Iago

Matthew Campbell, Mrs Russell, Year 11 Adv English, Speech

A reader’s response to a text is influenced by that responder’s social, cultural and historical context.

My response to the antagonist character of Iago in William Shakespeare’s Othello is one of intrigue as he is represented as such an evil character, the most wicked in all of Shakespeare’s plays. My interpretation of the play, and of the character Iago will have a similar core of beliefs, understandings and morals to the times that Othello was written and performed in Elizabethan times. But it is important to understand and show the subtle, yet important variables that the present social and cultural context has on the play Othello.

Through my eyes in the present social, cultural and historical context, Iago seems to be a shallow character provoked by instances where he does not get his way, or what he expected to be, does not turn out. This brings me to my first quote: (Act 1, Scene 1) “Despise me if I do not, three great ones of the city, in personal suit to make me his lieutenant, off-capped to him, and by the faith of man, I know my price, I am worth no worse a price.” It certainly does not sound as though Cassio, who gained the position over Iago, has got much of a military background, and he certainly doesn’t appear to have much experience of command.

In this quote, Iago is saying, “ I do hate him, I swear. Three of Venice’s most important noblemen took their hat off to him and asked him humbly to make me his lieutenant, the second in command. And I know my own worth well enough to know I deserve that position.

It is easily understood that this disappointment that has affected Iago, indeed it would have affected any man or woman to hear such news that is detrimental to ones career, but this is where Iago is different. Not only is he understandably annoyed at the decision; he becomes almost obsessive in his struggle to get back to the top of the pile. (It must be noted that a characters ambition to get to the top in an unnatural way is common in the downfall in characters in Shakespeare tragedies).

Later, Iago also says that he suspects that Othello and Emilia had an affair (Emilia of course being Iago’s wife) Iago quotes: “Nothing can or shall content my soul, till I am evened with him, wife for wife.” What he is saying is: “I have a feeling that the Moor slept with my wife. I won’t be satisfied until I get even with him, wife for wife.” However, there does not seem to be any evidence of this