Desdemona's Manipulation In Othello By William Shakespeare

In Othello by William Shakespeare manipulation plays a very important role in the turning point. William Shakespeare establishes this through many literary techniques. Desdemona in this scene is also trying to put in a good word for Cassio, and Iago is sure to bring up Desdemona's praise of Cassio to Othello and plant a seed of distrust. Iago just asks the simple question “Did Michael Cassio,/ When you wooed my lady, know of your love?” (III.iii.106) to manipulate Othello. He manipulates Othello by giving him the idea that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. But Iago does this without saying it directly hence giving Othello the feeling that Iago is just saying what he saw and Othello is concluding the affair. When Othello questions why he asked, …show more content…
With this small conversation Othello’s suspicions are confirmed. But then Iago says “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on.” (III.iii.195-197) The metaphor compares jealousy to a monster that eats a person alive because jealousy often leads to anxiety and distrust. And once Othello starts to distrusts Desdemona and is jealous of Desdemona and Cassio’s “affair” he does not heed any evidence against his suspicions. And always spotting evidence, usually planted by Iago, that support his suspicions. An example of this when Desdemona innocently states “I would do much /T' atone them, for the love I bear to Cassio.”(IV.i.178) in regard to her wanting Cassio to be reinstated. To which Othello strikes Desdemona because he mistook her “love” for something intimate. This is