The Evil Iago of Shakespeares Othello Essay -- GCSE English Literatur

How sh in all I murder him, Iago?   This one line, spoken by Othello, in Shakespeares play of the same name speaks volumes of the evil and deceitful nature of the parting being spoken to, Iago. The ability to turn a noble, self controlled, respected man such as Othello into a raving, murderous lunatic can however be had by an evil man such as Iago. Iago is conniving, vengeful, vain, ruinous, dishonest, egotistical and paranoid. This makes him one of the most evil men in all of literature.   The first of some(prenominal) examples of Iagos villainy occurs in scene one of act one. His vain ego has been hurt. Othello has chosen a bookish theoric to be his lieutenant instead of Iago. Iago has this to say of Othellos plectrum   Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost dammed in a fair wife, That never set a squadron in the knit stitch Nor the division of a battle knows More than a spinster--unless the bookish theoric, Wherein t he togaed consuls can propose As masterly as he. Mere prattle without practice Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had th election And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds Christianed and heathen, mustiness be beleed and calmed By debitor and creditor. This countercaster, He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, And I--God bless the mark--his Moorships ancient.   This position is one Iago expected, not only because of his seniority in battle, but also because of his seniority with Othello himself.   Iago clearly shows his vengefulness when he tells Roderigo Call up her father.Rouse him, make after him, poison his delight...&n... ...bolical plan. He has traded wife for wife as Othello has smothered, albeit regretfully, Desdemona. When discovered by Emilia, Othello confesses, saying it was Iago that persuaded him to murder her. Emilia tells Othello excessively late of the lies told by her husband and she dies at the hands of Ia go for her confession. Iagos lies have come to a crescendo and Othello realizes he has been deceived. Othello then commits suicide and we find, in this case, in beau monde for love to conquer all, evil must triumph. As is the case oftentimes in real life, there is no happy ending.   Iago is, for the literary world, evil incarnate. He lies and deceives with half-truths, to achieve his revenge, causing distrust and ultimately murder and suicide. This makes Iago one of the most evil, but most memorable characters, if not in all of literature, at least in all of Shakespeare.