A Freudian Look into the Psyche of Othello’s Iago
For as long as storytelling has been around, authors have created works with antagonists and, naturally, protagonists to oppose said antagonist. However, it is--for the most part--only in truly unsophisticated works that an antagonist has no particular motive for their conflict with the protagonist. William Shakespeare is certainly not one to write such simple stories, and in his play, Othello, the antagonist has, perhaps, a much more intricate backstory than one might originally perceive. Othello, the protagonist, sets off something similar to a domino effect when he refrains from giving Iago, the opposing character, a promotion and instead grants it to a man named Cassio. Iago is infuriated …show more content…
Iago’s repressed homosexuality is signified by more than one small hint; rather, it is the combination of several different aspects of the story. Prior to analyzing Iago’s actions and thoughts, it is known that he is acting in the way that he is as a result of jealousy, and not much else. However, upon further examination, it becomes clear that he is experiencing an infantile jealousy much like that in the Electra complex, which is unusual as this complex typically applies to the development of young girls. The primary evidence proving that this is, in fact, the jealousy that is being experienced is that “if Iago’s jealousy had been ‘projective jealousy’ the object of the jealousy would have been Emilia, Iago’s wife, and therefore Iago should have either cuckolded Othello by sleeping with Desdemona or have murdered him” (Bergmann 202). As the play progresses, it is clear that Iago also seems to have difficulties grasping …show more content…
Iago’s persistence in convincing him that Desdemona is unfaithful is eventually successful, as “Othello's suspicion begins to gnaw him inwardly” (Toole 74). Originally, though, Desdemona herself thinks highly of him, even saying that she thinks “the sun where he was born / Drew all such humors for him” when Emilia asks if she thinks he is jealous (Shakespeare 3.4.27-28). Unfortunately, Desdemona’s idealistic view of Othello is forcibly changed not long after she utters those very words; Othello, fed by Iago’s lies and trickery, interrogates her and causes an argument to erupt. Following this, Emilia asks once more if he is jealous, and Desdemona’s response this time is notably changed. She says that she “ne’er saw this before” (Shakespeare 3.4.97), indicating that, indeed, this behavior from her husband is different than that which she has been familiar with. The question remains, though, of how exactly Iago so easily persuaded Othello into believing that Desdemona deserved to die, especially given that he originally began with an unconditional love for his wife, as evidenced in part by the
For as long as storytelling has been around, authors have created works with antagonists and, naturally, protagonists to oppose said antagonist. However, it is--for the most part--only in truly unsophisticated works that an antagonist has no particular motive for their conflict with the protagonist. William Shakespeare is certainly not one to write such simple stories, and in his play, Othello, the antagonist has, perhaps, a much more intricate backstory than one might originally perceive. Othello, the protagonist, sets off something similar to a domino effect when he refrains from giving Iago, the opposing character, a promotion and instead grants it to a man named Cassio. Iago is infuriated …show more content…
Iago’s repressed homosexuality is signified by more than one small hint; rather, it is the combination of several different aspects of the story. Prior to analyzing Iago’s actions and thoughts, it is known that he is acting in the way that he is as a result of jealousy, and not much else. However, upon further examination, it becomes clear that he is experiencing an infantile jealousy much like that in the Electra complex, which is unusual as this complex typically applies to the development of young girls. The primary evidence proving that this is, in fact, the jealousy that is being experienced is that “if Iago’s jealousy had been ‘projective jealousy’ the object of the jealousy would have been Emilia, Iago’s wife, and therefore Iago should have either cuckolded Othello by sleeping with Desdemona or have murdered him” (Bergmann 202). As the play progresses, it is clear that Iago also seems to have difficulties grasping …show more content…
Iago’s persistence in convincing him that Desdemona is unfaithful is eventually successful, as “Othello's suspicion begins to gnaw him inwardly” (Toole 74). Originally, though, Desdemona herself thinks highly of him, even saying that she thinks “the sun where he was born / Drew all such humors for him” when Emilia asks if she thinks he is jealous (Shakespeare 3.4.27-28). Unfortunately, Desdemona’s idealistic view of Othello is forcibly changed not long after she utters those very words; Othello, fed by Iago’s lies and trickery, interrogates her and causes an argument to erupt. Following this, Emilia asks once more if he is jealous, and Desdemona’s response this time is notably changed. She says that she “ne’er saw this before” (Shakespeare 3.4.97), indicating that, indeed, this behavior from her husband is different than that which she has been familiar with. The question remains, though, of how exactly Iago so easily persuaded Othello into believing that Desdemona deserved to die, especially given that he originally began with an unconditional love for his wife, as evidenced in part by the