An In-Depth Analysis of the Characters of Othello and Iago

Othello: An In-depth Analysis of the Characters of Othello and Iago
Othello and Iago
According to play critiques, the relationship between Othello and Iago is actually the most important part of the play. It is even more essential than that of the relationship of Othello and Desdemona. The reason is that Iago somewhat fuels up the character of Othello. They are totally complementary to each other, yet in some ways completely opposite. To be able to compare and contrast their characters and show their similarities and differences, each of them should be described first.
Othello
Shakespeare justified the character of Othello as the best and perfect combination of greatness and weakness. As described in the play, he was an “honourable murderer.” A foreigner from Africa, he rendered his service to the Venetian defense forces and later became a general because of his dedication and excellence. Since he is from Africa, Othello, clearly, is a black face in a sea of white people. That is why he was repetitively called as the “Moor” of Venice, which literally means an “African Representative.” Most play critiques would say that this concept of Othello being black in a crowd where everybody is white symbolizes racism, especially that the characters in the play treated him as somewhat different – because he was indeed different. He was great and honourable. It was actually only Desdemona who saw him as one exceptional individual. Even Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, who was very fond of Othello in the first scene delivered lines of racism when Iago tells him that Desdemona eloped with Othello,
“BRABANTIO
She, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,
To fall in love with what she feared to look on!
It is a judgment maimed and most imperfect
That will confess perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature, (1.3.114-119)”
Brabantio speaks here that to be black and to fall in love with a black is a sin and against the law of nature. However, Shakespeareans maintain that his being black is not a symbol of racism; rather, it is a symbol of the Elizabethan morality in terms of the concept of colour: that black is wickedness while white is honour; and, black is guilt while white is innocence. Shakespeareans maintain that Othello’s being black is a representation of the colour itself and not the race (Othello, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).
Iago
While Othello is the symbol of the combination of greatness and weakness, Iago was presented by Shakespeare as a “collection of unsolvable puzzles.” His claim is that he is an honest and plain man, yet he is a critically manipulative lying companion. In plain English, he is regarded as a friend who stabs another in the back each and every time he has the chance. As quoted below, these lines would prove such:
“IAGO
Call up her father,
Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight,
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
Plague him with flies. Though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on 't
As it may lose some color. (1.1.74-80)
What is exceptionally beautiful, though, with Iago’s character is that Shakespeare turned him into a loved villain. No matter how unlovable and hateable his character is, one would still love the way his character was established. Most critiques even regard him as one of the best characters Shakespeare has ever created. For them, Iago is the perfect equivalent of the Devil in the Bible because of his love for evil, hatred, manipulation, and deception (Othello, Houghton Mifflin Court).
Comparing Iago and Othello
Now that both of the characters have been described, it would be just as appropriate to compare both and bring out their similarities and differences in order to understand the play better. As stated earlier, their relationship is the most important part of the play and that one complements the other.
The first similarity that can be derived from the characters of both is that maybe because they were part of the military. They were both members of the Venetian army and has spent almost all of their entire lives as soldiers. Thus, both of them may be considered as the epitome of bravery and strength. Othello was regarded as a military hero and showed greatness in conquering his battles whereas Iago also excelled in his own battlefields.
Another similarity is that since both of them were soldiers and members of the army, they were not part of the upper Venetian class. Because of this, they share the same sentiments when it comes to feeling inferior. One feels that he is an outsider because of his colour while the other one feels that he does not belong to a world full of rich people. They were both members of the mass – the simple ones; those who needed not to flaunt their wealth.
Since they were both non-members of the upper class, Othello and Iago were both haunted by their insecurities. Othello was insecure about his colour, his age, and his manners. He was a black man in a sea of white faces and presumed to be a lot older than his wife, Desdemona. Because of that, he lacked the confidence to be much more sophisticated. He was afraid that whatever he wi...