Every act contains an evil plot set up by Iago. They all play into his "grand scheme". In the very beginning of Act 1 Iago displays his hatred for Othello. He is angry at him for making Cassio the lieutenant. Jealousy is his first motif.
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.
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. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony exposes the deeper meaning and function of Hamlet’s actions. Hamlet denounces Ophelia in order to break all emotional connections with her, although this gets him no closer to revenge with Claudius. Hamlet expresses the same prejudice and hate in his outburst towards Ophelia that he does when he is thinking aloud to himself. Hamlet’s ingenious scheme to write a play in order to trigger a guilty reaction from Claudius is not typical of a madman.
These people will stop at nothing to take down their enemy, and no one is safe. This type of conflict is overly present in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello. In Othello, the antagonist Iago has a strong hatred for Othello. Iago plots to take down Othello, thereby creating the central conflict within the storyline. The conflict between Iago and Othello acts as a catalyst for destruction and only exists because Iago has been scorned when he is passed over for a position in the military and Iago is a racist.
The character of Edmund in Shakespeare’s King Lear a complex antagonist whose quest for power, and the treatment he deserves from society fuels the subplot. Cunning, deceitful, and a villain, Edmund will do whatever it takes to achieve his objectives, even if it means betraying the people who love him most. Edmund plays a key role in setting the stage for the disaster waiting to unfold, which is the subplot. Initially, the audience sympathizes with Edmund’s character; society treats him poorly, and his own father publicly embarrasses him. In Act 1 Scene 1, when Kent asks Gloucester if Edmund is his Gloucester’s son, he replies “his breeding hath been at my charge” (1.1.9) yet Gloucester “blushed to acknowledge [Edmund]” (1.1.10).
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.
The character of Iago is presented to the viewer early on as the obvious villain of the play. His initial exploitation of Othello and Desdemona’s marriage makes the viewer aware of his calculating and manipulative nature, which is further emphasized by his continual deceit of Othello. Despite the ease with which he enacts his controlled and cunning plans, Iago sometimes seems to the viewer as an irrational, vengeful character acting out of jealousy. This trait can make him appear illogical and unreasonable but emphasis his pure evil nature. Iago’s initial soliloquies reveal his deceptive nature, he is presented as Janus, the 2 faced man, as he reveals his plan which becomes more and more complex and reliant on his continual manipulation of the people around him.
As Othello’s ancient, Iago has a strong pull over Othello which he utilizes in order to seek revenge on him. He begins with a reason for ruining the lives of everyone possible; however, as the play progresses, ruining lives becomes sport for him and he loses sight of his prior reasoning for ruining the lives of Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, Roderigo, Emilia and Bianca. Conflict and Resolution: Person vs. Person: Othello vs. Iago: As Othello’s right hand man, Iago is able to manipulate Othello and turn him evil. This is easy for him because Othello believes he is an honest man and puts all his trust in him.
There is no doubt in « Othello » as to the role Shakespeare has given Iago, he is the villain, masterful at deceit he generates most evil in the play. The clever soldier, his incredible acting allows him to be two or three completely different people. During most of the Act the audience finds itself constantly trying to find a motive for Iago’s actions but finds none that can justify what he is about to do. What does seem to come back again and again is his view on women which he sees as sex rapacious and a danger to his machiavellian plans. Scene 1 offers us a good preview as to what Iago is going to do for the rest of the Act and ultimately the rest of the play.
He possesses an exterior glitter which is really sinister and which misleads everyone in the play. Iago’s jealousy and deception is brought about by Othello giving Cassio a promotion over himself and the play starts with Iago complaining to Roderigo, about ‘The Moor.’ Jealousy is a major theme in Othello and this is illustrated though characterisation and the use of imagery. From the beginning of Othello, it is established that Iago is driven by jealousy himself and uses it as his tool to bring about the downfall of Othello. Responders are immediately alerted to his scheming nature when he states “I follow him to serve my turn upon him.” The characterisation of Othello from the calm and reasoned military leader to the blind, enraged ‘blacker devil’ that responders witness in the end emphasises the potent poison that is jealousy. There isn’t a shred of the Othello from Act one left by the tragic ending of the play as highlighted by Lodovico “thou Othello, that wert once so good.” The mere possibility of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness and the question of her fidelity are unbearable for ‘valiant’ Othello, he would rather “the general camp, Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body” than to have doubts floating in his mind.