Iago's Mastermind of Privilege and Essay

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373-4, 376-9). Iago does not want to be good nor does he want to do good things. He has not faith in man and he is about to embark upon a journey that destroys any faith that Othello might have in man and in life itself.

Iago's involvement in his scheme is completely of his own making. He masterminds the plan from the very beginning of the play and his intended victim is Othello but anyone else that gets damaged along the way, namely Desdemona, would only be considered an additional benefit. He does not elicit anyone's help not does he need it. Iago's plan involves all of the major drama in the play and this only demonstrates the man's ability to manipulate people almost on a whim. His plan for privilege and revenge begins with a keen observation on Othello's character. Because he realizes the man is kind and considerably naive, he knows that his task will be easy. He knows Othello 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)

Here we see that Iago cannot help but insult Othello because he has a good nature. Iago sees this as repulsive and something that will work to his advantage as he works on oppressing Othello and receiving his privilege.

Knowing that Othello is of a good nature, Iago moves in quickly to make his move. First, Iago convinces Othello that he is interested in Othello's best interests first and foremost. Once Iago has gained Othello's confidence, the plan for privilege becomes easier. Iago's next step in oppression is planting seeds of jealousy. He does this by advising Othello to "Look to your wife; observe her will with Cassio./Wear your eye thus: not jealous, nor secure" (III.iii.

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195-6). Since Othello has already confessed his doubts, Iago can use them to his advantage for the rest of the play without worrying whether or not his plan for oppression has worked. In a sense, Othello's confession makes Iago's task much easier. The trust of Iago and the mistrust of Desdemona come together later in the play after Iago successfully manages to whip Othello into a jealous frenzy. Iago's oppression reaches new heights when Othello seems to change before our very eyes from a once honest and honorable man to that green-eyed monster that he was cautiously warned about earlier in the play. When Iago feigns concern for Desdemona, Othello proclaims, "Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her!" (III.iii.473). Iago continues on his plot for oppression by reassuring Othello that he is concerned for him stating, "I am your own forever" (III.iii.477). Everything up until this point is carefully thought out and constructed for a plan for privilege and oppression for our conniving villain, Iago.

In Shakespeare's play, Othello, Iago is the character that believes he deserves privilege and that privilege involves oppressing Othello in any way that he possibly can. Iago's privilege is a promotion that Cassio received instead; a move that Othello will pay for until his last breath. Because Othello is an honorable man that might be slightly naive, he becomes an easy target for Iago, a man that has no sense of compassion for anyone. Iago's scheme to plant jealousy in Othello's mind is too easy when Othello hints at his inability to control those emotions. In short, because Othello give Iago most of the ammunition he needs to perfect his plan for privilege and oppression, all Iago must do is sit back and watch the flag of sanity unfurl.

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