Honest Iago Essay -- essays papers

Honest Iago The poet Coleridge appropriately described the character of Iago as existence one of motiveless malignity. Throughout the play Iagos motives are secondary to, and seem only to serve as justification for, his actions. Iago is driven by his record of character. To discuss Coleridges assessment we must look at Iagos characterfrom Iagos point of view and that of the other charactershis motives, methods, and pawns. Through some conservatively thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits him all the while he is pushing Othello, Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Cassio to their tragic end. According to Websters New supranational Dictionary, Second Edition, malignity is partially defined as disposition to do wickedness. Motiveless is implied in the definition of malignity. That one has a disposition to do evil is to say evil is in the nature of the malignant person motive is not an issue. Motiveless maligni ty is redundant in the pure retrieveing of the words. Does Coleridge mean to say that Iago cannot help himself from being evil or does he mean that what Iago did was without motive? For the sake of this discussion, Coleridge intends the later. Abbott states in truth character is what a person is disposition is what he is supposed to be. (Websters) Is Iago evil? No, he is not. Walter Lippmann says that evil is not a quality of things as such. It is a quality of our relation to them. (Websters) Iago is not opposed to just (a partial definition of evil) however, he is amoral and malicious. How does Iago see himself? Others there are who, trimmed in forms and visages of duty, keep yet their hearts attending on themselves, and t... ...d knowledge of the nature of things to play a game and win. He does not make each move with conscious reason, only to win the game thus Iago is motiveless at each step. He is like a child who only enjoys tumbling down the blocks of other children he is the play-yard bully. When asked why, the bully generally shrugs and says I dont know. Similarly when asked why, Iagos response is just as simple What you know, you know. Act V, Scene 2, Line 302 And Iago knew why and he knew how. Iago most honestly confesses to Emily I told him what I thought, and told no more than than what he found himself was apt and true Act V, Scene 2, Line 175 The unspoken line comes next they believed what they wantedthey are the guilty not I. Iago is a crafty, intelligent, artful school-yard bully, who is motiveless at each move. Iago is an honest man--deadly honest.