Just random idle query, what are your thoughts!?
(and why does that annoying little box come up Mmmm looks like too much punctuation here!!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Position:Home>Books & Authors> Is Iago the most evil of Sakespeare`s characters?Question: Is Iago the most evil of Sakespeare`s characters!? Just random idle query, what are your thoughts!?
(and why does that annoying little box come up Mmmm looks like too much punctuation here!!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Iago is, or wants to be, the puppet master!. He offers various excuses for his behaviour!.!.that Othello passed him over in favour of Casio, that he believes his wife has had an affair with Othello and so on, but in fact he has been promoted and does not seem entirely convinced of his wife's infidelity himself!.!.these are just excuses, not reasons!. He is evil, probably the most evil of Shakespears characters because he manipulates and torments those who trust and rely upon him not for any actual gain!.!.which would be bad enough!.!.but simply because he can do it and because he hates anyone he thinks is better off or happier than himself!. He makes Othello into a murderer without any consideration for Desdemona, whose personal innocence he is entirely convinced of, simply because he wants to bring the man down!. On the other hand he wants to bring Othello down through the people the Moor loves most dearly' which is simple jealousy!. not over his own wife but over Othello himself, it is Othello's affection and trust he wants to monopolise and if he can not then he is going to destroy their value for everyone else!. The motive is either jealousy or envy, but in either case it is secondary to the self-glorification of being able to make people think what he want them to think and act as he wants no matter how much it may be to their own detriment!.Www@QuestionHome@Com What makes Iago so skin-creepingly horrible is the fact that he doesn't intend to gain from his evil deeds!. The other proposed villains (Claudius, Macbeth etc) are all motivated by greed for wealth or position!. Iago alone acts purely out of hatred - destroys a man and a woman simply because he hates Othello!. On the other hand, he is Shakespeare's purest avatar of cruel fate or even justice - Iago's malice punishes Othello for his own character weaknesses - had he been less insecure or gullible, Iago would have had nothing to work with!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Iago is ambitious and manipulative!. But so is Edgar (Lear)!. Claudious (Hamlet) kills his brother so he can get the crown and then tries to kill his nephew (both in cowardly ways)!. MacBeth!.!. well there is blood on thier hands (pun intended)Www@QuestionHome@Com Possibly!. Have you read Titus Andronicus!? There are some pretty evil characters in that play ( I can't remember the name of the general) but Iago was sly and crafty too!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |