Othello: Iago: Manipulative, Racist, Arrogant, Conceited The play Othello by William Shakespeare describes Iago as a manipulative, racist, arrogant and conceited character. As for the manipulation trait, Iago makes Brabantio believe that Othello forcibly married Desdemona. Regarding the racism trait, Iago refers to Othello as a black animal. As for the trait of arrogance, Iago states that Michael Cassio cannot deliver in battle. Regarding the trait of conceit, Iago believes he deserves the position of Othello's immediate assistant. This essay analyzes Othello to illustrate that Iago is a manipulative, racist, arrogant, and conceited character. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To show that he is manipulative, Iago speaks in a way that makes Brabantio believe that Othello forcibly married Desdemona. In this regard, Iago loudly advises Brabantio to be on his guard against thieves and Desdemona (Shakespeare 79-80). Iago then declares that Desdemona, Brabantio's daughter, has been kidnapped (Ibid. 87) by Othello. Based on Iago's inciting utterances, Brabantio believes that Othello has forcibly married Desdemona. From this analysis it is clear that Iago is manipulative; causes Brabantio to adopt the idea that Othello forcibly married Desdemona. Iago is also racist; based on Othello's black skin color, Iago refers to Othello as a black animal. To this end Iago refers to Othello as a black ram (Ibid. 88). This terminology implies that Othello is less than a human being due to his black skin color. As a result, Iago is racist because he considers Othello inferior because of his skin color. Reflecting on this topic, the reader could validly conclude that Iago considers himself superior to Othello. Since Iago's point of view is informed by Othello's black skin color, a reader would realize that Iago is racist. Furthermore, Iago is arrogant; without providing valid justifications, he claims that Cassius is unfit for war. In this regard, Iago claims that because Cassio studied mathematics, he cannot perform well in battle (Ibid. 23). Curiously, Iago provides no specific reasons to prove that Cassio is an incompetent soldier. Given this state of affairs, the reader can validly conclude that Iago considers himself better than Cassio in terms of fighting ability. Considering that Iago has no evidence to support his thesis, he is arrogant. Furthermore, Iago is conceited; he believes he should fill the position of Othello's second-in-command (Ibid. 33-34). This view illustrates that Iago is of the opinion that he possesses some leadership qualities that he does not actually possess. Iago does not possess these leadership qualities because he was overlooked when Othello was selecting the individual to fill the position of second in command. If he possessed these leadership qualities, Iago would be appointed to this position. From this speech it is clear that Iago exhibits the trait of presumption; He thinks highly of himself. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, Shakespeare's Othello highlights the following traits of Iago: manipulative, racism, arrogance, and conceit. Since Iago is a male character, it would be rewarding to find out why Shakespeare chose to depict him as a character with negative traits. This line of questioning would lead an investigator to analyze Othello using lenses of biographical or historical criticism. Biographical criticism would involve investigating.