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The play Othello is set in the early Rrenaissance period where there is a new paradigm
shift.This paradigm emphasizes the centrality of humankind in the universe as opposed to
the paradigm of the middle ages in which God was viewed as the center of the
universe .In the age of Enlightenment, reason and critical thinking are most valued in this
period.
Iago is a multilayered character who is pivotal in the Shakespeare play.Shakespeare uses
Iago as a tool to show human nature.Iago represents the machiavellian nature present in
humankind.
What drives Iago to commit such tragedy is envy.Desdemona, Othello and Cassio
generate in Iago´s psyche a deep- rooted hatred stemmed from envy and inner-
emptiness.In this essay I will explain the reasons for my claim.
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Stage 1 (topic sentence + quotes from primary and secondary sources):

Iago is obsessed with Othello.He envies Othello´s fulfilled life and wants to be him.Othello
is a liutenant and better positioned in the venetian society.The following quote shows the
emptiness in Iago´s life and his obsession with Othello : “In following him but I follow
myself” (I.i 59).Iago only exists if he follows othello.Throughout the play we see a
man,Iago, who has nothing to do but interfere and observe the lives of those who sparks
jealousy and hatred in him.He doesn't have satisfying and realized life and his blind and
intense fury is unleashed on them. He follows him because Othello embodies what he
seeks to be.In the play we do not see Iago´s daily life.When he is with his wife he speaks
about Desmona´s handkerchief.He never refers to his life.Probably because he does not
lead a satisfying one.Iago also follows Othello to get his revenge as he hates him.This is
illustrated in this quote: “ I follow him to serve my turn upon him.We cannot be all
masters… ”.(I.i 43)One of the reasons Iago wants to destroy Othello is because he is a
master.He envies his position in the venetian society.Iago is green with envy and he the
way to deal with this negative feeling is to finish with the ones that caused it.According to
Montaigne (as cited in Spencer, 1967),"The frailest and most vulnerable of all creatures is
man,and at the same time the most arrogant.Montaigne(as cited in Spencer,1967) states
that animals are more capable of living in nature than men and are morally superior as
they do not make war on each other as men do.Iago ´s psychological fragility is portrayed
in the play.The way to process and deal with envy is by destroying the ones that disturb
his mind.Machiavelli´s famous quote : “ the end justifies the means” is illustrated in Iago´s
behaviour. Iago could not digest Othello and Desdemona´s fulfilled life.He wanted to be
him but he couldn't so the only way to get rid of his consuming anger was to make them
disappear from his life. As Berry(2010) states Othello is deemed as a thing not as a
human being for Iago.This is why he always called him “the moor”.He rarely calls him by
his name because naming him is to give him an identity, to respect him as a person.This is
also another sign of Iago´s envy towards Othello.He is continually disrespecting him and
using metaphors to name him such as “the devil” (I.i.91), and a “Barbary horse”
(I.i.111).Iago ´s rage and hatred escalated and finally morphed into physical violence.
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Stage 2 (complete paragraph):

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Stage 1 (topic sentence + quotes from primary and secondary sources):

Iago envies Othello's wife,Desdemona.He envies the life that Othello leads.Iago is not
married to a woman who possesses that kind of beauty.She is pure and loves his black
husband. Desdemona is also the daughter of a senator and he ´s wife is the servant of
Desdemona.All this adds up to his anger and frustration towards his own marriage and
heighten his envy.As Iago can”t have Desdemona and envies the life of Othello and her
pretty wife he wants to destroy them.This is clearly illustrated in the following quote : “For
that I suspect the lusty moor have leaped into my seat.Nothing will content my soul till I
am evened with him, wife for a wife”.(2.i.276- 280)
Iago´s use of animal imagery to refer to Othello and Desdemona is also an undeniable
sign of his aroused envy and fury as he probably would like to be the one who has sex
with Desdemona.This is exemplified in this quote: "an old black ram is tupping your white
ewe" (1.1.89-90) Iago is consumed with envy and he regards them as animals.This also
shows his evilness and bestiality as a man.These are the traits of a machevillian
 man.According to Macchiavelli( as cited in Spencer,1967 ), "...must start
with assuming that all men are bad and ever ready to display
their vicious nature, whenever they may find occasion for it."For macchiavelli, evilness is
inside every man and anything can trigger it.When the occasion arises and evillness can
be expressed as men are prone to it.Iago is an example of this. When he can no longer
live with those unsettling feelings he decides to take action and get rid of his
problems.Another sign of Iago ´s jealousy and rage towards Desdemona is her attempt
to undermine her reputation and virtue. Berry(2010) states that “ Iago´s emphasis on the
worst tendencies in human behaviour, shapes our view of the action.Iago is an example
of the nature of man.He cannot have what he wants so “he draws the beast in him and in
Othello” (Berry,2010,P ).Bestiality is part of human nature and Shakespeare wanted to
bring to light what dark human emotions could do when they take hold of people.

Stage 2: Conclusion

In conclusion,Iago´s motives to provoke this tragedy are the negative feelings of envy,
hatred and emptiness he harbors in him.These intense feelings gnaw at him and he
cannot not process them in a more positive manner.He succumbs into his own demise
and is a prisoner of his own feelings.Iago is an empty character who does not lead a
healthy and reallized life.The verbal violence morphs into physical violence when he
attacks Cassio and when he kills his own wife.The feelings of envy towards Othello and
Desdemona are too intense and he deals with them in the worst way possible.Iago also
show us the fragility of people when strong dark emotions take hold of them.

Shakespeare ´s intention with this play is to show us the bestiality in humankind and show
us that any one us can fall into disgrace and murder if we cannot handle emotions
correctly.He also seeks to convey the message that evilness is inside every man and
being able to control your emotions is crucial to not fall into disgrace.In addition to this,
Shakespeare pleads us not to be not be so gullible and trustworthy as strong negative
human emotions could corrupt even the most noble and loving spirit.

Stage 1 Bibliography:
Berry, E. (2010). “Othello’s Alienation”. En: Bloom, H. (ed.) William Shakespeare’s Othello.
New York: Infobase Publishing.

Spencer, T. (1967). “Man in Nature: the Optimistic Theory” y “Man in Nature: the Renaissance
Conflict”. En Spencer, T. Shakespeare and the Nature of Man. New York: Collier Books.
Sanders,N.(2003) “Othello”.The new Cambridge Shakespeare. UK.Cambridge University
Press.