Iago is a very crafty and cunning. When Othello appoints Cassio as lieutenant instead of Iago, Iago is outraged and becomes very jealous. This jealousy made Iago the villian (the green-eyed monster). Iago plots to thwart Othello because he did not choose him. In the beginning of the play, Iago explains to Roderigo that Othello and Desdemona will be undone by his wit.
well, for the matter of fact all i had to do was make this up and it worked.... i hope. a central motif in the play is trickery or deceit, whether for good or evil purposes. counterfeiting, or concealing one's true feelings, is part of this motif. everyone seems to lie; good characters as well as evil ones engage in deceit as they attempt to conceal their feelings: beatrice and benedick mask their feelings for one another with bitter insults; don john spies on claudio and hero; don pedro and his 'crew' deceive benedick and beatrice. who hides and what is hidden?
Loneliness puts The Monster in a mentally unstable position. He believes that he is a monster for the reason being he was created by one. In comparison, Othello’s betrayal is demonstrated throughout the play, but especially through Iago when he confesses to the audience his plan to manipulate and destroy Othello’s love life with Desdemona. Although Othello trusts Iago with anything, Iago hates the “Moor” and is willing to do anything to destroy him. Iago feels that the best way to do so is by manipulating Othello telling him that his wife is cheating on him with Cassio, who Iago coincidently hates as well.
The second life Iago ravages is the naïve Desdemona, as he twists her virtues and purity leading to her death by her misguided husband. The third life Iago ruins is his prime target, Othello, as he takes advantage of his poor judgment, professing concern for his General, resulting in his deterioration. Iago is a destructive human being, with a thirst of power. One significant way Iago uses his manipulation on Roderigo is by jealousy, revealing Iago’s consistent abuse of his gullible friend. In the beginning of the play a conversation is heard between Roderigo and Iago.
William Shakespeare’s impeccable use of the dynamics to shape power play in ‘Othello’ is displayed through Iago’s jealousy, and the themes of manipulation and prejudice. Jealousy, referred to as the “green eyed monster,” by Iago, is present throughout this text and is a key aspect for the contribution to Iago’s devious plans succeeded by his power over others. As expressed in the play, Iago is jealous of Michael Cassio for being offered the promoted position of lieutenant, "One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, a fellow almost damned in a fair wife; that never set a squadron in the field, nor the devision of a battle knows more than a spinster… But he, sir, had the election: and I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof at Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds Christian and heathen, must be lee'd and calmed by debitor and creditor: this counter-caster, he, in good time, must his lieutenant be,” here Iago is explaining that he deserved the position of lieutenant as he is far better than Michael Cassio in the battle field. This, as well as his hatred for Othello, is some of the main reasons that drive Iago to follow through his evil plotting. Shakespeare applies power play to heighten a person’s influence and control over others; the theme of manipulation is expressed in astonishing ways through Iago’s power in Othello.
In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello”, the character Iago is no different from those characteristics deceptive individuals. Behind his facade as a trustworthy ensign and friends, Iago multilayered, deceptive and manipulative villain, concocting chaos and causing mishaps to other characters for revenge. Iago uses his deft and astute strategic acts of manipulation to undermine each character’s weaknesses. He exploits Roderigo’s love for Desdemona, Cassio under the guise of friendships, and toys with Othello’s mind by playing on his self-doubt. Evidently, Iago manipulates the people around him by using their weaknesses, Roderigo’s naivete, Cassio’s trusting nature, and Othello’s insecurity, against them.
This is constantly displayed in the play when Iago goes into his soliloquies, as it usually contrasts with whatever positive thing he said before (II. iii). Iago is an impostor, since he is not who he appears to be, and he betrays others easily. Since Iago is also manipulatively smart, he can do something ‘clever,’ to get whatever he wants. In the play, Iago creates a mischievous plan to get his job back, which involves turning everyone against each other.
He insults Polonius calling him a Whore-Monger. After this exchange Polonius remarks “Though this be madness, yet there is method in't” (II, II, 204). Meaning that Hamlet could be mad but that there seems to be intent behind his madness. When Rozencranz and Guildenstern visit Hamlet he receives them kindly until he learns they are spying for his mother. He then increases his feigned madness.
How betrayal destroys relationships is evident in Hamlet’s relationship with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. “Why, man, they did make love to this employment./They are/not near my conscience. Their defeat/Does by their own insinuation grow./'Tis/dangerous when the baser nature comes/Between the pass and fell incensèd/points/Of mighty opposites.” (5.2.61-66). Hamlet knew that his so called friends had chosen the King over him and now feels no
This soliloquy is virtually an outline of his plan to entrap the other characters in a destructive web of lies and hatred. We learn his true feelings on Roderigo and his reasons, although not justified, for plotting against Othello. We also see more of Iago’s psychopathic nature and his ability to control people as if they were puppets for his personal amusement. In the first few lines we see Iago’s true views on Roderigo; “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” This means he is using Roderigo for his money and using his stupidity to persuade Roderigo to do whatever he pleases. “For I mine own gained knowledge should profane.