Shakespeare’s Iago is one of the best examples of a villain to this day. Such a villain would distract from the impact of the play. Shakespeare added depth to his villain making him Amoral, as opposed to the typical immoral villain. Iago’s entire scheme begins when the “ignorant, ill-suited” Cassio is given the position Iago wanted. Iago is consumed with envy and plots to steal the Position he feels he most deserves. Iago deceives, steals, and Kills to gain that position. However, it is not that Iago pushes aside his conscience to commit these acts, but that he lacks a conscience to Begin with.
Iago’s amorality can be seen throughout the play and is shown by his actions. For Iago to constantly lie and deceive his wife and Friends, he must be extremely evil…or amoral. In every scene where Iago speaks you can point out his deceptive manner. Iago tricks Othello into believing that his own wife is having an affair, without any proof. Othello is so caught up In Iago’s lies that he refuses to believe Desdemona when she denies the whole thing. Credit must be given to Iago’s diabolical power, which enables him to twist the minds of his Friends and wife.
In today’s time Iago would be called a Psychopath without a conscience. Iago also manages to steal from his own friend without the Slightest feeling of guilt. He screws with the money that Roderigo gave him to win over Desdemona. When Roderigo discovers that Iago has been hoarding his money he screams at Iago and threatens him. However, when Iago tells him some imaginary plot in order to capture Desdemona’s Heart, Roderigo forgets Iago’s theft and agrees to kill Cassio. Iago’s intellect is what interests the reader most.
His ability to say the right things at the right time is what makes him such a successful Villain. However, someone with a conscience would never be able to Keep up such a plan and deceive everyone around him. This is why it is Necessary to say that Iago is amoral, because if you don’t his Character becomes fictional and hard to believe. At the ending of the play, Iago’s plot is given away to Othello by his own wife, Emilia. Iago sees his wife as an obstacle so he kills her. He kills her not as much out of anger but for pragmatic reasons. Emilia is a brick wall in front of his Path.
She serves no purpose to him anymore and she can now only hurt His chances of keeping the position he has been given by Othello. Iago’s merciless taking of Emilia’s and Roderigo’s lives is another proof of his amorality. If you look in modern day cinema, you will see the typical villain, evil to the core. Shakespeare took his villains to a higher level. He did not make them transparent like the villains of modern cinema. He gave his villains depth and spirit. Iago is a perfect example of “the perfect villain. ” His amorality gives, what would be a very dull character, life.
