Iago plan Flashcards
For “Certes,” says he,
“I have already chose my officer.”
- Othello, the title character, is introduced into the play by Iago.
- Even in Iago’s mouth, Othello’s first words indicate certainty, not doubt. He will not be swayed by ‘Three great ones of the city’ who ‘Off-capped to him’.
- Othello is not someone who doubts himself in the area of martial appointments and the military. His weakness lies in civilian life. He admits he has only been nine months away from the battlefield in seven years in I.iii. This anecdote also displays Othello’s integrity, and an inability to be flattered into changing his mind.
- Compare Othello’s resolve to Cassio’s, who is persuaded easily to drink even when he knows he is a lightweight and Othello has told him not to ‘out-sport discretion’. This is Iago’s first plan to get what he wants, a failed plan. His second plan is to get Brabantio to get revenge for him. This also fails. His third plan is successful.
I follow him to serve my turn upon him.
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly followed
Iago plays the Vice from the Morality play tradition and puts on his disguise in front of the audience. The idea of the follower is important. Christ had followers, like Peter, who died for him. Othello has this in the form of loyal Cassio and this follower: an anti-follower – Judas mark 2.
Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse. You’ll have
your nephews neigh to you
Iago’s coarseness. Othello has the beauteous language of the play despite having fewer lines than Iago. This is what part of Iago’s 33% of the play is given over to. Iago manipulates Brabantio, re-describing his insults as service.
