Love is not a bandage to cover wounds...

Perhaps the most interesting and exotic character in "Othello," is "Honest" Iago. Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him and moves him closer toward his goals. He is the main driving force in this play, pushing Othello and everyone else towards their tragic end. Iago is not your ordinary villain, oh hell no, the role he plays is rather unique and complex, far from what one might expect. He is an expert judge of people and their characters and he uses this to his advantage.

"Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some
sense to know how to lie well."

Although he is obsessive, relentless, bold, and ingenious in his efforts to manipulate and deceive the other characters—particularly Othello—Iago's motivations are notoriously murky. At various points in the play, he claims to be motivated by different things: resentment that Othello passed him over for a promotion in favour of Michael Cassio; jealousy because he heard a rumour that Othello slept with Iago's wife, Emilia; Iago gives the impression that he's tossing out plausible motivations as he thinks of them, and that we'll never understand what really drives his villainy.

"It is bitter to lose a friend to evil, before one loses
him to death."

The techniques that Iago uses enable the reader to appreciate his full wickedness. It also gives the audience an insight into the hysterical jealousy of Othello, which rapidly gets out of control - an emotion based entirely upon Iago's potent influence and manipulation.

Being as smart as he is, Iago is quick to recognise the advantages of trust and uses it as a tool to forward his purposes. Throughout the story he is commonly known as, and commonly called, "Honest Iago." He even says of himself, "I am an honest man...." (Act II, Scene III),

Trust is a very powerful emotion that is easily abused. Othello, "Holds [him] well; /the better shall [Iago's] purpose work on him." Iago is a master of abuse in this case turning people's trust in him into tools to forward his own goals.

Iago slowly poisons people's thoughts, creating ideas in their heads without implicating himself. "And what's he then that says I play the villain, when this advice is free I give, and honest," (Act II, Scene III), says Iago, the master of deception. And thus, people rarely stop to consider the possibility that old Iago could be deceiving them or Manipulating them.

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they
infect the soul with evil."

Lowly Iago is capable of anything - not even Othello is safe from this villain. Othello holds Iago to be his close friend and advisor. He believes Iago to be a person, "of exceeding honesty, (who) knows all qualities, with learned spirit of human dealings." (Act III, Scene III)

Yes, he does know all about human dealings, but no, he is not honest. He uses the trust Othello puts in him to turn Othello eventually into a jealous man, looking everywhere, after all, he is "Honest Iago."

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing
annoys them so much."

From yours truly

私は日本の

~Deathgod Captain~

人を愛する

死の神 ~ Seema~ の大尉