How is Iagos manipulation of Othellos position as an outsider in
Venetian society central to the tragedy? -
Iago manipulates Othellos social circumstances; his insecurities
about race, age and his marriage to Desdemona Jealousy is derived from Iagos manipulation However, although Iagos manipulation acts as the catalyst for Desdemonas death, Othellos hubris is ultimately what condemns him to murder Desdemona
Although Shakespearean tragedies often followed the archetype defined by
Aristotles seminal work, Poetics, Othello by Shakespeare deviated from Aristotles blueprints. Traditionally, tragedy is derived from a tragic heros flaw, his hamartia. Contrastingly, in Othello, the eponymous protagonists downfall is, to a large extent, the consequence of the Machiavellian machinations of Iago, the villain. Iago manipulation of Othellos position as an outsider in Venetian society is the impetus for the main tragic event, Othellos murder of his wife, Desdemona. However, there are other factors that caused Othello to commit his crime. Along with Iagos manipulation of Othellos social otherness, Othellos own hamartia of jealousy exacerbated by Iagos manipulation of the people him, and Othellos hubris is what ultimately compels Othello to murder his wife. Although Othello is noble in deed, he is an outsider to Venetian society due to his age, social standing and most significantly, his ethnicity. These are three weaknesses that Iago exploits to incite Othellos insecurity about his marriage. Othello is a moor, a people who Jacobean society believed to be of primitive nature, a race whose actions were dictated base emotions such as lust and jealously, as stated in Leo Africanus. This much is evident within the play, where Othello is commonly referred to by racial epithet and bestial imagery, such as the thick lips. (I:i: 68), and an old black ram (I: i: 90.) Iago manipulates these social stigmas against Othello, saying that Desdemona is altogether unnatural (III, iii), for choosing Othello, whose clime, complexion and degree (III, iii) make him ill-suited to be Desdemonas wife. While Iago is giving Othello an under-handed insult, he is also simultaneously exploiting Othellos insecurities about his otherness for his own purposes, leading Othello to doubt Desdemonas faithfulness. This provides fertile ground for Othellos hamartia of jealousy to effloresce. Once Iago has exploited Othellos social insecurities, Othellos jealousy is easily sparked by mere suggestion. Iago suggests, by advising Othello to be aware my lord, of jealousy! the cuckold lives in bliss. (III, iii. 170173), implying that Desdemona is cuckolding Othello with his lieutenant, Cassio. This incites Othellos jealousy towards Cassio, leading him into psychological turmoil, until the point where Othello can no longer stand his inner chaos, and demands ocular proof (III, iii, 365) of Desdemonas
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infidelity. Here, contrives to provide Othello with the ocular proof he
requires, by manipulating his wife, Emilia, in to stealing Desdemonas handkerchief for use as evidence against Cassio. Unfortunately, things go according to Iagos plan, which convinces Othello of Desdemonas unfaithfulness, which provokes a jealousy so great that it manifests psychosomatically as an epileptic fit.