Iago: Villainous Lifetime Achievement Award

Iago: Villainous Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

Many individuals are remembered for their greatness but few are remembered for how great they were at being villainous. One individual that was undoubtedly great in his endeavors into villainy is Iago, from William Shakespeare's play, Othello. Without Iago, the play has no reason to exist because Iago drives the action of the plot. Iago is perhaps the most evil character Shakespeare created, bringing attention to the fact that jealousy and revenge are most unattractive no matter century one lives. Iago's point in the play is to drive Othello into a jealous rage because he (Iago) was not promoted to lieutenant. He does this through purely selfish reasons, careful manipulation, and complete abandon for anyone's feelings.

Iago is evil because he has no substantial reason to feel the way he does. The fact that Cassio was promoted rather than him seems insignificant but Iago chooses to focus on that and ruin Othello because of it. Iago already admits that he is not a good person at heart and he does not feel compelled to change. He tells Roderigo that some people might wear their hearts on their sleeves but he will not. He confesses to Roderigo:

Others there are Who, trimmed in form and visages of duty,

Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,

And, throwing but shows of services on their lords,

Do well thrive by them, and when they have lined their coats,

Do themselves homage...

As such I do profess myself. (Shakespeare I.i.46-53)

Iago understands why some individuals serve their master well and with a good heart but he thinks they are fools and he does not want any part of that kind of relationship with Othello. He has no respect for individuals that try to earn a good living and her certainly has not respect for Othello. In fact, he thinks Othello us a:

Moor is of a free and open nature,

That thinks men honest that but seem to be so and will as tenderly be led by th' nose

As asses are. (I.iii.393-6)

Iago is a villain not because he has not respect for others and he takes offense at the slightest thing. He is a villain because of what he intends to do as a result of his offense. Instead of confronting Othello, he would rather do harm.

Iago is an evil genius because he knows hot to make Othello jealous and he also knows how to keep him jealous. No one can claim that Iago is stupid; in fact, he is far too intelligent. He can manipulate others in a way that is fascinating. He convinces Othello that he cares for him and this opens the door for Othello to share his feelings with him. Once Othello feels he can confide in Iago, and once Othello believes that Iago does care about him, it becomes all too easy for Iago to destroy the man.

Iago's plan for destruction begins by planting seeds of doubt in Othello's mind with something as tiny and insignificant as a handkerchief. Once he places the thought of infidelity in Othello's mind, he works him into a frenzy with images of Desdemona and Cassio. He provokes Othello by telling him, "I like not that" (III.iii.35) in reference to any infidelity. In addition, he says, "Nothing my lord; or if -- I know not what" (III.iii.37) to reassure Othello that he knows nothing about Desdemona and Cassio and what they might be doing behind closed doors. This scene allows us to see how manipulative Iago is and how he will say anything to get what he wants. He lies, he plants, seeds of doubt, and he uses Othello's jealousy as a weapon against him. It is important to note that Iago knows something about jealousy because he is jealous himself. It was his jealousy of Cassio's promotion that sparked his motives and he can turn the jealous screw tighter and tighter because he knows how it feels to burn with jealousy. We can call him an expert in the field with firsthand knowledge and, like most criminals, he chooses to use that knowledge for destruction rather than anything else.

Iago is malevolent because he is not just being cruel to rather innocent victims, he is taking pride in his cruelty. He knows what he is doing and expresses no regret for doing it. He is proud that he can create such a messy masterpiece. He reveals his true nature when he says:

Work on,

My medicine work! Thy credulous fools are caught, and many worthy and chaste danes even thus,

All guiltless, met reproach. (IV.i.45-7)

Here Iago gives new meaning to the phrase pleasure in pain. He feels no guilt for causing these fools to feel whatever it is they are feeling and calls his tiresome meddling medicine that would be described as a poison. Either way, Iago finds no fault in his actions and wrecking lives. This passage, more than any other, reveals the depth of Iago's sickness. While many would argue that he is simply an evil man, he is also a sick man in that he does not aim for anything good or positive because even if he does succeed in destroying Othello's life, his life has not profited. He is under the mistaken belief that hurting someone else actually improves one's own lot in life and nothing could be further from the truth. In his mind, the image of a wrecked Othello brings him pleasure but it is fleeting and unsubstantial. He cannot know this because he, too, is blinded. Iago is as sick with his need for revenge as Othello is with jealousy and, as we know, all of these emotions run amuck lead to disaster.