Iago of "Othello"

Paper Summary:

"Othello" is one of the four great tragedies written during Shakespeare's period of despair when the bard seemed to be concerned with the struggle of good over evil. The paper shows that Iago, the villain in "Othello", is perhaps the most sadistic and consummately evil character in all English literature and his eventual downfall illustrates the triumph of love over hate, a key theme in many of Shakespeare's plays. The paper traces the play act by act in order to analyze the character of Iago.

From the Paper:

"In Act Two, Iago's villainous nature is increased when Cassio, Othello's chief of staff, is seen by Iago holding the hand of Desdemona which sets into motion another scheme highlighted by the line "With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio" (2.1.163). Like Roderigo, Cassio submits to Iago's every whim while under the assumption that Iago is only attempting to assist him; but in reality, it is Cassio's downfall that attracts Iago. In addition, since Iago is a very intelligent man, he quickly realizes the advantages that come with trust which he considers as a means to further his goals. As a symbol of his true arrogance, Iago says of himself "I am an honest man" (2.3.245) which is quickly deemed to be a false statement when he has Cassio terminated as Othello's chief of staff."

More papers on Iago of "Othello":

• Analytical Essay # 41293 : "Iago of "Othello"
• Analytical Essay # 50899 : "Downfall of Othello"
• Comparison Essay # 33713 : " A Study of "Othello's" Iago and "A Doll's House" Krogstad"

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