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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help
Iago's motives have been the source of confusion for
centuries. He offers two reasons for hating Othello:
sexual jealousy (he suspects Cassio as well) and resentment
over Cassio's promotion. He is also clearly a racist, which
inflects his feelings about everything. The promotion
business comes out in conversation with Roderigo - and
so might be explained away as his attempt to offer his victim a
plausible reason for his hatred. He needs to convince
Roderigo both that he (Iago) hates Othello and that his
actions will be predictable. The sexual jealousy business -
which is weirder and less plausible - comes out in
soliloquy and so seems more "authentic."Posted by Cloten on March 31, 1997 at 09:07:15
In Reply to "Iago's insane!" posted by Alvin Sidwick on March 26, 1997 at 09:02:55
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 3.15.97: Top | Help