Chapter Commentary of The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice - Study Guide by William Shakespeare

the play he reduces it to this with coarse reference as, in a conversation with Cassio, act II scene 3, he speaks of Desdemona as "sport for Jove", and "full of game".

Roderigo exits (1.3.380) but not before Iago has claimed money for his service, "Therefore, put money in thy purse...". The soliloquy which follows makes further light of this

Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:

For I mine own gained knowledge should profane

If I would time expend with

such a snipe

But for my sport and profit

Roderigo is the fool but, more interestingly, we see Iago’s association between sex as sport and the extortion of poor fools like Roderigo. They are both the sport of malign souls like Iago. The rest of the soliloquy reveal at least one of Iago’s motives and also the way in which his cunning traps the victims of his malignity. His primary motive is clear – "I hate the Moor – and a reason for this is also described: he believes, though without reason and without real conviction, that the Moor has done his office with his wife. He knows that this suspicion is ridiculous – he calls it "for mere suspicion in that kind" – but the jealousy that this engenders is exactly that which he warns Othello of: "...beware...the green-eyed monster, which doth mock/ the meat it feeds upon" (3.3.167-9). Othello he calls "The Moor...of free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem so...". Remember when Iago says, "I am not what I am"? (1.1.64). Consider when Othello says later, "Certain, men should be what they seem" (3.3.131). Iago’s power and control are all too clear – he is not what he seems and using this he can lead the "Moor...as tenderly...by th’ nose / As asses are". This soliloquy is just as revealing of Iago’s methods: "let me see now...How? How? Let’s see..." He is improvising, the plan is forming slowly in his mind and he develops on this in his next soliloquy, "’Tis here, but yet confused:/ Knavery’s plain face is never seen, till used" (2.1.309-310). A plan is being born – "I hav’t, it is engendered! Hell and night/ must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light". Dark side, meet light side...

Act II

Act II opens in Cyprus where Montano, the governor and his men are waiting for news of Othello and his battles with the Turks at sea. Cassio is the first to arrive with news that the Turks are beaten. He also brings news of Othello but only that their ships lost sight of each other in the storm. He describes how he was parted from him "with foul and violent tempest", an unwitting prophesy of what is to come. Montano confirms Othello’s reputation as a soldier, "I have served him and the man commands / like a full soldier". Another ship is sighted but again, it is not Othello’s but brings Iago, Desdemona, Roderigo and Emilia. On hearing this, Cassio says:

He’s had most favourable and happy speed

Tempests themselves...

Traitors ensteeped to clog the guiltless keel,

As having sense of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona

(2.1.67-73)

Again words appropriate to the development of the plot are put into the mouth of Cassio by the dramatist: Traitors such as Iago who indeed has a sense of beauty, a beauty which he himself lacks - as he says