Iago

Iago

Personality
1. He enjoys the suffering of others
  1. Not only does Iago lack any regret or morality, he goes as far to enjoy and reap satisfaction from seeing the people around him suffer like he himself. While weaving Roderigo into his schemes, he appears to relish in the idea of Othello’s pain, “If thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport.” (I.iii 116-117). Iago thinks of the idea of others suffering a “sport”, something to sit back and enjoy, and this is something Stempel views as a sign of true malice.
2. He is very self confident (at least outwardly)
  1. Iago has, or appears to have, a very high opinion of himself, as he states, “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” (I.i. 11). This is called into question, however, when Othello doesn't offer him the lieutenant position, which could suggest that Othello did not think him worthy or skilled enough.
3. He is loyal only unto himself
  1. Iago has an undeniable sense of confidence and lack of loyalty to anyone but himself, shown through his view on Othello where he says, “In following him, I follow but myself.” (I.i. 64). Stempel believes that this has developed from Iago’s “heart of darkness”(Stempel 1969), from which no empathy or morality can spawn. This leads to Iago’s belief that “will is free to choose, unmoved by good or evil.” (Stempel 1969), and explains why Iago was able to commit such heinous acts upon those around him, especially Othello with whom he had had long ties.
4. He cares only about himself and what he can gain
  1. This is shown through Iago’s reaction after discovering that he was not given the lieutenancy, where he bitterly asks Roderigo to, “Be judge yourself/ Whether I in any just term am affined/ to love the Moor.” (I.i 39-41), indicating that he does not believe himself to be at all indebted or compelled to care about Othello.
5. Lack of moral compass
  1. On his plan to convince Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful, Iago exclaims, “It is engendered! Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.” (I.iii. 340-341). He can see that his scheme is ‘monstrous’ and diabolical, asking the Devil for help in bringing it to fruition, and yet has no hesitations about pursuing it.
    1. Iago was aware that his actions were not ‘normal’ and morally wrong, but in order to cope with his self-loathing and helplessness he goes ahead with them anyway, with little regret or conscience. There would be no other way for Iago to handle this contempt, “...like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards” (II.i 278) for, “...nothing can or shall content (his) soul...” (II.i 279). His indifference towards morality and what is ‘good’ and ‘evil’ would make it all the easier to bring the about the destruction of Othello’s happiness.
Motives
1. Jealousy
  1. Iago may have yearned for Cassio’s downfall because of jealousy, as Cassio, “hath a daily beauty in his life/ That makes me ugly.” (V.i. 18-20) Iago sees the purity and happiness that Cassio possesses, and this makes Iago reflect upon himself, linking back to the Rabkin and Brown analysis where they discuss “the agonies of introspection.”
  2. Of course Iago would be jealous of the love and happiness shared by Othello and "the divine Desdemona."
2. Resentment over Othello potentially sleeping with Emilia
  1. Iago expresses suspicion that Othello has slept with his wife, musing over whether, “The lusty Moor/ Hath leaped into my seat.” (II. i 286-7)
  2. Iago says in his first soliloquy, “And it is thought abroad, that ‘twixt my sheets/ He has done my office: I know not if’t it be true;/ But I, for mere suspicion in the kind,/ Will do as if for surety.” (2.1. 283-285), where he muses over whether Othello has slept with Emilia and decides that, even without proof, he will believe him guilty until proved otherwise.
3. Bitterness that Cassio was chosen for the lieutenancy over himself
  1. He expresses bitterness that Othello chose Cassio over him for the promotion to lieutenant when Iago had the experience and ‘right of succession’, complaining to Roderigo that, “‘Tis the curse of service/ Preferment goes by letter and affection/ And not by old graduation, where each second/ Stood heir to th’ first.” (I.i 36-9).
4. The desire for power
  1. Iago cannot stand to see that he is alone in his world of self-contempt, and therefore must destroy and force this upon others to make himself feel more superior and triumphant. He aims to become the “Divinity of Hell” (II.iii. 356) rather than aspiring to live a ‘beautiful’ life as he yearns constantly for more power.
    1. The constant need for control and power over others could explain why he wanted the lieutenancy.
    2. He needs to control and be impowered in order to feel good about himself and mask his insecurities.
Actions
1. Convincing Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair
  1. On his plan to convince Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful, Iago exclaims, “It is engendered! Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.” (I.iii. 340-341). He can see that his scheme is ‘monstrous’ and diabolical, asking the Devil for help in bringing it to fruition, and yet has no hesitations about pursuing it.
2. Not telling Othello why he did what he did
  1. We can see at the end of the play, when Iago boldly orders Othello to “Demand me nothing ...” (V.ii. 294-295), that even Iago does not understand his own need to see destruction, and cannot comprehend the extent of his sadism, resulting in him being unable to explain to Othello his reasoning.
    1. Had he felt any sort of empathy or guilt about causing Othello so much pain and suffering, he would have tried to console him, brag to him or at least tell him one last lie as to why he did what he did.

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