Academic Work

In the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare, the character Iago, by the end, showcases acts of betrayalthrough the use of others’ vulnerabilities, to highlight how those who are greedy for power will manipulate of others for their own benefit.

Iago uses other characters’ wants and desires against them to influence their actions to play out his puppet show. He first gets Roderigo, his so-called friend, to sell his land and empty his purse for Iago. Roderigo follows through with this through his desire to marry Desdemona. Iago, being his “friend,” experiences his desire for Desdemona first-hand, and takes control of it by coming up with a plan that will “get them together” while also achieving his own goals. However, he charges Roderigo money explaining that for the plan to work, he needs him to “empty thy purse.” Iago uses others’ desires again when he influences Desdemona to pester Othello for Cassio’s job back as lieutenant. Desdemona wants to help her friend Cassio, who orchestrated her and Othello getting together. Iago knew about their connection, and figured that she would push for his reinstatement. But, he also knew that if she kept talking about another man gaining power, especially one that has the possibility to cheat with Desdemona on Othello, he could  portray to Othello that Desdemona is having an affair. If he is successful with that deception, there is no way Othello would give Cassio his job back, and there isn’t a more suitable candidate on Cyprus than Honest Iago, who desires that position of power.

Furthermore, Iago has manipulated characters against their better nature to lead them into a path of chaos due to his status as Honest Iago. Cassio told Iago that he has a problem with alcohol and doesn’t want to have more than one drink. Cassio has the position of power that Iago wants to be his, because he thinks he is better suited. So, he manipulates Cassio to have just one more drink a few times with cheers and shots. Eventually, Cassio has had way too many drinks and exits the gathering before coming running back, causing a ruckus with a Cyprus official in front of a ton of people. Cassio had trust in Iago, and Iago had puppeteered his way into controlling Cassio’s actions to get him fired by Othello, who appeared right after the commotion, and fired Cassio for making them look bad. Iago also manipulated Othello by planting the seed in his mind about an affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Speaking of how close they looked, and how they could easily be doing something behind their back. Othello, hearing Honest Iago out, and falling into the pit of void that Iago is forming around his better judgement, suspects that an affair could be occurring, though his wife has shown no concrete signs of having an affair with Cassio. Iago then keeps picking at the tiny scab and makes it grow until Othello breaks and finally can’t take it anymore. Othello should have talked to Desdemona and figure out what was really happening, but instead trusted Honest Iago to lay out traps and devise plans to let himself get manipulated by Iago.

Finally, Iago does some dirty work and betrays the trust of those close to him by taking their life. He does this when he gets Roderigo to attack Cassio and remove him from the picture. Roderigo, knowing of his plans, was a massive liability at this point since he knew Desdemona wasn’t going to fall for him. So, he stabbed Roderigo in the back and made sure he couldn’t reveal any secrets, all in front of Cassio. This built a better trust with Cassio because he took out his attacker. But now, Roderigo was betrayed by his friend, all because he was a liability for Iago’s true goals. He also does this when he kills his wife, Emilia, while arguing with her and Othello. She was finally putting the clues together about his true plan, and wouldn’t go back to her quarters and stay quiet. His manipulation from before was proving to be futile. Iago thought he had no choice but to take the life of her so that she wouldn’t further reveal his secrets or plans. It was better for some, than all of his sinister betrayals to be unveiled to Othello. Even though she helped him with the handkerchief, planted it in Cassio’s room for him, and is his loving wife who stated she would do numerous things if it meant getting her husband to the top of the world. Yet, he didn’t care and only wanted to use those who were worth being used, and benefited him towards his desire and goal of power.

By the end of the play, he manages to get caught. However, it wasn’t without winning. He managed to separate everyone. He managed to remove Cassio from lieutenant. He got Othello to get rid of Desdemona, because he was a moor and didn’t deserve that position of power. He managed to use what he knew about other people to puppeteer his way to orchestrating everything to fall the way he wanted it to. He turned from Honest Iago, to the one who deserves no trust at all because of his greed of power.