Discuss the presentation of Iago in Shakespeare
Discuss the presentation of Iago in your reading of the text In the opening scene of the play we see that Roderigo and Iago are in deep conversation with each other, which at first is confusing as the audience do not know what or whom they are talking about. Shakespeare has done this as it creates curiosity and suspense. As the conversation continues we see that it is more of a quarrel between the two men, we find that the reason they are arguing is because Iago has failed Roderigo in trying to arouse Desdemona to be interested in him. My first impression of Iago is that he is a greedy man; he regularly apologizes to Roderigo in order to keep receiving money from him. I ago seems to have manipulative characteristics about him and it is evident that Roderigo is somewhat gullible as he goes along with whatever Iago says, he freely admits that Iago has “had my purse as if the strings were thine” which shows that he trusts Iago. Iago’s first speech tells the audience a good deal about his opinion of himself, “I know my price, I am worth no worse a place” This shows that Iago thinks highly of himself and that he is very self confident. Shakespeare has done this to give the audience an insight into Iago’s character as this high opinion that Iago has progresses throughout the rest of the play. We also find out about what Iago thinks of Othello, although at this stage in the play we do not know who he is talking about only that this man is Iago’s superior. Iago says that this man has a lot of self-love and self-confidence, “But he, loving his own pride and purposes” and this is the motive to why Iago had been rejected. Iago’s speech also reveals his feeling on Micheal Cassio. Iago believes that Othello should have picked him to be lieutenant not Cassio, “Forsooth, a great arithmetician” Iago is suggesting here that Cassio has no practical experience of war as he has and that Cassio has been picked for this job purely out of favouritism from Othello.