Role Of Psychopath In Othello

Hannibal Lector once said that ‘“psychopaths are not crazy. They are fully aware of what they do and the consequences of those actions,”’ and needless to say, he’s right. Psychopaths are far more complex than the media portrays them to be. To the untrained eye, they’re often undetectable; however, they do possess some common traits. Some of the core aspects include an excessive amount of charisma, a heightened sense of self-worth, an innate ability to manipulate others, pathological lying, lack of emotion, and lack of empathy. In Othello by William Shakespeare, the story of Iago is told. Driven by his hatred of his lieutenant, Othello, he works tirelessly to overthrow his superiors. This tale soon takes a grim turn and five people are left …show more content…
A sociopath is different from a psychopath in the sense that they have the ability to form bonds with others. Their lack of empathy and guilt is much less severe than a psychopath’s as well. Many would bring up the fact that Iago is married to Emilia, and that he only killed off those who were immediate threats towards him. While this is a valid claim at first glance, it is rendered invalid by the words and actions of Iago himself. Iago’s lack of remorse in the slaughter and deception of those who held him close are very clear examples of Iago’s psychopathic personality. Another example is the manner in which he displays his emotional facade: he remains civil and charming only towards those that benefit him. In Act Two Iago takes the liberty of libelling Emilia’s name in front of Desdemona, claiming that she is a “[player] in [her] housewifery, and [a housewife] in bed,” and if she “she [gave Cassio] so much of her lips / As of her tongue she oft bestows on [himself] / [Cassio would] have enough,” (Shakespeare 2.1.100-120). It is apparent that Iago does not truly care for Emilia; thus, he has no need to uphold his charming facade around her. Iago’s bond with Emilia is built purely out of lust and obligation, as evidenced by his forthrightness in his slander. His incentives for the disposal of Roderigo and Cassio is yet another relevant piece of evidence in Iago’s psychopathic nature. He deceives the two into …show more content…
Iago is most certainly one of the most complex and devious villains of all time, and his innate ability to cover his tracks during the execution of his plan raises many more thought provoking questions about his character and humanity as a whole. Is it possible that Shakespeare’s interpretation of Iago was meant to warn viewers about psychopaths lurking in society? It is entirely possible that his play was created not just for entertainment, but for moral awareness. Each character was killed because they placed trust in a person who conspired against them. A man once said “Be careful who you trust. The Devil was once an