... Cassio who was chosen instead of Iago, even though Iago's war experience was much greater than that of Cassio's. Iago does not say anything racist to Othello's face but he has a lot to say against him behind his back. Iago's character is very sly and devious and uses his qualities for the ... betterment of himself. He schemes to destroy Othello and anything in his way including Cassio and Desdemona. The first time we hear one of his racist comments is when he's talking to Brabantio, who ... angel she, and you the blacker devil!"(5.2.129). Although this is the only time she says what she...

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... inclining and the rest. Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it without a prompter". This line displays the astonishing power of Othello's words. Othello's nature is dark in many ways than one; not only is he dark in skin colour, but also because his whole persona is very mysterious ... compares Desdemona to a "reservoir for foul toads, To knot and gender in," and says that she is as honest "as summer flies are in the shambles."" Othello's comment, "'tis the plague of great ones," emphasizes that he finds comfort in the thought that this is a plague which followed his success as ...

• Word Count: 1235
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... he truly believe that he is "worthy" of Desdemona's love? Could a lack of self-confidence contribute to his believing Iago's lies about Desdemona? Response Othello is a Moor, but he has an extreme self-confidence, because he is a very successful warrior. The military identity of him is important and gives him a ... great confidence. This is what makes him acceptable by elite society, because he is really a great soldier. Iago always insults Othello because of his being Moor: "If she had been blest, she would never loved the Moor" (Act II, Scene I). Desdemona's father Brabantio ... but ...

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• Grade Level: High School

... Desdemona, aware that she can no longer live with her father, asks to go with her husband to Cyprus. The Duke agrees, and Othello charges Iago to bring Desdemona and Emilia on a later ship. Iago and Roderigo discuss the situation. Iago advises Roderigo to fill his purse and ... go with them to Cyprus so he can win Desdemona's affections. Act II II.i: Cassio arrives at Cyprus, then Iago (with Desdemona and Emilia), then Othello. The Turkish fleet has been destroyed by a storm, so there is no more danger of invasion. Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona is having an affair with ... Cass...

• Word Count: 707
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• Grade Level: High School

... love and strength by also standing up to Brabantio and exclaiming love for Othello. In the dark was hidden Iago, a man under Othello's command who believed he needed revenge on Othello. He had an evil plot to find Othello's flaw and abuse it to make Othello bring himself to defeat. Iago causes Othello to turn against his wife, and have jealous rages that caused her much ... Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine for theseas" worth," Othello said when referring to his affection and true feelings for Desdemona. Othello's love for Desdemona was...

• Word Count: 574
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• Grade Level: High School

... sir, who comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs."" (Lines 128-131) Instead, the Duke is impressed with Othello and sees that he is a prominent man and is truly a loving husband. Iago becomes enraged again at this and he decides to take matters into his own hands ... he displays these qualities quite a lot, he is very human and if he is double-crossed by someone then that someone better step off the railroad track's when Othello comes through or else the person will pay. I believe this is how most men act. When a man walks into a room full of othe...

• Word Count: 885
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• Grade Level: High School

... under any circumstance, and is completely oblivious to Iago's ulterior motives. Although Roderigo never thinks for himself, he still manages to spit racial slurs about Othello. Being a minor character that does not have his own opinion, he is clearly persuaded to fall into this racist society. While in conversation with ... Desdemona and is a somewhat self-important Venetian senator. Brabantio is not an exception to the racial society, as he too speaks racial slurs towards Othello. When Iago reveals his daughter's secret marriage, Brabantio is angrier at the fact that she is married to a...

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• Grade Level: High School

... the man who speaks of this love to betray his wife. Shakespeare, however, was able to do it with one character. What is Othello's motivation in ruining Othello's life? Iago is a complex character who can't be analyzed in simple terms. Like many people, Iago can be mysterious and baffling. ... Shakespeare was obviously fascinated by the man.He gave Iago more lines than any other character in his work, including Hamlet, King Lear, or Othello? (Contour). Although Iago is a sinister villain in the play, he seems to have no history of dirty deeds. In fact, almost every character ... Iago to...

• Word Count: 1007
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... others. In the beginning of the play Iago hints his dishonesty, telling Roderigo that a fool acts honest and he suggests putting oneself before being honest. Othello describes Iago as, "a fellow of exceeding honesty", and Cassio says that he has never met a man so kind and honest. Iago uses the others ... purpose work on him."(27) Iago is the most dishonest character in the play. He manipulates and brainwashes the other characters to get revenge against Othello. He uses others weaknesses to manipulate them and to achieve his goal. The others weaknesses are that they are gullible and tru...

• Word Count: 999
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• Grade Level: High School

... in theory to eliminate all thoughts that Brabantio might of had of his own about the marriage. Despite the negative foregrounding of Othello's character by Iago, our first impressions of Othello in Act 1 are of a noble and well-spoken man, his nobility is conveyed through his speech "most potent grave ... that agrees with Iago's perception of him. His personified language "greedy ear" (1.3.148) also allows us to form the opinion that due to the way Othello uses language, he is a very exaggerated and boastful character. Instead of having a character describe Iago for the audience, Shakesp...

• Word Count: 714
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... In fact, Brabantio goes to the senate because he believes them. Brabantio thinks that Desdemona could not have fallen in love with Othello or marry him; he believes that Othello has used spells and witchcraft to make her marry him. Brabantio actually says to the Duke "By spells and medicines ... bought of mountebanks, For nature so prepost'rously to err" (1.3.61-62) to convince him that their relationship is against nature. Since Othello is black Brabantio thinks it is against nature for them to even be together and reiterates it saying to the Duke and Senator, "Against all ... faced no...

• Word Count: 601
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• Grade Level: High School

... It is ironic because at no point in the play was Iago honest to anyone. He will continue to lie to Othello throughout the play to successfully contribute to his downfall. Othello believes that Iago is a honest and noble man because he is mislead that Iago is a trustworthy aid. However Iago ... this most goodly book,/ Made to write "whore" upon? What committed!/ Committed! O thou public commoner!(IV, ii, lines 71-73) In this passage Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" and it illustrates how he was mislead by lies from Iago and how oblivious he is to the truth. He even doesn't believe ... or...

• Word Count: 515
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• Grade Level: High School

... S1, animal imagery first appears in the text to illustrate factors of Iago's personality. As he rants to Roderigo of his mere self-interest in serving Othello, he degrades servants by claiming that "[a servant] wears out his time much like his master's ass."" This simile shows Iago's view of servants as ... as Iago's deceptions first begin, animal imagery is used as means for Iago to give Brabantio an animalistic, lustful picture of his daughter's relationship with Othello. He first tells the news of the secret relationship by telling Brabantio that he will "have your daughter covered w...

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... The act opens with the pair arguing. Iago believes that the Moor is pompous and conceited, and this is visible after only a short period of time. Othello is being described by others before the audience sees him speak for himself. As we listen to him, the reader also starts to believe that when we ... come to where Roderigo tries to awaken Brabantio, Iago uses fowl, racist and ageist language against the Moor and the reader may suspect that Iago has issues with Othello and that it may only be one side of the story were being told. The imagery used paints a vivid picture in your mind. "Ev...

• Word Count: 683
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• Grade Level: High School

... the Turks. Roderigo is angry at Iago, the young Venetian he's been paying to play "matchmaker-" for him and Desdemona. Iago has other issues. Iago has served faithfully as Othello's ensign. However, Othello Infuriated Iago for selecting Michael Cassio as his Lieutenant instead of himself. An evil nature is hidden under a mask of integrity by Iago as he delights in the misery ... of others. He sets out to arrange Othello's destruction with his envy as a partial justification. Brabantio, a Venetian Senator and Desdemona's father, was awaken by, Roderigo and Iago to inform him that his dau...

• Word Count: 433
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• Has Bibliography

... nowhere to direct his frustrations. Iago gives him that direction telling him the Moor is to blame for his plight. He makes Roderigo believe that if Othello is taken out of the picture, Desdemona will be his. Once the seed of revenge is firmly implanted in Roderigo, Iago uses him to infect Brabantio ... Roderigo informs Brabantio that his daughter has married without his permission, and she has married the Moor, he of course becomes angry. He quickly begins to hate Othello for stealing his daughter, and Iago uses vulgarity to complete the effect. Iago I am one, sir, that comes to tell yo...

• Word Count: 860
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• Grade Level: High School

... non-Christian). He may be from the outside, but he is confident, noble. He has won many wars, and "commands life a full soldier (II.i.pg.21)." Othello is very public with his nobility. When he is asked why he thinks Desdemona's love for him is real and not because of a curse he gives a monologue where ... then the death of the human body. We are introduced to death when we find out Brabantio has died, because of the love shared between Desdemona and Othello. Soon after finding out about the death of Brabantio, Roderigo is killed, and Cassio's murder is attempted. At this point Iago has be...

• Word Count: 773
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• Grade Level: High School

... at the recent promotion of the nobler-born Cassio to lieutenant, rouses Brabantio with news of his daughter Desdemona's elopement with Iago's commander, Othello. Barbantio tackles Othello with the theft of his daughter, claiming that he must have worked on her by witchcraft. There dispute is settled by the Duke of ... in effect his wedding night, he dismisses Cassio from the lieutenancy. Iago persuades Cassio to try and gain Desdemona's favor as a step to regaining Othello's; he then reveals to the audience his intention to 'turn her virtue into pitch/ And out of her own goodness make t...

• Word Count: 696
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... how/why? Iaga doesn't really seem to have a precise reason for his hatred of Othello other then the fact that Othello passes over him and selected someone else for the vacant position of lieutenant. Even though Iaga has been well praised by Othello for his leadership in battle, Othello gives the lieutenant position to another man with no battle leadership experience. Iaga also has ... a degree of suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife and wants to somehow get back at him for this. Iaga's resentment towards ... stole his daughter and has sexual relations with her all the time, h...

• Word Count: 285
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... plans all of the sneaky plots and from the second scene of the book, appears to be the most persuasive and in control character. When we discover that Iago thinks Othello is sleeping with his wife, we can assume that Iago is even slightly not in the right mind or completely sane. It is Iago's plan to approach Brabantio in the ... same wicked character. Brabantio has only played until thus far a small and fairly unimportant role in the play. Already however, we have seen some decisive actions taken by Brabantio against Othello, hinting at the type of character Brabantio might be. Even th...

• Word Count: 826
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Iago cunningly manipulates one of these characters, which in turn spontaneously triggers a series of events is when he convinces Roderigo to pursue Desdemona even though she is married to Othello, leading him to start a fight with Cassio. Although it is clear to the reader that that Desdemona has no knowledge of Roderigo's mere existence, his gullibility leads him ... demotion from lieutenant. Following this, under the guise of friendship, Iago advises Cassio to ask Desdemona to help him sway Othello towards getting his job reinstated, which results in Cassio's pursuit of Desdemona's hel...

• Word Count: 485
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Graduate

... Iago cunningly manipulates one of these characters, which in turn spontaneously triggers a series of events is when he convinces Roderigo to pursue Desdemona even though she is married to Othello, leading him to start a fight with Cassio. Although it is clear to the reader that that Desdemona has no knowledge of Roderigo's mere existence, his gullibility leads him ... demotion from lieutenant. Following this, under the guise of friendship, Iago advises Cassio to ask Desdemona to help him sway Othello towards getting his job reinstated, which results in Cassio's pursuit of Desdemona's hel...

• Word Count: 484
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Graduate

... 's love. He is well spoken and takes control of many situations that occur in the play. Brabantio's opinion of Othello is quickly changed once he finds out of the marriage. He did admire Othello for being a good military man, but when he finds out he can only believe that she would do such ... him in front of her father. She feels that she is more obligated to do this as his wife than to defend her father as his daughter. Othello, when accused of not deserving her, defends himself by saying: "But that I love the gentle Desdemona I would not my unhoused condition Put into ... circumscrip...

• Word Count: 649
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• Grade Level: High School

... work with Roderigo because they both suffer from jealousy and hate the Moor. Roderigo's desire for Desdemona's love led to his jealousy of Othello; where as Iago's hope for a promotion was dashed by Othello. So, Iago uses Roderigo's jealousy for Othello as a powerful tool to perfect his plans in order to get revenge. In addition, I would like to disagree with the second argument ... , " O, that the slave had forty thousand lives!One is too poor, too weak for my revenge./ Now do I see 'tis true"(3.3.489-491). Inevitably, when Othello saw the evidence of his wife having an affair with Cass...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... ." - W.H. Auden Lies and deceptions are common in today's world; they often hide the inner appearance of a person's identity. They mask the individual's true motives with a veneer. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago is no different than a deceptive individual who lives two lives: a trustworthy friend in front of people and a mysterious self-centered manipulative villain who is governed by hate. Shakespeare had ... motive and shrewd manipulative strategies give him an edge over his preys. Iago uses his victims' weaknesses and emotions to influence his ideas over them: Roderigo's obsessive lus...

• Word Count: 972
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School