Roderigo

At the beginning of the play, Iago and Roderigo plan to lie to the king that Othello is having sex with his daughter. Iago yells in the window “Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul” (1.1.90) and “Even now, now, very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe” (1.1.91). By Iago…

This paper will focus on Othello’s two different personas as it relates to how Othello is cynical. Othello being the center of the plot, the first conflict he encountered was when Iago and Roderigo put light on Othello’s secret relationship with Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona. In the scene Iago and Roderigo never mentioned Othello’s name when revealing his secret: “you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse.” (1.1.107-108). Iago used “Barbary horse” which is a unique breed from…

1. “It is not honesty in me to speak / What I have seen and known. You shall observe him, / And his own courses will denote him so / That I may save my speech.” (IV.i.265-268) Iago is instructing Lodovico to observe Othello’s strange behavior for himself, instead of detailing his own incriminating acts that provoked Othello. Iago’s manipulation is tactical, in the sense that he is avoiding responsibility for his actions whilst still pushing his plan forward. 2. “Demand me nothing. What you know…

There are many instances in the play Othello where gender roles become significant. During Shakespeare’s time, men hold the power and women are perceived as weak and powerless. Also, women are expected to be submissive to their man by doing whatever he asks of her and this is very apparent in the play Othello. The role of women in the play, determines the plot and the fate of some of the character’s involved. The way Shakespeare creates these roles in the play, shows his culture’s beliefs of…

Race is one of many themes presented in William Shakespeare’s Othello. It is used at the beginning of the play to convey Othello’s blackness, but as the play progresses Othello uses racial comparisons to identify his own blackness. Things like his facial features (nose, ears, face,) are used to portray his appearance in relation to the other characters in the play. Shakespeare uses the detailed imagery of Othello’s blackness to place readers and the audience into the time period and setting of…

Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece Othello contains many complex layers and issues that can be found by reading deeply into the play, and not simply reading it as a simple narrative. One such issue that is important in the play is how the women are portrayed as victims due to men determining social organisation. This conception is supported throughout the play through the representation of men and women. The play is divided into two distinct sections, Venice which is a site of order and the island…

people dead, and schemes behind peoples back. Iago has gained the trust of Othello over the years and especially in the time span of this play. He is somehow able to not only lie to Othello, deceive him, ruin Othello’s reputation, and manipulate Roderigo, but most impressively everyone until the end thought he was a helpful, trustworthy guy and did not expect him of foul play. As simple as it might be his motive was his hate for Othello. “Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains, Yet, for…

Maczka The Ultimate Villain of Contempt and Malice: Iago Ashley Maczka Sister Marlene Mucha, SSJ Honors British Literature February 10, 2016 The Ultimate Villain of Contempt and Malice: Iago Iago, Shakespeare?s antagonist in Othello, is set apart from most of the characters of his time. His evil spirit and corrupt, manipulative nature create the perfect villain, and his actions can assure this. Iago is very different from other villains and antagonists for…

suit to make me his lieutenant) Off-capped to him, and by the faith of a man I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” (1.1.8-12). At the beginning, Iago has already presented his explicit feelings he has towards Othello. Iago is explaining to Roderigo that he is very distraught that Othello did not appoint him to be lieutenant. Iago’s foul feelings even prompt him to say, “I follow him to serve my turn upon him. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed”…

his devotion to trust his comrades, including Iago. It is not that Iago is generally believed. Ironically, he is able to fool everyone about everything except the subject of Desdemona’s purity. Only Othello is able to be deceived on that concept. Roderigo, Cassio, and Emilia all disregard Iago’s claims that Desdemona has been…