Iago: Suffering Through Evil Essay -- Literary Analysis

What is it that makes a person evil? Is it their actions, their words, or their thoughts? Is it more acceptable if â€Å"the end justifies the means†? Telling a lie that doesn’t have a negative effect on anyone, and that saves someone grief, is considered good. So why is killing someone to save others considered bad? The morality of an action is based solely on the outcome. Thus, doing anything whatsoever that is required to get the desired result, regardless of the methods used, would be considered â€Å"ok† if the result was of a good nature. Human nature is hardwired in us through the brain. So, human nature, being good or evil, is hardwired in us as well. It is our choice whether or not to act on these thoughts of sinful nature. For Iago, he not only thinks about crude things he also acts upon those thoughts. The actions of a military warrior, executed in normal society, show the â€Å"ethical blindness† of a man with no filter of morality (). The soldier’s jealousy converges with his personal injustice to direct his passion of hate towards the Moor. Iago accuses Othello of having relations with his wife, and that Othello has not given him the correct rank that he has earned after years of service at Othello’s side. Iago had devoted his intelligence and efficiency to good and, from that he gained nothing. Othello gave the lieutenant ship to Cassio and thus turned Iago’s jealousy towards Cassio as well. After this, he changes his course of action to obtaining his own personal interpretation of justice. Even though Iago is intelligent, crafty, and subtle he can’t control his jealous suspicions that â€Å"Othello has played him false with Emilia† (McCloskey). Iago then goes on to state his plot to get revenge, â€Å"nothing can or shall content my sou... ...e can’t effectively foresee the events coming to him (McCloskey). The irony of his quest of justice and revenge is that he suffers in the end. Works Cited Abnernethy, Julian W. "Honest Iago." Jstor: The Sweannee Review. The John Hopkins University Press. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. Kennedy, X.J., and Dana Gioia. Backpack Literature. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2012. 762-875. Print. West, Fred. â€Å"Iago the Psychopath.† South Atlantic Modern Language Association. South Atlantic Bulletin. 43.2 (1978): 27-35. Web 11 Apr. 2012.. McCloskey, John C. "The Motivation of Iago." National Council of Teachers of English . 3.1 (1941): 25-30. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. . Machiavelli’s The Prince a summary with quotations