In the play Othello, Shakespeare manipulates the psychological complexities of the male protagonists to explore themes of manipulation and deception which can be argued as central to the plays action and drama. Here, we see that it is Iago who adopts the role of the proto-narrator and thus can be seen as the instigator of deception through his intrinsic manipulation of language. Reputation was seen as an essential commodity to social survival of a men and women and is therefore an insecurity for men like Othello. Iago plays on this underlying weakness, through the catalysis of the internal fear of cuckoldry, paving way for an easier route of manipulation and deception.
Iago plays on the social and personal weakness of Othello in an attempt to both manipulate and transform Othello’s love for Desdemona. He does this through the purposeful word play of repeating the modifiers ‘think’ and ‘honest’. (3.3.103-140) The verb ‘think’ in itself is repeated ten times in this single passage and ‘honest’ six times in an attempt to retract and blame from himself and indirectly plant doubt into Othello’s mind. (3.3.103-140) Iago controls and prompts the dialog by stimulating Othello to ‘think’ that Desdemona is capable and has been infidel towards him and furthers this doubt through the multiple uses of rhetorical questions: ‘think my lord?’. The high concentration of the modifiers ‘honest’ and ‘think’ in this extract in comparison to its continuous use throughout this scene (on a whole being mentioned 52 times) illustrates Iago’s ongoing tampering of Othello’s subconscious. (3.3) This is furthered by the fact that the pace and structure of this scene is very claustrophobic, Othello enters and exits twice but it still unable to escape Iago. Shakespeare subjects the audience to intense prolonged dramatic tension because of the tensely wound structure, offering no change of perspective, no lack of subplot and no memorable comic interludes, giving the audience a conscious chain of cause and effect driving the play. This is suggestive of Iago’s scope of manipulation extending beyond just language. Iago endeavours to prove and produce the effects of honesty by creating a realistic façade. His calculated speech and compassionate tone is emphasised in his choice of response, in an attempt to protect his own honour – ‘utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false-’. (3.3.103-140) It is ironic that Iago is aware that his words will be ‘false’, yet he still goes through with offering his misguided opinion, without caring for the damaging effects it has.
The controlling of the dialog by Iago is very significant in demonstrating the power dynamic between the two characters. It could be inferred that this scene represents the inversion of the play’s central paradox because it is no longer the black character, Othello, who holds full power but Iago. Throughout the play, the central conflict is primarily between the white patriarchy and a black man, because it is Iago who is of lower military rank, whilst Othello is introduced as an impressive and ‘valiant’ soldier. (1.3.48) Iago however attempts to overcome this through his gradual manipulation and obtaining of power primarily through degrees of strategic manipulation. He parodies Othello’s prior lofty speech during this conversation, which is a further indication of this hierarchal inversion: ‘who has the breast so pure? … with mediations lawful?’ It is now Iago whose language becomes poetic and congruous, seen through the half rhyme of ‘pure’ and ‘lawful’. (3.3.103-140) Othello on the other hand experiences an inversion from his customary mode of poetic speech (blank verse) and skills as a rhetorician. As audience, were made to physically hear and see the break-down of Othello’s character through the changes to his speech as he adopts a more violent tone. The shift in Othello’s tone contrast that of Iago: ‘disloyal knave’, ‘tricks of custom’, ‘horrible conceit’, whereas Iago talks of ‘honesty’ and uses repeatedly flattery in his customary addressers of ‘My lord’. (3.3.103-140) This further emphasises the parallelism between his measured speech which has been corrupted by the loss of confidence in himself and his marriage due to the insecurities planted by Iago. This role and character reversal depicted through a shift in language and behaviour, is demonstrative of Iago’s success in deception. Jacobean society strongly emphasised the role of a wife’s reputation as integral to a man’s honour, due to social fears of cuckoldry. Therefore, Othello’s insecurities are being manipulated, emphasised and exploited by Iago as a reflection of the liminal state of reputation.
The structure of this one-on-one male dialog shows the explicit role of patriarchy in ruining Desdemona’s reputation. It is Othello and Iago who slowly destroy Desdemona’s identity and reduce her status as a woman. Othello begins questioning ‘when Cassio left (his) wife’, and if she has been ‘disloyal’ and ‘false’, which would have been pivotal to the destruction of a women’s essential identity. (3.3.103-140) This scene provides a comment on men and their ability to reduce women and harm their position in regard to social hierarchy. A further interpretation of this moment is a power struggle between Desdemona’s true love for Othello and Iago’s false love. Iago is repeatedly seen to refer to his love for Othello (‘My Lord, you know I love you,’) which Othello responds to willingly using language of love: ‘thou’rt full of love and honesty.’ (3.3.103-140) It is ironic that it is after Othello becomes at odds with Desdemona that Iago begins using loving and compassionate language in an attempt to overthrow Desdemona. It is only through death, that Shakespeare chooses to enhance Desdemona’s reputation as she proves her honesty and loyalty. This demonstrates the extent of deep-seated patriarchy and actions needed to be taken by women to disprove the accusations of men. Othello and Iago in particular, however, seem oblivious to the damage they’re causing and continue to question the loyalty of Desdemona. Iago instigates the questions, but it is Othello whose responses are more weighted and contain the damaging lines. For example, he repeatedly asks Iago to confirm his doubts despite Iago’s purposeful decision to not ‘utter his thoughts.’ (3.3.103-140) Some may read this as Othello being implicit in his own downfall because he believes Iago is ‘full of love and honesty’ therefore being primarily to blame for choosing to believe Iago. (3.3.103-140)
The fact that initially Jacobean audience would have stereotypically categorised Othello’s language, poetic verse and tone as stereotypically atypical of a ‘black moor’, could offer a commentary on the audiences’ response to such a dramatic shift in character. (1.1.86) Some may have seen it as a redirection to the status quo of society and favoured Iago’s methods of deceit, despite the negative connotations associated with it, whilst others may have had a juxtaposed view that this deceit could be a reflection of Iago’s actual honesty. For example, in the wider context of the play, he is the only character to speak bluntly and refrain from poetic language which could be seen as Shakespeare using the character of Iago to describe the crude urges of human nature which other characters mask with gallantry. This interpretation is heightened in this scene through the mentioning of Iago’s universal statement: ‘Men should be what they seem, or those that be not, would they might seem none.’ (3.3.103-140) This commentary on deceit could suggest that he believes himself to be speaking honestly and portraying an accurate reflection of his character. This leads us to question where it is in fact ‘motiveless malignancy’ for being denied power as said by Coleridge or simply an emotionally limited man driven by petty professional jealousy and class consciousness. This is reinforced by the fact Othello does call him ‘honest Iago’ several times which could be a subliminal reference to the duplicity of his character and in fact his adoption of this alter ego. (3.3.103-140)
In conclusion, it is evident that Iago is the primary instigator of deceit and manipulation, primarily through his precise articulation of language. Despite Desdemona and Othello breaking stereotypes and standing out as a harmonious couple, this is corrupted by Iago’s misogyny. This scene is pivotal in demonstrating the shift in power dynamic and creating an archaic sense of fear and apprehension towards the outcome of the play. It demonstrates the ease of falling into the trap of the Madonna/whore dichotomy due to the malice of men such as Iago. Shakespeare uses the element of tragedy to heighten the fact that the audience are aware of Iago’s scheming but are powerless to stop him to demonstrate the inevitability of such a downfall.