Othello: A Tragic Tale of Manipulation and Jealousy

Othello is a tragedy. In the play, Iago is infamous for his manipulative nature. He serves Othello as a soldier, and while he appears to be a friend, he secretly schemes to lead Othello to a tragic end. Unlike many typical villains, Iago is self-consciously evil because he reveals his intentions to the audience; his goal is revenge, though the exact reason for his hatred remains unclear.

As literary critic Harold Bloom observes, "Yet Othello, while the Moor’s tragedy, is Iago’s play, his triumphal march to the psychic and moral annihilation of his superb captain. Iago’s malignity is anything but motiveless." Bloom argues that in Othello, unlike Hamlet, the focus is not on the protagonist but on the antagonist. Iago aims to destroy Othello's mind and morality. He sows the seeds of doubt and jealousy in Othello's mind, which eventually leads Othello to murder his wife, Desdemona.

Bloom also discusses how Iago, through his actions, "falls into his gap of being," becoming the architect of his destruction as well as that of Othello. Iago's manipulation is powerful; he is a skilled rhetorician, much like Satan in Paradise Lost, using language to manipulate and deceive. Iago's soliloquies reveal his true motives, contrasting his public persona with his hidden, personal self. These monologues give the audience insight into Iago's internal workings and his malicious intentions.

As McCoy writes, “Iago is the perfect foil and nemesis to such ‘a contrast, loving, noble nature’." Iago plays with the mind of Othello, manipulating the signs and symbols around him, leading Othello to misinterpret reality. This manipulation is central to Othello's psychic destruction.

The critic Koppenfels describes Iago's tactics as "diabolic," noting that Othello is unaware of Iago’s evil manipulations until it is too late. The play dramatizes Othello’s mental and emotional breakdown, comparing it to a "disease" induced by jealousy—a sickness that ultimately leads to his demise.

Othello also features elements of hamartia (the tragic flaw), peripeteia (reversal of fortune), and anagnorisis (recognition). Othello’s tragic flaw is his jealousy and insecurity, and his reversal of fortune is his transition from being a respected general to a murderer. His recognition comes too late, as he realizes his mistakes only after killing Desdemona.

Othello also experiences the impact of racial discrimination. As Hall points out, “In a like manner, the play demands that its audience consider its perception about the alien Moor." Throughout the play, Othello is seen in two contrasting lights—one as a noble, dignified man, and the other as a bestial, carnal figure shaped by the racist views of Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio. Othello is a powerful exploration of manipulation, jealousy, and the internal flaws that lead to tragic outcomes. It forces the audience to reflect on societal perceptions and the consequences of discrimination, ambition, and human flaws.