Iago, the lucky trickster and Othello, the foolish Moor
Othello begins with some dialogue explaining the setting, plot and characters. Spoken by the main antagonist Iago, while helping the rich Roderigo in his suit to propose to Desdemona, but finds out that she is already engaged with the Moor, Othello. Iago commences conversation with Roderigo to assure him and confess his own hatred for Othello.
“A combination of Iago’s skill, Othello’s weakness and a measure of good luck, bring about the tragedy in Othello.”
In the harangue that kicks off the book, the following:
“Were I the Moor I would not be Iago.
In following him I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so for my peculiar end.
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, ’tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at. I am not what I am.”
Exemplifies Iago’s pithy and contorted manner of communicating. Lines such as “Were I the Moor I would not be Iago” and “I am not what I am” hides much information. Iago continually deceives both Roderigo and the audience. The paradoxes that the speeches create is emblematic of Iago’s skill and control throughout the play. His smallest sentences; “Think, my lord?” or gestures like beckoning Othello closer open up whole worlds of interpretation. Amplifying Iago’s skill at deceit and trickery to the audience.
“The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by th’ nose
As asses are.”
-Iago explaining Othello’s jealousy and how he is so gullible.
Iago’s success was not solely achieved by skill alone, a bit of luck was needed to progress with Iago’s plan, an example of this was when earlier in the play Cassio had disgraced himself by getting into a drunken brawl and had lost his position as Othello’s lieutenant. This was a bit of luck for Iago, because if Iago had not made him drink enough and Cassio was still sensible enough to avoid conflict, he would never have pleaded to Desdemona and made Othello jealous for Iago’s next part of the plan.
“I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.”
-Cassio to Iago after the drunken brawl, causing him to plead to Desdemona.
Iago knowing and exploiting Othello’s weakness also assisted in the ending with Othello, overloading him using his flaws such as his trusting nature and his mouldable emotions. Further exemplifying Iago’s skill. Utilizing Othello’s insecurities and jealousy, Iago was able to complete most of what he had done during the play, if Iago did not know that Othello could easily be made jealous, the play wouldn’t’ve been the same.
“O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on”
-Iago pretending to warn Othello, mentioning his weakness.
“The Moor already changes with my poison;
Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
But with a little act upon the blood
Burn like the mines of Sulphur.”
-Iago describes the power of jealousy, saying that he has ‘poisoned’ Othello by making him believe that Desdemona is up to no good.
“Cultural materialist criticism plays a large part during Othello”
The play “Othello” demonstrates the expectations and politics of the time it was written; the Elizabethan patriarchal society. Because of this, the play’s society is built upon Renaissance beliefs.
Women in Othello are portrayed as submissive and working, doing all the housework and cleaning. They are objectified and deprived of their humanity. “To his conveyance I assign my wife”, spoken by Othello to the Duke, tagging Desdemona as his possession. It can be interpreted that she is a commodity. This is, however, by no means peculiar to Othello. The first Senator, wishing Othello well, concludes by hoping that he will “use Desdemona well”. The word ‘use’ seems to connote the phrase ‘look after’.
Men in Othello portray the ‘macho man’ stereotypes we see today, as they are the embodiment of: hate, rage, intelligence, masculinity and manipulation. Othello is an example of this, as he is referred to as “the valiant Moor” and Iago as “Honest Iago” (which he really isn’t) but he is an embodiment of intelligence and hate whereas Othello is masculinity. Most of the men in Othello are also either soldiers or royals, and the women as servants or housewives, a display of gender stereotypes.
However, these stereotypes are challenged by Shakespeare when Desdemona and Emilia challenge the stereotypes created by their husbands. An example of this is when Emilia screams “I will not charm my tongue. I am bound to speak” the statement does not only put emphasises the tension of the moment, but is also hinting at Emilia’s underlying concern of having rights and being able to voice her opinion, Emilia is also portrayed by Shakespeare as a woman that does not wish to be silenced and wants to live her life freely. Desdemona has also challenged this stereotype when confronted by her husband with accusations about cheating.
Racism is also present in Othello, as Brabantio believes that coloured people could use ‘magic’ and Othello had charmed Desdemona with this ‘magic’. Iago has also used this stereotype to his advantage when tricking Othello.
“Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise!
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you.
Arise, I say!”
-Iago using racial slurs and manipulating Brabantio’s fears of miscegenation
“She, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what she feared to look on!
It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect
That will confess perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature,”
-Brabantio explaining to the court on how his daughter’s love for Othello is ‘unnatural’. According to him, Desdemona would never love a man “she feared to look on”
This stereotype is challenged when the Duke calls Othello valiant, and has no negative opinions about him. The people also seem to think of Othello as a hero and praises him.
All in all, Othello both describes and challenges stereotypes during the Renaissance period and puts more of a twist in the beliefs the people supposedly had back then.
