Shakespe be is universally revered for his characterization of flawed and psychologically insecure protagonists. small town is a crazed, murdering prince, Lear is narcissistic, senile, and a verbally abusive father, and Macbeth is a murderous traitor to his king and country. These unfavorable and evil attri besideses litigate Shakespeare?s main characters by presenting them as realistically indite men, and there always seems a degree, however small, of sympathy associated with their single downfalls and tragedies. Othello, however, is an anomaly.
While he is flawed by his paranoia and pride, Othello is solitary(prenominal) rickety and destructive after intricate deception. Indeed, he seems maddeningly perfect to his adversaries. regular(a) Othello?s greatest enemy, Iago, confesses in act I, scene i, ?Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago,? or quite a, he would not unavoidableness to be Iago if he could be a while like Othello. The Moor com manhoodder is constantly obligingnessed by Venetian senators, soldiers, and ladies alike, change surface after murdering his wife and payting self-destruction. This level of respect helps Othello become a tragic character indeed, still not a typical Shakespearian tragic protagonist.
Protagonists are not necessarily the fighter aircraftic or inherently in effect(p) characters in a antic?s plot. Rather, a protagonist is the headliner character, propelling and leading the plot?s progression. In Shakespeare?s tragedies, the protagonist often gives epitaphs or soliloquies when on-stage alone, and makes lasting changes on different characters. With these attri merelyes, the consumeer protagonist in Othello is the villainous Iago.
Iago is clearly a sociopath, as he unscrupulously betrays his commander Othello, his wife Emilia, and his friend and patsy, Roderigo. This does not detract from his responsibilities of the plot?s progression, however. Without Iago?s diabolical persuasion, Roderigo would not have been present in Cyprus to help frame and insult Cassio. Likewise, Othello would not have grown paranoid and murdered Desdemona without around-the-clock prompt by Iago?s advice. In the final scene, Othello even cites Iago?s word as his reason for murder to Emilia, rather than citing the physical evidence of the handkerchief, ?Cassio did top her, ask thy economise else?Thy husband knew it all.? The tragedy, and the general development of the find, comes solely from Iago?s motivations and actions, evil as they whitethorn be.
Iago is also the character who gives soliloquies to the audience, mapping the progression of the command and of his ill deeds, as if he were the narrator. These soliloquies utter the audience the informal workings of Iago?s twisted mind, and not Othello?s. In work out II, Scene i, the soliloquy tell ons that Iago is not merely an evil man, but possibly a good man who has become amuck insane with jealousy. He decides, ?That Cassio loves her (Desdemona), I do well deal t. That she loves him, tis apt and of great credit,? which marks Iago as crazy teeming to believe his own lies. His insanity could also be explained overdue to the extensive war record that he claims in deport I, Scene i. If his experiences in battle were as explicit as he claims, then his psychosis may be a outgrowth of post-traumatic stress. While Othello?s past and present are middling mythical and mysterious, an audience gets to delve into Iago?s, making him the principal character.
His discernible madness presents some sympathy for Iago, as well. It is al most(prenominal) nem con believed that Othello had neer bedded Iago?s wife, Emilia, but that is not germane(predicate). What is relevant is that Iago believes that Othello has cuckolded him. After all, Hamlet had no proof that Claudius killed his father, and mevery compete that Hamlet?s insanity invented the ghost that told him of the murder. Why would Hamlet?s revenge be considered more valid than Iago?s? An opposite sympathetic aspect of Iago stems from Cassio?s promotion. As previously stated, Iago claims an impressive battle record, ?At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds Christian and heathen,? and he was rejected for promotion in favor of Cassio, who allegedly ?? neer place a squadron in the field, nor the division of a battle knows more than a spinster.? This serial publication of events would be seen as injustice by any man in Iago?s position. These motivations for Iago?s villainy are the first off plot points that are revealed in Othello, and cast Iago as a victim before anyone else. While Othello is respected and loved, and Cassio is trusted, Iago is only presumptuousness the lowly position of ?his Moorship?s ancient,? or flag-bearer.
An obvious defence reaction of Iago as the protagonist stems from the most obvious of places: with the other examples of Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth are all named for the protagonists that give insightful monologues that reveal their inner turmoil. If Shakespeare had intended Iago as the principal character, why is the coquette entitled Othello?A possible explanation is Iago?s constitution of robbery. Anytime he refers to Roderigo in his soliloquies, Iago dismisses the Venitian as an idiot from whom he evict extort money, proclaiming, ?For I mine own gained knowledge should appal if I would time expend with such a rape but for my sport and profit.? Desdemona?s handkerchief is stolen by Emilia, but be stir ?My wayward husband hath a hundred times wooed me to err it.? Even Cassio?s rank of lieutenant is taken and presented to Iago in Act III due to his treachery. Eventually, Iago commits the supreme theft of lifespan by killing defenseless Roderigo, and then his own wife. Shakespeare may have entitled the play The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice to show that the tragedy belongs to Othello, even though the control of the play is stolen by Iago.
If Iago is considered the protagonist of Othello, then which character would be considered the antagonist? Clearly, Othello himself would be the primary candidate, but Cassio would also serve as a suitable antagonist to Iago. While the general is responsible for promoting Cassio and ignoring Iago?s bid for lieutenant, Cassio himself is the actual obstacle to Iago?s resolution. Both are preyed upon and fall victim to Iago?s devices, as well.
It however becomes clear that Iago?s antagonist is Othello, because an important aspect of the position is to cause some fundamental change in the protagonist. Cassio obstructs Iago in his goals, no doubt, but Othello evokes the sinister nature of Iago?s revenge and drives him to commit terrible acts. Every time Iago speaks of Othello, he repeats, ?I shun the Moor,? in every act. This repetition is like a mantra for Iago, as if to convince himself habitually that Othello is his enemy, and to justify his actions. If Cassio was the antagonist, Iago would certainly have mentioned hating him as well.
The changes in Iago are clearly Othello?s doing, as well.
Iago was, presumably, a good and decent soldier in Othello?s regular army before the beginning of the play. Otherwise he would have been dismissed, as Cassio was for a drunken misunderstanding. Othello?s lasts as the general, including promotion of Cassio, may have given some disease to Iago?s good nature. While this change is speculation, there is another alteration to Iago with the course of the play. From the very beginning, Iago speaks at great length close his hatred, his revenge, and his brilliantly orchestrated scheme. This never ends, even when killing Roderigo, but eventually Iago sees his plan played out in luxuriant with the shoemakers lasts of Othello, Desdemona, and even Emilia. His final speech reveals a change in his behavior. He states, ?Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word.? That is his last dialogue in the play. This is a complete reversal of Iago?s character. The events of the play have brought him the decision to never speak again, which violates his very nature to talk and discharge insults and weave great webs of deception.
On the subject of the remainder of Othello, a notable difference in Shakespeare?s style is present. If Iago is in fact the protagonist, why is his death not the resolution of the play? Hamlet?s death marked the end of the salvage up, as did Lear?s and Macbeth?s. Also, these tragic protagonists always died on-stage or were specifically pictured in death. Why is Iago instead carried off after macrocosm granted the final word on his fate?In keeping with Iago?s unorthodox tenure as protagonist, the conclusion is more subtle and implied. Iago will obviously not red-hot long with the crimes on his head, but Shakespeare decides instead to show his ?death? as the demise of his silver tongue. As previously referenced, Iago decides to never again speak, an odd topic for a man so skilled at verbal persuasion. Almost a suicide as profound as Othello?s or Oedipus, Iago cuts his only somewhat admirable trait from society and withdraws inward.
In any conflict, the positions of hero and villain can only be set when a certain point of view is prescribed to the conflict. In fact, many truths that society clings to are based on individualistic points of view, and Othello is a play that is based, in large part, on Iago?s perceptions and motivations. Though there is little sympathy made for him, and his correspondence as the diabolical villain is cemented in place, empathy can be achieved for Iago if his viewpoint is thoroughly explored, as it is. On top of that, the positions of hero and villain are irrelevant in the face of who presents the story to a reader or audience, as the protagonist. That is Iago.
With any idea about Shakespeare?s plays, no matter how convoluted or over-reaching, it is probable that Shakespeare crafted the idea first. This is easy to believe with regards to Iago as the protagonist, because there is such rich detail surrounding him, and most of the play is devoted to his twisted mind. It cannot be an accident that he is the most detailed and human character in Othello. Shakespeare did not write such accidents.
WORKS CITEDShakespeare, William. Othello. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974. Print
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