Coleridge’s criticism of Shakespeare’s Othello implies that Iago is propelled by a lack of motives, an idea which Coleridge finds difficult to accept. Nonetheless, Coleridge admits that Iago is constantly searching for reasons to justify his atrocious deeds.
The author disagrees with the notion that there are no clear motives in the play. While these motives may sometimes be weak, jealousy towards the moor stands out as the most significant. Coleridge argues that Iago lacks passion, but we can see evidence to the contrary when he takes pleasure in destroying others, stating it’s “for my sport and profit”.
According to Coleridge’s suggestion, Iago experiences the same weaknesses that he accuses other characters of having. Jealousy is one of those weaknesses that Iago suffers from. Although he may have lost sight of it towards the end, it was initially the motivation behind his actions. The catalyst for his deeds was Cassio being promoted to the Lieutenancy, surpassing him.
Cassio is the sole character, besides Othello, whom Iago has a motive to destroy. Despite being entangled in Iago’s plots, Cassio manages to survive until the end of the play. Iago’s primary goal was to ruin both Cassio and Othello, but ironically, his schemes lead to Cassio becoming the governor of Cyprus after the truth is revealed. Additionally, Iago appears to have faith in lust rather than love.
He believes that Desdemona and Othello’s marriage would have ended naturally because he assumes that their desire for each other would eventually fade. Shakespeare, however, makes it clear that Othello and Desdemona are truly in love, not just satisfying their physical instincts. In Act 1 Scene 3, Desdemona expresses the depth of her love for Othello, saying, “That I did love the moor to live with him..”
Despite my love for him, I am deprived of the rituals of our love and will have to endure a challenging time apart. “I want to go with him,” he expressed, despite suspecting Othello of being intimate with his wife. His jealousy does not originate from love but from the conviction that she is his possession.
He keeps this information to himself because he feels ashamed and humiliated by her betrayal. His motive for doing so may be to maintain an additional reason, or because he believes all women are driven solely by their desires. It is an illustration of his misogynistic views. However, Iago contradicts himself when he declares his love for Desdemona in one of his soliloquies.
However, he only mentions this once and it is possible that this is simply Iago looking for a reason, as Coleridge suggests. He might even love her in order to “feed his revenge”. When studying Othello, it is significant to remember that the setting of Venice evoked particular images for the contemporary audiences. During that time, Venice was famous for its progressive policies.
The phenomenon of adultery, known as the “liberty of Venice”, was prevalent even among respectable women, hence provoking fits of jealousy in their husbands. In light of this, it is evident that Iago’s jealousy towards Emilia aligns with the behavior commonly displayed by husbands in Venice. Furthermore, Othello’s refusal to succumb to jealousy until provoked can be seen as unusual, considering the pervasive climate of jealousy that permeates his society.
Another reason for Iago’s envy is Othello’s status. Iago is determined to improve his social standing and is dissatisfied with his current position. In Shakespearian times, social mobility was nearly impossible as the class one was born into determined their lifelong status. However, Othello appears to have defied this norm due to his military abilities.
Despite not having a family, Othello is still highly respected in Venice. Yet, his lack of background is constantly used against him by characters such as Brabantio and Roderigo. After Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, Brabantio accuses her of being “corrupted by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks.” This accusation stems from Brabantio’s assumption that Othello’s different background must mean he practices witchcraft.
Iago’s primary goal is to acquire control over individuals who hold a higher social status than him. His animosity towards Othello and Cassio arises from their elevated social class in comparison to his, leading him to seek retribution. It is crucial to acknowledge that Iago possesses both external and internal motivations. The external motives are shared with Roderigo, whereas the internal motives are disclosed through his soliloquies wherein he directly addresses the audience.
By means of his soliloquies, we gain insight into Iago’s true character or at least how he views himself. During these moments alone, he formulates his future actions, suggesting that he did not have a preplanned strategy initially but instead takes advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. This is apparent in phrases such as “let me see now” and “how, how”. Therefore, it is primarily within his soliloquies that Iago reveals the majority of his motivations.
The speaker acknowledges their desire to deceive a specific group and personally addresses the audience to involve them in their schemes. Their soliloquies typically follow their actions, as they continuously seek to rationalize their motives.
Coleridge proposed that Iago’s motivations for his actions arose from a desire to overcome a mental obstacle. Although Iago is incredibly smart, he underestimates his wife and her intellect. Regrettably for him, she eventually uncovers his schemes when it is already too late, effectively exposing his true character. Importantly, Iago’s triumph is frequently attributed to chance rather than his intelligence.
The accidental discovery of the handkerchief exemplifies Iago’s good fortune. If this had not occurred, it would have been challenging for Iago to prove Desdemona’s infidelity. Additionally, Iago’s timing is impeccable, enabling him to exploit different circumstances to his benefit. In Act 4 Scene 1, he manipulates the conversation with Cassio so that Othello, who is observing, mistakenly believes they are discussing Desdemona when they are actually referring to Bianca.
This shows the high skill with which Iago manipulates people and how clever he is. If it were not for Othello’s high opinion of him, Iago could have been exposed. Throughout the play, Othello often calls him “Honest Iago,” as do many other characters. It is Othello’s unquestioning trust in Iago that prevents him from thinking logically – to the point where he even doubts his own wife’s faithfulness based on Iago’s words.
Iago shows impressive skill in gaining others’ trust without raising any doubts. It is possible that Othello, after witnessing Desdemona deceive her father and marry him secretly, may have had reasons to doubt her. Coleridge suggests that Iago’s betrayal was motivated solely by his desire for amusement rather than financial profit. However, Iago’s frequent use of the phrase “put money in thy purse” appears to contradict this notion.
Although his main motivation may be greed and a desire for money, it is possible that he also views it as an opportunity to enhance his social status. It appears that money is not the primary driving force for him but rather an extra incentive. Initially, he intends to exploit Roderigo’s wealth by manipulating him into believing he can win Desdemona’s love. This plan predates his ultimate choice to ruin Othello.
According to Coleridge, Iago’s constant consideration of money indicates its continuous presence in his thoughts. Additionally, Coleridge argues that Othello’s race is not definitively described as black, despite being frequently referred to as “the moor.”
The author suggests that Roderigo incorrectly assumes that the term “moor” pertains to Othello’s race. This misconception hints at the notion that Othello’s race alone is not a sufficient motive for Iago. It is plausible that Othello hails from a distinct background compared to the other characters, which causes them to approach him cautiously. The accusation made by Brabantio, claiming that Othello seduced Desdemona through witchcraft, implies that the characters are primarily unaware of other cultures rather than overtly racist.
However, when we examine scenes like Act one scene one, where Roderigo informs Brabantio that his daughter is “covered with the Barbary horse,” we might infer that Othello is of African descent. Othello himself also acknowledges his race in Act 3 Scene 3, questioning if he is worthy of Desdemona, “Perhaps because I am black.” Various interpretations of the play can present Othello as either black or white. Racism was not a concern during the Elizabethan era.
It is evident that Iago may have been oblivious to his own racism, therefore not considering it as one of his leading motives. The regular comments he makes about Othello’s race and background, such as “an old black ram is tupping your white ewe”, indicate his prejudice against him. Iago exploits Othello’s insecurities about his own race by suggesting that Desdemona would prefer someone “Of her own clime, complexion and degree”. This suggests that Iago himself may have reservations about collaborating with Othello.
Othello could symbolize the unfamiliar as he originated from a region that was seen as foreign during that era. Consequently, Iago might have exploited this fear of the unknown when targeting Othello. It is possible that Iago believed by manipulating and destroying Othello, he could triumph over his own personal fears. During that time, blackness was often associated with wickedness, so it was deemed quite controversial to have a virtuous black protagonist like Othello.
Although Shakespeare’s decision to include a black character in Othello may have been deliberate, it is likely that he wanted to challenge the prevailing attitudes towards black people during the Elizabethan era. Additionally, this choice could have provided Iago with an additional motive. While Iago does have a reason for his desire to destroy Othello, his actions also harm innocent characters such as Desdemona, Bianca, and Roderigo. It is possible that Iago chooses to harm these characters as a means of indirectly hurting Othello. By ruining Desdemona, Iago is able to have a negative impact on Othello, viewing her not as an individual but merely as a tool to seek revenge on him.
Iago treats all other characters in his game as pawns, exploiting and then discarding them. Although this may not necessarily prove “motiveless malignity,” it does display his readiness to harm others in order to achieve his ultimate goal of hurting Othello. Another potential explanation for this behavior could be Iago’s love for Desdemona, which he admits during one of his soliloquies, and his conviction that she should be punished for not returning his affection.
Although Iago seemingly despises women and denies the existence of love, there is uncertainty regarding his genuine emotions towards Desdemona. This uncertainty arises from his malevolent intentions to utterly ruin innocent individuals. His evil nature becomes even more evident when he encourages Othello to strangle Desdemona rather than ending her life in a more merciful manner. He manipulates the circumstances because he aims to ensure that Othello cannot bear the burden of guilt for his actions.
It is possible that Iago’s motives were not initially evident, but he may have desired to instill fear in Desdemona before her death. This intention would not have been fulfilled if Othello had carried out his initial plan of poisoning her. It appears that Iago’s motivations were self-generated and unaffected by external factors.
His jealousy stems from suspicion and ignorance rather than factual evidence.
