Term Papers on Iagos Motivation

Term Paper Title	Iagos Motivation
# of Words	1215
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.86

Iago's Motivation

     Iago is a "moral pyromaniac."  Harold C. Goddard writes that Iago
consciously and unconsciously seeks to destroy the lives of others, especially
others with high moral standards (Goddard 76).  However, Iago is more than just
a "moral pyromaniac," he is a moral pyromaniac whose fire is fueled by pure
hatred.  He is a hungry powermonger whose appetite for destruction can only be
satisfied after he has chewed up and spat out the lives of others.  Iago lusts
for power, but his sense of power is attained by manipulating and annihilating
others in a cruel and unusual way.  Iago prepares and ignites his victims and
then watches, with an excitable evil in his eye, as his human pyres go up in
flames.
     Iago undeniably has an unquenchable thirst for power and domination.
Critics such as M. R. Ridley believe that the ability to hurt is the most
convincing display of one's power  (Ridley lxi).  Iago has a deep, inbred desire
to cause and view intolerable suffering.  The power of Iago is exercised when he
prepares and then implements an evil plan designed to inflict man with the most
extreme amounts of anguish possible.  Iago controls the play, he brilliantly
determines how each character shall act and react.  He is a pressing advocate of
evil, a pernicious escort, steering good people toward their own vulgar
destruction.
     Iago must first make careful preparations in order to make certain his fire
of human destruction will burn with fury and rage.  He douses his victims with a
false sense of honesty and goodness.  And, as do most skillful pyromaniacs, Iago
first prepares his most important target, Othello:

          Though in the trade of war I have slain men, \  Yet do I hold it very
          stuff o'th' conscience  To do no contrived murder. I lack the iniquity.

          . .\  I had thought t'have yerked him under the ribs\ . . .\ . . .he
prated\
          And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms\  Against your Honor  (I,
          ii 1-10).

These sentences are obvious lies (to the reader), but they are crucial to the
saboteur because they present Iago to Othello as a brave, loyal, and moral
person.  Iago indirectly and cleverly portrays himself as a man ready to fight
and brave enough to kill; yet, he also wants Othello to believe that he would
not kill without just reason.  Iago pretends to be so loyal as to be tempted to
kill any slanderer of Othello.  It is evident that Othello has complete faith in
Iago's claims as he states "thou'rt full of love and honesty" and "O brave Iago,
honest and just"  (III, iii 136\IV, i 34).  Iago douses more dishonesty onto
other characters such as Cassio who trusts Iago: "You advise me well\. . .\
Goodnight, honest Iago," and Desdemona who calls Iago "an honest fellow" (II,
iii 346\355\5).  Iago's deceitfulness is best epitomized by his ability to
continually dupe Roderigo into serving his own insidious desires.  Iago, always
the careful pyromaniac, successfully pours his fuel of deceptiveness onto the
victims before he lights his match.
     Once his victims are cloaked in misconception and dripping with innocence,
Iago can ignite his scrupulously prepared fire.  His evil creation is ready to
burst into flames, "it is engendered. Hell and night\. . .bring this monstrous
birth to the world's light"  (I, iii 446-447).  Iago is the ultimate opportunist,
he knows exactly where and when to strike.  He is fully aware that he can most
malignantly destroy Cassio through dishonor, Othello through jealousy, Roderigo
through naiveté, and Desdemona through purity. Iago is able to intoxicate Cassio,
who has "very poor and unhappy brains for drinking," and, thus, dishonor him
(II, iii 34).  Iago pretends to be Cassio's good-old-drinking-buddy, but
actually intends to embarrass him.  Iago, the pyromaniac...

This is ONLY a preview of the article. If you would like to view the entire document, you must subscribe to Digital Term Papers. Please register below now!

Digital Term Papers has over 63,000 essays, term papers, and book notes online. Many paper sites will charge you hundreds of dollars for a single paper. Digital Term Papers only charges $14.95 for a one month membership with instant account activation!

Don't waste anymore time! Join NOW!!!

1 Month (automatic renewal) ($14.95)

3 Months (automatic renewal) ($29.95)

6 Months (one-time billing) ($39.95)

Pay by: