Iago

## Description

Iago is one of Shakespeare’s fictional characters, one of which is often labeled as a villain. He is married to Emilia and serves as *a naval officer* for Othello in Venice. He is acclaimed to be a rough and ready soldier in the field and is well liked by many*.*  Iago is known as being the husband of Emilia, but is most importantly ascribed as the ensign to Othello*.*

In *The Serpent of Venice*, Iago upholds the same description as Shakespeare originally wrote, but he has relationships with many new characters. Not only does Iago plot with Rodrigo to take down Othello, but he, along with several other characters plan to kill the protagonist, Pocket, in hopes of continuing on with the war that Pocket opposes. Although Iago’s plan for Othello is the same, Moore includes Iago in another essential role that involves him with characters such as Antonio and Brabantio in order to kill Pocket.

## In *The Serpent of Venice*

Iago is one of the characters in the Serpent of Venice that Moore changes up a bit. Iago is still one of the main villains of the novel, but he isn't the only one. He is an antagonist along with Antonio and Brabantio. Although he is one of the bad guys, there is one thing that is different about him: he has no polish to him. Iago is crude and gets straight to his point by speaking his mind. “Apologies, good Antonio. Noble Antonio. Honored Antonio. I would not offend thy friends… Now that we’re all friends, you three, do fuck off” (Moore 51). This harsh statement is just one example of how brutally honest and crude Iago is in the novel. He doesn't seem to care what people think of him at all. While Iago would normally use his charm and bribery to get what he wants, he now just uses his supremacy to get his way, and is not worried about being liked in the process. Now the ‘honest Iago’ is characterized as somewhat too honest with his fellow peers. Iago plays an additional role in *The Serpent of* Venice that is crucial to the plot. In addition to wanting to kill Othello, Iago has also joined sides with Antonio, Brabantio, and several other men to kill Pocket. Iago wants to kill Pocket because he wants the war to continue, whereas Pocket does not. While Iago still remains the same in the role dealing with Othello, he is also using his evil scheming ways to take down someone else in the novel, and he continues to manipulate those around him to achieve this plan. He uses vicious and spiteful detractionto make others feel below him, and therefore gains the ability to control many people to fulfill his plot. In *Othello*, he mentioned a suspicion about the Moor sleeping with his wife, Emilia. In The Serpent of Venice, Iago comes right out and admits he thinks women are whores: “A bundle of deceit in a pleasant package is she, are they all. Woe to the man who thinks different and enables them with trust” (Moore 147). Christopher Moore also keeps Iago’s main plans the same as Shakespeare’s play. His plot to turn Othello into a jealous man and to gain the naval position he wants is still his goal. In *Othello*, Iago is creative with his plan and ultimately does not get exposed until the end when everyone is dead, but in *The Serpent of Venice*, he is not so successful in his plots. Othello is still persuaded by Iago in some ways, but he begins to see through him during several instances, although when he fully discovers the truth, it is too late. In addition, Emilia exposes Iago in front of the whole Senate and he is caught and taken into custody to await trial, rather than everyone dying and only Iago remaining. While Iago ultimately thinkshe achieves his plan of taking down Othello, he is caught in the act before killing his wife as seen in *Othello.* Unfortunately during Shylock's trial, he pleads to the doge that what his evil plan was trying to achieve was for the good of the city of Venice. The council believes him until Pocket reveals that Othello is not dead after all. Pocket then has Iago sent to prison. While in prison, Nerissa sends him wine and bread, but after tasting the wine, Iago fatally discovers that it's not what it seems, and Viv is called upon to tear him to bits.Overall, Moore creates an identical Iago to Shakespeare’s, simply adding in a vulgar and straightforward side to Iago that shows his true colors on a more surfaced level and actually killing him off.

## Characterization

Iago is known for being very outspoken in his thoughts and tends to place his opinion into any conversation, whether wanted or not. To many, he seems to be an honest and loyal man, but the audience knows he is simply talented when it comes to misleading others. Iago fulfills these accusations through his soliloquies in both Othello and The Serpent of Venice. Frank Prentice Rand even believes that Iago’s soliloquies are the truth itself and portray to the audience, and eventually to other characters, who he truly is, a manipulative and vengeful man. Weston Babcock highlights this idea by describing how he exercises his new-found authority over him by ordering him around. This ability to manipulate those around him allows him to go through with his plot to take down Othello. Iago can also easily be characterized and a sexist and misogynistic man by his degrading comments towards women in both the play and the novel. He expresses his ill feelings towards his wife and other women by stating that women are not worth much more than for having children. Iago’s harsh view on women is one thing he is not shy about discussing or commenting on.

Moore essentially upholds Shakespeare’s original characterization of Iago, but slightly alters it in some ways. Iago seems to be very manipulative and uses his “honesty” and “kindness” to woo people in and use them for his plan. While Iago still uses people to further his plan, he does so in a way that is not as kind and welcoming. In *The Serpent of Venice,* Iago cusses out his fellow peers that are included in his plan and does not worry about being on anyone’s good side or being liked by everyone. Although Iago is still scheming throughout the whole novel, he is not the polished man that is liked by all.

## In *Othello*

Throughout Shakespeare’s play, Iago is presented as a loyal character but as a reader, his soliloquies show his true character. In one instance, when dealing with Rodrigo, he demonstrates his manipulative power when he says, “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse; for I mine own gained knowledge should profane if I would time expend with such a snipe but for my sport and profit” (Shakespeare 1.3.374-377). Iago repeatedly uses Rodrigo, and more specifically his money, as his main tool in his plot to take down Othello. His manipulative character convinces Rodrigo that he will get something out of this process when really; Iago is just using his money and his desire to marry Desdemona to further his plan. Although the audience understands this side of Iago, the other characters find him to be honest and honorable. When speaking directly with Othello he aims to convince him that he is loyal and has his best interest at heart. For example, when Iago warns Othello of Cassio and Desdemona’s relationship he tells Othello, “I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason to show the love and duty that I bear you with franker spirit” (Shakespeare 3.3.195-197). Statements such as these are what make Iago seem like the honest man he isn’t.  Other characters often describe Iago as ‘honest Iago’ and consider him trustworthy but the audience knows that Iago is obviously not what he appears to be and that it is all a mask he wears in order to get what he wants from others. Iago’s role in Othello characterizes him as manipulative and vengeful man, willing to use anyone to seek his ultimate goal of destroying Othello.

## Motivations

Iago’s reasoning for his harsh actions can be accredited to several things. One explanation is that he has an inferiority complex due to not being picked as Othello’s lead officer. Weston Babcock accredits this inferiority complex as a reaction to living a life with social inferiority in a rank-conscious society. Iago’s evil plot satisfies his desire of taking down Othello as well as removing Michael Cassio, the man who “took his position from him”. This plan is Iago’s way of controlling the destinies of those who have wronged him, or at least in his opinion wronged him. Secondly, Iago strives to destroy Othello because he believes he has had an affair with his wife, Emilia. He states in another soliloquy that he “[Hates] the Moor, and [that] it is thought abroad that ‘twixt [his] sheets has done [his] office” (Shakespeare 1.3.377-379). Whether the affair occurred or not, Iago considers this sufficient reason to seek revenge on Othello. Lastly, Iago makes it clear that he does not like Othello due to his race. He makes racial slurs about Othello behind his back to several other characters in the play. Iago tells Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona’s relationship by describing Othello as a “black ram tupping [Brabantio’s] white ewe” (Shakespeare 1.1.85-87).  He references Othello’s race so many times throughout the play that it is hard to ignore the possibility of race being a reason for his hatred towards Othello. With his anger towards Othello over not getting the rank he wanted, the possibility of an affair between Othello and his wife, and his racist tendency, it is clear as to why Iago is motivated to take down the Moor.

## Famous Adaptations of Iago

Othello (1995 flim) Kenneth Branagh as Iago

*O* (2001 film) Josh Hartnett as Hugo

Othello (2001 TV film) Christopher Eccleston as Ben Jago

*Otello* (Opera 1816) Giuseppe Ciccimarra as Jago

## Sources

Babcock, Weston. "Iago-- an Extraordinary Honest Man". *Shakespeare Quarterly.* 16.4 (1965): 297-301. Web

Bowman, Thomas D. "A Further Study in the Characterization and Motivation of Iago". *College English* 4.8 (1943): 460-469. Web.

Moore, Christopher. *The Serpent of Venice*. New York: Harper Collins, 2014. Print.

Rand, Frank Prentice. "The Over Garrulous Iago". *Shakespeare Quarterly.* 1.3 (1950): 155-161. Web.

Shakespeare, William. *Othello.* Ed. Edward Pechter. New York: Norton, 2006. Print.