How does Iago Manipulate Othello? Exploring Evil’s Intricacies

Evil’s Ambiguity: Tracing its Origins and Influence in Literature and Belief

A quote given by William Shakespeare states, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Some might claim the same statement can be applied to the conceptual idea of evil: some are born evil, some become evil, and some have evil thrust upon them. Evil, a scapegoat for explaining irrational occurrences, is perhaps a figment of mankind’s imagination, or perhaps it was something that took root long before the existence of mankind.

Literature often tussles with the origins, the cause, the coexistence with optimism, and the corrupting nature of evil, which can be more specifically analyzed within Candide by Voltaire and William Shakespeare’s Othello.

The OriginsDoes evil has a host, or is it some type of parasite, slowly suffocating its victim of goodness and optimism? From the beginning of Biblical documentation, Adam and Eve dwelled in the Garden of Eden before being driven from the state of perfection due to their forfeiting to evil, commonly simulated by a devil or Satan; however, the controversy revolves around whether or not evil is housed by a someone/something or freestanding with the ability to travel from person to person. The origin of evil is not something that can be successfully defined for the reason that it is something constantly interpreted through a variety of lenses resulting in numerous explanations. Many rely solely on the knowledge of a God in order to explain the roots of evil and corruption.

Tracing Evil: From Divine Intervention to Inner Turmoil in Literature and Belief

As stated in an article by M. Murray (1998) addresses the concept of “the holiness problem” and argues that “God’s intimate causal entanglements with the world make God the cause of evil” (pa. 1). Understanding that God is in other words directing the flow of life, gives him direct access to drastically impacting the lives of mankind. Blaming something that is not tangible satisfies the naive minds of mankind. Cornel du Toit (2006) goes in-depth regarding this topic and whether the concept of evil is bestowed in some sort of being or personage. Du Toit states, “Rational explanations are inadequate in the face of traumatic events. We resort to strategies like interpreting the event as evil, then personifying evil and looking for reasons why the calamity befell us.” The common man will approach a calamity with the mindset to provide an explanation; typically, such solutions rely on the existence of a God or supreme being. Du Toit concludes, “Ultimately, the cause of the catastrophic event is either God, the devil, or (human) nature” (p. 316).

Moreover, this type of explanation was applied by early Greek and Roman civilizations, where gods and goddesses of Olympus were believed to control every natural occurrence. On the topic of natural calamities, any individual can turn to the teachings of Pangloss in Candide, stating, “We live in the best of all possible worlds,” suggesting that such calamities do not necessarily imply the existence of evil but rather the opportunity to adapt and respond to. On an opposing note, in Shakespeare’s play Othello, there is a different interpretation. The play suggests the origin of evil lies deep within each individual born to this Earth and, until acted upon, does not reveal itself. Othello reveals this truth as he starts the play as a respectable and superior individual in his community and gradually forfeits the deceit and corruption of the serpent-like Iago. Iago uses a method of mindful madness as he is essentially Othello’s conscience, plotting his every move. Shakespeare relies consistently on this idea of “poison in the ear,” as said by Shelley Orgel (1968) in her essay about Iago “In Hamlet, poison in the ear is also the means by which the father is murdered” (p 259).

Newtonian Evil: The Unbalancing Force of Iago on Othello’s Innate Darkness

Shakespeare describes Othello as an honorable and respected character; however, Iago uses his wit and manipulations to convince him of the disloyalty of his wife, Desdemona, and Cassio, one of his closest comrades. CausesNewton’s First Law of Motion states, “An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” Applying this law to the concept of evil comes rather simply; evil stays at rest until acted upon by an unbalanced force. The cause of one falling to the temptation of evil is something that can be foretold. This type of foreshadowing can be observed by looking at the character Othello who is susceptible to the forces of evil radiating from Iago; however, in this case, evil was not “thrust upon him.” Rather, it was planted long before manifestation and until “acted upon by an unbalanced force” did not reveal itself.

Iago, the antagonist of Othello who manipulates others to achieve his motives, uses his cunning lies to mend the thoughts and actions of Othello pushing him to subside to the evil already inside him. Further illustrating this subject, in “The Infection and Spread of Evil: Some Major Patterns of Imagery and Language in ‘Othello'” by Alexander G. Gonzalez (1985), he addresses the idea of the transformation from good to evil, which can be read as so; “After Iago’s reference, he goes on to talk of “poison” (386); in an intersection of imagery, he mentions the poison of “aspics’ tongues” (422-47) along with the words heaven, love, hate, and, of course, animals- aspics. The dignified Othello has succumbed, and his language marks the transition clearly” (p. 37). Othello fully surrenders to evil and exclaims, “Look here, Iago, All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven. ‘Tis gone” (line 454). Othello is distraught as he comes to his sense about what he has done.

How Did Iago Manipulate Othello? The Seeds of Corruption and the Reflection of Mankind’s Inherent Evil

Corruption inside him vanquished, and regrets consumed his very soul, moving him to eliminate his own life. The cause of this triggered evil lies on the shoulders of Iago, evil in another form. Slowly, Iago ropes Othello into believing that his own wife, Desdemona, has cheated on him, targeting those he is comrades with, those who he loves, and uses them to break the foundation for which Othello is built. Shakespeare was not alone in his interpretation of the cause of evil and how mankind is drawn toward it. Voltaire in Candide maps out how throughout the years, evil evolves along with the mankind that it infects. Similar to a disease that becomes immune to antibiotics that treat it. “Do you think,’ said Candide, ‘that men have always massacred each other, as they do today? Have they always been liars, cheats, traitors, brigands, weak, flighty, cowardly, envious, gluttonous, drunken, grasping, vicious, bloody, backbiting, debauched, fanatical, hypocritical, and silly?” (p. 95).

Years of war are reflected in literature, showing that perhaps mankind has known a world without evil. Might it be that the world is built upon the fundamentals of evil, corruption, misfortune, and distrust? Voltaire did not believe that mankind was doomed to fall susceptible to nature. He thought, “Men…must have corrupted nature a little, for they were not born wolves, and they have become wolves. God did not give them twenty-four-pounder cannons or bayonets, and they have made bayonets and cannons to destroy each other’ (p. 18). Voltaire demonstrates another possible origin and causes for evil. Was mankind the foundation for the creation of evil? As history and literature have shown, the cause of evil might even be the solution to eliminating it. An individual’s environment might very well be their reason for corruption.

The Dual Nature of Mankind: Candide’s Optimism and Othello’s Susceptibility to Temptation

A person who knows and is familiar with success is likely to be greedy and prideful in their worldly possessions. As depicted in Candide, Miss Cunegonde was guilty of such satisfaction. Instead of remaining with Candide, she took the easier route where there was money and good fortune, a common behavior of the natural man. On the other side of the spectrum, however, someone who knows failure and has learned to be frugal is likely to be humble and have gratitude for the little miracles in life. Candide provides a perfect model for what it looks like when all goes wrong, yet there is still hope. With all that befell Candide, he remained optimistic and looked at the small things for hope and satisfaction. The environment might make an individual either immune to the temptations of evil or more susceptible.

Candide was raised by Pangloss, who constantly reinforced the concept of optimism and how their world was the best of all possible worlds; unfortunately, Othello was not so lucky. Othello did not know failure and was not instructed by someone to avoid temptation. Therefore, it made him a likely target for the spontaneous efforts of Iago. An individual who knows nothing but evil will likely continue down a path of corruption until acted upon by an alternate force that can propel a person on a path of optimism and joy. Side effects and additional factors of evil are easily identified and weigh in heavily to the cause of immorality. Envy, hatred, fear, and pride are evident in the discovery of the cause of evil. Coexistence of Good and evil from the beginning of time, the fight between good and evil has continued to exist and rampage through all that lies in its path. Is it the nature of mankind to behave in such a manner? While evil might be very prominent in its realm of terror, it does not come without its opposite— optimism.

The Delicate Balance of Optimism and Evil: Misinterpretations in Candide and Othello’s Struggle with Jealousy

Without optimism, evil would not be known. A person must know the bad times in order to recognize the good times. For the sake of mankind and its ability to survive and thrive, optimism and evil must coexist; yet, this relationship has cracks produced by interpretation and opposing views. Candide brilliantly provides a single interpretation of evil; “Optimism,’ said Cacambo, ‘What is that?’ ‘Alas!’ replied Candide, ‘It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst” (PAGE NUMBER). Pangloss from Candide demonstrates an individual who believes in the concept of the link between good and evil; however, he also shows the fragments in the alliance where it is weak. Where one might consider something evil, another might claim it is not. Found in Isaiah of the Bible states, ‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” The existence of agency, interpretation, and opposing viewpoints strain the relationship causing it to fracture, but this provides evidence of the necessity of optimism in a world where corruption is inevitable.

Within Othello, one might interpret Desdemona as a symbol of innocence, naivety, purity, and a trusting view of the world. Desdemona’s character never shows traces of wavering love for Othello. She is loyal, bold, and protective of her marriage to Othello and refuses to allow any individual to disgrace her relationship, even Iago. Regrettably, Othello’s inability to recognize his young wife’s loyalty leads him down the path of losing to the evil within him— hinting at the infecting nature of villainy. Does optimism ever win? With the characteristics of evil being so powerful and manipulating, it is easy to assume that optimism does not have a chance to thrive in a world of evilness; nevertheless, one might look at the story of Othello and prove Othello triumphant over the evil inside him. With help from Emilia, he is able to recognize his mistakes, helping him take his blinders off and look at what he has caused out of hate and misunderstanding. Before he follows through with his plan to commit suicide for his wrongs, Othello says this: “Then must you speak of one that loved not wisely but too well, Of one not easily jealous but, being wrought, Perplexed in the extreme; of one whose hand, Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdued eyes, Albeit unused to the melting mood, Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees their medicinable gum.

Triumphs and Tragedies: Othello’s Battle with Evil and Literature’s Optimistic Lens

Set you down this, And say besides that in Aleppo once, Where a malignant and a turbaned TurkBeat a Venetian and traduced the state, I took by the throat the circumcised dog and smote him thus.” (V.ii.341-354)Othello triumphs over evil by eliminating the only person he has left to succeed over; himself. Othello came to the realization of his faults and recognized that his actions were unforgivable, in his opinion, and felt justice must be served. The ultimate battle between good and evil within him left the good inside him victorious. Proving that ultimately good and optimism will win in the end. This type of battle is a common theme found in the real world as well as in literature; unfortunately, good does not always succeed. Literature provides these hopeful scenarios where the world is viewed by how a person wants it to be; regrettably, this is not how the world is. It is common for the average man to become susceptible to evils and find a symbiotic relationship with the immorality inside them.

This provides a viable explanation for the existence of crime, hate, and corruption in the world. If good was always victorious, crime would cease to exist. Therefore, it is clear to analyze that the authors of Candide and Othello must have been optimists to some degree because they seem to want to think that the world is not completely filled with evil and chaos. Shakespeare resolved the problem with the come to the realization that Othello obtained, and Voltaire pushed Candide to always look at the world with an optimistic lens. The Corrupting Nature of EvilThe blinding characteristics of evil cause an individual to not recognize what is most important to them. Fear, a central characteristic of evil, grasps an individual and torments them into carrying out irrational behaviors.

The Dual Nature of Humanity: Fear, Resilience, and Our Fascination with Evil

Reasonably, an individual might link the concept of evil to the idea of fear. Fear consumes an individual, similar to the characteristics of evil. The lack of fear brings about the strength to withstand such evils. As Othello began fearing what Iago was saying, he lost confidence and began to doubt what he knew, allowing the evil to carry out its plan to the fullest. Candide observes as corruption occurs around him; fortunately, at a young age, he is instructed to be resilient and persevere. Therefore, he established a type of immunity to the evil that was always spreading to the people he associated himself with. Voltaire recognized the existence of criminals and took note of them, resulting in them coming into contact with Candide’s life. Candide faces the question of whether or not he will withstand the evil or if he will fall victim to it. He was robbed and beaten and chose, in the end, not to waver in his understanding that optimism is far better than evil.

Looking at evil through a more realistic lens, it would seem that mankind has a twisted enjoyment ejected from tragedy and evilness. As Susan L. Feagin (1983) says, “People who pursue them would seem to be morbidly fixated on achieving their own unhappiness, which is more a sign of mental imbalance than aesthetic sophistication” ( p. 96). Rather than looking to eliminate the concept of evil or attempt to resolve it, mankind takes satisfaction in watching others endure tragedy; therefore, it can be said that maybe the concept of evil is something that has been blown out of proportion and is something that does exist and is not nearly as bad as it is said to be. In addition, because of the misinterpretation of the existence of evil, it might contribute to the overall corrupting nature of it.

Evil’s Relativity: A Dance of Choice, Interpretation, and Personal Resilience

Revolving in the realm of misinterpretation, in an essay developed by Richard J. Bernstein (2008), he analyzes a reflection by Hannah Arendt where she states that sometimes people commit evil deeds without ill or evil intentions (p 64). People find enjoyment in looking at another’s shortcomings and judging them based on what they are doing wrong rather than suggesting an alternate path. Candide proves this point. Readers jump on the opportunity to read about how Candide went about resisting evil with an optimistic lens, and instead of learning and taking notes from his shortcomings in order to improve problems in our own lives, his character is consistently scoffed at and viewed as a fool. Allowing evil to corrupt an individual is a choice of their own. Evil cannot corrupt without the consent of the host.

The corrupting, dismembering, and infecting nature of evil can only affect those who choose to let it in. Villainity has no power over those who resist its power. Candide shows a reader what it is like to be resilient and resist the urge to forfeit mind and spirit to evil, while Othello shows the reader what it is like to fall victim to the characteristics of evil rather than fighting it. ConclusionEvidently, those born with evil are able to thrust the evil out rather than allowing it to control them while others choose to coexist with it. The concept of evil is largely addressed in the literature, perhaps as a call to action, but it is, at the same time, used as a comedic device. As it would turn out, evil can be interpreted as many different things that are interchangeable based on an individual’s background; origin, cause, and its corrupting nature are all variables solely based on an individual’s beliefs, morals, and ultimately their upbringing. Candide learned to fend off the evils around him with optimism, whereas Othello lacked the opportunity. Therefore, it would be important to ask the question of whether or not evil is as corrupting and infectious as it is perceived to be; however, that question, too, can only be answered by the eye of the reader.

References:

1. Shakespeare, W. (1603). Othello. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
2. Voltaire. (1759). Candide, or Optimism. Penguin Classics. London.
3. Bible. (n.d.). Book of Genesis. King James Version.
4. Murray, M. (1998). The holiness problem. Philosophical Inquiry, 22(3), p. 1.
5. Du Toit, C. (2006). Evil: origin and cause. Theological Studies Journal, 44(1), p. 316.
6. Orgel, S. (1968). The poetics of infection in “Othello” and “Hamlet”. Shakespeare Quarterly, 19(3), p. 259.
7. Gonzalez, A. G. (1985). The Infection and Spread of Evil: Some Major Patterns of Imagery and Language in ‘Othello’. Literary Explorations, 10(2), p. 37.
8. Bernstein, R. J. (2008). Hannah Arendt and the Challenge of Modernity. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

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