Iago wants revenge on Othello, because Othello overlooks Iago and his abilities, so Iago manipulates these three characters to get back at Othello in the long run. The Tragic Downfall Of Iago In Shakespeare's Othello The soliloquies enhance Iagos villainous characteristics by giving him moments to, Society defines a hero as someone of exceptional courage, strength, or outstanding achievements. He starts by painting a negative picture of Cassio; a slipper and subtle knave, a finder out of occasions a devilish knave [II i 229-230]. 39). Iagos manipulation has not only lead Othello to believe the rumor is true, but has lead him to kill his own wife as well. How does Iago convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating? The play begins in Venice, one of the most culturally and economically developed cities of its time, although the majority of the story is set in Cyprus. Chance also plays a major role in Othellos downfall, one of the main factors being that he is far too trusting in nature. He uses all their weaknesses to bring them down. The significance of Othellos transition in character is incredible to the play, as it contributes to the theme of how unchecked passion can stray even the strong-willed from maintaining their moral responsibilities., Othello becomes a tragedy of incomprehension where hate, manipulation and revenge derive from the arrogant and blinded nature of the characters and their interactions with one another. Iago knows that once he has gained Roderigos trust, he will be able to control him to some extent, using him in order to make his plans work. It is when Lodovico tells Iago to look at the tragic loading that the audience remembers that Othello is not a villain. Untruths and misdirections are normal in the public eye, and numerous people veil their actual goals with a lacquer. This idea of a character experiencing a tragic fate is represented through two different texts with similar protagonists. Through Iagos cunning manipulation and Shakespeares crafting of language, this passage is constructed as a pivotal point of the play, marking the transition of Othellos personality and revealing his deepest insecurities that eventually lead to his downfall and tragic ending. The main reason Iago gives for plotting to destroy Othello is a suspicion that Othello may have had an affair with Emilia. This only gives Othello more reason to kill Desdemona and get jealous. Moreover, Iago had risen through the army ranks by his achievements, which Othello has accepted him due to his great qualities. Iago plans his scheme based on, [Othello] has done my office, I know not ift be true/ But I, for mere suspicion in that kind/ Will do as if for surety (I. III. Analyzes how othello's destruction can be viewed as an outcome of iago's manipulation, but his downfall could have been his own fault. Knowing that if he foolishly attacked such a respected man directly, he would be sentenced to death. Reading this well, Iago is able to understand that this doubt is what lies at the heart of all of Othello's success. His mistakes derive from not just one, but three major flaws. This quote suggests his deceptive and duplicitous character from the outset. Othello's notable tragic flaw is, as Iago states himself, "The Moor is of a free and open nature", meaning that he takes people and things at face value, not expecting any hidden vendetta or betrayal. Iagos quick thinking and persuasive techniques are essential in not only his manipulation of Roderigo, but of almost every other character in the play as well. She falls in love with Othello, the War Hero a hero who is no stranger to danger. This use of manipulation is all based on an assumption that Othello has slept with Iagos wife, and this assumption leads to even more horrible events. During the Elizabethan Era, drama began to flourish in Western Europe. This gets Brabantios attention and leds him to hating Othello. ). The readers soon comes to realize the reasons for Iago's hate of Othello: the promotion of Cassio instead of himself; the racial prejudice displayed by him; and the rumour that Othello is having an extra-marital relationship with his wife Emilia. As Iago and Roderigo are fighting, Iago steps aside and says: Now, whether he kill Cassio,/or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,/ Every way makes my gain. 223-229). But, Othello did not seem to think so. Another element of fate that plays a role in his downfall is the very myth of the handkerchief, this being that Othellos mother had received it from the Sybil who said that it should be given as a love token, and if it were ever lost or given to someone else, the love would be broken. Othello believes the handkerchief to be magical, and so the thought that Desdemona has given it to someone else is awful in his mind. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. As he plots the downfall of many of the characters including Othello and Cassio, he lies to Roderigo telling him that Desdemona will soon tire of the moor and that he should go to Cyprus in order to be there when it happens. Iago: The Main Cause Of Downfall In Shakespeare's Othello eNotes Editorial, 20 Apr. As he continued to stir up trouble with his fellow peers, he went to Othello to plant evidence of Cassio infidelity. Iago has been to blame for the downfall of Othello because he is the one that created the jealousy within Othello. In the tragic play, Othello, William Shakespeare creates the true wickedness of the character, Iago, through his devious plans created to cause the demise of Othello. By playing upon Othello and Desdemonas differences in race and social standings, Iago makes Othello believe that his wife is sleeping with Cassio. Even though Iago tells Othello it is a dream, Othello believes that his wife cheated on him proclaiming, O monstrous! For example, Iago's revenge plan including Cassio, triggered jealousy. Here he has played on Roderigos love for Desdemona and managed to ensure that he travels to Cyprus. Who Was Responsible For Othello's Downfall - 534 Words | Cram Iago reveals Othellos insecurities, and prior to Iagos interference, Othello could control any situation. First, Iago seeks out Othello to give him false news of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio. In the first act, we find out how Othello perceives Iago when he says he is, "A manof honesty and trust. However, it can also be suggested that, to what extent did Othello bring about his own downfall? Among them, Iago in the tragedy Othello and Richard III in Richard III are the finest and most polished. However, How can one be consistently honest over long periods of time? He first starts off with realizing his irony of helping Cassio while trying to be evil at the same time. Othello believes he is in the right to murder his wife, as this will prevent her from hurting others as she hurt him. Often when characters feel real, they are stereotyped illusion based on an audiences feelings. As Alvin, This was shown especially, when Rodrigos fantasy of being with Desdemona was exploited, which took advantage of love. When Iago informs certain characters that he knows have fallen into his trap, the characters will not doubt what he has to say. The definition of downfall is the loss of power, prosperity, or status. How is Iago an artist in villainy in Othello? Othello turns from calm to a raging cauldron of jealousy. Although Othello has many issues, only a few of them lead to his regrets, and ultimately, his death. He then compares his actions to that of what would be expected from Satan, and shows how far he is willing to go towards acting out his revenge; telling of how even devils put on heavenly faces before committing their biggest sins. Iago constantly uses his innocence to make Othello jealous and start to assume that it is true. "To what extent is desdemona responsible for othellos downfall" Essays Therefore, it could be said that Cassio and Desdemonas downfall are caused by the handkerchief, but Othellos actual death/downfall doesnt come later, until he realises that his wife was innocent. Adelman demonstrates Iagos reasoning for his plan when she states her thoughts on why Iago is angry. Therefore, in this case, a large part of Roderigos downfall is a direct result of Iagos manipulation, particularly through his use of language. Othello: Questions & Answers By doing so, Iago now has not only managed to appear far to honest and kind in Othellos eyes, (his response being that Iago is simply toning down the extent of Cassios unprofessional behaviour) but he has also managed to obtain an incredible amount of trust in one of the men he seeks to destroy, Cassio. [II iii 222-228]. Iago's deception is what drives the characters in Othello thereby compounding the belief of his responsibility for the outcome of this tragedy. When devils will the blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows, as I do now (Act 3, Scene 1. Motivated by what he sees as Othellos passing him over for a promotion, along with feelings of jealousy and lust, Iago formulates a plan to reap his revenge for what he believes are the wrongs Othello has committed against him; a decision that ends both of their lives. Even though at this time Othello has no reason to believe him, Iago said to him, Look at your wife, observe her well with Cassio (Shakespeare, 609), as if to tell him if you do not believe me, see for yourself. What is Othello's tragic flaw that causes his downfall? Othello may be the cause of his own downfall because he fails to understand that not all people are as good as he is and that everyone isn't out for the good of others. Iago, a master of how the human mind functions, realises this and so insists that Cassio have a drink, which he eventually does, leading to his demotion from Lieutenant. However, Shakespeare has chosen to alter this in the case of Iago, which also helps to reflect his manipulative nature, as he is able to speak in both ways in order to use different people according to their characters. 2010, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-iago-able-manipulate-othello-159997. Ergo, Othello is the tragic hero in William Shakespeares play, Othello, the Moor of Venice. It could be argued that the fact that Desdemona ends up going to Cyprus with her new husband is a part of fate that plays right into Iagos hands. In Act 1, Othello diffuses a situation in which multiple combatants had already unsheathed their weapons. Rather than talking his beloved wife and trusting her. Iago has been selfish and takes it upon himself to get revenge against Othello. How did iago makes othello suspicious | Othello Questions | Q & A Since Othello focused on the negative possibility, instead of being open to a positive possibility, and since hedonism was evident in himself and Iago, Othello, a tragic hero in the Aristotelian tragedy, obviously fell from being a man whom the senators revered to a man who was wifeless and powerless and who committed suicide., In Shakespeares Othello, Othello suffers the classic war between passion and responsibility due to his conflicting thoughts about Desdemona allegedly being unfaithful, while attempting to maintain his responsibilities of being a rational and composed leader. Iago's ability to take advantage of people's flaws and situations when they arise also allows him to manipulate Othello's, "free and open nature" through the "pour [ing] pestilence into the ear of the Moor" and provide evidence through the planting of Desdemona's handkerchief , a symbol of the love between Othello and Desdemona, in "Cassio's lod. Firstly, Iago attempts to take Cassio into his confidence by his use of mens talk, in other words, the way in which he speaks of Desdemona. He believes that if he murders desdemona he will be standing up for mankind for women who betray their husbands by being unfaithful . Many characters fall into Iago 's web of deception throughout the book. Iago is of such little power and relevance within societal ranking that if he were to have intentions to sabotage anyone, which he does, are not considered, thus making him easily trustworthy to those of greater dominance.
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