Shakespeare's Othello - Admission/Application Essay Example

orrupted by Iago’s dissimilation, Othello had previously had the habit of trying to see the good in people, which is something that Iago seems inherently unable to do. In Othello, Shakespeare sets up Iago as a personification of evil that is beyond his control: Unlike Othello, Iago is presented as a character who doesn’t have the free will to choose between good and evil, because he is evil by nature, and therefore cannot see the good in any situation. tendencies and inhumane practices known to humanity, and sets him up as a sort of natural-born manipulator and user.

One of the first speeches we see from Iago portrays him as egging Rodrigo on to sap the joy from Brabantio: “Though that his joy be joy, Yet throw such chances of vexation on’t as it may lose some color” (Shakespeare I,i,11). It is no wonder, therefore, that Iago is known to be more a fighter (a destructive force) than a statistician (comparatively constructive) on the battlefield, and is passed up for promotion by Othello in favor of the more level-headed Cassio. But Iago is also a character who shows a great deal of natural evil and conflict within himself: this lack of promotion therefore rankles him, and makes him vow revenge against Othello, while at the same time pretending to be his servant.

This is just a superficial motive, however, that sparks off the deep evil in this character’s nature. Iago is many things at once, which adds to the theory that his dissimilation is the result of a combination of natural-born egotism and malice. Iago proves himself to be more devious and clever than this implies, though, as the reader soon finds out from his discussions with Rodrigo. We see that the real reason that Iago is being passed up for promotion is that he is too selfish: always looking out for number one, Iago foreshadows future events in his discussions with the sympathetic Rodrigo, telling him that he himself is a man who is not afraid to do one thing and say another.