Iago essentially uses Desdemona as a pawn in his scheme to ruin Othello. Asked by Claire H #1083031. 10) Why does Roderigo agree to kill Cassio. (Remember, when Desdemona dropped her handkerchief by accident, Emilia picked it up and gave it to Iago. Othello begins with some dialogue explaining the setting, plot and characters. Iago counters this threat by telling Roderigo that Desdemona will leave for … ” He needed a way to execute his plan in getting his revenge against Othello without being caught, and he used Roderigo’s love for Desdemona and his foolishness to do so. Iago is using Roderigo to help him in his plans and he has already hatched a plot to make Othello believe Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona – in a double revenge. ‘ Although initially speaking to Emilia Iago includes Desdemona by the use of the plural, stating the fact that they do not conduct themselves with skill in the house but are very experienced and skilful in bed. Next, in Cyprus on a military campaign, Iago gets Cassio drunk and arranges a brawl, which he makes sure Othello witnesses; Othello has to strip the recently promoted Cassio of his commission. As they wait for Desdemona to arrive, Othello says that Brabantio used to invite him to his house to hear his life story, with all its dramatic tales of travel, battle, and valor. 250-260 stating that by doing this Roderigo will “ have a shorter journey to your/desires” (2.1.259-260) namely Desdemona. Desdemona turns for help to Iago, who reassures her. Early in the scene Othello says the following to "force" Iago to speak his mind, "I think thou dost; / And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty. The racial issue is of paramount importance in this play. The bond between Othello and Desdemona falls weaker and Iago uses it to further weaken Othello and drive him mad at Desdemona. Iago again says that his suspicions are likely false. Cassio for sleeping with Desdemona demoting his position Cassio behavior is rooted in a deep sense honor. His is the husband of Emilia and the ensign/ancient of Othello. Iago plants the idea to Othello that something inappropriate may be happening between Cassio and Desdemona, and encourages Othello to pay attention to whether “your lady strain his entertainment / With any strong or vehement importunity” (3.3.). It “doth mock the meet it feeds on”. But as is so often with a well-known text, we don’t know this one nearly as well as we think we do: Othello has more in it than jealousy, the ‘green-eyed monster’, and (implied) racial hatred. Just then Iago begins to reap some of the fruits of his scheming. Realising he has thrown away the life of an innocent woman he loved dearly, Othello kills himself publicly, Cassio is made governor of Cyprus, and Iago is taken off for punishment. Analysis. Iago is able to operate successfully in his plans, as Desdemona dies, Iago has gained his revenge from Othello. Throughout the play, characters place their trust in him when they need it most, and they are blind to his treachery. He tells Iago to kill Cassio, and he publicly strikes Desdemona, accusing her in front of everyone. First, he makes his hero noble, but unusually flawed. 5) How does Iago use Bianca to trick Othello? Othello describes his true love for Desdemona and how it began. Desdemona does not ever behave like this, but Iago draws on this idea to arouse suspicions in Othello’s mind, so due to certain clues he concludes that Desdemona has cheated him and slept with another man. Spoken by the main antagonist Iago, while helping the rich Roderigo in his suit to propose to Desdemona, but finds out… At this point, the reader simply assumes that Iago is jealous of Cassio and angry at Othello for appointing Cassio as lieutenant, which leads to the scene in which Iago and Roderigo are alerting Brabantio that Othello is sleeping with Desdemona. Iago is delighted to see Cassio holding Desdemona's hand, knowing that he can use the fact against them later. Iago then sets about convincing Othello that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona; he tells Cassio to ask Desdemona to put in a good word for him with Othello so he might get his commission back (but with the result that Othello questions why his wife would want to plead for Cassio). Iago continues his insinuations when speaking to Othello; he provides more "proofs" that are anything but, though Othello has calmed, and seems more troubled and less angry. Jealousy is also a big part as it fuels the vengeance in characters and creates tension and conflict. He pretends to like Othello but hates him for being a moor and plots his downfall. The Moor is courageous and smart in the battlefield but after all his race and colour make him feel like being ostracised. What “proof” does Iago use to convince Roderigo that Cassio and Desdemona are lovers? Iago falsely assures him so and asks for money. Shakespeare uses a number of techniques to express the manipulaton of Iago in this scene. Iago intendes to sabotage Othello's relationship with Desdemona. Will make it seem like Desdemona will cheat on Othello with Cassio. Put your swords away, you are not going to use them. Writers from Dickens to George R. R. Martin have often sorrowfully or gleefully talked of ‘killing off’ their own characters for the amusement of others; Iago wishes to ruin Othello’s marriage for his own amusement or, in Hazlitt’s phrase, ‘stabs men in the dark to prevent ennui’. The “ocular proof” for Othello is not his wife’s words but a cloth material. On their own, Iago consoles Cassio (who mourns the loss of his good name), and encourages him to believe that he will be reinstated as Othello’s lieutenant, especially if he confides in Desdemona and asks her to plead for him to her husband. Iago even uses his words against his own wife, Emilia, deceiving her and manipulating her to help carry out his plan by retrieving Desdemona’s hankerchief from her. Part of the genius of Shakespeare’s characterisation of Iago is that he makes him a convincing ensign to Othello, a loyal servant to the Moorish warrior, even while he is plotting Othello’s downfall. In Shakespeare’s source material for the play, a novella by the Italian author Cinthio, Iago is straightforwardly evil and devilish, intent on destroying Othello’s life, and with a clear motive. Like a puppet master, Iago uses deception in the play Othello, by William Shakespeare, as a duplicitous being with perfidious views on the demise of others for personal revenge against Othello. Revenge shapes the play Othello, its plot and characters. But in Much Ado, Hero’s fidelity is proved and Don John’s villainy is exposed, and we have a comedy. Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare set in Venice. Enter your email address to subscribe to this site and receive notifications of new posts by email. In this dream, Cassio is meant to have said “Sweet Desdemona / Let us be wary, let us hide our loves.” He then goes on to describe how Cassio began to kiss Iago, and “laid his leg / Over my thigh.” This imagery is so strong because it places Iago in Desdemona’s position, and which somehow makes it more real. To make him look like a drunk in front of important people. Othello, a black man, has gained the love of Desdemona, the daughter of a wealthy citizen. Iago uses Desdemona’s friendliness for his own evil plan. Roderigo, protesting to Iago that his gifts to Desdemona have won him no favor from her, threatens to ask for the return of the gifts. Othello is also unlike many of Shakespeare’s other great tragedies, with the possible exception of Romeo and Juliet, in that its plot could easily have been co-opted for a comedy rather than a tragedy, where the confusion created by Iago’s plotting is resolved, the villain is punished, and the hero and heroine are reconciled to live happily ever after. This quotes means that he will do anything to get revenge on Othello. Iago?s suggestions to Othello will cause him to construe Desdemona?s pleas for Cassio, as pleas for her paramour. I had the great good fortune to see the 2007 production of Othello put on at the Donmar Warehouse with Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role. Like Iago, Don John wants to wreck the (upcoming) marriage between Claudio and Hero, and sets about convincing Claudio that his bride-to-be cannot be trusted. Here Iago orchestrates even the way in which Desdemona will be killed. Iago, having got hold of a handkerchief of Desdemona’s, which she’d lost (a gift from Othello), hatches a plan to make Othello think his wife has been sleeping with Cassio. Iago’s ambition, Desdemona’s love for Othello, and Emilia’s loyalty in Iago and Desdemona are also tragic flaws. Iago influences every action that takes place in the plot, because he wants to destroy the people who have betrayed him, by planting false thoughts in their heads, so that they give his speeches faith and draw the wrong conclusions. Ok so those were the techniques that Iago used to manipulate others. A few lines earlier (see above passage), Iago claimed that he suspects Othello has been sleeping with his wife, Emilia. His first plot is to try to prevent Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of Brabantio, by telling Brabantio that Othello and Desdemona have already slept together even though they are not married. Othello admits that he married Desdemona.But he denies using any magic to win her love, and says that Desdemona will support his story. Othello begins with some dialogue explaining the setting, plot and characters. Each time she suggests, ? ... How will Iago use Cassio's weakness to further his plot? Iago is a complex character that takes evil to a whole new level in the 1600’s and plays a key role in this tale. Iago’s plan works, and Othello is convinced that there is something going on between Cassio and Desdemona. Your beds! Othello promotes Michael Cassio to the position of lieutenant and Iago becomes extremely jealous. Interesting Literature is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk. ... How will Iago involve Emilia in his plot? He uses many characters to his advantage, realizing how … All heroes have a tragic flaw, of course: Macbeth’s is his ‘vaulting ambition’, Hamlet’s is his habit of delaying or over-analysing (although the extent to which he actually delays can be questioned), and so on. For this reason (at least he claims), Iago declares that he hates Othello and will wreak vengeance on both Othello and Cassio. Throughout the play, Iago's soliloquies disclose to the audience what he does not reveal to the other characters as his plans take shape. The next technique that he used was that he knew how to use all his options he could use all the tools in his grasp. 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