Iago is the ultimate stage villain – calculating, manipulative, clever and ruthless.

To what extent do you agree with this view? Remember to include in your answer relevant comment on Shakespeare's dramatic methods.

Iago can be seen as the ultimate stage villain his role is iconic. If incapsulates all most all villainous  traits and has become the standard against which villains are measured.

Even as Iago is initially introduced we get the sense that although he may not be a man with much power he has learned how manipulate those around him even those with greater power as a way of benefiting himself.  

This plays antagonist is calculating in a way that is difficult to rival, Iago  manipulates Othello praying on all insecurities the man could have he uses his otherness multiple times but chooses to use Othello's issues concerning his masculinity as what he will ultimately use to bring him down, perhaps because Shakespeare believe this to be a more resonant issue among the spectators. The main way Iago manipulates is by leaving Othello to think for himself thereby allowing him to jump to the worse possible conclusions all while he himself manages to keep his hands clean. Iago ability to make people believe he is an ally is a gift he uses throughout the play and serves to make the audience even more shocked by the way Iago is able to betray all those around him making him seem even more villainous. One of the scenes in the play where Iago skill in manipulation is most clear is in act four scene one where Iago manages to completely twist Cassio's words about Bianca to fit in with his lie to Othello about Desdemona. 

The fact Iago was even able to envision and carry out this plan by himself is a clear demonstration of his intelligence and nature. He was also able to manipulate many people at once sometimes even in the exact same moment. However Iagos posi in society can question how truly clever he is as although he is respected by  his seniors he still maintains a rather low rank in the military and in terms of class status him and him wife are among the lowest in the play suggesting that altough he is able to mini plate and calculate his true intelligence can be questioned. Iago seems to overestimate his own intelligence and underestimate the intelligence of those around him  it could be seen that this is the reason his plan did not work. The failure of this plan could be seen as something stopping this character from being seen as the ultimate antagonist as he was not ultimately successful in his plan for destruction.


Iago broke one of the most sacred bonds there is by not only betraying but murdering his wife as a way of ensuring she could not further incriminate him his lust for self preservation above all else leads to some of the most drastic outcomes in any Shakespearean plays.This character has no regard for any other people who may get hurt as a result of his plan praying on innocent characters like Desdemona to fulfil his own goals he seems to have no qualms ruining lives as long as his own will benefit. He betrays men who believed he was a friend as well as men he was supposed to be loyal to as a part of his duty. His ruthlessness and complete disregard for those around him it what sets him apart as the ultimate stage villain. 

Act 5, Scene 1

How does Shakespeare create a sense of fear and confusion in Act 5 scene 1? 

Act 5 scene 1 begins with Iago and Roderigo plotting about how they plan to kill Cassio this builds up an immediate fear, as the audience begin to worry that perhaps the villains in this story will win and an innocent man will die unjustly and as the fight between Cassio and Roderigo unfold. That tension only builds.

The confusion in this scene in this scene comes mainly from Cassio, perhaps the most clueless character in the whole play bringing with him a sence of trepidation just by him being on stage. He has no knowledge of what Iago is intending for him and the fact that the audience are aware of the plans of Iago and Roderigo to kill Cassio only increases our fear as we have been made to care about Cassio safety throughout the play as he is seen as one of the few innocent parties, and although we know he has faired well in the army we have also seen him in a fight before which did not end well for him and as the play seems only to be increasing in intensity and severity the audience may fear that the same will be true of this fight for Cassio and that he must die.

 At this point in the play fear must be building as it is one of the key things needed for the cathartic ending to make this play a tragedy as laid out by Aristotle in his work the poetics. Another way Shakespeare builds fear is by again rehashing the belief that Iagos plan may succeed, up to this point in the play we have seen Iago make only smart choices and expertly execute his manipulation of those around him, even at the beginning of this act when he manipulates roderigo, the mere presence of Iago on stage brings a direct contrast to the feeling brought about by Cassio as it is one of deep fear and anger however the culmination of these two characters could be seen as the best way to create the mood of fear and confusion because it could be argued that that is what these characters represent to the audience.

A way confusion is built is in the way Shakespeare does not does not even allow Cassio to know who it is that is trying to kill him a clever way this is done is through setting. The setting of the scene at night is in keeping again with Aristotles unity of time and place while the nighttime setting also brings with it a  ominous feeling and builds a sense of confusion with the added aspect of impaired vision and an ability to lurk in shadows.


The repetition of Aggressive and punctual words like 'kill' 'malice' 'enemy' all build the audience up for the aggression and violence this final act will hold and begin to prepare us for the climax of the tragedy to unfold by embedding what They are about to witness into their minds.

Act 5, Scene 2

1. What reasons does Othello give for having to kill Desdemona? The reasons othello gives for killing Desdemona are so she cannot betray more men 'yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.' Because that is the honourable thing for him to do
2. What evidence is there to suggest that Shakespeare adhered to racial stereotypes in this scene? The overarching theme in this act of Othello is him not being able to control his emotions, mainly rage this plays into the belief at the time the play was written that black peoples could not keep their emotions under control and were quick to violence. Shakespeare also brings back the idea of Othello having fits 'when your eyes roll so' adding to the idea of him being in some way mystical and definitely other from the rest of the characters in this play. Also Emilias insults for Othello negatively reference his skin colour 'blacker devil' 'filthy bargain' the racially driven insults highlight the fact that he's different from the characters in the play, and that is a problem for them and almost as though him killing Desdemona was less to do with his jealousy and more a simple result of him being black and therefore seemingly violent and destructive.
3. Othello tells Desdemona that Cassio has confessed to sleeping with her (line 68). What was this 'confession'? 
4. Emilia says "Good gentleman, let me have leave to speak./ 'Tis proper I obey him - but not now!" [5.2.192-193] what does this indicate about Emilia and society? Consider the circumstances the characters are in.The standing view of women in the socity in which this poem is set is that they are to be firmly faithful and loyal to their husbands, but should have a high level of respect for all men, this would have been especially important for a woman like Emilia as she was of a lower class than the men she was addressing and being a woman who works in service to these people even in times of emmence distress like this, the character still addresses the men in her company with respect. She understands what is expected of her as a wife and knows that the way she plans to behave isn't 'proper' her act of defiance would have been seen as a huge betrayal of her role and improper of her as a woman at the time.
5. How is Emilia presented in lines 125-233. Consider the language she uses, how she behaves and what she says to Othello and Iago. In these lines Emilias character shifts not only from how we have been used to seeing her act like for the near entiaraty of the play, but also what the audience would be used to seeing women act like in their society. Emilia suddenly becomes very public and outspoken in the company of important men, especially her mistresses husband calling him names that would have been unacceptable even from a man 'she was too fond of her most filthy bargain'. When Emilia decides to disclose all she knows to the other men in the room we see a huge power shift between Emilia and Iago with her now as the dominant one. He calls to her to 'get you home' a strong symbol of pulling her back to the domestic sphere but in an act of ultimate defiance against not only Iago but also her role she refuses 'I will ne'er go home'. So although the audience would have been shocked at her boldness and defiance they would also be glad that she finally unmasked iago and allowed the other characters to know the truth.
6. List all of the names Emilia calls Othello when she realises what he has done. How does this contrast with how Othello was portrayed at the start of the play? Emilia addresses othello as 'Blacker devil', 'Most filthy bargain', 'Ignorant as dirt', 'Moor' and 'Villain' this contrasts strongly when the word used repeatedly at the beginning of the play to describe Othello was valiant, but the word moor is a descriptor used for othello throughout the play.

1 According to Adrian Lester Othello has been fighting since he was seven.

2 Adrian Lester says Othello not being born into a sence of nobility makes him more cautious about maintaining the positive image he has crafted for himself, as his appearance is very important to him.

3 Othello marrying a woman like Desdemona who's family has status increases Othellos own status.

4 Rory Kinnear says Iago is disgruntled with Othello because Othello chose Cassio to be his lieutenant, someone who Iago deems to be less qualified for the role than he is. He also feels cheated by the person he feels closest to.

5 According to Rory Kinnear Othello and Iago both started at the bottom however Othello was able to rise much higher than Iago.

6 the ways Rory Kinnear says Iago aims to bring down Othello and Cassio are subterfuge, insinuation and through getting people on side.

Casting Cassio

Jude law is my pick for Cassio.  He's often cast in roles as the charmer of heartthrob and as appose to many young actors now fitting that same role Jude Law is more age appropriate for Othello. Jude Law has already acted as Henry V in the west end production of Henry V as well as also performing in the title role of Hamlet. Him clearly demonstrating his comfort and confidence in acting in Shakespeare's play by staring in so many lead roles coupled with the way he has been so often type cast as the love interest, as well as him being an aged and experienced actor indicates that he would be a perfect for the role of Cassio.   

1. How do ideas about difference and otherness help Iago's manipulation of Othello in this scene? Consider: 

Iago manipulates the insecurities Othello has about the crude way in which he speaks, and although Othello often speaks eloquently Iago still registers the reservations Othello has to speaking in front of people who's opinions he values. His insecurity about this is revisited when he is reminded by Desdemona that Cassio was there for most of her and Othellos courting process 'Cassio that came a wooing with you' and often spoke on his friends behalf 'so many a time when I have spoke of you dispraisingly hath ta'en your part' but this reminder only served to plant further doubt that perhaps the only reason Desdemona loves him is because of Cassio. It seems as though Othello continuously feels the stereotypes of who others think he should be seep in and poison the ideas about who he is as a man, and despite him being someone who can supposedly rule army's he seems to leave many parts of himself open for attack. Iago wastes no time using Othellos weaknesses, and issues with his identity, to further his plan of social success and dominance. Iago reminded Othello how different he is to Desdemona pushing on this feeling of otherness,he insinuates that now Desdemona has had Othello she will see the error of her ways and marry someone more like her (Cassio) 'may fall to match with her country forms' the idea that Desdemona will leave him for someone 'of her own clime, complexion, and degree' is already something Othello fears as it has been commented on continuously throughout the play, Iago picking up on this insecurity targets it immediately reminding Othello how different he is from not just Desdemona but all the people he now surrounds himself with, filling Othello with the idea Desdemona could not possibly truly love him as they are so different it's 'unnatural'. Othellos metal devolution begins shortly after this as he becomes increasingly inraged as he speaks more about Desdemona he begins to play into some of the stereotypes about black men at the time namely that they lack control over their emotions. He begins speaking about how he simply wants Desdemona to be happy and once again compares her to a bird this time a bird he must set free. The contrast between the beastly animals Othello is described as and the delicate birds Desdemona is likened to shows the fundamental differences between them something Othello regognises clearly. Othello comments on the fact he  is black and how that has stripped him of 'those soft parts of conversation' highlighting that he evidently took on board what was said about it being Cassios words that wooed Desdemona. 

Act 2 Scene 1

Act 2 Scene 1


What sort of person is Cassio?


Cassio is tactile and open. although he is the person Iago uses in his plan to usurp power Cassio remains honest and truthful through the play at times seeming as though he may be the true victim of the story. He values honesty and trust 'give us truth'. he works well as a lieutenant as he understands what it means to follow orders and show respect 'valiant of this warlike isle, that so approve the moor!' he treats women with a level of respect not seen by many of the other men in the play 'hail to thee lady' this all plays into the idea of him being a respectful man but also fit with the idea of him being in some way different from the people of Venice,as he much like Othello is from somewhere else and even though its only Florence it still creates a difference.


How does Iago plan to use Cassio’s character traits to usurp and ensnare both Cassio and Othello?


Iago  plans to use his power's of manipulation to prey on Othello's trusting nature and Cassio's friendly attitude as a way of gaining the ranking he feels he deserves he will do this by planting the seed of doubt in Othello's mind that his new wife, whom he loves so muck but who everyone else still maintains does not love him, is having and affair with Cassio a man which he claims to trust more than anyone else. Iago plans to exploit Cassios attempt to welcome Desdemona and make her feel welcome in Cyprus and instead make it appear like he is trying to seduce her 'better you had not kissed your three fingers' 'such tricks as this strip you out of your lieutenancy'. Iago believes that as a reward for showing Othello what's happening between Desdemona and Cassio Othello will reward him with cassios status 'make the moor thank me, love me, reward me'.


 What does Iago tell Roderigo to do, and why does Iago say it will help Roderigo to win Desdemona’s heart?


Iago tells Roderigo to anger Cassio while he is drunk 'find some occasion to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his discipline' because if Cassio fights in a physical confrontation he will be stripped of his lieutenancy and Iago already knows by reputation his Cassio gets aggressive when drunk ''he's rash and sudden in choler'. Iago persuades Roderigo to partake in this plan by suggesting that with Cassio out of the way it will be easier for Roderigo to win the heart of Desdemona and finally get what he wants 'so shall you have a shorter journey to your desires'.