Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Othello Act 4
There is no doubt this play is frustrating for the reader because of the seemingly aloof characters. They all seem to fall a little too perfectly into Iago's hands. However, I have a theory about why these "coincidences" are so. It is obvious that the people in the play are not a standing off to the side watching Iago as he stares into the camera telling us all of his evil plans and thoughts. The characters have no indication of Iago's masterful plan, because all they see is "honest Iago". They have no reason to believe anything other than what he tells them, because he has a reputation of being honest. Beside the obvious fact that the characters in the play do not see his soliloquies or his asides, Iago has another strategy that helps him achieve the unbelievable. Iago has yet to actually do a vicious act. He just aids the others in doing things that get them in trouble without them realizing what they are doing. They put themselves in bad situations, and they are completely oblivious. This strategy is how Iago achieves turmoil. He sets up others in such a way that Iago looks good and is never suspected of being the villain.
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I completely agree. It is extremely aggravating how Iago just happens to show up at just the right time or is able to say just the right thing to just the right person. I can't wait to see how Shakespeare makes Iago's world train wreck when his ploys are uncovered.
ReplyDeleteIago, like Lord Henry, knows what to say, what not to say, howmuch to say, how little to say. His manipulations are much less obvious, I think, to those in the play than they are to us.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex. Also, after doing the reading last night, I was even more annoyed with Iago and the way he abuses his name of Honest Iago. Whenever i read about Othello, like when he asked Emilia if he saw Desdemona and Cassio together, i just want to yell at him because even after Emilia tells him his wife is innocent, he still is convinced she's unfaithful. His naivety is so excessive as is Iago's lying and it kind of gets old. It draws you in though because of the irony that we know the truth and since the other characters don't, we are pulling for them to find out.
ReplyDeleteLike watching a train wreck about to happen....
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