The Character Analysis Of Iago Of Othello - 1075 Words

At first glance, Iago of Othello can appear to have little motivation for his destructive tendencies; however, when viewed through the lens of antisocial personality disorder, his incentive takes on a twisted internal logic. His all-consuming desire for revenge is not necessarily because of any outside influence by Othello himself, but rather the fact that Othello disrupts Iago’s conception of himself and is a pawn whom he can manipulate for pleasure. His arrogance and entitlement are also classic symptoms of antisocial personality disorder, as is his superficial charm, which allows him to enlist the assistance of Roderigo in his plot to destroy Othello’s marriage. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder are characterized by†¦show more content†¦For example, act 1 scene 1 depicts him and Roderigo discussing Othello’s impending marriage. During this scene, Roderigo mentions that Iago â€Å"hast had [his] purse/ As if the strings were thine† (1.1.2-3). A common symptom of antisocial personality disorder is the inability to handle money responsibly, whether because of an unreliable source of income or reckless spending (Personality and Personality Disorders, 88). In either case, from the first scene of the play it is clear that he is leeching off of Roderigo for personal gain. His disorder appears to manifest itself differently depending on the person with whom he is interacting, as shown when he speaks to Emelia and his charming, relatively eloquent exterior melts away into an aggressive, rude figure. This behavioral pattern indicates that Iago is a fundamentally antisocial person, not reacting to a specific negati ve situation. Iago reveals a good deal about the inner workings of his mind when he states that â€Å"But for [his] sport and profit. [He] hate[s] the Moor† (1.3.386). He relates this to the alleged adultery between his wife and Othello, but when viewed through the lens of antisocial personality disorder, it becomes literally true. According to the DSM, such individuals are frequently motivated by pleasure-seeking. The reasons which Iago gives for his hatred of Othello do not stand up to scrutiny when his hostileShow MoreRelatedOthello - Iago Character Analysis Essay772 Words   |  4 PagesIago, in Shakespeares Othello, is a deceiving character because he tells lies in order to get what he wants. He interacts with people only to manipulate them, but most importantly he never reveals his true feelings or motives. Iago might say things that suggest what his motive is, but he soon contradicts himself with another suggestion making it extremely difficult to understand him. 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