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.
