5

The short drama ​Othello​ by William Shakespeare portrays the dynamics between a secret plot,
the manifestations of that plot, and the way it affects the characters, whether directly or
indirectly. Shakespeare describes the sinister schemes of Iago, the antagonist in ​Othello​, using
soliloquies in order to demonstrate his thoughts of conspiring against Othello. These soliloquies
express to the audience his hateful feelings toward Othello in addition to his plot to ruin the
marriage between Othello and Desdemona

Throughout the course of the play, malice can be perceived through the character of Iago.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge is known for describing Iago’s many soliloquies as the “motive hunting
of motiveless malignity”; meaning that Iago has no motive, only hatred and livor. While
Coleridge viewed Iago as a motiveless, malignant, devil-like creature, 20th century critic Fred
West argues that Iago has all of the psychological traits of a psychopath. West wrote “It is not
sufficient to simply drape Iago in allegorical trappings and proclaim him Mister Evil or a
Machiavel or a Vice. Such a limited view of Iago is an injustice to the complexity of his
character...” Iago certainly carries psychopathic traits: he is impulsive, boastful, vain and
manipulative; and West draws parallels all the way through his article between clinical diagnosis
of psychopaths and quotes from the play, and from Iago, that back it up.

In Othello there are many soliloquies of Iago. ​In the first soliloquy Act I, Scene III​, Iago
reveals the secrets of his mind. He tells us the plan of how he is going to revenge upon Othello
for appointing Cassio and passing him over the position of lieutenant. He tells us how he will set
both Cassio and Rodrigo on Desdemona, to serve his purpose. This soliloquy further offers us
an insight into Othello’s character-how honest, good, simple and unsuspecting he is and how
easily he could be duped by anybody:

¨Thus do I ever make my fool my purse.¨​ ​Iago plays on the “put money in thy purse” line,
ensuring that Roderigo is his ‘insurance’ or, rather, his ‘fall guy’. In this instance, Roderigo is the
‘purse’ into which Iago puts his manipulations and treachery, which will help to ensure Othello’s
downfall.

¨For I mine own gained knowledge should profane,

If I would time expend with such a snipe

But for my sport and profit. ¨

Here he says that he would bring shame to his reputation if he was interacting with Roderigo (a
“snipe”) for anything other than fun and advantage.

¨I hate the Moor,

And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets

Very plainly spoken – his hate for Othello is motivated by gossip that Othello has slept with
Emilia. ‘My office’ suggests that Iago sees marital sex as a necessary job.

I know not if't be true,

But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,

Will do, as if for surety.

He admits that he doesn’t know it for a fact, but will act as if it is.

He holds me well;

The better shall my purpose work on him.

Because Othello trusts Iago (“holds me well” in his esteem) the plan will work even better.

¨Cassio's a proper man. Let me see now:

To get his place, and to plume up my will

In double knavery. How? How? Let's see.¨

Iago is musing on Cassio’s attractiveness and how he could use it in his plan. The “double
knavery” involves first getting to be Othello’s lieutenant (which Iago believes is his right) and
second for a bit of entertaining trickery, or fun.

¨After some time, to abuse Othello's ears

That he is too familiar with his wife.

He hath a person and a smooth dispose

To be suspected--framed to make women false.¨

Iago will suggest to Othello that Cassio has had sex with Desdemona. Because he is young and
handsome, the story will be easier to believe.

¨The Moor is of a free and open nature

And will as tenderly be led by th' nose

As asses are.¨

Othello’s nature makes him an easy target, after all (it is implied), he believes that Iago is
‘honest’ when he only ‘seems’ to be. Iago compares him to a stupid, trusting donkey
(derogatory)

¨I have't! It is engendered! Hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light​.¨ [Exit.]

The imagery in this final couplet is very interesting. Two references to childbirth (‘engendered’
means ‘conceived’) are used, although this will be a ‘monstrous birth’ – Iago is subverting one of
the most holy and sacred human functions. Also note the use of ‘hell and night’ – dark,
supernatural powers will be the ‘midwife’ for this birth, bringing it into the world’s “light”. His plan
will bring private conflict and pain to a more public awareness. This also contributes to the
ongoing contrasts between light and dark, or black and white, throughout the play (and of
course referring to Othello and Desdemona’s skin colours).

The second soliloquy of Iago ​(Act II, Scene I), ​is nothing but an elaboration of his first
soliloquy, and throws some fresh light upon the inner nature of Iago.

Iago’s second soliloquy is very revealing as it offers further insight into his motives. The extent
of Iago’s hatred and contempt is suggested. It is weakness of his that he allows hatred to
consume him in this way, using it as a driving force behind his action. It shows him shaping a
plan out of the confusion of his emotionally charged thoughts. Iago examines his own thoughts,
especially his hatred for Othello, “​The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not” and finds a
common thread in the “poisonous mineral” of jealousy that still swirls around the rumor that
Othello ​“hath leaped into my seat”.

Iago says that he thinks it likely that Cassio does indeed love Desdemona, and believable at
least that she might love him​, “That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t; That she loves him
‘tis apt and of great credit”.​ Iago, however, also suggests that he could get his revenge by
seducing Desdemona, ​“Now I do love her too . . . / But partly led to diet my revenge… ​”.
Iago uses the word “love” here in a very cynical way, making it a combination of lust and power
seeking. At first he sees his seduction of Desdemona as his revenge, ​“Till I am evened with
him, wife for wife”. He mentions that he lusts for Desdemona and wants to get with Othello
“wife for wife” because some way or the other it has got into his mind that Othello has slept with
his wife Emilia:
Yet, Iago then realizes that the unsubstantiated jealousy that torments him is the very weapon
he can use against Othello, who will be even more susceptible as it is seen that Othello is naive
and almost foolish when it comes to love and women. He reasons that at least the confrontation
he has engineered between Roderigo and Cassio will implant the seeds of mistrust and doubt in
Othello as he begins to suspect Desdemona of infidelity and thus, Iago will lead Othello, via
jealousy, to madness, ​“Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me, / For making him
egregiously an ass, / And practicing upon his peace and quiet / Even to madness”.

The third soliloquy takes place in Act II, Scene III)​, Iago prepares the audience for his
conspiracy against Cassio – whom he wants to disgrace and disqualify in the eyes of Othello by
making him drink and make him commit a disgraceful act, particularly when he is assigned with
the job of keeping the watch over the Cyprus and also of maintaining peace and order in the
city.

¨In this scene we witness Cassio giving in to Iago’s encouragement to drink to excess.
Roderigo is encouraged by Iago to provoke Cassio, who strikes Roderigo during a drunken
quarrel. Iago reveals to Othello – called away from his marital bed – that Cassio was to blame;
Cassio is demoted as a result. Now Iago manipulates Cassio into believing that Desdemona
can plead to Othello on his behalf. The scene ends with Iago, through soliloquy, revealing that
the next phase of his plan will be to convince Othello that Desdemona’s appeals on Cassio’s
behalf are because she is in love with the latter¨

At the start of Iago’s third soliloquay, Iago accepts the advice he is given to Cassio would seem
honest and good advice, this will make Cassio take on board the advice given and try to
persuade Desdemona to convince the Moor that Cassio is a faithfull and trustworthy leuitenant
who deserves his position. Iago reveals that once Cassio is seen with desdemona he “​will pour
pestilence into”​ Othello’s ear. This represents the lies that Iago will feed Othello about Cassio
and Desdemona’s supossed love affair​..

The diabolic nature of Iago´s character is captured in his imagery the phrase ¨​Divinity​ ​of hell¨
clearly demonstrates where his workship lies. The phrase is an oxymoron, suggesting that he
sees the divine in the works of the devil.

He continues to use the contrasting image of heaven and hell and clearly demonstrates a self
awareness of the evil he is perpetrating. The phrase ¨heavenly shows¨ clearly refers to her
friendly exterior , while ¨​blackest sins¨​ reveals the true nature of his actions.

The word ​¨pestilence​¨ suggest connotations of disease and virus, and they have the exact
effect that Iago´s lies will have on Othello.

Again here, Iago expresses how he likes to capitalize and exploit the positive traits other
characters posses. He refers to Cassio as an ¨​Honest fool​¨ suggesting that his honesty and
loyalty are flaws wich are easily manipulated. He also intends to turn ¨​Desdemona´s virtue into
pitch¨​ suggesting that her willingness to assist Cassio will be deconstructed.

This powerful soliloquy ends with an image of trapping all three: Cassio, Desdemona, and
Othello, in the same net, recalling his earlier image of the spider´s web- an unseen threat they
are all caught in.

The forth soliloquy of Iago takes place in Act III, Scene III​, ​in which honest Othello is
tempted by the ‘serpent’ Iago to the damnation emotion of jealousy, constitutes the central
scene of the play. This very long scene is mainly a long study in temptation and damnation.
Here Iago, the master villain is in his best and tempts Othello and leads him, bit by bit, to the
damnation. Here Iago speaks carefully with Othello and plants the seeds of suspicion and
jealousy which eventually bring about the tragic events of the play.​ ​Here Iago wants Cassio to
press Desdemona to plead his case before Othello which will in turn intensify Othello’s
suspicion about her infidelity.​ ​It covers perhaps the widest range of feelings from happiness,
innocence, and trust to torment and revenge. It begins with Desdemona’s well meaning
assurances to Cassio and ends with Othello’s determination to swiftly kill "the fair devil". It is the
most important scene in the play, for it brings out the jealousy, the fatal flaw, of Othello, which
will lead to his undoing and the tragic end of the play.

Before telling his fourth soliloquy, Iago takes the handkerchief from Emilia, who seems to be
completely dominated by her husband. Iago knows that he can use the handkerchief as proof
against Desdemona and Cassio. In fact, he has wooed his wife "a hundred times" to steal it from
her mistress, for he can "plant" the handkerchief on Cassio as proof of the affair. It is to be noted
that the innocent Emilia neither knows nor cares why Iago has an interest in the handkerchief.

After Emilia leaves, ​he reveals the next step in his plan​: he will go to Cassio's lodgings, leave
the handkerchief there, and let Cassio find it. Cassio will keep it and then Othello will see it in
the ex-lieutenant's possession. Othello will then conclude that Desdemona either gave the
handkerchief to Cassio as a token of their love or left it at Cassio's lodgings after a rendezvous.

The fifth soliloquy of Iago (Act IV, Scene I)​:

¨Keep working, poison! This is the way to trick gullible fools. Many good and innocent women
are punished for reasons like this.¨- ​This soliloquy shows Iago’s knowledge of human
psychology, namely if Othello finds Desdemona’s handkerchief in Cassio’s hand, he is bound to
suspect that Desdemona has some illicit relationship with Cassio and this suspicion leads to the
tragedy of the play.
The sixth soliloquy, act V, Scene I

Iago addresses the audience directly about his intentions and actions​; he will reveal to the
audience that he would like Cassio and Roderigo to kill each other.​I ago is only truly honest with
the audience, and hides something from each of the players. This creates an undercurrent of
dramatic irony throughout the play, since the audience knows all of his plans, and individual
characters know nothing, like Othello​, or only a small portion of it, like Roderigo. Iago's tendency
to disclose himself to the audience gives him a connection to the audience that Othello does not
have; although Othello is the title character of the play, Iago has more lines and more interaction
with the audience. It is Othello's tragedy that is the focus of the play, but Iago succeeds in
stealing the show; he is one of those peculiar villains

Here, Iago again proves himself a consummate actor. This scene again brings up the theme of
appearance vs. reality; for though Iago claims to know nothing of this battle, and be merely
discovering it, he is the mastermind of the entire situation. Iago is many selves in this act; he is
friend and advisor to Roderigo, then betrayer and murderer of Roderigo, consoler of Cassio,
and the lead officer in this crisis. He uses misrepresentation to fill each of these roles as best he
can, and not let the others know of his true plans and character. And he nearly succeeds.

He also reveals his insecurity towards Cassio:​ ​¨- ​He hath a daily beauty in his life

That makes me ugly​¨​ ​(​Cassio is so

The quote refers to the level of everyday attractiveness (not just physical, but also in character
and personality) that Cassio possesses.This line is often cited to show Iago's insecurity although
its precise meaning is just as often debated.​It shows that even Iago understands the depth of
the contrast between them: Cassio is attractive and Iago is not. The line suggests that Cassio
does not have to work at appearing beautiful to others.

Following the previous soliloquy, there´s another ​one in the same act and scene:​ Iago fools
himself into thinking that the satisfaction he will feel after destroying Othello will be the
resolution that he is seeking. By the time he has set up everyone, making them look guilty, he
knows that his plan may go awry but is excited at the prospect when he says "​This is the night
that either makes me or fordoes me quite"​ . The fact that he feels no remorse after Emilia
and Desdemona die speaks to his ability to remove himself from his actions.

Significantly, ​Iago's last words from Act V, scene II​, when he says, "​Demand me nothing.
What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word"​, indicate that,
even though he has been taken prisoner and has been revealed as a villain, Iago retains some
control, or thinks he does. There is some satisfaction for him in knowing that, although Othello
knows that Iago conspired to ruin him, he remains "ensnared". Iago feels that he has achieved
what he set out to do. ​These are Iago's last words in the play, spoken to Othello. While they are 
neither a soliloquy nor an aside, I include them here because they share that quality of being 
spoken both within the play and beyond it— Iago "thinking out loud" but also stepping outside 
himself and speaking directly to us. 

Thus we can say that soliloquies are​ those moments when he steps aside and comments on 
what has happened and invents what will happen next and help the audience to understand 
the play greatly.