iago's attitudes to love + essay stuff

• MORE of extract - use as much of it as possible from beginning to end not just part of it (2 pages worth of stuff to use)

‘In Othello, Iago’s skills make him a likeable anti-hero rather than a hateful villain.’ In the light of this view, discuss how Shakespeare presents Iago’s attitudes to love in this extract and elsewhere in the play.

overall point: cynical and deceitful view of fraternal, romantic love and marriage casts him as a hateful villain in his presentation by shakespeare

“Come, come; good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used: exclaim no more against it.”: Iago trivializes Cassio’s concerns about being drunk, showing his manipulative nature.

“Lieutenant, I think I love you.”: feigns affection for Cassio, reinforcing his ability to deceive and manipulate.

“Our General’s wife is now the General.”: cynically suggests that Desdemona has power over Othello, implying a transactional view of love and that relationships are build on foundations of power and thus an imbalance in them. Also evidences lack of guilt when toying and using marriage as a tool for his own means/agenda.

“Confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again.”: Iago pretends to offer helpful advice while setting Cassio up for failure. Fraternal love is not seen as important to him either.

“I protest in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.”: falsely claims sincerity, highlighting his deceptive nature.

“When devils will the blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, As I do now.”: Iago compares himself to the devil, admitting that he disguises his evil intentions under a good appearance.

“So will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net That shall enmesh them all.”: intends to use Desdemona’s kindness against her and others, showing his manipulative approach to love.

“How am I then a villain To counsel Cassio to this parallel course Directly to his good?”: mocks the idea of being a villain by framing his deception as helpful advice.

“Even as her appetite shall play the god With his weak function.”: portrays love and desire as weaknesses, showing his cynical and transactional view of relationships.

paragraphs

manipulation/deception of cassio - fraternal love

• Iago’s manipulation is evident in his deceptive interactions with Cassio, where he feigns affection and concern while secretly orchestrating his downfall. When he says, “Lieutenant, I think I love you,” he pretends to care for Cassio, reinforcing his ability to deceive and manipulate those around him. Similarly, his statement, “Come, come; good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used: exclaim no more against it,” trivializes Cassio’s concerns about being drunk, showing how he exploits weaknesses for his own gain. His so-called guidance, “Confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again,” appears supportive, but in reality, it sets Cassio up for failure, proving that fraternal love holds no real significance to him. Furthermore, Iago’s declaration, “I protest in the sincerity of love and honest kindness,” is ironic, as he falsely claims sincerity while manipulating those who trust him.

• “Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.” (Act 2, Scene 3) - downplays importance of Cassio’s lost reputation to manipulate him further.

• “You see this fellow that is gone before? He’s a soldier fit to stand by Caesar and give direction; and do but see his vice.” (Act 2, Scene 3) - pretends to defend Cassio while secretly working to destroy his reputation.

• Iago’s cynical view of love extends to marriage, which he sees as a power dynamic to be exploited rather than a union built on trust. His assertion that “Our General’s wife is now the General” suggests that Desdemona wields power over Othello, portraying love as transactional and reinforcing his belief that relationships are imbalanced. This also highlights his lack of guilt when using marriage as a tool for his own agenda. His manipulation of Desdemona’s virtue is further demonstrated when he states, “So will I turn her virtue into pitch, And out of her own goodness make the net That shall enmesh them all.” Here, Iago expresses his intent to twist Desdemona’s kindness into a trap, proving that he perceives love as a vulnerability to be exploited rather than a sincere emotion.

• “Blessed fig’s-end! The wine she drinks is made of grapes: if she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor.” (Act 2, Scene 1) - dismisses love as something ordinary and meaningless, reinforcing his cynical view. mocks the idea of love being something special, reducing it to simple physical desire.

• “That we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appetites!” (Act 3, Scene 3) - suggests women’s loyalty is always in question, reinforcing his belief that relationships are unstable.

• Iago ultimately takes pleasure in his deception, justifying his actions by framing them as beneficial rather than malicious. His rhetorical question, “How am I then a villain To counsel Cassio to this parallel course Directly to his good?” mocks the idea that he is a villain, suggesting that his deceit is simply a form of guidance. His self-awareness is further reinforced when he states, “When devils will the blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shows, As I do now.” Here, he compares himself to the devil, openly admitting that he disguises his evil intentions beneath a façade of goodwill. His view of love as a mere appetite or desire is evident in the phrase, “Even as her appetite shall play the god With his weak function,” where he reduces love and desire to weaknesses that can be exploited. This further cements his belief that relationships are not built on affection, but on power, deceit, and manipulation.

ao4 - measure for measure, experimental phase in his writing.