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For other uses, see Iago (disambiguation).
Edwin Booth as Iago, c. 1870
Creator William Shakespeare
Play Othello
Date c. 1601–1604
Source "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio (1565)
Role Antagonist
Othello's ensign
Emilia's husband
Portrayed by Robert Armin
Edwin Booth
Laurence Olivier
Kenneth Branagh
Frank Finlay
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Henry Irving
Jose Ferrer
Micheál MacLiammóir
Ian McDiarmid
Ewan McGregor
Ian McKellen
Nicholas Pennell
Christopher Walken
Bob Hoskins
Rory Kinnear

Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello (c. 1601–1604). The play's main antagonist, Iago is the 'Ancient' (standard bearer) of General Othello as well as being husband of Emilia, who is in turn the attendant of Othello's wife Desdemona. Iago hates Othello (who is also known as "The Moor") and devises a plan to destroy him by making him believe that his wife is having an affair with his lieutenant, Michael Cassio.







Role in the play[edit]


Othello and Iago



Description of character[edit]

Iago is one of Shakespeare's most sinister villains, often considered such because of the unique trust that Othello places in him, which he betrays while maintaining his reputation of honesty and dedication. Shakespeare contrasts Iago with Othello's nobility and integrity. With 1,097 lines, Iago has more lines in the play than Othello himself.


Shakespearean critic A. C. Bradley said that "evil has nowhere else been portrayed with such mastery as in the evil character of Iago",[4] and also states that he "stands supreme among Shakespeare's evil characters because the greatest intensity and subtlety of imagination have gone into his making" [5] The mystery surrounding Iago’s actual motives continues to intrigue readers and fuel scholarly debate.

Critical discussion[edit]

In discussing The Tragedy of Othello, scholars have long debated Iago’s role—highlighting the complexity of his character. Fred West contends that Shakespeare was not content with simply portraying another “stock” morality figure, and that he, like many dramatists, was particularly interested in the workings of the human mind. Thus, according to West, Iago, who sees nothing wrong with his own behavior, is “an accurate portrait of a psychopath” (27),[6] who is “devoid of conscience, with no remorse” (29).[6] West believes that “Shakespeare had observed that there exist perfectly sane people in whom fellow-feeling of any kind is extremely weak while egoism is virtually absolute, and thus he made Iago” (34).[6]


Weston Babcock, however, would have us see Iago as “an human being, shrewdly intelligent, suffering from and striking against a constant fear of social snobbery” (301).[7] According to Babcock, it is not malice, but fear, that drives Iago. For, “Iago dates his maturity, as he considers it, his ability to understand the world, from the age at which he recognized every remark to be personally pointed. One only who lacks inner assurance and is so constantly on guard against any hint of his inferiority could so confess himself" (299).[7]

John Draper, on the other hand, postulates that Iago is simply “an opportunist who cleverly grasps occasion” (726),[8] spurred on by “the keenest of professional and personal motives” (728).[8] Draper argues that Iago “seized occasions rather than made them" (727).[8] According to his theory, Iago “is the first cause, but events, once under way, pass out of his control“ (727).[8] Following this logic, Draper concludes that Iago “is neither as clever nor as wicked as some would think; and the problem of his character largely resolves itself into the question: was he justified in embarking upon the initial stages of his revenge?” (727).[8]


See also Shakespeare on screen (Othello).


Léone Teyssandier writes that a possible motive for Iago's actions is envy towards Desdemona, Cassio and Othello; Iago sees them as more noble, generous and, in the case of Cassio, more handsome than he is.[9] In particular, he sees the death of Cassio as a necessity, saying of him that "He hath a daily beauty in his life that makes me ugly".[10]





It is this dramatic irony that drives the play.

Some critics thought Kenneth Branagh portrayed Iago as a homosexual, thus giving a possible motive of sexual desire for Othello, jealousy of Desdemona, and rage at the impossibility of his love for Othello being requited.[12] In an interview, Branagh stated, "Well, you know, a rather distinguished critic said he was annoyed with my performance because I'd clearly played Iago gay. I had no consciousness of doing that at all, but I did play as though he loved Othello. But I don't mean in a sexual sense. I just meant that he absolutely loved him. And frankly, that's the way I am with my male friends: I say 'I love you' when I feel it."[13]

Other versions of the character[edit]

Nicole Galland's novel I, Iago (2012) speculates an elaborate backstory in which Iago invents intricate moral justifications for his ambition and vengeance.[citation needed]

David Snodin's novel Iago (2012) hypothesizes about what may have happened to Iago had he escaped after being imprisoned.[citation needed]



  6. ^ a b c West, Fred (1978). "Iago the Psychopath". South Atlantic Bulletin 43 (2): 27–35. doi:10.2307/3198785. 
  7. ^ a b Babcock, Weston (1965). "Iago-an Extraordinary Honest Man". Shakespeare Quarterly 16 (4): 297–301. doi:10.2307/2867657. 
  8. ^ a b c d e Draper, John (1931). "Honest Iago". PMLA: Publication of the Modern Language Association of America 46 (3): 724–737. doi:10.2307/457857. 
  10. ^ V.i.19–20
  11. ^ II.iii.315-16
  12. ^ http://bostonreview.net/BR21.2/Stone.html
  13. ^ The Branagh Compendium

External links[edit]