The Question:
Presentation of duplicity in Othello
Introduction Duplicity is a theme central to the play and is ultimately at the heart of all destruction. Iago, as
the master manipulator in the play, is able to deceive other characters with his duplicitous
nature, and perhaps through also associating his character with the devil, Shakespeare is
implying that this is a quality of evil. For the early modern audience, there was often the
stereotype that Italians were emotional and corrupt, hence this characterization of Iago as a
Machiavellian is fitting. However, Shakespeare also adds another layer to duplicity through the
character of Emilia, who does not deceive Desdemona out of evil but perhaps necessity to fulfil
her wifely duty. Therefore, while duplicity in the play may represent evil in the case of Iago, for
Emilia this is not necessarily immoral, but shows the pressures faced by her character to obey
her husband in her stealing of the handkerchief.
Point 1- Iago’s Iago is central to the theme of duplicity in the play, as while outwardly he appears the ‘honest’
differing attitudes Iago and loyal subject of Othello, this appearance could not be further from the reality of his
towards Othello corruption and hatred. Is Iago racially motivated in his duplicitous behaviour towards Othello?
in private and
public. From the beginning we see the contrast in Iago’s attitudes towards Othello in public and
private. ‘Sir’ ‘My Lord you know I love you’…. ‘I hate the Moor’ ‘black ram’.
o Iago appears from the beginning of the play, duplicitous in his interactions with
Othello. While to a contemporary audience, this racism may have been more
normalized as many at this time had stereotypes associating blackness with sin
or sexuality, to a modern audience Iago’s behaviour would likely be seen as
unjustified.
A05- Coleridge: ‘motiveless malignity.’
o A05- Kim Hall: ‘Iago thinks in a colour scheme that associates blackness with sin
and errant sexuality.’ In private Iago is an incredibly racist character who
therefore holds little respect for Othello, even though he outwardly claims
otherwise.
Iago’s use of address terms is important in his manipulation of other characters
o EG- Act 4.2- Iago demonstrates his duplicitous nature in the way he speaks to
Desdemona in public and private. Addresses her as ‘Lady’ and ‘madam’, giving
the impression that he cares and wishes to comfort her.
Act 4.1- Iago standing over Othello symbolises the power he secretly desires to have
over him. In private he revels in Othello’s misfortune- ‘work my medicine work.’
o Different interpretations of why Iago wants power over Othello
A05- Cowhig argues that Iago is eaten up with sexual jealousy
A05- Hazlitt argues that Shakespeare understood human nature and
motivation- ‘he knew that the love of power, which is another name for
the love of mischief, is natural to man.’
A03- Iago as a Machiavellian character.
A03- He is reminiscent of the cyclical malcontent- a character who is always unhappy
and angry for no specific reason.
Point 2- duplicity Shakespeare uses religious imagery to perhaps infer that Iago’s character, and therefore
might be duplicity, is aligned with evil.
associated with
evil Iago’s quote "I am not what I am," could be reminiscent of a quotation from the Bible
which Shakespeare would have known: In Exodus, God gives his laws to Moses, and
Presentation of duplicity in Othello
Introduction Duplicity is a theme central to the play and is ultimately at the heart of all destruction. Iago, as
the master manipulator in the play, is able to deceive other characters with his duplicitous
nature, and perhaps through also associating his character with the devil, Shakespeare is
implying that this is a quality of evil. For the early modern audience, there was often the
stereotype that Italians were emotional and corrupt, hence this characterization of Iago as a
Machiavellian is fitting. However, Shakespeare also adds another layer to duplicity through the
character of Emilia, who does not deceive Desdemona out of evil but perhaps necessity to fulfil
her wifely duty. Therefore, while duplicity in the play may represent evil in the case of Iago, for
Emilia this is not necessarily immoral, but shows the pressures faced by her character to obey
her husband in her stealing of the handkerchief.
Point 1- Iago’s Iago is central to the theme of duplicity in the play, as while outwardly he appears the ‘honest’
differing attitudes Iago and loyal subject of Othello, this appearance could not be further from the reality of his
towards Othello corruption and hatred. Is Iago racially motivated in his duplicitous behaviour towards Othello?
in private and
public. From the beginning we see the contrast in Iago’s attitudes towards Othello in public and
private. ‘Sir’ ‘My Lord you know I love you’…. ‘I hate the Moor’ ‘black ram’.
o Iago appears from the beginning of the play, duplicitous in his interactions with
Othello. While to a contemporary audience, this racism may have been more
normalized as many at this time had stereotypes associating blackness with sin
or sexuality, to a modern audience Iago’s behaviour would likely be seen as
unjustified.
A05- Coleridge: ‘motiveless malignity.’
o A05- Kim Hall: ‘Iago thinks in a colour scheme that associates blackness with sin
and errant sexuality.’ In private Iago is an incredibly racist character who
therefore holds little respect for Othello, even though he outwardly claims
otherwise.
Iago’s use of address terms is important in his manipulation of other characters
o EG- Act 4.2- Iago demonstrates his duplicitous nature in the way he speaks to
Desdemona in public and private. Addresses her as ‘Lady’ and ‘madam’, giving
the impression that he cares and wishes to comfort her.
Act 4.1- Iago standing over Othello symbolises the power he secretly desires to have
over him. In private he revels in Othello’s misfortune- ‘work my medicine work.’
o Different interpretations of why Iago wants power over Othello
A05- Cowhig argues that Iago is eaten up with sexual jealousy
A05- Hazlitt argues that Shakespeare understood human nature and
motivation- ‘he knew that the love of power, which is another name for
the love of mischief, is natural to man.’
A03- Iago as a Machiavellian character.
A03- He is reminiscent of the cyclical malcontent- a character who is always unhappy
and angry for no specific reason.
Point 2- duplicity Shakespeare uses religious imagery to perhaps infer that Iago’s character, and therefore
might be duplicity, is aligned with evil.
associated with
evil Iago’s quote "I am not what I am," could be reminiscent of a quotation from the Bible
which Shakespeare would have known: In Exodus, God gives his laws to Moses, and
