FREE ESSAY ON OTHELLO

OTHELLO

Othello
In Othello, we encounter Iago, one of Shakespeare's most evil characters. Iago is an
officer in Othello's army and is jealous of Cassio's promotion to Lieutenant. Through
deception and appearance, we see many lies and clever schemes unfold. The astonishing
thing about Iago is that he seems to make up his malicious schemes as he goes along
without any planning. I agree with the critics that say Iago represents a "motiveless
malignity". 
Throughout the play, Iago portrays himself as a devil figure and can compare with the
devil. Iago has proved himself to be a master of deception. He lies to everyone to
disguise his own thoughts. For example, in Act 1 scene 2, when he is speaking to Othello
about his feelings toward Cassio, he uses very strong language, while at the same time,
he lies throughout the whole speech faking loyalty to a fellow soldier. He says, "I had
rather have this tongue cut from my mouth. Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio".
This deception impresses and convinces Othello that his officer is a good and loyal
soldier. 
Iago also succeeds in deceiving Cassio. After Cassio's drunken fight, Iago encourages him
to speak to Desdemona about trying to convince Othello to reinstate him as lieutenant.
While Iago is talking to Cassio, he knows that this will only help his plan of having
Othello see him with Desdemona. Evidently, Cassio is capable of being deceived by Iago.
In Act II Iago gives a description of his plan of deception in a soliloquy. Iago
describes how the devil uses the appearance of something good to disguise the various
temptations that we know are evil. He tells how he will do the same while Cassio is
begging Desdemona to tell Othello to take him back. Iago then will start his destructive
scheme. The devil also deceives by lying and twisting the truth.
Through deception, Iago creates the appearance of good, which is what fools the people
around him into thinking that he is loyal and honest. Since Iago is an officer, he
already has the appearance of being a good and honest man. He has an advantage when it
comes to keeping that honest look about him throughout the play. 
Iago deceitfully organizes his plan to appear trustworthy to everyone. Iago also uses
appearances to create deception. When Cassio had finished asking Desdemona, in the
garden, if she would talk to Othello for him, he left her presence. Iago and Othello were
standing off in the distance observing them. When Othello asks him if it was Cassio that
he saw, Iago replies "Cassio, my lord! No, sure, I cannot think it, that he would steal
away so guilty-like, Seeing you coming". He uses that scene to convince Othello that
Cassio looked very guilty when he left Desdemona. Othello proves this fact later on in
the play when he asks for appearance as proof of Desdemona's deceptive behavior. Othello
demands to see it with his own eyes in order for it to be convincing. Iago then changes
the subject and lies to Othello outright by telling him that he heard Cassio talking in
his sleep. He then goes so far as to say that Cassio was making sexual implications to
him while sleeping. This upsets Othello, showing that Iago's slyness has no limits. 
The devil and Iago, both, have a unique way of twisting appearances into looking like
truths. Sometimes this makes it hard to distinguish between the two evils.
Iago has proven to be the essence of evil in that he uses the same tactics that the devil
does to get what he wants. As for Othello, the tragedy would not have happened if it were
not for Iago who was jealous of Cassio's lieutenant job and of Othello for being a
successful soldier. 
Bibliography
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