Johannes Adams
English Ms. Nickell
'Motiveless Malignity’ – Iago’s Soliloquy
1. Throughout the whole play up until now, the reader has been aware of a vague
hatred of Othello by Iago, and also a semi formed plan for revenge and ruin on
Othello. This is first time the reader becomes aware to what level Iago hates
Othello, the real reasons and how he plans to destroy the man who holds him
so dear. This helps us build a clear image of what will likely happen by way of
Dramatic Irony and foreshadowing about the book and the next chapters.
2. Iago is scheming and having his monologue in the soliloquy, which contains
factors of spontaneous speech. The most recognizable and interesting factor is
the halting and thoughtful speech style that Iago is using. ‘He holds me well,
the…’ the many commas and breaths show active reflection and thought by
the character Iago. The next piece of clear evidence is his self-questioning an
answering ‘How? How? Let’s see: After…’ Iago is forming his plan and ideas
as he is having his monologue and moment with the audience, another
example of the crafty agility and speed of his slightly twisted mind. The last
noticeable moment is his instantaneous exclamation ‘I have’t, it is
engendered!’ when referring to the plan he just created. This shows the
suddenness of his decision and course of action. All of these clearly emulate
spontaneous speech.
3. Iago has an extremely unusual attitude towards Rodrigo as he does neither like
nor wish him nearby, but Rodrigo has and will proved himself invaluable and
essential to Iago’s plans. Rodrigo is the banker, he provides Iago with the
funds he requires and also does everything that Iago wishes by being easily
talked into it. Iago is aware of this and states ‘Thus do I ever make my fool my
purse… with such as snipe’ showing him to know how easy it is to manipulate
him and use for profane and evil ends. He reinforces this by calling Rodrigo a
snipe, a small often termed ‘stupid’ bird that is well known for walking into
traps and being relatively short lived due to early cause of death to a predator.
Iago does not like Rodrigo, neither any other person but that is irrelevant, he
only sees him as a tool to be wielded, this makes him useful and likable to
Iago.
4. Iago hates Othello. While Iago’s motives still remain somewhat intangible and
preposterous, he is very clear and open about his feelings and ideas when he
states ‘I hate the Moor’. The reason he states during this monologue is that he
has hear a rumor that Othello had slept with Iago’s wife Emilia, something
that knowing the Moor is very unlikely and Iago does not truly believe it
himself but acts as if it is true ‘and it is thought that ‘twixt my sheets he’s done
my office’ For this reason, and the promotion of Cassio to lieutenant Iago
must have revenge on Othello and have Desdemona for himself while
dragging her in the dirt.
5.
Samuel Coleridge made the famous statement in a small note on a copy of
Shakespeare before a lecture. Many interpret it, as Iago has no motive, which
one could agree with on a superficial level. Motive would be emotional and
physical, but Coleridge makes a clear distinction between the two. It could be
said that Iago has a need for intellectual superiority and a love for exerting
power on the emotional and character side of him. In the physical he has been
passed over for a promotion, suspects his superiors Cassio and Othello to be
sleeping with his wife are but merely ideas and rationalizations. ‘He’s done
my office. I know not if’t be true, but I for mere suspicion in that kind will do
as of for surety’. This combination as Coleridge would say is still a lack of
specific motive, but enough emotional pressure to set him into action and the
onset of destruction as a self proclaimed harbinger of chaos and doom for his
enemies.
6. Iago will have Cassio removed from his position, how he does not yet know.
He will then tell Othello of a secret love affair between Cassio and
Desdemona. Later we see that Iago convinces Rodrigo to start a brawl with
Cassio that will loose him his position. Later a dismissed, distraught and
ruined Cassio is talked into begging Desdemona to ask Othello for forgiveness
and reinstatement by Iago (who else?). Iago then gives Othello the slip that his
bride has an affair with Cassio, the disgraced lieutenant. It is a fiendish but
effective and smart plan.
7. Iago Plans to exploit Othello’s trusting, authoritative and instinctively kind
manner to make his understandable and ordered world fall into absolute chaos,
as it appears all the ones he has trusted exploited him or broke his trust in
other ways likely far worse. By doing so Iago plans to get his revenge and
even get Desdemona for himself in the process, for only then will his revenge
be complete.
8.
Cassio is ‘A proper man’ meaning he is a ladies man and a player. He likely
has a wife and multiple mistresses, not excluding the girl at every port. For
this reason it would not seem out of character or even unusual should he try to
court the wife of the general. By planning to disgrace Cassio before this will
worsen the envy and pain that Othello will feel as first Cassio, a personal
friend, betrays Othello’s trust, and then makes advances on his wife.
9. Iago keeps a negative and disgusting view of females and love throughout the
book in practice pulling it into the dirt whenever possible to do so. He also
references animals and bestiality when referring to love and people, as is seen
by him referring to Rodrigo as a Snipe. He also often views things in black
and white, with to extremes as could be tied to Heaven and Hell or Light and
darkness. He refers to all three ideas by referring to his plan and it execution
as ‘I have’t, it is engendered! Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to
the world’s light’. He also references to how he talked Rodrigo into being his
banker and general provider of cash and money this idea and overall
agreement is from the end of Act I, Scene III. It is clearly show by the
statement ‘Thus do I ever make my fool my purse’. These are many of the
serious and underlining tones of the whole paly and possibly also the message
that the narrator is conveying.