... and continue to lead moral and productive lives. Yet there are those who are mindlessly mesmerized by the boundless satisfactions offered by evil, and like foolish lambs they fall into its clutches. Similarly, in William Shakespeare's Othello, Othello's ensign, Iago allows himself to be misled by ... views when he states "Virtue? A fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or/thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our/wills are gardeners" (I.iii.322-324). Clearly, by observing Iago's sardonic views, the reader may conclude that he is becoming increasingly more enveloped with attaini...

• Word Count: 816
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• Grade Level: High School

Iago is one of Shakespeare's most complex villains. At first glance Iago's character seems to be pure evil. However, such a villain would distract from the impact of the play and would be pedestrian. Shakespeare, to add depth to his villain, makes him ... in this play, pushing Othello and everyone else towards their tragic end. For someone to constantly lying and deceiving one's wife and friends, one must be extremely evil or, in the case of Iago, amoral. In every scene in which Iago speaks one can point out his deceptive manner. Iago tricks Othello into believing ... a successful villain. H...

• Word Count: 1302
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• Grade Level: High School

... all genres lean towards this struggle, for example Shakespeare's King Lear or Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The themes of good and evil are appealing and create stories of romance, adventure and sorrow. The clash between the two is frequently used. However, what is the cause for this clash ... both Othello and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz have their own set of morals. They follow these morals whether or not they are good or evil. The character of Duddy Kravitz found in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is morally bankrupt. He lives to make money in order to b...

• Word Count: 1542
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• Grade Level: High School

... lives of innocent people because of his greed for power and attention. Shakespeare's timeless play, Hamlet, is a prime example of the origin of evil in most Shakespearean plays. The villain in the play, Claudius, is governed by his unspeakable greed for the throne of Denmark, which results in ... to drive Hamlet even deeper into madness. (Piphetti, gradesaver.com) Claudius's insurmountable greed was inherent and he wasn't able to overcome its transformation into evil. One of Shakespeare's most villainous characters is disliked mainly because he is extremely good at being bad. Iago, from ...

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• Grade Level: High School

It may seem that Iago is evil. After committing such heinous actions, he should be punished. Punished for what? Has Iago committed any crimes that would be punishable under penalty of law? There is no penalty for ... who watered them and allowed the seeds to grow. There is a difference between committing heinous actions and committing criminal actions. As we have seen, all of Iago's actions have been evil in intent, but he had never carried them out. Evil is not equal to criminal, and Iago is not guilty of any crime. ...

• Word Count: 289
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• Grade Level: High School

... Shakespeare attempted to create the ultimate villain (and I must say he was stunningly successful), Iago was the result. This cunningly evil character always keeps the audience guessing at his true personality until he has the opportunity to plan in solitude or so gracefully manipulate ... the thinking behind Iago's Machiavellian actions. 320 Virtue! a fig! 'Tis in ourselves are we thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens, to which our wills are gardeners; so that if we plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract ... Desdemona he...

• Word Count: 954
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• Grade Level: High School

... behind the Machiavellian actions: "Virtue? A fig! "Tis in ourselves that we are thus, or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract ... It was a violent commencement in her and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration-put but money in thy purse. These Moors are changeable in their wills-fill thy purse with money. The food that to him now is as luscious as locusts shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She ... and uses, ...

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• Grade Level: High School

... intelligence in order to gain his end. But the real reason for his villainy seems to be his love of controlling others and of evil for evil's sake. Desdemona Desdemona is beautiful, gentle, and well bred. She is young in years and child-like in her innocence and purity. ... into Iago himself for the origin of this jealousy. As the embodiment and genius of sexual jealousy, Iago suffers with ironic appropriateness from the evil he preaches and without external cause. Emilia understands that such jealousy is not a natural affliction but a self induced disease of the mind. She ... handkerc...

• Word Count: 4125
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• Grade Level: High School

... to the fact of jealousy, power, and hatred. The play "Othello" written by William Shakespeare showed us a great combination of three. Moreover he showed us how evil can corrupt the good. Thru his writing we learn how things can be planted in your mind and how you drive by those emotions on which you have no ... started to trust Iago more than his own beloved wife for whom he would have done anything. Whereas, Iago, "Othello's best friend" filled with rage, jealousy and evil intentions succeed in his plans. Desdemona dies because Othello was a pawn in Iago's game. Iago betrayed his friend...

• Word Count: 1065
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• Grade Level: High School

... life. They believe that people can only rely on themselves. Iago said "Tis in ourselves that we are thus, or thus." "Our bodies are our gardeners, to the which our wills are gardeners." Oth. 1.3.16) Lord Henry Wotton's belief is, "Nothing can save the soul but the senses, just as nothing can save the senses but the soul." (Wilde 15) Lord ... a bad relationship with his wife and a discriminating view of women. Lord Henry Wotton hardly sees his wife "The one charm of marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties. I never know where my wife is, and my ...

• Word Count: 1901
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• Grade Level: High School

... again." (Act 3, scene 3, 90-92). Othello's jealousy is the catalyst for the inescapable end he sees for his relationship with Desdemona. It was originally Iago's evil-minded goal to make Othello jealous of Cassio, as he suspected Othello of sleeping with his wife, Emilia. However, it was due to Iago's cruel manipulation of ... at times, he couldn't even control them. He says "Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners." What he is means is that we only have control over ourselves, we are also the only one's who can take control...

• Word Count: 1955
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• Grade Level: High School

... again." (Act 3, scene 3, 90-92). Othello's jealousy is the catalyst for the inescapable end he sees for his relationship with Desdemona. It was originally Iago's evil-minded goal to make Othello jealous of Cassio, as he suspected Othello of sleeping with his wife, Emilia. However, it was due to Iago's cruel manipulation of ... at times, he couldn't even control them. He says "Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners." What he is means is that we only have control over ourselves, we are also the only one's who can take control...

• Word Count: 1955
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• Grade Level: High School

... , which is one of the factors in Othello's demise (Douthat n. pag.). As it stands, Othello now has an established group of both enemies and allies. The enemies pose the challenge necessary for a hero to establish an honorable battle. Although this battle is not always won, it does show the unrelenting and never-ending struggle of good against ... evil. To further augment Othello's image of righteousness, the allies represent support in the battle. However, what good is a cast of characters if the leading role does not have the necessary characteristics? Some of the major ideal traits of ...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... and his dignity. When the military position Iago desires is given to Cassio, Iago's malevolent nature takes over. His amoral, evil character leads him to do anything necessary to ruin those now above him. Through these events, the relationship between Othello and Iago also changes. Othello is still very ... now himself. As nave as Othello was believing the lies about Desdemona, his actions were influenced by the advice of Iago, possibly the most evil character Shakespeare has ever created. After losing out to Cassio for the military promotion, Iago turns his sights into taking pleasure ...

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... was his emotions, and he couldn't even control them. He says, and I quote, "Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners (1.3.361-63)." In translation, it means only we have control over out internal selves. We are also the only one's who can take control over our feelings. As ... ...

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... throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character. We may classify Macbeth as irrevocably evil, but his weak character separates him from Shakespeare's great villains. Macbeth, great warrior though he is, is ill equipped for the psychic consequences of crime. Before he kills Duncan, Macbeth ... the plays. Some interesting facts have been demonstrated. Both of these individuals have the ambition to achieve what they want. Macbeth wants the crown on his head, by any means necessary. In an al...

• Word Count: 1225
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... struggle as demonstrated by some of the characters in "Othello." In "Othello," written by William Shakespeare, there is a clear challenge between good and evil shown by what the characters feel and do. This challenge can be either an inward struggle or an outward conflict. In Act 1, Shakespeare presents the ... that greened-ey'd monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on" "(3.1.64-66). Othello knows he shouldn't act without proof, but he sides with evil and accused Desdemona of being a whore. Othello now believes that Desdemona is no longer in love with him. Othello's inner struggle is...

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... that Othello has committed adultery with Emilia. This motive brings Desdemona and Emilia into Iago's plotting. He now feels he needs to involve everyone in his evil scheme. When Iago convinces Roderigo to start a fight with Cassio at a party, it appears obvious that Iago's plot to become lieutenant will come full ... just because he has a passion for scheming. He feels that Shakespeare purposely intended for Iago's motives to be poor in order to show this evil. His main argument discredits his hatred for Othello due to him not being picked for lieutenant. He feels that if this was such ...

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• Grade Level: High School

... trustworthy person. But by the end of the first act, he is quite the opposite. He's a deceitful character, honest and kind on the outside, evil and deadly on the inside. Throughout the entire play he turns all his "friends- against one another. He does this by using their fears and concerns ... possible motives throughout the play in his different soliloquies and while talking to Roderigo. Iago is in fact an honest and caring person who suddenly turned evil because he was so unhappy about the way his life was going. Things were not going his way: he did not make lieutenant, he was ... ...

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• Grade Level: High School

... the first act, he appears to be quite the opposite. He's a duplicitous character, honest and kind on the outside, but truly a pure, evil and malignant person on the inside. Throughout the entire play he turns all his friends, who trust him most, against each other. He does this ... vengeful, viciously repudiating the honesty and loyalty that have led him nowhere" (Godfrey, 421). Iago feels honesty is getting him nowhere, so he turns to honesty's opposite, evil. Iago admits this himself: O wretched fool, That lov'st to make thine honesty a vice!... ...To be direct and honest is not safe....

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... literature ever written, William Shakespeare's play Othello, the Moor of Venice, this controversy of good versus evil is constant throughout the entire play; the side of good personified by Desdemona, evil personified by Iago, and the human influence personified by Othello. Othello is constantly manipulated by both sides ... throughout the piece and the choices he makes turn out to prove just how strong the influence of evil is. The following paragraphs will attempt to show just how Othello's tragic fate came to be and the motives behind his actions. The side ... the worst situations is...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Iago, from Shakespeare's Othello, is one of the most memorable villains in all of literature. His commitment to evil and his impressive intellect of human nature make him a deadly adversary. There are three aspects to Iago's evil nature, which are the following: his motives, his methods, and his connection to Satan. The play is centered around Iago's ... terms. We cannot assume that Iago has the mind of a human. His thoughts are so extreme that they don't fit into a human category. Shakespeare may have personified evil through Iago and took it to the extreme, but if so, Iago would be detached...

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... and she has a sexual relationship with him. Although Aaron is not the main character of the play, he is responsible for much of the evil and treachery that occurs. He is the epitome of an evil character, and prides himself on it. "I am no baby, I, that with base prayers I should repent the evils I have done. Ten ... child, he could be construed as an almost non human character. Aaron is in many ways similar to an animal fighting for survival. He is surrounded by evil, so he is evil. He is surrounded by the need for revenge, so he plans revenge for his master. Aaron has spent all of his ...

• Word Count: 1913
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• Grade Level: High School

... . The complexity of the characters personalities and characteristics combined with their world full of chaos and turmoil lead to this battle of good and evil which exists in Othello, both play and person. Othello's character is undone by Iago, who is intent on vengeance, and uses Othello ... 's good traits against him, eventually leading to self destruction for an unnecessary evil. The tragic outcome at the end of the play, the inevitable tragic result beyond those involved powers is what makes it Shakespeare's ultimate tragedy. ... 296). From the beginning Othello was a likeable charact...

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... embodied in Othello), Venetian culture is extraordinary for its civilization art and religion. Iago is on the contrary, highly ordinary, for this facet his evil is all the more terrible, he can infiltrate Venice without detection and use the various aspects of Venetian civilization against Othello. For instance, he can ... made it dangerous. Was Iago truly at fault for stumbling upon a very precarious situation and then taking advantage of it? Yes. He definitely had evil intentions throughout the play. But, was Iago completely responsible? No. The contempt between Brabantio and Othello s...

• Word Count: 3763
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• Grade Level: High School