“Othello” Essay: While we are repulsed by Iago’s evil, we are fascinated
by this ingenuity. How far do you agree with this statement?
From the opening scene in “Othello”, Iago is established to be a true
antagonist. The audience immediately condemns his vulgarity and evil.
However, as the play progresses, this attitude starts to shift as the audience
begins to empathise with Iago and appreciate his ingenuity. The play can be
interpreted as having a religious didactic purpose, adopting a fresh
interpretation of evil which is charming and tempting (rather than the fire and
brimstone of the sixteenth century). Iago is representative of the devil, luring
Othello into sin by using his intelligence. This charming (and, at times,
sympathetic) portrayal of evil in Iago mirrors a shift from traditional religious
values following the creation of the Church of England under one hundred
years before. Ultimately, by portraying Iago as the devil, Shakespeare warns
the audience against the temptations of jealousy and envy. In the final act, the
audience is ultimately led to condemn Iago, regardless of any fascination with
his intelligence. Therefore, Shakespeare uses Iago’s character to urge the
audience to resist the evil which he represents.
In the opening Act, it is made clear to the audience that Iago is a
character who deserves our repulsion. Referring to Brabantio, Iago shouts
“Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, / Proclaim him in the streets,
incense her kinsmen… Plague him with flies!”. The successive imperatives
connote an aggressive tone, emphasised by the exclamatory language,
already hinting at Iago’s capacity for control and evil. Iago speaks in short,
sharp clauses, removing any sophistication from his language. Although Iago
speaks in verse, the traditional rhythm of iambic pentameter is weak. In
Shakespearean plays, this rhythm is associated with sophistication and the
social elite, yet Iago lacks it. This serves as a subtle hint to the audience that
Iago does not deserve the status and respect given to him, making the
audience wary of his crude, malicious description of Othello which follows
, throughout the rest of this scene. Shakespeare begins to establish Iago as a
personification of evil (more than an individual character) by surrounding him
with devilish imagery. This is evident in the allusion to the plague of flies in
Exodus. This strengthens the argument that Iago exists as the villain in a
religious cautionary tale, inviting the audience’s repulsion.
The audience continues to be repulsed by Iago throughout the scene as
his evil becomes increasingly pronounced. For example, Iago likens his plan
to wake Barbantio to “As when, by night and negligence the fire / Is spied in
populous cities”. This simile reveals more of Iago’s underlying evil by creating
an ominous tone, foreshadowing the destruction that he will wreck later in the
play. Although the audience is yet to witness the extent of Iago’s evil, they
begin to suspect his repulsive character.
Iago’s behaviour throughout this extract welcomes the audience’s
condemnation through his vulgar language. To Brabantio, he shouts “Even
now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe” in reference
to the marriage between Desdemona and Othello. The metaphor is extremely
vulgar, immediately portraying Iago as crass to the audience. In particular, the
reference to colour highlights the racial undertone to Iago’s hatred of Othello.
The juxtaposition between the implied corruption of the “black” ram and the
purity of the “white” ewe emphasises the violence of Iago’s aggression,
portraying him as bitter and intolerant. The repetition conveys a sense of
urgency to the audience which causes Iago to appear frenzied and illogical.
This same angry, aggressive tone is seen in “the devil will make a grandsire of
you”. Here, Iago attempts to use religious imagery to underline Othello’s flaws.
However, without proof, this only serves to associate Iago himself more
closely with demonic imagery. In this way, the audience is fully repulsed by
Iago’s negative qualities in the first act.
by this ingenuity. How far do you agree with this statement?
From the opening scene in “Othello”, Iago is established to be a true
antagonist. The audience immediately condemns his vulgarity and evil.
However, as the play progresses, this attitude starts to shift as the audience
begins to empathise with Iago and appreciate his ingenuity. The play can be
interpreted as having a religious didactic purpose, adopting a fresh
interpretation of evil which is charming and tempting (rather than the fire and
brimstone of the sixteenth century). Iago is representative of the devil, luring
Othello into sin by using his intelligence. This charming (and, at times,
sympathetic) portrayal of evil in Iago mirrors a shift from traditional religious
values following the creation of the Church of England under one hundred
years before. Ultimately, by portraying Iago as the devil, Shakespeare warns
the audience against the temptations of jealousy and envy. In the final act, the
audience is ultimately led to condemn Iago, regardless of any fascination with
his intelligence. Therefore, Shakespeare uses Iago’s character to urge the
audience to resist the evil which he represents.
In the opening Act, it is made clear to the audience that Iago is a
character who deserves our repulsion. Referring to Brabantio, Iago shouts
“Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, / Proclaim him in the streets,
incense her kinsmen… Plague him with flies!”. The successive imperatives
connote an aggressive tone, emphasised by the exclamatory language,
already hinting at Iago’s capacity for control and evil. Iago speaks in short,
sharp clauses, removing any sophistication from his language. Although Iago
speaks in verse, the traditional rhythm of iambic pentameter is weak. In
Shakespearean plays, this rhythm is associated with sophistication and the
social elite, yet Iago lacks it. This serves as a subtle hint to the audience that
Iago does not deserve the status and respect given to him, making the
audience wary of his crude, malicious description of Othello which follows
, throughout the rest of this scene. Shakespeare begins to establish Iago as a
personification of evil (more than an individual character) by surrounding him
with devilish imagery. This is evident in the allusion to the plague of flies in
Exodus. This strengthens the argument that Iago exists as the villain in a
religious cautionary tale, inviting the audience’s repulsion.
The audience continues to be repulsed by Iago throughout the scene as
his evil becomes increasingly pronounced. For example, Iago likens his plan
to wake Barbantio to “As when, by night and negligence the fire / Is spied in
populous cities”. This simile reveals more of Iago’s underlying evil by creating
an ominous tone, foreshadowing the destruction that he will wreck later in the
play. Although the audience is yet to witness the extent of Iago’s evil, they
begin to suspect his repulsive character.
Iago’s behaviour throughout this extract welcomes the audience’s
condemnation through his vulgar language. To Brabantio, he shouts “Even
now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe” in reference
to the marriage between Desdemona and Othello. The metaphor is extremely
vulgar, immediately portraying Iago as crass to the audience. In particular, the
reference to colour highlights the racial undertone to Iago’s hatred of Othello.
The juxtaposition between the implied corruption of the “black” ram and the
purity of the “white” ewe emphasises the violence of Iago’s aggression,
portraying him as bitter and intolerant. The repetition conveys a sense of
urgency to the audience which causes Iago to appear frenzied and illogical.
This same angry, aggressive tone is seen in “the devil will make a grandsire of
you”. Here, Iago attempts to use religious imagery to underline Othello’s flaws.
However, without proof, this only serves to associate Iago himself more
closely with demonic imagery. In this way, the audience is fully repulsed by
Iago’s negative qualities in the first act.
