Iagos Motives in William Shakespeares The Merchant of...

Iagos Motives in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice Iago, having the typical attributes of a Machiavelli character; seems to be inherently evil. He revels in his ability to dissemble and destroy. Defending himself through constant reassurances- Iago claims to disgrace Cassio because of his `daily beauty and the fact that a `Florentine who knows nothing about battles `more than a spinster becomes lieutenant. This seems to outrage him- a spark that sets of the fire raging in his heart. As a result, he fabricates an ingenious plan- one by one he would make everyone pay. He only needed the right moment; he gains his chance as they set sail to Cyprus- an island free from the orderly social and political scene of Venice.†¦show more content†¦The plan was simple: he would get Cassio into a fight with Roderigo ad get the governor of Cyprus injured. Chaos needed to be created: after Cassio was drunk, Iago tells Roderigo to `after the lieutenant go. The effect was obvious Roderigo would wind up Cassio- and in the state that he was in- hed forget his usual gallantry. I cant believe how stupid Roderigo is in this play- I mean he follows Iago like a blind sheep- but thats another matter. Iago is built as a typical Machiavelli character- he would do anything just to get what he wants- here he acts as the puppeteer to force Cassio into a fight. During this scene, we also get to view Iagos manipulative skills first hand. He is easily able to easily manipulate Montano; crafted in the way he misrepresents Cassio making Montano conclude: `I fear the trust Othello puts him in. Throughout the whole scene it seems to me that Iago somehow knew that he would go for Othello next- perhaps he uses Roderigo, Montano and Cassio just as practice to sharpen his weapons. Little does Othello know that hes already being manipulated. Hes power to rule has been threatened- Cassio was lieutenant for Othello- his reputation meant the generals reputation. Its amazing how effortlessly; Iago weaved together the strings of disaster to create chaos and `mutiny. In addition to this, the audience become alarmed with Iagos double dealing. When questioned he pretends he doesnt know anything:Show MoreRelated Shakespeares Merchant of Venice and Othello: Shylock vs Iago2024 Words   |  9 PagesThe Merchant of Venice and Othello: Shylock vs Iago      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeares use of timeless themes make his works relevant to the modern reader.   His two plays The Merchant of Venice and Othello deal with the seeking of revenge and forbidden love.   In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock, the main character, is a Jew who loans money and charges interest.   Shylock has an enemy named Antonio who also loans money to people, but without interest.   Iago is a character in Othello who has been passed