Destruction by Manipulation in Shakespeare’s Othello Essay

William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice is a play of great manipulation and jealousy. Iago is the antagonist character of the play Othello. Iago becomes irate and filled with jealousy when Othello names Michael Cassio as his lieutenant, because Iago believed he should have been the one promoted not Michael Cassio. By manipulating everyone around him, Iago portrays himself as an honest noble man whom can be trusted. Iago being known for the honest man he earns everyone’s trust and therefore learns their weakness for his ultimate plan of destruction. Iago’s greatest skill is disguising his manipulative schemes of destroying and betraying the ones around him with what he leads people to believe as honesty. Iago uses their†¦show more content†¦Roderigo taunts Michael Cassio into a drunken brawl. Montano and other men try to hold Cassio back; knowing Michael has no clue what he is doing due to be intoxicated. The fight quickly turns dangerous when M ichael Cassio turns against Montano and stabs him! Othello get word of the brawl outbreak and arrives with armed men to assess the situation. Iago is pleased with the brawl; he knows that the arrival of Othello will bring punishment to Michael Cassio. Othello demands to know what has happened to bring him away from his wife. Montano is in excruciating pain and unable to tell the whole story; Iago speaks for him. Telling Othello that he does not know how the fight had broken out. Michael Cassio, thinking Iago is being a friend and covering for him, goes along with Iago’s story. Othello immediately demotes Michael Cassio from his position as lieutenant. This is another achievement for Iago; he has gained trust from Michael Cassio and has the victory of Michael Cassio not being Othello’s lieutenant. Now that Michael Cassio is in distraught, he has no one to turn to, but Desdemona, Othello’s wife. Iago’s ultimate destruction is put into full motion. Mi chael Cassio and Desdemona spend a lot of secretive time together trying to figure out how to convince Othello to reinstate Cassio’s lieutenant position. The only person that knows their time together is Iago, since he is considered a trustworthy friend. This makes Iago’s planShow MoreRelatedThe Handkerchief Of Shakespeare s Othello1730 Words   |  7 PagesHandkerchief Destruction Destruction caused by a single piece of cloth seems like a very farfetched idea. In William Shakespeare’s play Othello, he shows how a single handkerchief can cause mass devastation, and he shows how it can ruin many lives. The background of the handkerchief is what makes the handkerchief so important to Othello. The handkerchief was a family heirloom, and was handed down to him by his mother. 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