The Portrayal of Iago
Humorist
Evil
Superior
E.A.J Honigmann, 'introduction' Othello 2001
'The character of Iago is so conducted that he is from the first scene to the last hated and despised' - DR Johnson, poet, essayist and moralist (1709-84
'Burning hatred and burning tears'
Dramatic perspective allows the audiences to see the villains accomplices; watching his evil plot unfolding from his point of view
reactions fluctuate on Iago, with moments in the play resulting in moments of sympathy
plays the chief humorist
W.H. Auden - 'the joker in the pack' , 'a practical joker of a peculiarly appalling kind
His humour blinds the audience from his sadism
his humour either intends to inflict pain or allows him to feel superior
'Well happiness to their sheets (2.3.26' - Iago deliberately corrupts Cassio's image of Desdemona
Iago enjoys a godlike sense of power
Act 2.1.100-60 Iago is at his most playful, with the impression that he is simply only joking about the role of women, being overshadowd by the awareness that he dislikes the companions he is with
dramtic perspective compels use to see with his eyes, and to share his jokes
his humour makes him seem cleverer than his victimes
clever?
Honigmann disagrees with Harold Goddard's perspective that Iago contains 'he highest intellectual gifts'
Iago excels in short term tactics, not in long term strategy
the thought that his wife would betray him never crossed his mind
despite cleverness; neither felt nor understood emotional and spiritual impulses that ordinary humans had
Iago is evil
Iago is wity
Iago is clever?