English 30-1 Essay - Iago as Machiavellian Villain

[JacksonCougar]

English 30-1 Essay - Iago as Machiavellian Villain

_____Nicolò Machiavelli was most famous for writing the essay The Prince during the 1500’s, which emphasized the need for stability, rather than fairness. The literature was written as a guide to maintaining power above all else. Machiavellianism is the trait of using clever trickery, and amoral methods to achieve a goal. While examining the text Othello, written by Shakespeare, we will look at the character Iago and compare him to a Machiavelli Villain. Using direct quotations from Othello, as well as the text The Prince, written by Nicolò Machiavelli to build supporting evidence. Iago displays the traits of a Machiavelli Villain because he takes a wicked enjoyment of evil for its own sake, he outwardly appears to be a strong good man to those around him, and finally he is boastful of his plans both to his trusted servant and in soliloquies.

_____Many times throughout the play, Othello, does Iago reveal to the audience his delight in causing chaos and an enjoyment of evil, an important trait of a Machiavelli Villain.

“Hence it is necessary for a prince wishing to hold his own to know how to do wrong, and to make use of it or not according to necessity…The prince so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, out not to mind the reproach of cruelty” – Nicolò Machiavelli, The Prince

Right from the very beginning of the play we see evidence of his chaos causing personality in the lines:

“Call up her father,
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,…” (I,i,70).

“I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.” (I,i,126).

This dialog is said by Iago outside of the home of Desdemona’s father. Iago’s plan is to reveal to the father that his daughter is sleeping with the moor, and provoke a feud between them. What ultimately happens because of this encounter between Iago and Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, is a seed of doubt placed into the mind of Othello concerning his wife’s faithfulness.

Brabantio: “Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:
She has deceived her father, and may thee. “ (I, iii, 333).

Another greater example of Iago taking a hand in causing chaos and evil is his act of turning the moor against his newly-wed wife Desdemona. Iago sets Cassio up to take the fall for a fight during the evening of celebration to the Moors Marriage. This results in Cassio losing his lieutenancy giving Iago the opportunity to then convince Cassio to get his rank back. Iago tells Cassio that he should not seek out the moor, but instead his talk to his wife, Desdemona, to plead his case to.

“…I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife
is now the general…importune
her help to put you in your place again…this broken joint between
you and her husband entreat her to splinter…” (II, iii, 333).

Iago then further works towards convincing the Moor that his wife is having an affair with Cassio by planting ideas into his mind.

Othello: “Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?” (III, iii, 40).

Iago: “Cassio, my lord! No, sure, I cannot think it,
That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.” (III, iii, 41).

Although in truth the meeting between Cassio and Othello’s wife was truly innocent, Iago slanders the appearance of the incident to appear sinister to the Moor. Iago works on further convincing Othello using ‘proofs’ of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness ranging from pure slander, to material proof like her handkerchief being found in Cassio’s chambers. The handkerchief had been dropped by Desdemona and Iago planted it in secret within the sleeping chambers of Cassio. There are many proofs through the play showing us how Iago works towards creating chaos towards the moor, but it his wife’s final statements that reveal the truth about Iago to everyone.

Emilia: “Disprove this villain…He says thou told'st him that his wife was false
I know thou didst not, thou'rt not such a villain:
Speak, for my heart is full.” (IV, ii, 208)

Iago: “I told him what I thought, and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true.” (IV, iii, 212)

Emilia: ” You told a lie, an odious, damned lie;
Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie…” (IV, iii, 216)

Emilia: ”…My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed” (IV, iii, 221)

Emilia: “O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou speak'st of
I found by fortune and did give my husband;
…He begg'd of me to steal it… I found it,
And I did give't my husband.” (IV, iii, 267)

In the end the truth finally comes out about Iago’s hand in the tragedy of the moor, which ended in the Moor becoming so convinced of his wife’s unfaithfulness that he murdered her in her bed. Iago is revealed by his wife to be the mastermind behind convincing Othello to murder his wife and his carried off to face justice.

_____One trait of a Machiavelli Villain that Iago portrays consistently throughout the play is that of appearing outwardly good to those around him.

“And a prince ought, above all things, always to endeavour in every action to gain for himself the reputation of being a great and remarkable man.” – Nicolò Machiavelli, The Prince

Consistently we hear the words “honest Iago” used to describe Iago by the people around him.

Othello: “…Honest Iago,
My Desdemona must I leave to thee:
I prithee, let thy wife attend on her:
And bring them after in the best advantage.“ (I, iii, 336)

Not only does this line by Othello demonstrate his inner trust in Iago, for he must truly trust Iago if he chooses to leave his newly-wed wife in the hands of Iago, but also his outwardly trust of Iago because he calls Iago by the name “Honest Iago”. Often Iago takes advantage of this perception that others have of him to sway their judgment in ways that would not be possible of somebody held is lesser regard.

Othello: “Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee” (II, iii, 189)

This line is played out after the fight between a drunk Cassio and Roderigo breaks out resulting in Cassio harming another man with his sword. Othello has many men in front of him who he could chose to question on what happened to provoke the fight, but he automatically questions Iago because he views Iago as being honest, a view that is reinforced with the following lines:

Iago: “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio;
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him.” (II, iii, 236)

Here we see Iago projecting an outward reluctance to speak against Cassio, but in truth he does anyways in an attempt to slander Cassio against Othello. Othello is quick to make his judgment based on the scarce evidence provided by Iago and passes his judgement in the belief that Iago is trying to protect Cassio and making light of Cassio’s role in the fight:

Othello: “I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee
But never more be officer of mine. “ (II, iii, 262)

We can conclude that Iago uses his reputation as a trust-worthy man to manipulate those around him to his own ends.

_____The final aspect of a Machiavelli Villain that Iago demonstrates during the course of the play is his boastfulness, both directed towards those around him as well as in soliloquies. Often Iago reveals his plans to Roderigo, who is a ‘servant’ of Iago in context to Machiavelli:

“Whenever one has judgement to know good or bad when it Is said and done, although he himself may not have the initiative, yet he can recognize the good and the bad in his servant, and one he can praise and the other correct; thus the servant cannot hope to deceive him, and is kept honest.” – Nicolò Machiavelli, The Prince

Iago involves Roderigo in his plans to have Cassio removed from the good graces of Othello. He convinces Roderigo that once Desdemona has had her fill of the Moor she will turn to another man for comfort, and if they remove Cassio, Roderigo would be the next logical choice for her.

Iago: “Her eye must be fed;
and what delight shall she have to look on the
devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of
sport, there should be, again to inflame it and to
give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favour,
sympathy in years, manners and beauties; all which
the Moor is defective in: now, for want of these
required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will
find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge,
disrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will
instruct her in it and compel her to some second
choice.” (II, I, 246)

Iago: “So shall you have a shorter journey to your desires by
the means I shall then have to prefer them; and the
impediment most profitably removed, without the
which there were no expectation of our prosperity.” (II, i, 298)

Much further into the play Iago is ambushed by Roderigo, furious at Iago because his promises that he would have Desdemona had not come true. Iago tells Roderigo that Desdemona would be leaving with the Moor to Mauritania, and that the only way to stop their departure was to kill Cassio.

Iago: “if thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona,
take me from this world with treachery and devise
engines for my life.”

Iago: “Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place;
knocking out his brains.”

During the ambush that Iago and Roderigo setup for Cassio, Cassio manages to fight them off and Iago is forced to change his plans by murdering Roderigo so that he cannot reveal his plans to anyone. It is at the end of the scene that Iago has his most important soliloquy:

Iago: “…This is the night that either makes me or fordoes me quite.” (IV, i, 150)

Many times in the play Iago boasts of his evil plans to bring down the Moor to Roderigo, and almost as often reveals his plans in soliloquies.

_____In closing we have shown that Iago is a Machiavellian Villain because he takes a perverse enjoyment of evil for its own sake, he outwardly appears to be a good person to those around him, and he reveals his plans through boasting and soliloquies. Iago setup Cassio to lose his rank of lieutenant and then proceeded further to convince Othello that Cassio and his own wife were having an affair. The lies spread by Iago eventually cost Desdemona her life at the hands of her husband. Further proof was supplied by showing that Iago appeared to be a good and even an ‘honest’ man to everyone around him. The final evidence shown was that Iago was boastful of his planes, and numerous times throughout the play revealed his plans to his ‘servant’ Roderigo as well as through soliloquies. Based upon these three evidences Iago is a Machiavellian Villain.

[JacksonCougar]

C&C?

[Ogrish]

If i were a teacher id prolly give you a good grade, but i quit school because of this crap.
I dont know what hurts more, my brain for really trying to read and understand this even thou i wasnt interested. Or my eyes, from the long contrasting text.

But im sure someone here will either copy this as there homework, or understand what your trying say. Just not me Now i want to know, what is a Machiavellian Villain in lamemens terms? wait, were did that come from! Damn you, making me want to learn something.

[JacksonCougar]

Its a villain who thinks the end justifies the means, is convinced his ends are justified, takes an enjoyment from doing evil, outwardly appears good to those around him, intelligent, boastful, ect...