Roderigo in Othello

Total words: 595
In Othello, Iago serves as a clever manipulator. He uses his skills on the stupid and naïve Roderigo to get revenge on Othello. Iago's main reason for his hatred of Othello is because he is passed over for the lieutenant position given to Michael Cassio. Iago also seems to have delight in the manipulation and destruction he is causes.

One major way Iago uses his manipulation on Roderigo is by jealousy. At the start of the play, we hear a conversation between Roderigo and Iago. Roderigo is angry because he has been giving money to Iago to help him gain the love of Desdemona, but he learns of Desdemona's marriage to Othello. Also in Act one Scene one Iago convinces Roderigo to spoil Othello's marriage by stirring Desdemona's family against the Moor. At the end of Act one Iago has his first soliloquy. Iago says, "Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:/ For I mine own gained knowledge should profane/ If I would time expend with such a snipe/ But for my sport and profit" (1.3.384-387). He reveals his plan of cheating Roderigo out of his money and giving him unfulfilled promises. Another example of his manipulation occurs at the end of Act two Scene one. Iago explains to Roderigo that Desdemona will soon grow tired of Othello and will look for a more well-mannered and handsome man. He says that Cassio will be her first choice because he has seen them holding hands. Roderigo argues that Cassio was just being polite, but Iago persuaded him of Cassio's intentions. Iago then urges him to start a fight with Cassio. Iago encourages the fight because he wants revenge on Cassio for being promoted to the lieutenant position. Iago shows his masterful manipulation skills by having Roderigo being almost invisible in the scene where Roderigo starts the fight with Cassio, who is drunk and chasing Roderigo around the stage threatening to beat him up. As he was chasing him, Cassio stabbed Montano, the Governor of Cyprus. No one seems to give it a second thought of who started the fight and what the fight is about. In Act four Scene two Roderigo returns. He is enraged that he is not with Desdemona yet and is ready to confess pursuit of her to Desdemona so that he can get his jewels back that Iago supposedly gave her. Iago tells Roderigo that Cassio is taking Othello's place but lies about where Othello is going. He says that Othello is going back to Mauritania, but actually he is going to Venice. He further says the only way Roderigo can prevent Desdemona from going to Africa is to kill Cassio. Iago says, "O no; he goes into Mauritania and takes away/ with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be/ lingered here by some accident; wherein none can be/ so determinate as the removing of Cassio" (4.3. 232-235). In addition he said, "Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's/ place-knocking out his brains" (4.3. 237-238).

In conclusion Iago is an extremely clever and devious character in Othello. He manipulates Roderigo throughout the whole story such as cheating him out of his money for false hopes that he would be with Desdemona and conning him to fight with Cassio twice. Roderigo is just an ignorant and gullible character because the man whom he trusted kills him. In scenes with the two characters, Iago seems to showcase his manipulative talents like the readers are spectators of his abilities. Iago is a mastermind and controls everything that went on in the tragedy.

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