Comparison Of Iago And Hedda Gabler

William Shakespeare’s Othello and Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler both have master manipulators who are the center of their plays. It would be fair to compare both Iago and Hedda in the ways that they monopolize themselves on others. Although both characters portray manipulation in different ways they both are feeding off of the power aspect that they gain from manipulating people that they are close to. In their respective plays, they not only seem to be the dominate characters but also seem to go unnoticed in terms of manipulation. When reading both plays one will realize that Iago and Hedda are both not necessarily good at manipulating people and getting something out of it. Although Iago and Hedda are both in many peoples opinion master manipulators they do so in their own ways. Hedda is the type of character who doesn't have an outlet for her own personal issues. At the very beginning of the play we learn that Hedda and George have just returned back from a six-month honeymoon. When learning this we also learn that Hedda seems to be very bored in her new marriage and in …show more content…
They both are feeding off to the fact that they will gain control and power from the people that they manipulate. But what they do not realize is that in the end they are both not successful in their control games. Although one of Iago’s biggest plans was to destroy Othello, which he had accomplished, he was not able to the gain the power that he also wanted. This is the reason why his manipulation was good but not the best. In the end Lodovico speaks with Iago about how the deaths of Desdemona, Rodrigo and Othello are all because of him. “Look on the tragic loading of this bed. This is thy work. The object poisons sight; let it be hid.” (V.2. 363-365) By having Ludovico say this is showing that he will never be of the status that he wishes to be at because of his