The Pathological Psychology of Iago
“And what’s he then that says I play the villain?” —OTHELLO, II.iii.
Originally scheduled for spring 2020 and postponed until further notice, Lantern Theater Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s Othello features one of literature’s most effective and dastardly villains: Iago. Othello is worked upon and manipulated by a man who intentionally sets out to do him harm, urging on Othello’s descent into jealousy and murder.
Othello and its title character are overtaken by the antagonist. Iago speaks privately with the audience, propels the story, and drives Othello to the brink of madness. From the very first scene, we watch as Iago, initially angry at being passed over for a promotion, lays traps for those he considers his enemies. As his traps expand to ensnare more people and he tightens his grip, we marvel at the machinations he employs to make them believe whatever he wants. As his plots become more complicated and more deadly, a question emerges: What drives this chilling — yet irresistibly fascinating — villain?
There is no single answer to the question of Iago’s motivation. Iago himself refuses to offer one. Though he begins by claiming he is angry about losing a promotion, his stated motives become murky. He weaves a tangled web for Othello’s characters without definitively articulating a reason, save one he returns to: “I hate the Moor.” He offers the audience several explanations for his machinations, but gives the characters onstage none. He is, ultimately, inscrutable — and all the more frightening in his inexplicability.
Audiences and scholars across the centuries have been fascinated by Iago’s unfathomable villainy. Some claim it is professional jealousy, while others think the jealousy is sexual. Race certainly plays a role in Iago’s hatred, as does a dislike of outsiders. Nineteenth century writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge called it “motiveless malignity,” an evil seeking unsuccessfully to justify itself but existing and acting on its impulses nonetheless.
While psychologizing a fictional character from the age before therapy is challenging, some have sought to apply psychological pathology to Iago to understand his villainy through the lens of modern medicine.
Some consider Iago to have psychopathic tendencies, including a lack of remorse and empathy. Still others see traces of narcissism, or inflated arrogance or self-regard.
Dale Hartley, PhD, chooses another diagnosis in an August 2017 article for Psychology Today: he believes Iago is a “High Mach,” short for Machiavellian. In short, he’s a master manipulator by nature.
According to Psychology Today, “High Mach” or Machiavellianism is a personality trait, not a diagnosis of mental illness. Those with a high Machiavellianism score are expert manipulators — connivers who use lies, tricks, and other people to get their way. While the psychological use of the term would be unfamiliar to an Elizabethan like Iago, the word itself would be recognizable: it is named for the 16th-century writer Niccolò Machiavelli, known to Elizabethans and to Shakespeare.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) was a political philosopher and author from Florence. In works like The Prince and The Mandrake, Machiavelli argued that honesty should always come second to deceit and treachery if they would achieve a goal more quickly or efficiently. While his view largely applied to political leaders, the basic tenets of his belief system are manifested in Iago: a man who employs all manner of dishonesty and subterfuge to reach his ends.
According to the Psychology Today article, “High Mach” individuals typically share certain characteristics — several of which Iago displays. These include:
- Emotional detachment and cynicism. This promotes strong impulse control, patience, and opportunism.
- A toolbox for deception including charm, friendliness, and performed honesty.
- A preference for subtle tactics to hide their goals and allow for plausible deniability if caught. If subtle tactics fail, though, they will use pressure and threats.
While there are strong echoes of Iago in this description, the question of motive makes “diagnosing” Iago impossible. Machiavellianism requires a goal, but Iago’s goals and motivations shift over the course of the play. As each new scheme escalates the situation, so too do his goals escalate. Iago’s particular pathology seems to work toward destruction rather than a concrete result for himself. This has led others to forego a psychological examination entirely, seeing instead in Iago evil and maliciousness made flesh.
Near the play’s midpoint, Othello says of Desdemona “When I love thee not, chaos is come again.” Whatever his pathology, Iago, it seems, is the chaos.
Lantern Theater Company’s production of Othello was originally scheduled for spring 2020 and has been postponed until further notice due to Covid-19. Visit our website for more information.
