Othello believes that Iago’s reluctance to tell Othello his thoughts is because of Iago’s friendship with Cassio: “Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man.” Iago then proceeds to remind Othello about the importance of a man’s reputation as well as warning him about jealousy. This puzzles Othello as he is unsure why Iago, his most trustworthy friend, is reminding him to keep his reputation: “he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him And makes me poor indeed.” This further arouses Othello’s curiousity. Iago also warns Othello about the dangers of jealousy, “the green-eyed monster” and infers that Othello is a cuckold, a man married to an unfaithful wife. Iago
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