Blog #2- Othello, Act I (part 2)
Act I (part
2): Choose one of the following options
for your blog comment. When you post,
title your comment with the option you chose. Remember to sign your comment with your first
initial, last name, and class period.
OPTION 1-
In the
opening scenes of the play, the audience soon realizes Iago’s ability to
manipulate those around him. Document how Iago is able to use others to harass
Othello while appearing to be innocent. At this point in the play do you feel
Iago is justified in taking his revenge on Othello? Be sure to validate your opinion by citing
specific supporting evidence.
OPTION 2-
By the end
of the first act, Iago has begun to formulate the initial phase of his master
plan. For the characters involved in his
scheme, conclude how he intends to use and manipulate each one. Be sure to include details from Iago’s own
admissions.
In the end of act one, Iago shares his plan on how he going to get revenge on Othello with the reader. There are a couple people involved in this evil scheme of his. First, is Micheal Cassio, the newly appointed lieutenant. Iago plans to start a rumor about Desdemona's faithfulness to Othello that says Desdemona and Cassio have become intimate. Iago thinks this rumor is believable because, " Cassio is a smooth talker and a good-looking guy, the sort of man that people would expect to be a seducer" (1.3.388-89). The other important player in this scheme is Othello. Othello is a very trusting man and, "thinks any man who seems honest is honest" (1.3.390-91). This is great for Iago because people who are super trusting are very easy to manipulate, so Iago will hurt Othello, and Othello "won't even know what bit him". (B.Bair 7)
ReplyDeleteIago has expressed his plan on how he is going to get his revenge on Othello. Micheal Cassio the newly appointed lieutenant is one of the couple people who is involved in Iago’s evil plan at first. Iago plans to start talk about Desdemona’s faithfulness to Othello by saying that her and Cassio are intimate. Iago thinks that everyone will go along with it because Cassio is a player type of man in modern words. On the other hand Othello is trustful and he states “thinks any man who seems honest is honest” (1.3.390-91). That statement made by Othello is an advantage for Iago because people who trust others very easily are very easy to influence into thinking they are good when really the person is out to get the and they will never know what got them. Iago manipulates Othello into thinking he is trustful, and he manipulates Cassio into being the fuel for the fire to hurt Othello with Desdemona. (K.Marshall2)
ReplyDeleteThroughout the opening scenes of the play, we see Iago manipulating those around him very tediously. He is able to directly and indirectly cause people to bring trouble to Othello, only to come out looking like a loyal servant to Othello in the end. One example of this, is when Iago tells Roderigo to go to Barbantio's home and rouse him from bed and alarm him that Desmendona is gone with Othello. "Rouse him. Make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets..." (1.1.75-76). This causes Barbantio to go after Othello in his quarters and confront him, all while Iago is nowhere to be found so that he looks as if he was never involved. Option 1. (H. Kimble 1)
ReplyDeleteI agree with your words on Iago in the sense that while he is manipulating Othello, his image appears to be innocent and only as a servant. He plots these secrets plans and is nowhere to be found and seems to have no involvement in them. He is a very clever man and thinks through his actions. ( J. Deeter 2 )
DeleteIago tells Desdemona's father that she has ran off with a black person. He tells him y=this in hopes of getting Othello in trouble but fails when Desdemona's father accepts their marriage once she says she really does love Othello. Iago has also set a plan where Roderigo will sell his land, get money, and then Iago will take the money for himself.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Iago is just for doing this. Just because Othello chose Cassio over him doesn't mean he has an excuse to destroy Othello's relationship and life. As Roderigo says on Act 1, Scene 1, page 2," I would not follow him then." meaning that if you don't like him then you should quit. Why can't Iago just quit? He is letting jealousy and pride consume him. Every person has a time in their life where their jealous of someone else's accomplishment or feel their pride/ego is threatened. It's called life, Iago needs to move on. I hope something happens to foil his plan or someone else does. I hope it isn't successful in any way possible.(C. Hill 1)
In the beginning of the play, the reader soon finds out how manipulative Iago is. He uses his words, the jealousy of others, and their weaknesses to help carry out his plan against Othello. For example, in the beginning of Act 1 you learn that Roderigo is jealous of Othello because he was able to win Desdemona's heart. Iago takes advantage of this opportunity and him and Roderigo reveal Othello's secret marriage with Desdemona to her father. Although Iago was the one who revealed the marriage, Roderigo takes full blame so that Othello doesn't lose Iago's trust. Iago also tries to give off an impersonation of an honest man so that many people will trust him. "He thinks any man who seems honest is honest. People like that are easy to manipulate" (1.3.391-392) I do not believe that Iago is justified in taking his revenge against Othello. He's going out of his way to ruin a mans life all because of jealousy. He can spend his time doing more valuable things, but he just decides to waste it. (E.Degue 7)
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinion. Iago should really quit? Even if his plan is successful, what is the reward. You ruined a man's relationship and for what, because your mad it him for not promoting you to the job you always wanted. People like that get on my nervous. You didn't get it, done deal. Move on with your life and do something else, your a grown man who is letting something this small bother you. Move on, and your going to get punished anyway. There is no reward for doing this and your wasting your life for trying this.(C.Hill.1st period)
DeleteOPTION 1- Iago is very sly and is skilled at playing both sides. By telling others of Othello's secrets, Iago doesn't have to be the one to confront him, and instead has others do his dirty work. This is supported by the fact of Iago suggesting Othello's marriage be rocked by Roderigo's mischief in Part 1; as well as mentioning private information about Othello to the general and Cassio. Iago disguises himself in manipulation by falsely serving on Othello's side and seemingly warning Othello of events in good nature. I don't agree with Iago's reasoning. He paints Othello in a disgusting and untrue picture due to his own anger and jealousy. (A. Osborne 1)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your opinion on Iago. He lurks in the shadows manipulating people to evoke them to confront Othello. I also agree that Iago hides his manipulation by serving under Othello in a good nature and that Iago doesn't have good reasoning. His reasoning is indeed out of jealousy and anger. In fact that of a elementary student who didn't get his way. (C. Drucker 1)
DeleteOption 2:
ReplyDeleteThroughout Act I, Iago hints at pieces of a greater plan to get revenge on Othello. Within the last few lines of the Act, he explains his agenda of manipulation in full. Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, is the first he mentions. Cassio's charming nature and Iago's pre-established vendetta against him makes Cassio a perfect character to create insecurity in Othello's marriage. Cassio explains this by saying that he will "start telling Othello that Cassio is too intimate with Desdemona" (1.3.386-87). Iago expects his manipulation in Othello to come easy because of Othello's "open and straightforward(ness)" that makes him believe "ny man who seems honest is honest" (1.3.389-90). Throughout all of this, he encourages Roderigo's lust for Desdemona believing it will influence him into aiding his plan. (E.Stacey7)
I agree with what you are saying because while reading this, i thought about how easy it was going to be for Iago to deceive Othello because of Othello's open and kind heart. (H. Kimble 1)
DeleteToward the end of Act 1 Iago begins to formulate his plan. He 1st got Roderigo to pester Cassio and influenced Cassio to drink. This caused Cassio to fight with Roderigo and lose his place as lieutenant. Then Iago jumps to his side supporting him, as he said "What, man, there are ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice, even so as one would beat his offenseless dog to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again and he’s yours.(1.3.36) This makes Cassio to trust Iago as a honest and caring man and so Iago offers advice to move forward with his plan. Iago tells Cassio to get on Desdemona's good side to win his job back. He told Cassio " Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than she is requested.(1.3.37) This is the point when Iago's plan begins to formulate. He will get Cassio to pursue Desdemona to get his job back and cause Desdemona to help Cassio in all honesty of sheer kindness. However, he says that this will "undo her credit with the Moor." (1.3.38) (C. Drucker 1)
ReplyDeleteIago begins his elaborate scheme, which involves many different people. He is manipulating others and secretly plotting revenge. Cassio is the first. Iago is jealous of Cassio since he was recently appointed as the general lieutenant. Iago tests Othello's relationship with Desdemona by spreading a rumor that Cassio and Desdemona are being intimate. This plan is very thought through because of Cassio's charming and compelling personality. Iago also plans to directly get revenge on Othello. Since Othello believes in the goodness of others, Iago is able to prey on him easier because of his graciousness to others. Throughout this, Iago's plan is laid down and slowly set into place. ( J.Deeter 2 )
ReplyDelete