Iago not only attempts to seek out his own personal revenge, but he manipulates several other characters in order to help him reach his own goal. He plays on the other characters’ weaknesses and personal tragedies to help him reach his own ultimate revenge. As is proven by the end of the play, Shakespeare is clearly stating his personal belief that revenge is improper. This can be seen through the ultimate downfall of Iago and all those involved. In his play Othello, Shakespeare uses the plot, characters, and ultimate destructive ending to all to show the reader his opinion that all revenge is improper.
In The Tempest, William Shakespeare portrays Prospero’s actions to be driven by revenge. In the second scene, the revenge that Prospero is longing for is shown. At the beginning of scene II Prospero talks about how it is an “accident most strange” that “[his] enemies” were “brought to this shore” (Shakespeare 1.2.178-179). Shakespeare uses sarcasm here to say that Prospero had planned on his enemies arriving at the shore, instead of an ‘accident most strange’. Prospero uses sarcasm with his daughter to try and not alarm her rather than telling her the complete truth.
This also creates dramatic irony as we know Iago did this intentionally to spite Othello. In act 3, scene 3 Iago warns Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of Jealousy. It is
Jealousy and deception are central themes in many of Shakespeare’s plays, and are often what leads to the hero’s downfall. There are a number of key scenes in Othello that represent these themes of jealousy, deception and tragedy throughout the play. In Act 2 Scene 3 Iago uses different techniques in order to deceive Othello and change his opinions of Cassio. Iago says: ‘I would rather have this tongue cut from my mouth, then it should do offense to Michael Cassio.’ Iago is setting up his later deception, as he is tricking Othello into thinking that he likes Cassio and would never speak ill of him, which enables him to seem more believable when he later deceives Othello about Desdemona’s affair. This deception is confirmed when Othello says ‘I know Iago, thy honesty, and love doth mince this matter, making it light to Cassio.’ Othello is suggesting that Iago may not tell the whole truth as he wants to protect Cassio.
This play sends a strong message of fate and free will to the audience. Oedipus’ free will to pursue knowledge of his identity is significant; fate is responsible for Oedipus’s incest and many of the other devastating events that accrued to him thou out the play. By the importance of fate, Sophocles sends a message across that his characters cannot be fully responsible for their actions. A perfect example of this is blaming Oedipus for marrying his mother, his ignorance was his flaw leading to his downfall, fulfilling the prophecy he tried so hard to avoid. Sophocles’ use of irony helps the audience develop the characters of the play.
In Shakespeare’s vengeful Hamlet, Prince Hamlet’s irrational behavior can be viewed as strategic and cunning preparation for his ultimate revenge on Claudius. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to expose the profound significance behind Prince Hamlet’s behavior which can be portrayed by Emily Dickinson’s quote, “Much madness is divinest Sense- To a discerning Eye-.” Prince Hamlet’s seemingly idiotic and crazed behavior can be deemed witty and seen as the ultimate façade of a shrewd and greater plan for revenge by this “discerning Eye.” Hamlet’s strategy to feign madness to conceal his real intentions actually drives him very close to losing control of the strong force of darkness that he is toying with. Hamlet’s behaves seemingly unreasonable towards Ophelia when he denounces her and urges her to get to a Brothel instead of becoming a “Breeder of Sinners.” Hamlet then storms out after his tirade and Ophelia grieves over his “noble mind” that has now ascended into madness. Hamlet’s obsessive detail over the actors in the play The Murder of Gonzago shows hints of obsession and a fixation on revenge. Hamlet’s slaying of Polonius only leads Hamlet to believe that it was a heaven-sent tool of vengeance to punish Polonius’s sins and to stain his own soul with blood.
Hamlet’s first interaction with his father’s ghost reveals this fundamental association between love and revenge. When the ghost describes his murder as “most foul, strange, and unnatural” Hamlet conflates his feelings for his father with plans for vengeance. “Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge”(1.5.29-31). Hamlet compares the speed of his revenge to that in which someone falls in love, while expressing his belief that he can exhibit love for his father by retaliation on his behalf. Significantly, Hamlet’s revenge is to take from Claudius that which he loves, including the crown and Hamlet’s mother.
It explains Iago’s insatiable desire for revenge against Othello, explores the theme of jealousy in the play, and gives light to Iago’s manipulative deceptions and dishonesties. The soliloquy highlights a lot of important facts about the central characters and themes in “Othello”. The extract explains Iago’s relentless desire for revenge against Othello. As Iago believes that the Moor has wronged him in many ways, he sees it somewhat appropriate to plot revenge against him and those close to him. Iago has many rather theoretical reasons for his revenge, one of which being his failure to receive the spot of lieutenant, and the other being that he “suspect[s] the lusty Moor” of sleeping with his wife, Emilia.
Post-colonial readings of the play suggest that as Othello is treated as an outsider which may result in his character being insecure and quick to trust others. Therefore it isn’t his fault that he gets deceived by Iago and how jealousy affects him, as the situation he was put in has made him feel like this. Other critics like A.C. Bradley, would suggest that Othello’s jealousy is a character flaw, and the main tragic flaw that brings him to his tragic downfall. He would suggest that Othello’s own characteristics is what brought him to his end and the jealousy within Othello was to blame for this and not anything or anyone else When Roderigo and Iago appear in act 1, we already see deception before we have even met Othello. “In following him I follow but myself.
In all the tragedies, the hero has to suffer the tragic flaw. He is the only responsible of his downfall. In Shakespeare's play Othello, Othello brings all his misfortune on himself. His actions are led by his jealousy, his stubbornness and his gullibility. One of the main factor which push Othello to his death is his gullibility.