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Internet Message Format | 1998-07-25 | 7.6 KB

Subject:          Evil House of Cheat
Date sent:        Thu, 11 Apr 1996 15:35:45 +-800

In Shakespeare's "Othello", Iago carefully and masterfully entraps Othello into
believing that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Cassio.  He does
this through a series of suggestions and hesitations that entice and implant
images in Othello's head that lead him to his demise.  But what is more
important is, he gives Othello the motive to murder his own innocent Desdemona,
satisfying Iago's immense appetite for revenge.

The motive for Iago's devious plan is initially made clear in the first of
Iago's three major soliloquies, in which he proclaims Othello has had an affair
with his wife, Emila.  "And it is thought abroad that 'twist my sheets he's done
my office."  The irony behind this line is that he then says, "I know not if't
be true, but I, for mere suspicion in that kind, will do as if for surety."  The
impression this gave me after reading the complete text was that Iago is so
exceedingly paranoid and insane that he will go as far as murdering, and
deluding even a General into murdering his wife!

Iago simultaneously conducts an equally devious plan to obtain Cassio's position
as lieutenant, using Desdemona's prime weakness, her naivety.  He disgraces
Cassio by getting him drunk so that he strikes Roderigo.  Othello then
discharges Cassio when he says, "I love thee;  But nevermore be officer of
mine."  How must poor Cassio have felt?  To lose all he had worked for, burning
gallons of mid-night oil, working up his reputation that any half-hearted human
can tell he deserved.  It was therefore understandable that he would fall to the
mercy of Iago completely oblivious to the inevitable effects.  Iago reveals his
plan to the reader in his third soliloquy where he states, "His soul is so
enfettered to her love, that she may make, unmake, do what she list, even as her
appetite shall play the god with his weak function...And she for him pleads
strongly to the Moor, I'll pour this pestilence into his ear, that she repeals
him for her body's lust;  And by how much she strives to do him good, she shall
undo her credit with the Moor."

The first instance of this plan comes to life in the scene where Iago gets
Cassio drunk, but the crafting only begins after Cassio is dismissed.  With
Cassio's reputation squandered - "O I have lost my reputation.  I have lost the
immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial," Iago subsequently hooks
in Cassio by taking advantage of the fact that he is in a state where he will do
anything to get his job, position and reputation back.  Iago tells him to seek
Desdemona to get it all back, "Our general's wife is now the general...She is so
free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds is a vice in her
goodness not to do more than she is requested."  This tells me then Iago knows
Desdemona is extremely naive.

So Cassio asks Desdemona to ask Othello to take him in again.  Iago implants
images of Cassio and Desdemona having an affair in the mind of Othello, so the
more Desdemona pleads with Othello, the more he believes Iago.  And the more he
refuses Desdemona because of this, the more Desdemona pleads with Othello,
thereby creating an inescapable knot that never ceases to tighten around all
three characters.

But for any of this to work, Iago first had to carefully build up trust from all
characters.  Being a master of deception, this was not difficult.  All the
constant declarations of love spoken so openly and as though thoughtlessly
throughout the play would be enough to fool anyone, "I think you think I love
you...I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness."  And evidently
he does deceive them thoughout the play in their words:

  Othello       :  Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter...My friend, thy
                   husband, honest, honest Iago.

  Cassio        :  Good night honest Iago...I never knew a Florentine more kind
                   and honest.

All the love and honesty Iago falsely imposes upon Othello and Cassio easily
conjure them never to doubt the possibility that he could ever set either of
them up in such a profound and disgraceful manner.  The irony of course is that
all the open declarations of love are made during conversations where Iago is
deceiving other characters.  One is therefore left to ponder on the naivety and
innocent nature of all the characters.  How can no-one see through his mask?
The answer - Emilia can.

Iago's beloved wife, Emilia, is the one who eventually unravels her husband's
masterful plan in the ultimate scene, but that is already too late, for Iago
has gained his revenge with the murder of Desdemona by Othello.  Another irony
is that she actually failed to connect the persona she described, after Othello
strikes Desdemona, with the persona of her husband.  "I will be hanged if some
eternal villain, some busy and insinuating rogue, some cogging, cozening slave,
to get some office, have not devised this slander;  I'll be hanged else."

What does this tell us about the relationship between Iago and Emilia?  She does
not seem to know her husband very well.  To my mind, this is due to Iago's
animal like attitude to love and life.  He is very individualistic, concerned
with only himself and what he wants.  Very self-centered - a closed door.  This
is made evident even in the first scene when Iago shouts up to Brabantio, "an
old black ram is tupping your white ewe...you'll have your nephews neigh to you;
you'll have coursers for cousins, and jennets for germans."  The constant
metaphoric association of animals and humans in this way portrays Iago's bestial
attitude to sex.

This relationship between Iago and Emilia is masterfully contrasted by
Shakespeare with the relationship between Othello and Desdemona, who openly
express their love and passion for each other:

  Othello       :  O my fair warrior!

  Desdemona     :  My dear Othello.

  Othello       :  It gives me wonder great as my content to see you here before
                   me.  O my soul's joy!  If after every tempest come such
                   calms, may the winds blow till they have wakened death and
                   let the labouring bark climb hills of sea as hell's from
                   heaven.

Perpetual love and affection are contrasted with animal lustful attraction.
What must Iago feel when he sees Othello and Desdemona together?  The
atmosphere.  How his mind must associate the same atmosphere with Othello having
an affair with his wife, enticing the "green-eyed monster" within him.

It is therefore not that hard to understand the feelings that Iago feels, for it
is just common jealously, which is clearly outlined when Iago finds Emilia alone
in the courtyard.  "How now, what do you here alone?"  But to do this without
surety, and to such great an extent is what we could much more easily describe
as "mad".  Why does he choose the path he does?  "Wife for wife"?  But Emilia
was never killed, so why must Desdemona die?  In attempt to cover up, he does
more than Othello ever supposedly did to him.  And by putting Othello through
the same feelings he himself has gone through, he does not really rid or relieve
his feelings, but merely gains sadistic pleasure from brutal revenge.  Mental
treatment would be enforced upon such a person in today's world.  Sinister and
sly, I regard Iago as a cult figure for youths not to follow.  That is not to
say "Othello" is not a compelling and flawless portrayal.  Generally, it can be
said that it is more the function of our human imagination and understanding of
our own nature, through which we determine Iago as being who he is.