The Character of Iago and The Ways He Manipulates Othello

The character of Iago creates destruction on all those under his influence. As the play develops we see lies unfolded, deceptions occur and clever manipulation and all for the benefit of himself. Iago seizes every opportunity to advance his malicious plan, and executes every idea with harsh plays. Him having psychopathic and antisocial personality disorder allow him to manipulate others easier, as seen when he tricks Othello into believing his lies. He’s claimed to have a reputation for honesty and plain speaking, yet he creates elaborate lies in order to exploit and manipulate others for his benefit.

Iago is described as a “psychopath...a manipulative and unremorseful and sometimes violent individual” (Karpman). He has many traits of a psychopath, and although he starts out with simple manipulation it begins to escalate into more vicious criminal activity. As he starts to feel the position of lieutenant in reach, Iago becomes unremorseful and focuses on his objective. Iago’s awareness of the havoc he is creating is unknown to readers, but it could be assumed he is aware of his certain behavioral traits. His manipulation, lack of remorse, and empathy for others are some of the traits that make his willingness to go to any extent to secure his wants and needs very high. He intends to destroy Othello for his own benefit, which is not normal human behavior. “The key to understanding the psychopath is his behavioral deviation from the norm. The psychopath’s potential for danger is always offset against the ‘ordinary criminal,’ whose aims and motives are clear and understandable” (Karpman). Iago’s end goal is always clear and understandable. He wants the position of lieutenant and to corrupt what Othello has built. But unlike most criminals, he will stop until he is satisfied, and he will attempt to try abnormal ways to finally grab the position out from under Cassio. This desire for power drives Iago to manipulate others.

The belief in psychopaths acting in similar or predictable ways is hard to understand because each psychopath has different tendencies. Iago is willing to ruin the lives of those around him, just because of his desires to be in a position of power. He attempts to control those around him, in order to feel powerful over others. Iago begins to go to great lengths to destroy Cassio, just for the ultimate take down of Othello and the prized position of lieutenant. There comes some difficulty when we start describing Iago as a psychopath because “ with various studies of psychopathy is that its most prominent advocates regard its key descriptive elements, a lack of empathy, guilt, or remorse, and manipulative skill, as consciously chosen behavioral traits, without regard to the person’s socioeconomic background or a personal history relating to psychological illness” (Karpman). Iago is jealous, manipulating, vindictive, unremorseful character who wants what Cassio has. His desires to be in control of others makes his morals fade, he loses empathy and common characteristic traits that others look for within each other just for the satisfaction of power over others. For these reasons, he seeks out to destroy Cassio's reputation and become in power. His behavioral traits, being his manipulation are found and seen from the start of the play, playing both sides of the field, making sure he aquiress no enemies before he is able to manipulate Othello into giving him the position of Lieutenant. “The psychopaths motives are more obscure than the common criminals their crimes are more violent the psychopaths response may be colder and more chilling and the victim may be a child or some other undeserving person” (Karpman). Iago uses Othello's jealous nature for a setup, by convincing Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful and , with Iago using Othello's jealous nature he convinces Othello of Desdemona's infidelity. Othello's weaknesses are used against him, his wife was just a pawn in Iago’s game. Not afraid to risk her life just to steal the position of Lieutenant, to be content with his life. “The psychopath does not set out to lie in the self conscious guilt-beset way that a normal person does. Lying does not bother him one gets the impression that he is incapable of ever attaining realistic comprehension of an attitude in other people which causes them to value truth and cherish truthfulness in themselves” (West). His willingness to use others in his game, shows that he is going to continue to attempt to attain Lieutenant even if lives may be loss. Iago starts out by befriending Roderigo only to use him in the end. His love for his own wife is not enough as he uses her to execute his plan to destroy not only Cassio but also Othello. When Iago's wife gets in the way, Iago kills her and his plan of deception is coming to an end. Iago the “psychopath is asocial; war is asocial; Iago was in his element, and praised for his actions, not condemned. He did what heroic Othello did, the difference being that Othello was supremely motivated and master of himself while Iago was satisfying his quest for instant pleasure in excitement. Iago always shows his sense of entitlement, as he conveys the message that he is better than everyone and deserves to be promoted.

Antisocial personality disorder Is a mental condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of others without any remorse. This behavior may cause problems in relationships or at work. Something Iago continuously did throughout the play was manipulate Othello to benefit himself. Iago was narcissistic and would do anything to manipulate and conceive Othello for the end goal of getting revenge on him. Iago was very persistent and did not plan on giving up until he obtained his revenge.

“How thoroughly the idea of ethics has permeated our life is seen in the fact that quite universally criminals try to find justification, however gossamer, for their behavior, which they recognize as anti-social though it is true that their attitude toward truth is only too often verbal and that they pay only lip service to guilt. And what, after all is a lie but an attempt on the part of an individual to appear in a more favorable light to make him seem more honest or better than he actually is”.

Iago is a man with an obsession for control over others, this obsession has taken over many aspects of his life yet, he manages to keep everyone on his side. That makes you begin to question how can a person use the ones he loves. “ Iago is impulsive, but he sees nothing wrong with his own behavior, no matter how erratic or antisocial; therefore he doesn't bother to find or invent excuses unless prodded.” West His interaction with people only to manipulate them into doing his dirty work, reveals his true motive. Always contradicting himself with another suggestion, made it extremely difficult to understand his true intentions. Making people believe his motives could be jealousy, the enjoyment of seeing people suffer, or power. “Manipulation and lack of guilt, strongly suggests the use of others to further one’s own ends through deception and manipulation.” Rogers Iago’s intentions are devoted to, revenge towards others rather than walking away in disdain. He has no remorse for cheating and lying for the ultimate gain of what he is trying to achieve.

Iago’s plot to manipulate Othello into demoting Cassio, and then to bring about the downfall of Othello himself was the whole reason he began manipulating everyone. This was all brought upon Othello and Cassio because, Iago claims to have been unfairly passed over for promotion to Othello's lieutenant by Cassio.

Iago consistently dramatizes these characteristics, from his self-serving admotion to roderigo to “put money in the purse,” to his astute management of Cassio’s drunkenness, to his first sly hint to Othello that Cassio’s relationship with Desdemona is not entirely honorable. Even Othello remarks upon Iago’s keen perception of human nature: “This fellow's of exceeding honesty, and knows all qualities, with a learned spirit of human dealings.

After Iago engineers a drunken brawl to ensure Cassio's demotion he sets to work on his second scheme leading Othello to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. “He considers himself more complex and more intelligent than anyone around him.” West. Iago is a man with an obsession for control and power over others who has let this obsession take over his whole life. He believes he deserves more of an opportunity then he’s been given.

“I do beseech you, Though I perchance am vicious in my guess, As, I confess, it is my nature’s plague To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy Shapes faults that are not, that your wisdom, From one that so imperfectly conceits, Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble Out of his scattering and unsure observance. It were not for your quiet nor your good. Iago’s plan to get the position starts here when he begins to manipulate Othello.” 

He likes to have others working to serve his purposes, without them being aware of what they are actually doing. As his plot against Othello starts moving and gathering momentum, he loses control of it and must take real risks to prevent it from crashing. He begins to ask Roderigo to do the dirty work of him and Othello’s plan to kill Cassio.

“I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense, And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo, He calls me to a restitution large Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him As gifts to Desdemona. It must not be. If Cassio do remain He hath a daily beauty in his life That makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor May unfold me to him — there stand I in much peril. No, he must die.” 

Othello’s angry because of the thoughts Iago had been inserting into his head about the affair pushes him to make rash decisions that endanger the lives of many people. But so, I hear him coming “ In the last two lines Iago purposefully holds back information, laying the groundwork of suspicion instead of risking open accusation. This accords with Quintilian’s teaching: “ the orator frequently prepares his audience for what is to come, dissembles and sets a trap for them and makes remarks at the opening of his speech which will not have their full force till the conclusion.” Iago’s manipulation is a continuous course until it ends in a reck, everyone fell into his plot and ruined lives from there.

At the beginning of the play, Iago devious intentions to manipulate and mislead Othello, his so-called friend turns into a bigger ploi. He intends to mislead Othello by continuing to act as his trustworthy and obedient friend while, plotting against him “ Alert and friendly in his attitude, he is easy to talk with and seems to have a good many genuine interests”. Iago is friendly with everyone making it easy fot him to be a trustworthy friend. The cover he puts up made manipulation easier but the overall outcome became a lot worse then initially intended.

“Not only is Iago undependable, but also in more active ways he cheats, deserts annoys, brawls, fails and lies without any apparent compunction. He will commit theft, forgery, adultery, fraud, and other deeds for astonishingly small stakes and under such greater risks of being discovered than will the ordinary scoundrel. He will, in fact commit such deeds in the absence of any apparent goal at all.”(West).

His anger mixed with no conscience, makes him constantly feel the need to take down everyone around him to get what he wants. Even the threat of death does not make Iago fear his life.

“Othello’s threat of horrible death does not faze Iago in the least, but rather seems to reinforce his self-assurance. Thus we see Iago as a example of a psychopath in whom we find extraordinary poise rather than jitteriness or worry. Even under concrete circumstances that would for the ordinary person cause embarrassment, confusion, acute insecurity, or visible agitation.”

Iago is a very jealous, envious and selfish person who aggravates other people’s lives. He is self absorbed and, has no remorse for any of his actions. Iago interest in revenge to Othello and Cassio makes it seem like he is also, jealous of Cassio because he is the one that was promoted to lieutenant. “Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord, If I have any grace or power to move you His present reconciliation take. if he be not one that truly loves you, That errs in ignorance and not in cunning, I have no judgment in an honest face. prithee, call him back.” Iago believes he earned the position and when he did not receive he made a plan to take the position right out from under Cassio’s feet. “Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm! It is hypocrisy against the devil.They that mean virtuously, and yet do so, The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven.” Othello is beginning to grow unhappy with the thought of his wife sleeping with the lieutenant. His anger builds up and, he begins to be unable to bare the thoughts that Iago keeps putting into his head.

“It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul. Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars, It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood, Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light. If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore Should I repent me. But once put out thy light, Thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat That can thy light relume. When I have plucked thy rose I cannot give it vital growth again,It must needs wither. I’ll smell thee on the tree. Oh, balmy breath, that dost almost persuade. Justice to break her sword! One more, one more.Be thus when thou art dead and I will kill thee And love thee after. One more, and that’s the last.So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep, But they are cruel tears. This sorrow’s heavenly,It strikes where it doth love. She wakes”.

Iago always used rhetorical questions, he never addressed what Othello is talking about. Iago would simply change Othello’s thoughts and gets him to think he knows much more than he is telling him about the entire affair. He often would tell Othello true or short thoughts into Othello’s head making him think more and more about the affair. “Or to be naked with her friend in bed An hour or more, not meaning any harm?”(4.2.5-6) This becomes especially clear when Othello asks for “ocular proof” and Iago confirms he has it. Othello believes his wife is having an affair, and that it would be humiliating for a man in his position. He then proceeded to make the decision to kill his wife, for he thought it was the proper and only way to handle the situation.

Iago is a psychopath with antisocial personality disorder, which allows him to manipulate others as seen when he tricks Othello into believing his lies. Iago is able to manipulate different characters throughout Othello by appearing to be honest and trustworthy, and using this to make people believe what he is saying is the truth. This means that Iago can tell them what he wants, in order to achieve whatever he desires. His actions then leading to many deaths and affected people in various ways. His ability to give Othello the motive to murder his own innocent wife makes me believe that he is a psychopath only interested in what’s best for him.