Iago's web of Deceit

IAGO’S WEB OF DECEIT
‘ I am not what I am ‘. These words spoken by Iago are a clear reflection that Iago is not the person perceived by the rest of the characters in the story, or by the audience for that matter. Iago is clearly the antagonist in this story, and is also a greedy person. He is not just greedy for money, but also for the position as Othello’s lieutenant that Cassio holds. What enrages him more is that he has been around longer than Cassio, and yet it is Cassio who is made lieutenant. Thus greed and jealousy drive him to achieve what he believes should be rightfully his own, even if means going through great lengths of deceit. Though his deceitfulness enables him to be successful in the short term, it is his ultimate downfall. Iago’s successful deceit can be attributed to several factors. From insecurity to love to obsession, Iago uses these weaknesses in the characters to conceive a deceitful plot, one that becomes the basis of conflict in Shakespear...