Latrell+Hayes

Latrell Hayes December 18, 2009 Senior English Period 2 Final Draft **//__Is it ever enough?__//** In the book Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago is seen as the most trusted by the people of Venice. But the people of Venice were unaware of what Iago is doing to them. And how he used them to get what he wanted. Throughout the play, Iago was a conniving and selfish person who only cared to destroy the relationship of Othello and Desdemona. Iago's vengeance was only set towards Othello. Iago vengeance drove the play. As the play began Iago plan was unclear to people. Throughout the play you would see that Iago never really wanted cassio’s spot as lieutenant, but it seemed as if he did. He was only jealous of Cassio having the lieutenant spot. But as the play went on you would see that the motivation of his plan was to destroying the love of Othello and Desdemona. Even after seeing that he destroyed their love, it was still to be unclear as what his drive was. What created the vengeance of Iago? It wasn’t that Othello gave the lieutenant spot to Cassio. Nor was it because Iago was jealous of Othello marrying Desdemona. Iago never really loved Desdemona. As he commence, “Now, I do love her too, not out of absolute lust—though peradventure I stand accountant for as great a sin—But partly led to diet my revenge…”(Shakespeare, 84). The dilemma started because it was thought by Iago that Othello had slept with his wife Emila. He set a plan to get revenge on Othello. And he wouldn’t be happy unless he retaliate, as he says “The thought whereof doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards, and nothing can or shall content my soul till I am evened with him, wife for wife. Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgment cannot cure” (84). Iago just used Cassio as one of the people to manipulate to help destroy Othello. It all started with Roderigo. Iago as a character didn’t care what he did as long as he got what he wanted. He would others pains to his ability. Like when he got Roderigo to help with his plan. By using Roderigo love for Desdemona. Being that Roderigo loved Desdemona, Roderigo would have done anything to get her away from Othello. So, it was easy for Iago to get Roderigo to believe that Desdemona and Cassio had loved each other. But it was even easier for him to get Roderigo to help him destroy their love. He had no intensions of helping Roderigo, as Iago states “Which thing to do, if this poor trash of Venice, whom I trace for his quick hunting, stand the putting on, I’ll have our Michael Cassio on the hip…”(84) Iago would soon begin manipulating other people. To start commencing his plan he would have to get people to see Michael Cassio as a dreadful individual. So, that the only way for people to forget about him is for him to be demoted from lieutenant. Iago would get Cassio to drink. Cassio would reject Iago's offer of wine numerous times, however, Cassio had eventually yield, and drank the wine. After Cassio was drunk he would then strike Roderigo and Montano. This would ultimately cause Cassio to be demoted from his lieutenancy. Iago would later tell Cassio to get Desdemona to get his spot back for him because of how devoted Othello was to her. When he says, “I tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested. This broken joint between you and her husband entreat her to splinter, and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before.”(100) Cassio thought that Iago was looking out for him but Iago was only using to continue his plan. Iago seemed to be getting closer to his goal as he got Cassio to fall into his trap. He was able to make it seem as Cassio and Desdemona had a thing for each other because Cassio would soon be around Desdemona a lot seek her help to get his spot back. None of the characters knew of what he was doing. Iago would begin to spark a little doubt in the eyes and heart of Othello that Desdemona was cheating on him with Cassio. Iago told Othello that Cassio would hide every time that he saw or knew he was coming. Also he used the fact that Desdemona was trying to help Cassio get his job back as lieutenant because of the relationship they had. Othello would not believe that Desdemona had any loyalty for him after she tells him she was loyal to him. He showed his angry and denial that she was loyal when he confirmed, “Come, swear it, damn thyself. Lest, being like one of heaven, the devils themselves should fear to seize thee. Therefore be double damned, swear thou art honest!" (179) Othello would soon think that Iago was the only person he could trust. Also seemed to be the only loyal person. As he found out that Desdemona had lost his most valuable thing. The handkerchief was a sign to Othello that Desdemona didn’t care about him as much as he thought she did. Othello had given the handkerchief to her as a sign of love because his mother gave the handkerchief to him, so that he to could give it to his wife but if she ever gave it away it be a lost. As he says “She, dying, gave it me and bid me, when my fate would have me wived, to give it her. I did so….” (111) Iago would use his wife to steal the handkerchief from Desdemona so he would be able to continue his plan. After he get the handkerchief he would soon plant it in the room of Cassio to make it seem as if Desdemona had given it to him. Othello would soon found out that Desdemona had given the handkerchief to Cassio and not lost it. After he sees Cassio with the handkerchief. After Othello found out that Desdemona had given the handkerchief to Cassio he had lost all faith in her loyalty. He would later kill Desdemona. After killing his wife, Emila would tell him he that he killed her for no reason and that she was loyal and faithful to him. Othello couldn’t believe her but as she ranted about how Iago had him up to destroy him, he would soon believe and realize what he done after hearing Iago admitting that he put it the handkerchief in Cassio’s room. Othello would later kill himself in shame, ending the play. Conclusively, Iago’s vengeance was never to get Cassio’s spot as lieutenant but to get even with Othello. All he wanted was to get was an eye for an eye with Othello. Iago as a character didn’t care who he hurt as long as he hurt Othello.