Essay/Term paper: Othello: discuss the techniques iago used to manipulate others

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Othello

Othello: Discuss the Techniques Iago Used To Manipulate Others


Through out the play of Othello Iago used many techniques to get what he
wanted and one way or another he some how all most always got what he wanted.
His techniques were that of an everyday sneaky, conniving bad guy, who always
got people to trust him, except the person that was closest to him. But the
main overall techniques he used were; 1)He gained the trust of people. Which
was the number one technique, and from gaining their trust he could branch off
form that and then he could manipulate the people he was playing into thinking
that he was on their side even when he might be on the opposite side. Another
thing that he could do to people was to, from gaining their trust and making
then think that he was on their side he could manipulate them and make them
turn on each other. The other technique that he used which didn't nearly play a
role as large as the first technique but was important was he was always very
careful, in being discovered and by covering his tracks. He knew how to take
care of things in precarious situation. There was in my own personal opinion
one more technique, and that was that he knew how to use all his options and
could use his wits and cunningness.

Iago's number one technique was his ability to make people trust him. He
had just about everyone spun in Iago's web. Rodrigo, Othello, Cassio, Desdemona,
Emilia, and etc. And he got every one of them to trust him, although he still
hadn't got Emilia into his web fully. She still had suspicions about him. He
could gain the trust of people as if it was nothing to him. He always when
talking to that certain person said that he was on their side, making a false
trust that the person believed, and therefore trusted him. Now most of the
people he did this to it worked on. Such as Cassio calling him "Honest Iago" and
when Cassio got in that fight with Rodrigo, he believed that Iago was the only
good, honest man on his side, even though he was the one who set him up. By
getting him drunk through his other technique of being cunning. Ok so now that
he gets the trust of people he can work with that, he would make everyone he
came in contact with feel as if he was on their side. He could manipulate their
minds, tell them false things. Such as who's the bad guy, who's planing against
them, and when he was talking to Othello who was cheating on who. Such a lady
named Desdemona, who was supposedly cheating on a guy whom he once fired. And
that was all accomplished through one guy named Iago. He got Cassio fired, got
the hanky that Othello gave to Des. in Cassio's possession, and convinced
Othello that Cassio was cheating with his wife Desdemona. Now that he could do
all that with out anyone but his wife finding out, he must have had some good
techniques. He had from the very beginning known what he wanted. He wanted
revenge from Othello for not getting the job, and Cassio for getting the job.
And for whoever gets caught in the middle of his web oh well, too bad. In his
work he got what he wanted, and all by using his techniques, so they do work.
He got everything accomplished but one thing didn't tun out as he wanted and
that was that he got caught.

Now for the other technique that he used that was that he knew how to
cover his tracks, and try to make sure that he wouldn't be caught. Even though
he did it took them a very long time. He did this by being very careful. He did
things such as when Brabantio was outside talking and hearing news about his
daughter, he could see Rod. but there was another voice, talking and telling
him about Othello his daughter Des. and how Othello got her through witchcraft.
Now by not showing his face he could run over to Othello pretend to tell him
some false information and then have Bra. walking up the street and not know
that it was Iago telling him that information. Then later on when there was a
fight and Rod. was hurt he was about to spill all and tell about Iago's hidden
agenda, Iago killed him ending the threat that his wildcard Rod. might get him
in trouble, and he killed him when he was on the ground and no one was looking.
So he therefore was covering his back and making sure he wouldn't be caught.

The next technique that he used was that he knew how to use all his
options he could use all the tools in his grasp. Such as using the slow wit of
Rod. and exploiting that to get him to do things, like give him money. He had
his wits, his cunningness, and his use to exploit people.

Ok so those were the techniques that Iago used to manipulate others.
Although we only read about him gaining Cassio in his web I'm sure he might
have used other techniques to get the trust of the others. So the techniques
that he used were to gain their trust, then branch off that. Another one was
that he knew how to cover his tracks, and the last one was that he knew how to
use all his options. So Iago accomplished all his tasks with those simple
techniques.