Iago And His Overall Character

In the tragedy Othello, Shakespeare creates a mood that challenges the way a person sees his or her self and the world. Subjects like racism, sexism, love, hate, jealously, pride, and trickery are thoroughly developed in the play of Othello to enable the audience to view the characters and also themselves. The Shakespearean tragedy of Othello was written in a time of great racial tensions in England. According to Eldred Jones, in 1600 just three years before Othello was written, Queen Elizabeth proclaimed an Edict for the Transportation of all "negars and blackmoores" out of the country ("Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays 39). It is in this atmosphere that Shakespeare began the masterpiece of Othello, a drama about a noble black Arab general, Othello, who falls in love with and marries, Desdemona, a young white daughter of a senator. From the above knowledge one may conclude that Shakespeare wrote Othello to express that all people, of all ethnicity, are basically the same in human nature. Shakespeare borrowed the idea of Othello from an Italian love story by Giraldi Cinthio. However, Shakespeare focuses more on the differences in color and age between Othello and Desdemona than Cinthio. Shakespeare does this to escalate Othello's isolation from the rest of Venetian society and to display Othello's vulnerability due to his color. In the tragedy not only is Othello susceptible to weaknesses but so is every major character . The tragedy reminds humans that even one's good nature can be taken advantage of for the worse. The drama Othello expresses, through relationships and emotional attitudes, a theme that all humans are vulnerable to destruction even if they are in positions of power and glory.

All the relationships in the play are used to demonstrate the vulnerability of people when involved personally with other people. Each of the relationships in Othello portrays insecurities in each person, except Iago. In fact, all of the relationships with one character, Iago, are focused around him and his devilish plot for the demise of Othello. However, most of the relationships in Othello bring about unintentional frustrations and vulnerabilities. The marriages in Othello are the most important relationships in conferring vulnerability because they bring out the best hopes and attitudes, and the worst fears and emotions in each character.

Shakespeare, in designing Othello's marriage to Desdemona, shows that although one can truly love a person, the need for human control can destroy any relationship causing heartbreak and turmoil. From the very beginning, Othello faces a dilemma of vulnerability because of his marriage. In his essay, Eldred Jones has concurred with this by stating that Othello made himself available to public criticism and assaults on his character by marrying a young white girl ("Othello- An Interpretation" Critical essays l42). Furthermore, the couple's constant struggle over power and control makes them susceptible to destruction of their happiness. Othello seeks complete control over his wife, Desdemona. Othello claims this in act 3.3 line 267-270.

O curse of marriage.

That we can call these creatures ours,

And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad

And live upon the vapor of a dungeon.

Then keep a corner in the thing I love

Othello is clearly showing that he sees Desdemona's love, faithfulness and submissions as criteria for his manhood. His feelings demonstrate how vulnerable people can become in putting their self-value in another person. Desdemona also plays the power game. She swears to Cassio

I give thee my warrant, assure thee, I do vow friendship

to the last article my lord shall never rest;...

I shall watch him tame and talk him out of patience.

(3.3 line 19-28)

These words of Desdemona clearly present Desdemona's assertion to use sexual power to control Othello's actions. Emily Bartrels states that Desdemona "Promises to make it fearful and difficult demands... desiring a subject to command Othello love"("Strategies of submission" Studies of English Literature: online). Shakespeare, in developing the power struggle of Othello's marriage, reminds the audience that to control a person fully only brings about turmoil.

Like the sexual relationships, the non-sexual relationships in Othello emphasize the vulnerability of people when involved with other people personally and especially when dealing with people of shady character. The two adversarial relationships in the play develop out of Iago's master plan to destroy any happiness Othello has. Iago gets into the hearts and minds of his colleagues so he can use psychological and emotional control over them. Harold Bloom, Professor of Humanities at Yale University, compares Iago to the devil because of Iago's unusual resentment towards Othello and his plot to destroy not only Othello but also his wife and everything Othello values (Introduction Modern Critical Interpretations page 1). The only explanation Iago gives for his behavior is "I am not, what I am" (act 1 line 60). Shakespeare uses the character, Iago, to show that it is dangerous to believe any individual completely. The eagerness of Othello and Roderigo to accept Iago's lies shows that they found some strange type of comfort in what he was saying. In a profound statement, Professor Steven Hale says that Iago is successful in manipulating Othello, because of Othello's yearning to be sure of something in his marriage to Desdemona (lecture, Georgia Perimeter College). The relationships between Iago and the other characters display that one's own emotions and desires can be used against one when interacting individually with another person.

The emotional attitudes in the tragedy display vulnerabilities that are caused by interrelation among characters. Othello portrays emotional attitudes in such a way that they touch a very personal core and remind the drama's audience how fragile man truly is. Emotional attitudes such as marital love, admiration, jealousies, prejudices, greed, and self insecurities enable an Othello viewer to identify with a certain or all of the characters. As Carol Neely points out " The play develops out of the oppositions of attitudes, viewpoints, and sexes,"("Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays 70). Understanding this point is essential to understanding the play