Iagos Mind in William Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Iago Psychology

Iagos Mind in William Shakespeares OthelloIn Shakespeares play Othello, the character of Iago takes on the role of a person warped within his own thoughts and feelings. Although people today take up the benefit of psychology, back in the 1600s people with severe psychological disorders were left over(p) un-medicated and free to roam as citizens of society. Although Iago would have benefited from medication of today, in his look he was the best, even though his own imagination got the better of him and ply his own misguided mentality. One of the best examples of this warped mentality is a conversation which Iago has with Othello mid-way through the play (3.3.160-66). As one analyzes Iagos words, the information and complexity of his mental unrest ooze between the lines of this actors line. And after circumspect analysis of the complexity of Iagos thoughts in this speech, Iagos psychological shortcomings of self-confidence and self-worth unravel before our eyes. At f irst glance, as Iago starts to verbally nourish his reputation in the eyes of Othello, who has accused Iago of conspiring once against thy friend (3.3.147), Iago appears to be oration of the nature of his reputation. But the lines crowd out be analyzed on a much indistincter level. When Iago says, Good name in man and woman, dear my master key (3.3.160), the obvious first impression is that he is issuing the beginning of a statement close to his own reputation. But, deep within the layers, this statement grass be seen as a start in expressing how Iago feels about Othello having interpreted his reputation as a man and smashed it in the frequent eye. Iago mentions early in the play that, it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets / He has make my office (1.3.369-70). By this earlier statement we s... ...y as a man, Iago ploys, news report is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit / and lost without deserve (2.3.251-52). Hence, we wonder, was Iago spe aking of Othello, or Cassio? Or both? Within this albeit short speech we get a strong glimpse at how tangled the network of Iagos mind can be. We get a feel for the astuteness of his psychological unrest and see how his mind can wrap apace his feelings from one person to another in one quick galvanize of phrases. In these seven short lines we see Iagos self-concern about how others perceive him, we see his own fixation on how great he sees himself, and we see how he deceives himself. For me, Iagos psychosis intrigues me to read this play again and again since, on a very basic level, most of us can probably see parts of Iago within ourselves, no matter how deep within ourselves we have to look.