In Shakespeare’s Othello, manipulation and jealousy are the two main themes. Shakespeare tells the story of Othello, an African military officer who is married to Desdemona, a white nobleman’s daughter. When appointing his second in command, he had to choose between Cassio and Iago. When he chose Cassio, Iago was infuriated and jealous, so he devised a plan to get Cassio removed from the position that Iago believed was rightfully his to hold. Cassio was a ladies man of sorts, and Iago knew that he was interested in Desdemona. Iago decides to manipulate Othello into believing that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio by creating situations, making sure Othello sees them take place, and using his words to put thoughts into Othello’s mind. Iago’s plan worked; however, he got greedy and went too far, causing death to multiple characters. There are many instances in the real world, too, where people are engulfed in jealousy and make irrational decisions because of it.
At the play's beginning, the audience is shown Iago's true character as he begins to develop and divulge his malicious intent toward the titular character Othello. Iago moves about characters as if they were chess pieces in his evil game of manipulation through false affairs. His adroit mind games played with characters swiftly diver from Roderigo serving Cassio another glass of wine upon Iago's convincing, to drawing Othello to idea that only by murdering his beloved Desdemona could he save himself and humankind from her deceitful life of being unfaithful. However, in each case Iago does not have to prod characters to do his bidding because his suggestions seem to be a sort of harmless resolution to each the woes at hand or even prey on character flaws that have been made evident through his game of deception. Since Iago deals out his mind games to the characters as if they were a game waiting to be played, he is to remain apathetic to the consequences presented due to his actions. He, himself, even promotes his sadistic lack of empathy by stating: "I am not what I am" . This manner allows his corrupt plan to fall into motion that will eventually lead to the wrongful death of the innocent Desdemona.
Iago takes advantage of not only the deep desire that Cassio endures in his heart to possess his old position of lieutenant, but also Desdemona's pure heart and demure demeanor in order to fabricate the illusion of Desdemona being in an adulteress affair with the virtuous Cassio. Cassio had lost his lieutenancy due to his alcoholism and a grueling brawl with Roderigo and Montano. The dejected Cassio succumbed to his fate as soon as Othello states, "I love thee, but nevermore be lieutenant of mine" Cassio then turns to Iago, a man that has portrayed himself as a proclaimed himself to be honest in his endeavors, who coincidentally happens to be on standby during the situation. Iago succeeds in cutting down Cassio into a shell of his former self; a state that renders him desperate and highly susceptible to Iago's persuasion. At first the deceitful Iago consoles Cassio by stating that, "Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving". This dialogue can be perceived as dark irony due to the knowledge that Iago has a standing prominence as an honest man although he deceives habitually, while Cassio is regarded as drunkard despite being Othello's dearest confidant. Iago ingeniously utilizes Cassio's low alcohol tolerance to bereave him of his position and then plants the seed of using Desdemona as his petitioner on the freshly influenceable Cassio. Therein lies Iago's specialty; he diminishes his chess pieces to an altered state where an ostensibly good-hearted gesture on his part coaxes characters to do his bidding, thus ridding him of having blood stained hands.
Iago's malicious guidance of Desdemona ensues through his use of Cassio. Iago exploits Desdemona's predisposition to aid those in need and uses this to his advantage toward gaining his darkest desire. Iago admits his manipulation of the pure of heart: "She shall undo her credit with the Moor. So will I turn her virtue into pitch and out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all" . Iago is a maniacal and sadistic personage whose quest is to misconstrue all that is wholesome and right in the world that surrounds him. Through his persuasion of the deeply pained Cassio, Iago rests assured that Cassio will petition Desdemona to his cause of obtaining his rightful position with her beloved Othello. Cassio implores Desdemona for her hand in aid and true to character she responds with, “Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do all my abilities in thy behalf”. Her good intentions allow for Iago’s malevolent strategy to fall into play. Iago uses their interaction as an extension to the ever-brewing plot developing in his brain. Iago’s seemingly insightful suggestions to Othello cause the Moor to perceive Desdemona’s desperate pleas for good friend’s stolen position, as a plea for her secret paramour. Iago manipulates Desdemona’s wholesome begging to be seen as those of an unfaithful wife bargaining on behalf of her lover. Iago also distorts the undying devotion Emilia undeservingly showers him with. The audience learns from his devotee at the play’s end that Iago had begged her for Desdemona’s handkerchief which broke the last straw as imminent evidence of infidelity. Iago’s manipulation of his wife is a saddening visage as she clearly sees his demonic plan and yet she plays her part of obedient wife. Iago exploits these women as ploys in his game through one’s devotion and the other’s pure kindness.
Finally, Iago’s most destructive manipulation of his chessmen over the duration of Othello, is his manipulation of the titular character himself. Othello’s self-consciousness about his race is the factor that which Iago uses to pull him into committing the final act of his heinous plan. In his rhetoric to the Duke, Othello portrays his love to be that which is pure and holy. His speech is plugged with religious jargon such as “pilgrimage” and “prayer” which convey his sanctity and love toward his union with his precious Desdemona. Yet, by the end of the tragedy Iago poisoned Othello’s soul by convincing him of the idea that: “She must die, else she’ll betray more men” Iago’s prodding and toying with Othello’s feeble emotions lead him to this depressive episode that will later draw him to take the life of the one he holds most dear. First, Iago uses Othello’s ethnicity to create doubt in his mind. Iago plays with the idea that Othello’s race has lead his beloved to find another, thus planting the first seed of doubt in the Moor’s mind. Also, Iago takes into account of Othello’s alienation from Venice to further deepen the well rising doubt weighing in Othello’s mind. Knowing of the insecurities residing in the mind of Othello, Iago begins to watch his deceit unfold perfectly before his very own eyes. As Othello’s mind weakens, the final seed that will put the demonic plan of Iago into play begins to bloom. Iago presents the title character with the “knowledge” he has of the Moor’s “unfaithful” spouse. Iago presents Othello with the prized handkerchief as circumstantial proof of the affair. With this sole shred of proof, the game is set so well that Othello does not see his piece beginning to move. Iago has bent Othello’s soul to his purpose: “O, blood, blood, blood” Due to his manipulation of Othello through his race, Iago has made Othello the perfect pawn in his imminently winning game.
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