Is Iago Possessed? - Theorizing about the Villain's Motivations

Our discussion about Iago's motivations has stuck with me. I know we don't like to talk about him so much since he's such a douche, but it's nearly impossible to think about Othello without also mentioning the villain and questioning his reasoning. I've read through the play in its entirety twice now, and I made sure to look closely for hints as to why Iago is as evil as he is. As a result of my "investigation," I've come up with a few theories about what Shakespeare may have had in mind when he wrote Othello:

Theory 1: Iago is a REPRESENTATION of demonic evil/the Devil.

Theory 2: Iago IS a demon or the Devil.

Theory 3: Iago is POSSESSED by a demon or the Devil.

We've talked about the ways Iago tries to justify his actions (Othello promoted Cassio over him, Othello may have slept with his wife, he wants to sleep with Desdemona), but none of these seem to suffice as reasons for such evil acts. I posit, therefore, that Shakespeare had something a little more sinister and supernatural in mind when he was concocting Iago's character. Obviously our guy is pretty familiar with writing plays with supernatural elements, so I don't think the presence of a demon (or, at least, an allusion to one) is too far of a stretch. Additionally, all of these theories attempts to work around Iago's flimsy motivations.

Theory 1 is simple: Shakespeare wanted to write a character that represented something many people feared at the time - the Devil - as a warning, perhaps, of how dangerous demonic forces can be and what to watch out for. This theory makes sense to me because there aren't any other supernatural elements in Othello, so the presence of a demonic force may seem unrealistic given the context. Nevertheless, Iago is probably the most dishonest and manipulative character I've ever encountered, making him the most like Satan. In the Bible, Jesus describes Satan in this way: "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44b, NIV). It sounds to me like the Devil and Iago would get along. Othello clearly makes this connection, too; when he finds out what Iago has done, Othello says: "I look down towards his feet, but that's a fable" (5.2.279). According to the footnote in the Norton, Othello is referencing the cloven feet commonly thought to belong to the Devil. Also, if Iago is supposed to simply be Shakespeare's representation of the Devil, his motivations are just to be evil, nothing more. The reasons he offers would simply be an attempt at misdirection, Shakespeare's clue that the Devil can lie to us even in the form of a character in a play.

There are, however, a few hints that Theory 1 may not explain the whole picture. The lines that follow Othello's comment about cloven feet might hint that Iago is more than an allusion to Satan:

OTHELLO: If thou beest a devil, I cannot kill thee.

[He stabs IAGO.]

...

IAGO: I bleed, sir, but not killed (5.2.280-1). 

These lines seem to support Theory 2 - that Iago actually is some sort of immortal, demonic being. As I've pointed out, he has the characteristics of the Devil, and now he seems he has the Devil's power as well. This may also explain how he's capable manipulating every character in the play. Iago always knows just what to say to make people do what he wants them to do; I don't know about you guys, but that sounds pretty supernatural to me. The same point about Iago's motivations that support Theory 1 also support Theory 2: the Devil only seeks to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10).

Of course, it could be the case of Theory 3: Iago is just a man, and a demonic force is leading him through all his terrible actions, loaning him its power, and protecting him from death. My first support for this theory comes from the end of Act 1 when Iago hatches his plan to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him. He ends his soliloquy with the following:

I have't! It is engendered. Hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.

To me, that sounds like Iago is implying that he needs demonic power to pull of his scheme, which means he does not have any such power himself. It would be, then, the demon that was manipulating the other characters, not Iago directly. It could also be that Iago is unwillingly being influenced by a demonic force himself; perhaps he actually was "honest Iago" (2.3.306) at one point, and the demon is manipulating him too! Perhaps it is the demon that convinces Iago that Othello slept with his wife and tricks him into wanting Desdemona, making sense of Iago's weak explanations.

I think the key to any of these theories is Iago's final line in response to Othello asking him for the reasons for his actions:

Demand me nothing. What you know, you know.
Form this time forth I never will speak word (5.2.296-7).

If one subscribes to Theory 1 or 2, Iago's refusal to speak about his motivations is one final trick by the Devil or Shakespeare's representation: both the other characters and the audience are left tortured not knowing the nature of Iago's villainous actions. According to Theory 3, however, Iago may have simply been compelled by the demon to say this, or perhaps the demon left Iago before he said this, and Iago genuinely can't tell the others why he did what he did because he doesn't know. He could be saying, "Hey man, don't ask me! You know what happened here better than me."

Of course, none of these theories may actually have any merit. I simply just wanted a reason for Iago's actions. Then again, maybe any attempt to justify Iago is a waste of time. Maybe he's just a douche and we should leave it at that.