Othello Group

Question:

amandeep
askk
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What are Iago's motives in "Othello"?

 

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Posted by askk on Monday April 6, 2009 at 6:17 AM and tagged with characters, iago, motive, othello.

Answers:


  1. frizzyperm Teacher
    College - Senior

    Why does Iago completely mess up Othello's happiness and get Desdemona wrongly murdered? A good question.

    Basically, he does it because he is a bad man. A very bad man in fact. In modern language we would call him a complete psychopath. He is very good at being charming, friendly, sensitive, intelligent, caring, understanding, sympathetic etc etc. He knows how to be a good person, but he only gives a surface show of goodness and underneath he is an extremely dangerous murderer and trouble-maker.

    He gives some reasons for his actions...

    1) Othello may have slept with Iago's wife.

    2) Othello made Casio his lieutenant instead of Iago.

    3) Iago hates Othello.

    4) Iago may be jealous of Othello having Desdemona

    The play is set in Venice and Cyprus because in 1600 The City of Venice was very very powerful and owned lots of territories. Cyprus is an island near Turkey and Greece. It is strategically very very important for controlling Mediterranean trade routes. Historically it changed hands many many times and is still a cause of deep argument between Turkey and Greece who both claim it is theirs. In the play, Venice controls Cyprus, but the Turks are threatening to invade, so Othello and a Venetian military force are sent to Cyprus to strengthen it from Turkish attack.

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    Posted by frizzyperm on Monday April 6, 2009 at 7:12 AM


  2. danylyshen Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    Iago's motives are to seek revenge on Othello and Cassio both. Iago has these motives because the Moor has overlooked him for the lieutenant position and on Cassio because he was awarded the title. Iago also enjoys evil for evil's sake. He is one of the most villainous villains in all of Shakespeare.

    The play is set in five acts with various scenes--typical of any Shakespearean play.

    The play is set in Venice and Cypress because it must be an exotic setting because of the Moor and where he comes from. It must also be there because the Turks are a naval fleet and the backdrop to the play is the war the Venetians are waging with the Turks.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/othello
    http://www.enotes.com/othello/historical-background

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    Posted by danylyshen on Monday April 6, 2009 at 7:15 AM