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 establish the benefit of psychology, back in the 1600s people with severe psychological disorders were leftover un-medicated and free to roam as citizens of society. Although Iago would have benefited from medication of today, in his fountainhead he was the best, even though his own imagination got the better of him and provide 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 profoundness and complexity of his mental unrest ooze between the lines of this reference. And after studious analysis of the complexity of Iagos thoughts in this speech, Iagos psychological shortcomings of self-love and self-worth unravel before our eyes. At f irst glance, as Iago starts to verbally shelter his reputation in the eyes of Othello, who has accused Iago of conspiring once against thy friend (3.3.147), Iago appears to be verbalize of the nature of his reputation. But the lines buns be analyzed on a much wooden-headeder level. When Iago says, Good name in man and woman, dear my original (3.3.160), the obvious first impression is that he is issuing the beginning of a statement virtually his own reputation. But, deep within the layers, this statement trick be seen as a start in expressing how Iago feels about Othello having taken his reputation as a man and smashed it in the familiar eye. Iago mentions early in the play that, it is thought abroad that twixt my sheets / He has do my office (1.3.369-70). By this earlier statement we s... ...y as a man, Iago ploys, paper is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit / and lost without deserve (2.3.251-52). Hence, we wonder, was Iago speaking of Othel lo, or Cassio? Or both? Within this albeit short speech we get a strong glimpse at how tangled the sack of Iagos mind can be. We get a feel for the profundity of his psychological unrest and see how his mind can wrap quickly his feelings from one person to another in one quick start out 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.