Introduction
William Shakespeare is one of the prolific authors in literature, because he employs many devices that give his character depth. These devices can be manifested in the speech of the characters; as an author, Shakespeare effectively plays on words to give them multiple meanings which can be left to the reader’s interpretation. One example of this is in his play Othello, a story about the titular character and his conquests amidst the attempts of a traitorous comrade named Iago to destroy him. In this play, Iago delivers a series of soliloquies which reveal a lot about his character—his intentions, his purpose, his personality, his goals, and his flaws. Based from these soliloquies, it can be inferred that Iago is an oxymoronic character—he is deceptive, despite the other characters’ claims that he is honest, and he is shown to be controlling when in fact his own selfish intentions are what controls him in the latter part of the story (Raatzch, 2009). The complexity of Iago’s character can primarily be inferred in some of his soliloquies, as shown below.
First Soliloquy: Act I, Scene iii
This part was Iago’s first soliloquy in the play; here the audience learns of Iago’s reason for committing his villainous acts, as well as insights as of his true nature. In this, he feels spiteful of Othello since he favored Michael Cassio over him when it comes to a promotion. To get his revenge, he is willing to connive with another of Othello’s enemies, Roderigo, who despises Othello for marrying Desdemona. However, Roderigo does not know that Iago is only using him as a tool as well (“If I would expend time with such a snipe / But for my sport and profit”). Moreover, the soliloquy reveals how he sees Othello (“I hate that Moor”). Lastly, it can be inferred that Iago knows too well that he is trusted by most of the characters and thus he plans to use it to his advantage
Fourth Soliloquy: Act III Scene iii
In this part, the audience gets a glimpse of Iago’s plans springing into action. In order for his plans to work, Othello must be convinced that his Venetian wife, Desdemona, is being unfaithful to her. Once he has successfully planted the seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind. Here the audience learns that he is satisfied that his plans are finally coming into fruition (“The Moor already changes his with my poison”). It is worth noting that Iago’s plans are in line with co characters; through his perceived honesty, he slowly makes Othello suspicious all the while under the guise of a helpful servant. He confides to Othello that Cassio has been talking in his sleep about Desdemona, all while assuring to Othello that it is only a dream.
Final Soliloquy: Act V Scene ii
The last soliloquy is pivotal to the story: in this part, Othello finally murders his wife Desdemona due to urging of Iago’s plans. Also, Iago utters the enigmatic line “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. / From this time forth I never will speak word”. This shows that even though the extent of his villainy has been revealed to the other characters, he still has his sense of pride and the feeling of superiority above the other characters. Even at this stage, he refuses to give in and confess to his crimes—a signal that he is caught up in his villainy despite his claims to be controlling in the earlier part of the story.
Conclusion
In Shakespeare’s works, soliloquys are a great way to give insight into a character’s personality, as evidenced in Othello. Here, Shakespeare presents Iago as an oxymoronic character by use of his soliloquies, which effectively shows how Shakespeare can introduce depth into his stories.
References
Raatzch, R. (2009). The apologetics of evil: The case of Iago. Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews. Retrieved from http://ndpr.nd.edu/news/24263-the-apologetics-of-evil-the-case-of-iago/
Shakespeare, W., & Holste, G. (2002). Othello. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series.
