Analysis of Shakespeare's Play Othello the Moor of Venice - Essay Example

? Shakespeare criticism is vast. The nature of interpretation itself entails that no one single unified reading can ever fix and finalize an explanation of a text. And, the vastness of Shakespeare criticism suggests that many conflicting and evolving perspectives are the very reason for this breadth of scholarship. However, with all of the vastness and diversity of Shakespeare scholarship, it is difficult to imagine that anyone reading Othello would diverge from the basic idea that the character of Iago is evil. This analysis will examine how he functions in terms of basically manipulating and causing all of the major action in Othello. He unquestionably is the director, editor, and writer of most everyone's destiny until his scheme falls apart. At the end of the play, Iago is transformed from director/writer and 'state manager' to actor when he carries out murders himself. It will be argued that his scheme falls apart when Rodrigo fails to kill Cassio, and this marks the transition from stage manager to actor because he has to kill Rodrigo in order to prevent him from confessing, and this sets the precedent for his further act of killing his wife Emilia. The 'truth' represents Iago's downfall because he moves from stage manager to actor in order to suppress it. The first Act and first scene of Othello establishes a lot of important themes carried throughout the balance of the plays. Notably, it can be argued that the idea of his resolve to manipulate for his own ends is announced at the outset, and moreover, this sets the very tone for his role as 'stage manager'. The play opens with Iago conversing with Rodrigo, and mostly about Rodrigo's failed pursuit of Desdemona who is to marry Othello. Iago, a soldier, was being paid by by the wealthy Rodrigo to help him with his goal of obtaining Desdemona. Two-interests collide in this exchange as Iago instantly sets out manipulate both Rodrigo and Othello. Iago instructs Rodrigo to tell Desdemona's father Brabantio that Othello has eloped: “Call up her father, Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight” (Shakespeare, I, i). In turn, Iago goes to Othello that Desdemona's father is coming after him. The action or Iago's play is essentially set into motion with these two manipulations, and there are important elements with his speech in the first Act and first scene that likewise reinforce this theme. Iago begins the play by articulating his displeasure over being passed over for a military appointment made by Othello, which is given to Michael Cassio. Rather than having any military experience as Iago boasts of himself, Cassio's background is that of an “arithmetician” and “bookish theoric” (Shakespeare I, i). In other words, Iago is motivated by losing a role or a part. He quickly resolves to change that situation and it can be said that at the very outset, he begins his vocation as stage manager: “I follow him to serve my turn upon him: We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly follow'd.” (Shakespeare I, i). In this passage, he is announcing his goal of becoming master and that he is only playing the role of a subordinate in order to achieve this very goal to achieve “my turn upon him”. The stage is set, both in terms of Iago's manipulation of others, but also in regard to his resolute mastery of the entire situation. As the play enfolds, Venice is to go to war and needs Othello as its leader. The leadership convince Desdemona's father that their relationship was not born of any “witchcraft” (Shakespeare I,iii) as he had believed, and further, that Othello's military leadership was vital in this time of need. The army lead by Othello arrives at Cyprus to fight the Turks only to find that they had been wiped out by a storm, and the following celebration provides the opportunity to further Iago's scheming stage management. Knowing that Cassio cannot hold his liquor, he gets him drunk and then convinces Rodrigo to fight with him. When Othello finds out, he punishes Cassio by removing him from his position. Iago then manipulates Cassio by convincing him that talking with Desdemona would be the best opportunity for him to reinstate his rank. This provides the opportunity for Iago to manipulate Othello into believing that Cassio is having an affair with Desdemona. Iago further manipulates his wife Emilia to steal a handkerchief given to Desdemona by Othello, and then arranges this to be among Cassio's possessions. This establishes the opportunity for Iago's most cunning work of stage craft. Iago questions Cassio about the handkerchief knowing that Othello is listening, and then gets him to talk about a relationship he was having with a woman named Bianca so that Othello would be manipulated into thinking that he was actually talking about Desdemona (Shakespeare IV, i). It is at this juncture of the play that Iago moves from stage manager to actor. Iago convinces Rodrigo that if Cassio were to replace Othello, that they would leave thereby thwarting Rodrigo's efforts to become involved with Desdemona: “Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona return again to Venice.” (Shakespeare IV, ii). While Cassio and Rodrigo fight, Iago stabs Cassio from a position of concealment. Following the fight, Iago kills Rodrigo to prevent him from revealing the entire plot and in turn, to make it look as though he were avenging Cassio's attacker. He then blames Rodrigo's actions as a conspiracy created by Bianca who was Cassio's girlfriend of sorts (Shakespeare V,i). After killing Desdemona, Othello confesses to Iago's wife the tyranny of his actions, and she finally realizes why Iago had her steal the handkerchief in the first place, and asserts: “I must needs report the truth.” (Shakespeare V,ii). Iago then kills her too for revealing this. Iago turns from stage manager to actor in order to conceal the truth. His plans unravel when Rodrigo fails at eliminating Cassio, and his need to prevent him from speaking cause him to actually take part in the action. Virtually all of the major action that transpires prior to his killing Rodrigo, are part of his play. A play which is art or artifice is challenged by the truth, and when the truth becomes potentially known, Iago takes his first role in the action of his own play. His action is furthered when Emilia reveals the truth to Othello, and this too represents symbolically Iago's attempt at suppressing truth. Thus, it is truth contrasted with the artifice of Iago's actions that cause his downfall – his transformation from stage manager to actor. Works Cited: Wells, S. and Taylor, G.(Ed.)(2005). The Oxford Shakespeare. The Complete Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press. The Truth as Iago's Downfall in William Shakespeare's Othello. . Read More