Abstract
The book The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice was written by the most famous poet of the world, William Shakespeare. This is a story about love, jealousy, and revenge. Othello, the protagonists in the story, is a Moor and a general in the army. His role in the Venetian army makes him a significant figure. Upon his promotion, Othello became the main victim when Iago and Rodrigo connived against him in order to destroy him. The jealousy of Rodrigo powered his hatred towards the man. Othello’s downfall was almost assured because of Iago’s flawless plotting and deception that lead to flawed actions and poor decision making by the protagonist. Othello’s life story ended tragically but left a lesson imparting that being a critical thinker is important in a person’s life. It will determine their likely future lives. Othello is a man of superior influence, power, and honor, which makes him deserving to be called a Venice’s tragic hero.
Iago’s Deceitfulness
The story began with an argument between the aristocrat named Rodrigo, and Iago, an ensign to Othello. Roderigo is in love with the daughter of Senator Brabantio named Desdemona. Being a rich man, Roderigo had payed large amounts of money to Iago to help him win the heart of Desdemona. However, the conflict begins when Rodrigo found out that Desdemona had already married Othello, an African Army General. With great despair that he had lost his wealth and the woman she loves, Roderigo convinced Iago to connive with him and plan a way to destroy Othello. Iago’s hatred toward Othello grew when Othello made the choice to promote Cassio and not him, into being a Lieutenant in the army.
Their plan of destroying Othello will benefit both of them. Iago gets the opportunity to avenge himself for not being promoted, while Roderigo will have Desdemona if their plan succeeds. This is where all the conflict will begin. Iago was able to devise a way to destroy Othello by accusing Desdemona with adultery. Othello becomes ravaged by jealousy towards Desdemona’s alleged infidelity (Shakespeare, 1622).
In the whole story of Othello, the most interesting character is Iago, who is a very deceitful man. The whole story revolved around how he made fools out of the other characters. One part of the book that can attest to Iago’s deceitfulness is when he convinced Roderigo to hire him to as an aid to get Desdemona’s love. The line that he used to fool and convince Roderigo was “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse” (I.iii.426). Through these words he was able to commit fraud and get huge sums of money and jewelries as his salary from Roderigo.
Iago’s success as a deceiver can be attributed to his great desire to avenge. As the main antagonist in the story, almost all of Iago’s effort to deceive and lie are all for the purpose of sabotaging Othello. The deceiving game began when Othello promoted Cassio as a Lieutenant, instead of Iago who has been working for him for a very long time already. His words showed great anger and hatred towards Othello when he said “But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor, and it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets He has done my office. I know not if 't be true, But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety. (I.iii.429-433) Iago applied various way in deceiving and lying others. These ways include being dishonest, tricking, misleading, and giving false information. Iago showed lack of morals when he continuously lied and deceived everyone in order to satisfy his personal desires. The way Iago spoke even from the beginning reflected his trait as a person. The first instance that Iago practiced his deceiving abilities, was when he started working for Roderigo. He tricked Roderigo into thinking that he did the things that Roderigo wanted him to do because he was loyal to him, when in fact, he worked for Roderigo because he was rich, and helping Roderigo will serve his personal interests more.
However, there is one dominating deception method that Iago applied throughout the story, and this is by tricking and misleading the other characters. The first instance that he was able to apply these methods, was when he convinced Roderigo to connive with him to bring down and sabotage Othello. He tricked Roderigo into thinking that he is the one who will greatly benefit from their plans, for he will be able to get Desdemona when the plan succeeds. The next instance which had the most effect and resulted to much conflict in the story was when he deceived Othello that Desdemona was having an affair with Cassio, and by deceiving Desdemona that Othello was having an affair with Emilia. He was able to make the two believe that the other one was committing infidelity towards the other. Iago was an expert in using, manipulating, and steering the other people’s emotion in order to make them do absurd things, and to make them act according to his plans. This is what helped Iago succeed in deceiving the other characters. He knew he was able to deceive Othello when Othello finally said “Ay, let her rot, and perish and be damned tonight, for she shall not live. No, my heart is turned to stone. I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature! She might lie byan emperor's side and command him tasks.” (IV.i.200-204).
Othello’s down fall can be greatly attributed to the efforts of Iago to bring him down. Most of the flawed actions and decisions done by Othello were results of the deceptions made by Iago. Iago had an immense desire to revenge against Othello. This is what drove him into deceiving, lying, and misleading everybody just to be able to make them move and act in favor of his plans. However, his plans did not materialize in the earlier parts of the story, for Othello was known for being a respected man. This nonetheless, is what drove him to further proceed with his plans to take down Othello. Iago devised all possible means and connections in order to ruin the image of Othello.
This whole plan worked when he made Desdemona the main target of his plans. First, he was able to make Desdemona’s father to exhaust his power to help people find Othello and Desdemona. This can be seen in the part where Iago said “Call up her father, Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen, And, though he in a fertile climate dwell, Plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy, yet throw such changes of vexation on 't as it may lose some color.” (I.i.74-80). He utilized every means that he had in order mislead and deceive Othello into thinking that Desdemona was indeed not being loyal to him. Even without any strong foundation or proof for his allegations, Iago was able to steer the emotions of both Othello and Desdemona into doing and believing his allegations.
Iago was great at making people believe that he is their ally. He feasts on the feeling that people believe that he is an honest man and even claiming that he indeed is by saying “As I am an Honest Man” (II.iii.285). He was able to make Cassio trust him very much. His manipulation of Cassio began when he successfully invited him to drink. In the book Iago said that “If I can fasten but one cup upon him. With that which he hath drunk tonight already, He'll be as full of quarrel and offense as my young mistress' dog.” (II.iii.49-52). In his drunken state, Iago was able to make Cassio do foolish things which resulted to the termination of his position as a Lieutenant. He then uses this opportunity to make Cassio threaten Desdemona. This became his starting point for his allegations about Desdemona’s infidelity to Othello.
Iago’s greatest hold on Othello was the handkerchief that he gave to Desdemona. The characters attached different meanings to this handkerchief which resulted to more conflicts in the story. As for Othello, he considered this handkerchief the symbol of Desdemona herself, and her commitment to be loyal and chaste. Through this handkerchief, Iago was able to make Othello use it to prove Desdemona’s infidelity. Othello, having a strong belief that Desdemona was having an affair, made a decision to kill Desdemona. He then decided to strangle Desdemona, which can be found in the lines of the book where Othello told Desdemona “Behold, I have a weapon. A better never did itself sustain upon a soldier's thigh. I have seen the day that, with this little arm and this good sword I have made my way through more impediments than twenty times your stop. But—O vain boast!” (V.ii.310-315). However, before she died, Desdemona claimed that she was the one who killed herself. Othello was devastated after knowing that he had been fooled by Iago into believing that Desdemona had an affair. This is where Othello’s downfall.
This shows how Othello’s downfall resulted from his actions that were just mere effects of the deceptions made by Iago. Iago succeeded in manipulating each and every character in the story, including the mighty and respected Othello. He was able to play with the emotions of the characters and made them do and believe things that were without basis. Iago knew that knowing and using the weaknesses of each character against themselves is the best way to make them act in favor of his plans that made him succeed.
This metaphor stated in Shakepeare’s As You Like It (II.vii. 138-141) can be applied to explain and asses Iago’s deceitfulness. Likening the world as a stage reflects how the world is full of pretentions and dishonesty. A stage is where actors perform and act. These performances are usually based on fiction or just results of the imaginations of people, and may usually involve drama, romance, or tragedy. The same goes with the story of Othello. The story revolved around the love story of Othello and Desdemona, the drama of the death of Desdemona, and tragedy of Iago’s deception that resulted to the fall of Othello.
The second line likened women and men as mere actors and actresses. This can be seen and applied in the story, from beginning until the end. Actors and Actresses in stage plays are just representations of the characters. Their role is to make their audience believe that they are the real characters, and the whole story is true. A successful and effective actor or actress is one who is able to make his audience believe him or her, and have an effect on the emotions of the audience. In a stage play, there is always a protagonist and an antagonist. This is what makes the story engaging and thrilling to the audience. The most compelling actor in the story was Iago himself. Iago was a successful actor who was able to make all the other characters believe that he was honest, and that he was telling the truth. He was able to appeal to the emotions of all the other characters and make them move as he pleased, in favor of his plans. He was able to successfully discover the weaknesses of each of the characters, and use these weaknesses against them, without them recognizing it. That is how the story of Othello can actually be viewed as a stage performance.
Though the story of Othello ended tragically, it has definitely taught a clear lesson to the readers. The story is teaching the readers that being critical is a very important trait. It is teaching that it is important for an individual to not immediately believe anything that s/he is told unless there is a strong proof to believe it. The story also showed the importance of the ability to control one’s emotions. Most especially, the story is teaching the readers the value of trust. It teaches the readers to value trust and to not just give it to people carelessly, because trust can make or break a person.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William, David Bevington, and David Scott Kastan. The Tragedy of Othello, Th Moor of Venice. New York: Bantam Dell, 2005. Google Books. Web. 3 May 2016. <https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=XDYPLqedCfIC&pg=PR5&lpg=PR5&dq=othel lo bevington kastan&source=bl&ots=cculW2Wsk- &sig=iGgjyAc0s66NfY08gbwq4WdaWNE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjPmoLy_bz MAhWFnqYKHRmLAi0Q6AEIODAF#v=onepage&q&f=false>.
