Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Greatest Villain ?

Othello
William Shakespeare

How great of a villain is Iago? "Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore,/ Be sure of it, give me the ocular proof." (III.iii.360-361) I quoted this line because Iago is actually called a villain, but I do not believe that because he does not have proof of Cassio and Desdemona sleeping together he is a villain. Iago is the most extreme example of a two-faced person possible. I found it ironic when Othello and Iago were talking of how people should be what they appear to be. This is because Iago is nothing like what he appears to be to other people. I still have not been sold on the greatest villain thing, but maybe it'll all come together in the last two acts. I do not deny Iago ability to manipulate people to basically agree or do whatever he says. His ability to manipulate has made everything fall perfectly into his lap. I guess if no one ever decides to go against Iago, then he's this mass-manipulator-scary right? I mean I guess it could be. Like I said I haven't bought into the idea yet, but we will see how/if the last two scenes change my perceptive on the evilness of Iago.

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