Iago in Shakespeare's "Othello"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Iago, from William Shakespeare's play, "Othello," is probably one of the best evil characters ever created. The author points out that he is an interesting case study because he is proud of his evilness and plans to use it to his utmost abilities to bring Othello down. The paper relates that another aspect about Iago's character that makes him so detestable is that he really has no reasonable excuse to hate Othello so much; he is not crazy, but rather is smart and clever, two characteristics that make him even more dangerous.

From the Paper:

"Another characteristic of Iago that is unforgettable is his cleverness throughout the entire play. Iago must know Othello well because he demonstrates that he knows just the right things to say to Othello to spur his anger and jealousy. Robert Heilman claims, "Wit is Iago's instrument to compensate for what he does not have. He perversely hates and yet lusts after what he does not have . . . and he undertakes to disparage it, minimize it, debunk it, and destroy it." Once he knows what it is he wants to do, he has no trouble achieving his goal. Critic Harold Bloom states that Iago's ruination of Othello is in some ways too subtle for criticism to paraphrase. Iago suggests Desdemona's infidelity by at first not suggesting it, but hovering near and around it. This is all too true."

More papers on Iago in Shakespeare's "Othello":

• Analytical Essay # 41886 : "Iago in "Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 68085 : "Iago in "Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 4567 : "The Role of Iago in "Othello"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: