When reading acts I, II, and II of Othello by William Shakespeare, the reader is able to attain an understanding of the main characters’ and their personalities. When the reader begins reading acts IV and V the reader notices a switch is some of the main characters personalities. By close reading, the use of manipulation and irony in Othello, it becomes possible to see why the characters’ personalities change from the first acts of the last two.
The characters in the first four acts identify one of the main characters, Iago, as the honest man, however the reader sees a turn in events when the rest of the characters find out Iago lied to them using manipulation. Iago creates a plan on how to get even with Othello and the audience sees the plan …show more content…
When Iago plants the handkerchief, which Othello got from his mother on her death bed, in Cassio’s possession after getting it from Emilia. Iago does this because Othello gave the ‘beloved’ handkerchief to Desdemona and if it is in Cassio’s possession that would imply that Desdemona was at Cassio’s. He then tells Othello that he found it in Cassio’s room, which the audience knows is not true. However, Othello thinks very highly of the honest Iago, and thus believes him. Another instance when Iago uses dramatic irony is when Cassio is talking about Bianca in Act IV with Iago while Othello is hiding. Iago says to the audience, “Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, a huswife that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature that dotes on Cassio, as ‘tis the strumpet’s plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one. He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain from the excess of laughter. Here he comes.” He is making a plan to get Cassio to talk about sleeping with Bianca and how she is so in love with him, but Othello will think Cassio is talking about Desdemona. Othello does think that while he is hiding, listening to Cassio and Iago talk. When Bianca comes in with the handkerchief in the middle of Cassio and Iago’s conversation it makes him believe it even more. This is using dramatic irony because the audience knows that Iago and Cassio are talking about Bianca, but Othello does
The characters in the first four acts identify one of the main characters, Iago, as the honest man, however the reader sees a turn in events when the rest of the characters find out Iago lied to them using manipulation. Iago creates a plan on how to get even with Othello and the audience sees the plan …show more content…
When Iago plants the handkerchief, which Othello got from his mother on her death bed, in Cassio’s possession after getting it from Emilia. Iago does this because Othello gave the ‘beloved’ handkerchief to Desdemona and if it is in Cassio’s possession that would imply that Desdemona was at Cassio’s. He then tells Othello that he found it in Cassio’s room, which the audience knows is not true. However, Othello thinks very highly of the honest Iago, and thus believes him. Another instance when Iago uses dramatic irony is when Cassio is talking about Bianca in Act IV with Iago while Othello is hiding. Iago says to the audience, “Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, a huswife that by selling her desires buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature that dotes on Cassio, as ‘tis the strumpet’s plague to beguile many and be beguiled by one. He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain from the excess of laughter. Here he comes.” He is making a plan to get Cassio to talk about sleeping with Bianca and how she is so in love with him, but Othello will think Cassio is talking about Desdemona. Othello does think that while he is hiding, listening to Cassio and Iago talk. When Bianca comes in with the handkerchief in the middle of Cassio and Iago’s conversation it makes him believe it even more. This is using dramatic irony because the audience knows that Iago and Cassio are talking about Bianca, but Othello does