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Iago in Othello
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A full, in-depth A* essay plan exploring the character of Iago in Shakespeare's "Othello", for the Pearson Edexcel A-Level English Literature.
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By: evmckimm • 6 months ago
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IagoIntroduction
- Many disagree over nature of Iago: “motiveless malignity” (Coleridge) implying devilish nature, or race
and envy-driven anger
- Epitome of evil and the devil, or homosexually fuelled love for Othello
- Hands: name is Spanish (England’s main enemy in the Tudor times, emphasising his antagonistic nature)
Derogatory misogynistic and racist comments
1) Racism
- “Black ram” – Shakespeare constructs Iago to present Othello as an animal, reduced to a sub-human level,
reflecting contemporary racist discourse at time (hierarchical chain of being: God, King, civilians, animals
– black people stripped of rights and pushed to level of animals. Shakespeare uses Iago as a tool to do so) –
Iago’s views are shared by Leo Africanus: “savage and beastly”, hence he’s a “ram”
2) Misogyny
- Sexualises and mocks Desdemona: “tupping your white ewe” – juxtaposes white lamb (image of innocence
in Christianity) with sexual undertones, making mockery of her purity. “Your” shows belief in women as
possession
- Iago “look to your house, your daughter, and your bags” – within list of objects, and inferior to property
within descending tricolon (Iago’s view is supported by Cornelius a Lapide “ornament[s] of men”
- Since there are many indicators from Shakespeare that Iago is devil, him saying these comments could be
Shakespeare hinting at their abhorrence and them being the epitome of evil
Homosexual relationship with Othello
- Draper – “unholy alliance” – alliance made apparent through quasi-marriage in Act 3 Scene 3 – “I am
bound to thee forever” and imperatives “look”,. “trust”, “you shall” – contemporary audience may associate
this to slavery, but can also interpret as a wedding due to stage directions as O “kneels” and very
meaningful statements
- Emilia requested “lay me by my mistress’s side”. Burial next to someone else is traditionally reserved for
husband and wife. Therefore, by having Emilia and Desdemona buried together, it allows the possibility
that Iago and Othello, whether it be homosexual or Othello being bound to Iago, are in some way united
- Constant and incessant mention of Othello and Desdemona’s sex life (“tupping your white ewe”) Dollimore
says it is “intensely voyeuristic”
- Interestingly, Roderigo is first to make racist remarks about Othello, and Iago joins after (opportunist who
has underlying motive for racism – sexual jealousy stemmed from homoerotic, homosexual desires)
- In Elizabethan era, although was frowned upon, many suspected Shakespeare to be homosexual. Subtle
suggestion of both a quasi-marriage or even potential homosexual attraction between them could be his way
of channelling his views on homosexuality into his plays. However, he could not make this obvious as the
contemporary audience would be disapproving.
The Devil
1) Values and the Bible
- “I am not what I am” and lying, manipulation – devil (Coleridge “motiveless malignity”)
- Relationship with Othello like devil and mankind – Iago temps Othello to sin
- Black values typically were “egotism, pride, arrogance” (Holderness), “proud”, “covetous”, “angry”
(Africanus) and “hot” (Burton) – while at beginning O is “far more fair than black” due to his positive
values e.g. wrongly apologises for being “rude […] in [his] speech” and remains humble, despite being
articulate and having sophisticated I.P. phrasing, Iago is arguably far more black than fair as he adheres to
typical black values shown through malicious monologue
2) Hellish imagery
- Othello calls himself a “cursed slave”, “whip me ye devils” – vowed that he was “bound to thee forever” –
made a deal with the devil and is now destined to go to hell
- Iago compares himself to devil in A2 S3: “divinity of hell! When devils will the blackest sins put on, they
do suggest at first with heavenly shows, as I do now” – simile directly compares himself to devil plus
hellish imagery in semantic field “hell”, “devils”, “sins” shows devilish nature
Conclusion
- Much critical dispute over nature of Iago, but evidence implies he is devil, symbolising temptation
- Devil being racist, sexist and causing corruption = Shakespeare implies discrimination is the epitome of evil
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