Iago is Annoying

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Sorry to be blunt with everyone, but Iago is annoying.

After reading Othello for the third or fourth time, Iago just continuously gets more annoying with each time I read it. This could play could be a beautiful and groundbreaking love story of two passionate lovers, but someone peed in Iago’s cheerios so no one can be happy.

First of all, I think his intentions were driven by his belief in white supremacy. Right off the bat, we learned about how Iago hates Othello, though he doesn’t say why exactly he hates him, Othello is a promoted and Iago isn’t. On top of this, Othello and Desdemona get married when Iago was trying to set up Roderigo and Desdemona. Just so many reasons for Iago to be mad at Othello right now, right?

Next, Iago has the audacity to run to Desdemona’s dad to tattletale on Othello, telling Brabanzio that Othello STOLE Desdemona. Brabanzio didn’t even realize Desdemona was gone until Iago said something. Then, Branbanzio decides to start a witch hunt to find Othello, but then Iago runs to Othello to warn him about what is about to happen. During all of this, Roderigo’s girl problems were used as a cover-up allowing Iago to have a “reason” for his actions. Iago is a fake friend!

He uses Roderigo’s vulnerability to stir up some lies about Cassio and Desdemona. It’s almost that every single emotion of every character is heightened and dramatized in Shakespearean plays, but the difference in this one is that Iago is aware of it and uses it to his advantage. Our dear Iago was the fact that he not only ruined Othello’s relationship but also ruining Desdemona and Cassio’s lives along the way.  

Personally, I thought Iago was lonely and bored. He’s bored so he schemes and he’s lonely so he involves as many people in his schemes as possible. BUT HE ACTUALLY HAS A WIFE. A wife he doesn’t actually care for, just another pawn in his schemes. Which relates to my original statement of Iago being lonely and bored.

And to top off all of this, when he finally gets caught for all of his ridiculous schemings, he swears to never speak again. “This is the night, that either makes me or fordoes me quite” (5.1.130). He just decides, that’s it I’m done speaking about this, no one will ever know the truth behind why I did what I did, sucks to be you guys. For all we know, he is just being held as a prisoner, probably going to go to a prisoner. Personally, I believe the execution of Iago should have been a part of the play, but obviously, we ran out of time because heaven forbid there is a Shakespearean play with an Act 5 with a third scene in it.

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