Summary
Summary A* AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE OTHELLO ESSAY - 2017 - ‘Iago’s villainy is fiendish and inexplicable.’
- Course
- Institution
- Book
A* AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE OTHELLO ESSAY - 2017 - ‘Iago’s villainy is fiendish and inexplicable.’
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Othello [Study Note]
-
Othello quote bank organised into themes without analysis - all acts included
-
Othello revision booklet AQA A Level English Lit B
1 review
By: henrykearns5 • 8 months ago
Seller
Follow
ramiriam
Reviews received
Content preview
2017 - ‘Iagoʼs villainy is fiendish andinexplicable.ʼ
Iagoʼs motivation being one of social class.
Iagoʼs hatred for Cassio revealing his psychology.
Iagoʼs betrayal of Roderigo.
Iago being the devil.
As the play draws to an end and Iagoʼs plot is revealed by Emilia his last line of “from this time
forth I never will speak word” is what has allowed his character to go down in theatre history.
For centuries critics have argued what motivated Iago as the numerous reasons he gives
throughout the play for destroying Othello and Desdemonaʼs alongside his other tragic victims
lives remain somewhat vague and inexplicable on the surface level. In this essay I will therefore
discuss to what extent Iagoʼs villainy is fiendish and can be viewed as inexplicable.
The critic Coleridge stated that Iago motives can be seen as stemming from a “motiveless
malignity” rooted deep inside himself. This idea, however, that Iago is simply evil because he is
evil much like Emilia states how men are “not ever jealous for the cause, but jealous for they are
jealous” appears rather insubstantial for the larger themes of the play and the ultimate chaos
that Iago creates. However, the parallels between Iago evil being simply because he is and
jealous souls being jealous because they are, creates an idea in the audience that Iagoʼs
motivation itself may be jealousy. The most direct example of this is his admission in Act I Scene
I when he reveals that he has been passed up for a promotion by Othello who instead gave it to
the “spinster” and “Florentine” Michael Cassio who became “lieutenant”. This promotion would
have elevated Iago into the upper-class alongside Othello and Desdemona however as he is
neglected of the position, he feels the betrayal of a friend and additionally the struggle of the
working class attempting to move up into the bourgeoise. This is one of the first examples of
Iagoʼs motivation which stems from this anger he feels to Othello because he was overlooked. In
Act I Scene III, his repetition of the line “put money in thy purse” to Roderigo expresses Iagoʼs
jealousy and revenge in mercenary terms as it becomes clear that he has been using Roderigo
for money which Roderigo believed was being used to court Desdemona. Through this, Iago
becomes introduced as not only the Machiavellian tragic villain who uses deceit and means of
manipulation to meet his unscrupulous ends, but also a Malcontent who is unsatisfied with his
position in society and society itself.
As Iagoʼs power and influence increases as the play progresses, the play begins to take on a
much more cynical tone where other characters begin to view the world in a similar light to Iago
who takes on a Machiavellian approach to life as he believes that in order to succeed, he must
be duplicitous and cunning. Through this, he contrasts Cassio who represents the “better man”
as stated by critics. It becomes clear that Iago cannot bear human virtue in any form talking
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ramiriam. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for CA$8.30. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78462 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now