Iago uses a number of rhetorical devices throughout the play. They're essential, as he needs to persuade other people to do what he wants if his wicked plan is going to come to fruition. Iago is particularly adept at using rhetoric to manipulate Othello into doing his bidding. In the...
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crucial act 3, scene 3, for example, we see Iago using ethos—that is, a rhetorical appeal on moral grounds—to persuade Othello that Desdemona has been cheating on him. This device is especially useful as it allows Iago to come across as a good friend who's reluctant to divulge his suspicions, lest his honesty hurt Othello:
I do not like the office. But, sith I am entered in this cause so far, Pricked to ’t by foolish honesty and love, I will go on.
In other words: I really don't want to do this, but as I'm such a nice guy, and such a good friend, I'll tell you what's on my mind.
Iago's use of hesitation not only adds to the tension in this pivotal scene but also serves to persuade Othello that something is amiss. Iago won't come right out and tell Othello that he thinks Desdemona's been cheating on him. Instead, he uses hints, innuendo, and insinuation to drip-feed poisonous thoughts into Othello's increasingly suspicious mind. Iago's fiendishly clever use of hesitation guarantees that when he finally reveals his suspicions, Othello is so furious that he's perfectly primed to believe every last word that Iago tells him.