For centuries, the intricate characters in William Shakespeare’s plays have enchanted audiences all over the world. Each of these plays is filled with rich characters that people can truly relate to, and often, the character who “steals the show” is not necessarily the lead character.
The names of these powerful supporting characters have become household names: Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Caliban in The Tempest, and perhaps the most influential of these characters – Othello’s Iago. In fact, Iago is so central to the play that he is – arguably – more of a principal character than Othello or Desdemona, the tragic hero of the play and his ingenue wife. Throughout the course of the play, Iago manipulates and controls every other character so flawlessly that they seem like marionettes in his hands. At the end of the play, Iago’s manipulation has left a trail of destruction that has killed Othello and Desdemona, among others, and destroyed the lives of many who remain. The motivations and ideas Iago holds are complex and sinister, and his skills of rhetoric and influence are truly stunning. In Iago’s actions, we see the portrait of a man who will stop at nothing until he feels his justice has been exacted on everyone he feels has wronged him. It becomes apparent that Shakespeare is attempting, through the character of Iago, to show the destructive nature of vengeance to his audiences. He presents Iago as a charming and respected soldier, to show that not every traitor or vengeful evildoer is necessarily what they seem on the outside.
Interestingly enough, the opening scene of Othello introduces neither the title character or his love interest. The first action onstage is between Iago and his friend Roderigo, discussing how much Iago hates the general he serves under, the moor Othello. “Thou told’st me thou didst hold him in thy hate,” Roderigo states. “Despise me if I do not,” Iago asserts in reply (I, i, 7-8). From the very beginning of the play, the audience knows full well how Iago truly feels about his superior. Iago continues by giving exposition on what has transpired immediately before the opening of the play, and how he feels he has been wronged by Othello’s promotion of Cassio over him to the position of Lieutenant. Iago revels in his conspiracy, outwitting everyone around him. He is almost taunting to those who are less clever than he is, going so far as to tell Roderigo to his face: “I am not what I am” (I, i, 64).
While Roderigo perceives this as Iago’s deception of Othello, it is as much as statement of Iago’s deception and control of Roderigo. Iago’s ego seems to almost be greater than his ambition, and each of those only serves to spur him on, as he continues to manipulate more and more people in his quest for vengeance and power. From the very beginning, there is no doubt in the audiences’ minds that Iago will betray Othello. Interestingly enough, the only people who see every aspect of Iago for the entire play are none other than the audience. This places the audience as almost a divine observer, helpless to stop Iago’s malevolent plans from manifesting into reality.
While the lack of suspense about Iago’s perspective does not present any sense of mystery, the perspective of the audience creates a feeling of impending doom that builds until the final act. This makes Othello a rare exception to Shakespeare’s tragedy formula. In many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, there are multiple deaths within the first few acts – such as the pivotal deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt in Act III of Romeo and Juliet. Despite the fact that many of the characters in Othello are soldiers (and that the play is primarily set in a war zone in Cyprus), there is practically no violence until Act IV, scene i, when Othello first confronts Desdemona with her alleged infidelity with a slap across her face. After this, violence seems to explode on every front, as Iago’s plans come to fruition. In the midst of the chaos, Iago turns to the audience for one final aside. “This is the night / That either makes me or fordoes me quite” (V, i, 129-130). This dramatic build, combined with the perspective Shakespeare places the audience in, only serves to increase the tension, and leaves the audience in a state of terror for what they already know is going to happen. The wave of destruction left by Iago is astounding, and the lengths that he is willing to go to in order to exact his revenge only show how deep Iago’s bitterness runs.
Perhaps even more frightening than Iago’s cunning ability to exact revenge is his willingness to use people that are closest to him. Unlike the majority of the characters in the play, Roderigo sees the true motives behind many of Iago’s actions from the start. he is as much a pawn of Iago as any of the others Iago will eventually betray. In fact, Iago’s betrayal of Roderigo is almost more despicable than his betrayal of Othello. While there is a legitimate reason for Iago to despise Othello (though not necessarily to warrant Iago’s actions), Roderigo is the only character that is “in on” Iago’s plans. Iago positions Roderigo to duel with Cassio for Desdemona’s affection,simply so he can wound Cassio. Roderigo is wounded in the duel, and Iago enters quickly, murdering him in order to keep the illusion that he is loyal to Othello. Roderigo’s final words are a curse against Iago: “O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!” (V, i, 63). Iago’s betrayal of Roderigo shows the truly sadistic and ruthless nature of Iago’s character.
He is a lone wolf, hunting for power and quickly and quietly destroying those who stand in his way. He is a man without loyalties, but his ability to charm and manipulate give the perception of loyalty. He is a cunning and ruthless man, and will let nothing stand in his way, even to the point of murdering his own wife, Emilia. As she is revealing to Othello the truth about Desdemona, and putting together the pieces that will incriminate and expose Iago’s treachery, Iago draws his blade and mortally wounds her in plain view of Othello and a crowd of others. This is the point where Iago’s good reputation is torn away, and his duplicitous nature revealed. “‘Tis a notorious villain,” (V, ii, 240) Montano voices. It is only when Desdemona, Emilia, and Roderigo are slain that Iago is found out, and Othello is quick to dispatch himself for the wrongful murder of his chaste wife, adding himself to the list of Iago’s casualties.
Iago’s charm and rhetoric are the prime skills that allow him to execute his plan, as he manages to turn Othello against his closest friend and wife. Iago sets up Cassio by using Roderigo to provoke him (foreshadowing the duel later in the play), then plays the innocent as his informs Othello of Cassio’s violent outburst. “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth / Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio” (II, iii, 210-211). In this statement, and the monologue that follows, Shakespeare reveals just how convincing Iago is. His beautiful manner of speech and (false) devotion to those that perceive him as loyal are eloquent and seemingly sincere, and give him the impression of an innocent bystander to the events that he is truly the mastermind of.
Even after his plans have been set in motion and are quickly turning Othello against Desdemona and Cassio, Othello praises Iago. “This fellow’s of exceeding honesty, / And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit / Of human dealings” (III, iii, 259-260). The smokescreen that Iago creates is flawless, and is built entirely on his reputation and ability to lie convincingly and accuse subtly. Iago does not blatantly accuse Desdemona of infidelity until Othello is already convinced she is unfaithful, and seems to stand by Cassio until Othello is sure Cassio is treacherous. As soon as Othello is convinced of the affair, Iago has succeeded in his vengeful plan. Nothing can deter Othello, and Iago’s ability to perceive this jealous trait within Othello is crucial to Iago’s plan.
Despite the fact that Iago succeeds at the end of the play exacting revenge upon those he feels have wronged him, he has not achieved the power he so desired. Iago is not victorious in his quest, and through this, Shakespeare shows the true damage of Iago’s ambitious vengeance. However, the character of Iago is one of the most fascinating in Shakespeare’s canon, a ruthless man who uses his wit and cunning to manipulate anyone and everyone until he has achieved his goal. Iago is a prime example of an overambitious man, willing to sacrifice everything and betray his closest friend and spouse in order to protect himself. His subtle and seemingly truthful manner only serve him in his quest, and in the end he is responsible for destroying the lives of everyone around him, including himself. His ambition has backfired, destroying everything Iago ever hoped for. It is little consolation to this treacherous man that he has avenged what a supposed wrong against him.
