Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Iago
Iago is really really really truly evil. In the last scene he could have denied the accusations, but he all but fessed up to it. I think that Iago knew all along that he wouldn't "get away with it." But I also think that he wanted everyone to know that he fooled them all. Iago is so sadistic that he recieves more gratification in seeing, for example, Othello's anguish at knowing that he unjustly killed Desdemona, than he would have if he had gotten away with it (and survived). Iago seems to just live for the despair of others, and once he reached what in his opinion might have been the most despair he could have possibly caused in one day (and one room!), he saw no more purpose in living or talking. Iago was motivated to do evil for the sake of simply doing evil, and he was motivated to live by evil alone; so once Iago had achieved that height of evil which he wanted to, he saw no purpose to live.
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Wow! You've summed up nicely what I've read in much scholarship. Anyone agree or disagree with any of Molly's conclusions here?
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. I think Iago is just one of those people who seeks attention, whether it is good or bad attention. He admires his work, and as long as it doesn't hurt him, he's having fun scheming other people's demises. I think Iago does this more just for the fun of it than to be purely evil. If he had just stopped tormenting Othello after he had been named the new lieutenant, he wouldn't have had as much fun unless he saw the plan all the way through to the end.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly. Iago's the embodiment of evil because we see the destruction he inflicts on everyone around him. As we saw in the movie, Iago tries to escape once everyone discovered that he poisoned the Moor. So, I think in his mind he knew he was done for after Lodivico's men captured him. After all, this was the night that would make or break him. However, in Iago's mind, it was all worthwhile because the man's life he sought desperately to destroy, is finally dead.
ReplyDeleteThat part in the movie sort of bothered me, how they showed Iago running away. I think for Iago to stay in my mind the rotten evil he is he shouldn't have tried to escape, but instead should have been almost proud (for lack of a better word...) of what he did and want to claim it as his handiwork.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Molly on both comments. The running away part of the movie showed Iago as a coward. I don't believe that fits his character. The subtle smile towards the end showed that he was happy with his cruel "masterpiece." I think that Iago would consider the tragic events surrounding Othello to be his life's greatest achievement; therefore, after its completion, he has no other cause. He almost ceases to exist. His role in the play no longer serves a purpose. Perhaps that's why Shakespeare gave him so few lines at the end.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think that he was just going through the motions in trying to get away. Don't think he was to upset to be caught.
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