Othello Essay: Iago Greatest Villain

Peter Sanfacon

Mr. George

World Lit Honors

2 December 2010

Iago: Evil Personified

            William Shakespeare has always been known for creating notable characters, who through sheer will and perseverance greatly affect the structure of their respective story worlds; Iago is no exception. He is widely considered to be one of the most prolific villains in all of Shakespeare. This is no mistake. Not only is Iago one of the greatest villains of Shakespeare, he is also one of the most clever. If Iago had used his incredible abilities for good, he would most likely be considered one of the greatest heroes in all of Shakespeare, instead of the greatest villain. However, this is not the path he choses. Iago’s motives are vague throughout the play and seem to change frequently, but his demeanor and goals never alter. This brings about a very important question: is Iago considered the greatest villain solely because of what he did to the characters of Othello, or because he is pure evil and continues to exact revenge just for the pleasure? However, this is not the only thing that makes him villainous. Iago is considered to be one of the greatest Shakespearean villains because he uses his incredible logic to deceive many characters in the play, his goals never change no matter how many times his motives might, and he does not stop until everyone in his way has been eliminated.

            Without a doubt, Iago possesses a gift: the ability to instantly assess any situation he is in and then adapt to the situation to twist it in his favor, thus being able to deceive anyone without much trouble. This skill is first revealed in his first soliloquy: “After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear / That he is too familiar with his wife. / He hath a person and a smooth dispose / To be suspected, framed to make women false. / The Moor is of a free and open nature / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by th' nose / As asses are” (1.3. 338-445). Iago hadn’t already thoroughly organized his revenge at this point. He was only beginning to plot. He exhibits masterful thinking by devising a plan to destroy Othello on the spot. His goal quickly becomes to bring Cassio’s affection towards Desdemona to light. The realization that Cassio is a perfect target of Othello’s jealousy only furthers Iago’s enthusiasm. He understands that Cassio is a well-spoken and handsome gentleman, and it would seem completely natural that Desdemona would fall for him. Then Iago makes a crucial discovery: Othello’s weakness. Othello is straightforward and never thinks twice about what he believes. Iago thinks that because Othello trusts men that seem honest without question, he can easily befriend him with his ability to deceive. After Iago has spoken to Othello about Cassio and Desdemona, he has another revelation and delivers yet another soliloquy: “will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin / And let him find it. Trifles light as air / Are to the jealous confirmations strong / As proofs of holy writ. This may do something. / The Moor already changes with my poison. / Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons / Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, / But with a little act upon the blood / Burn like the mines of sulfur” (3.3. 369-377). His objective here is to cause Cassio to believe that Desdemona has feelings for him. When more than one person is deceived, the truth is much harder to find. Othello wouldn’t be able to detect a lie because Cassio was well convinced as well; the one person Othello believes could reveal the truth doesn’t even know the truth himself. Iago knew that if Othello hadn’t already been jealous, the handkerchief would not have been a successful endeavor. However, Iago points out here that the smallest thing to a jealous man can blow up in his face, leaving him scarred with hatred.

            Iago is pure evil because once he loses his main motive for revenge he continues the path of destruction anyway. He begins the play jealous of Cassio because Othello promoted Cassio to Lieutenant instead of him. Iago then goes about getting Cassio drunk so that he will be seen as unfit as a Lieutenant (2.3. 40-43). Once Othello had demoted him, Iago’s quest for revenge should have stopped there. Instead, Iago decides to ruin Othello. He also goes about ruining Desdemona and Cassio even further. Iago seems to be having too much fun with himself to stop at this point. He leads Othello on and convinces him that his wife is cheating on him (4.1. 190-196). This ruins Desdemona’s reputation to Othello as being pure and faithful. Desdemona will eventually be ruined beyond repair when a jealous Othello finally murders her. Iago apparently didn’t have enough with Cassio once he had gotten him demoted. Iago brings Cassio aside within earshot of a hidden Othello as he gets him to “admit” to sleeping with Desdemona. He is actually talking about Bianca when he says, “I marry her! What? A customer? Prithee bear / some charity to my wit. Do not think it so unwhole- / some. Ha, ha, ha!” (4.1. 138-140). He calls Bianca a whore, but Othello believes that he is talking about Desdemona. So not only does Othello believe that Cassio has slept with Desdemona, he also thinks that Cassio doesn’t even respect her so he would turn around and cheat on her as well. He then vows to kill Cassio.

            Iago plans to eliminate all opposition. Othello approaches Iago and says, “How shall I murder him, / Iago?” (4.1. 188-189). Othello is willing to get rid of Cassio for Iago. Othello also plots to kill Desdemona. Othello gives the task of murdering Cassio to Iago who then gives the task to his loyal and naïve friend Roderigo. Roderigo fails and is killed by Cassio, but Iago stabs Cassio and flees without being seen. When Othello tells Desdemona that Cassio has been killed, she weeps for him: “Alas, he is betrayed, and I undone” (5.2. 96), which is the last straw and Othello makes up his mind. He then smothers her to death. Emilia begins to realize what is going on and tells Othello that Iago only spoke of lies. To shut her up, Iago stabs her; he kills his own wife. Only true evil could possess someone to kill their own wife only to preserve their own self-image.

            There is no character more evil than Iago. He will do anything and everything to get what he wants and he does not care who he hurts in the process. He also has basically no motive for the majority of the play. He might’ve realized that what he was doing reached a point where it no longer had a meaning, but he simply shrugs his shoulders as if to say, “I might as well finish what I started”. This mentality when incorporated with jealousy can only stem from a truly evil and disturbed man.