Relationship Review - Othello and Iago
This is my first blog post for my Healthy Relationships in Shakespeare class. In this class, we’ve been learning about different character relationships in Shakespeare plays. Throughout this unit we did this by reading the play Othello. In the play there are many different relationships between lovers, acquaintances, and frenemies. As the play goes on, we get to see how these relationships clash with each other leading to tragedy. The purpose of this action project is to find the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships in Othello. In this blog, I’ll be looking into the relationship between Othello and Iago. I’ll also be looking at how that affects the rest of the play.
"2 hearts in love" by Leonard J Matthews is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Now, before I summarize Othello, let’s understand some factors for a healthy relationship.
Communication - In a relationship, talking to one another about personal concerns or issues is important to see someone else's thoughts, or what’s on their mind.
Acceptance - Accepting one another for who they are such as their physical and emotional perspectives.
Time - Making time in a relationship is critical because if a person can’t spend time with another, the relationship will slowly fail.
Respectful Conflicts - Everyone is going to have arguments here and there, the important thing is being able to understand the other person's side first before jumping towards conclusions.
Enjoyment - Be able to enjoy having fun with a partner. If someone isn’t able to, that should be communicated in some way.
Now that we know a few things needed for a successful relationship, let’s summarize Othello, and see how this relationship is different.
"Othello" by Portland Center Stage at The Armory is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.
The play starts with a conversation between two soldiers named Rodrigo and Iago. They become jealous of their leader, a black general named Othello for secretly marrying a beautiful white woman named Desdemona. Desdemona’s father Barbantio, finds out that Desdemona married Othello. Barbantio then has the couple explain their love, but Barbantio warns Othello to watch Desdemona and uses his father daughter relationship with her as an example. Iago was enraged before this because Othello promoted a different soldier named Cassio instead of himself. Iago then decides to set up a plan that would end in the deaths of the Moor (Othello), and Desdemona. So Iago goes on to lie, manipulate, and torture everyone around him in order to fullfil his goal. Once Othello realizes that he’s been manipulated by Iago for the entire story it’s all too late. Desdemona, Rodrigo, and Emilia all end up dying because of Iago. So, Othello stabs Iago and then takes his own life. After these events, Cassio becomes the new general and the story ends.
In Othello, Iago is Othello’s right hand man who constantly throws false information into his face. Because Iago exploited Othello, it caused his downfall in the story. Iago’s right hand man relationship with Othello is not healthy. This is because Iago wasn’t able to accept that he didn’t get promoted, Iago always gave very vague information to Othello about his relationship with Desdemona, and Iago exploited Othello with false “wisdom” causing him to jump to conclusions.
"othello-iago" by stef wu is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
My first reason for why Othello and Iago’s relationship wasn't healthy is because Iago couldn’t accept the reality of his situation. This shows up at the start of the play when Iago talks with Rodrigo about what he should do to get Desdemona to notice him. After Rodrigo leaves, Iago plots, “ The Moor is of free and open nature, That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, And will as tenderly be led by th’ noce As asses are. I have’t. It is engend’red. Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light” (Act 1, Scene 3, line 399). At this moment Iago was filled with salt because Cassio received a promotion from Othello which Iago thought he deserved more. This caused Iago to experience jealousy, rage, and many other feelings. These feelings are what caused Iago to start his plan to kill Cassio and destroy Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Because this anger fueled him, it led to the tragedies at the end. Now this could’ve been easily dealt with if Iago had just told Othello how he felt in the first place, rather than plotting Othello’s death behind his back.
My second point regarding why their relationship is unhealthy is because Iago threw false information into Othello’s face. Let's look at an example of how they interacted with each other. In Act Three Scene Three, Iago told Othello that, “One of this kind is Cassio. In sleep I heard him say, “Sweet Desdemona, Let us be wary, let us hide our love”; And then, sir would he gripe and wring my hand; Cry, “O sweet creature!”( Act 3, scene 3, line 418 ). This quote is an example of how Othello and Iago interacted because it shows how Iago would only bring information to Othello about Cassio and Desdemona. Othello didn’t look to others to confirm the information about his own relationship with Desdemona. This also illustrates the fact that Othello many times referred to Iago as “Honest Iago” even though Iago was manipulating Othello the whole time.
This is Othello after slapping Desdemona: "Othello, Lodovico, Desdemona, and Gratiano" by Mobtown Players is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.
The last point demonstrates why Othello and Iago’s relationship isn't healthy. Iago exploited Othello with false “wisdom” causing him to jump to conclusions.. Our example of this is in Act four Scene One when Othello states, “O devil, devil! If that each earth could teem with a woman's tears, Each drop she fails would prove a crocodile. Out of my sight!” (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 245). This quote takes place after Othello dismisses Desdemona because he thinks she’s cheated with Cassio when in reality, she hasn’t. Iago’s words cause Othello to jump to the conclusion of her cheating which leads to him killing her because of rage and jealousy. At this moment, if Othello could have communicated his issue with Desdemona more clearly instead of just acting out on his assumptions based on Iago’s lies to him he might have saved his marriage. If Othello did ask around about this situation, he could have found out Iago was manipulating him rather than just taking in all the information Iago gave to him.
In conclusion, Othello and Iago’s boss and right hand man relationship wasn’t healthy. Iago gave false information to Othello which caused Othello to make complete turnarounds in his behavior. Additionally, Iago wasn’t able to accept his spot in the first place.
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I did enjoy doing this project because it opened my eyes to how I might look at new relationships in the future, and improve the relationships I have with some of my friend’s and family members. If I were to do this project again I might look at a different relationship or do this in a new format.
Sources:
5 essentials for a healthy relationship. Health & Wellness Services. (2021, March 12). Retrieved April 30, 2022, from https://www.colorado.edu/health/5-essentials-healthy-relationship
Person. (2015, January 27). Relationships in othello. independent. Retrieved April 30, 2022, from https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/exams/relationships-in-othello-30940458.html#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20personal%20relationship%20between,be%20entirely%20loyal%20to%20him.
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