Brendan Tuma
Mr. George
World Lit G
02 December 2010
The Juxtaposition of Good Versus Evil
A character foil is a great literary device where an author can amplify one character’s traits by creating another with some of the opposite characteristics. William Shakespeare does this with Iago and Desdemona in his play titled Othello. Desdemona is the beautiful, just woman who portrays a Christ like figure, dying for a noble cause and one who the reader roots for. On the other hand Iago can be compared to the devil, one whose only goal is to terrorize those around him and whose motives can be questioned. To fully understand Desdemona the reader must get to know Iago. His villainous manners further bring out Desdemona’s virtue. When Desdemona suffers because of Iago’s treachery we feel more emotion towards Desdemona because of it. A character foil is a unique and subtle way to more greatly pronounce a character’s traits. Although Desdemona and Iago appear to just be different, an in depth look at their character foil shows how they are each defined through the other’s traits.
Iago has been portrayed as the biggest villain in all of Shakespeare’s writings. Previously being best friends with both Othello and Cassio, Iago turns when Cassio is rewarded the position of lieutenant by Othello. It is here where Iago’s malevolence commences. He tells Rodergio, the dimwit of Venice, that he will seek revenge and that he is not what he appears to be. The reader first gets a look at Iago’s evilness in the beginning of the play when he is already taking Roderigo’s money as Roderigo attempts to woo beautiful Desdemona. Iago constructs a cruel and brilliant plan to get back at Othello while harming Cassio and Desdemona in the process. It is unclear why Iago cannot be satisfied with only either receiving the lieutenant position or getting back at Othello. Iago feels the need to drag down his friend Cassio and his general’s wife, Desdemona. Ruthless Iago stops at nothing, also having his wife do some dirty work for him. The genius part of Iago’s plan is how he has other people do dark deeds for him. He has Roderigo attack Cassio, Emilia steal the handkerchief, and so on. There is no blood on his hands. Due to this Othello is more likely to believe Iago in certain situations because he appears just. Iago’s malevolence is amplified when he says, “Not poppy no mandragora nor all the drowsy syrups of the world shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou owedst yesterday” (Shakespeare 3. 3. 379 – 382). Physical harm and receving the desired position are not enough for Iago. He must make Othello suffer and he does so by making sure that Othello will not have a good night sleep again. By telling him that Desdemona may be false and that she may have been unfaithful he is playing mind games with Othello. This is a theme that continues throughout the play.
At no point in the play is Iago satisfied. His true motives are never revealed and this burns inside of Othello. By act 4 Iago has done enough to receive the lieutenant position he desired but for one reason or another does not stop there. He persists in continuously harming the most well liked characters in the play. After crushing Cassio and obtaining the second in command position, Iago still sets his sights on further hurting Othello and Desdemona. In the final scene of the play Iago’s dirty secrets are revealed and all the characters want to know is why he did what he did. Iago responds to this by saying, “Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word” (5. 2. 355 – 356). This couplet serves as Iago’s final punch in the throat to Othello. He is so evil that he will not speak of his motive. He has already received the position of lieutenant and still refuses to admit why he hurt Othello, making him the greatest villain in all of Shakespeare’s writings.
In terms of a play, Iago’s treachery can be considered a good thing for it further shows how good Desdemona actually is. A major contrast that is portrayed is that Iago seems virtuous but is not, while Desdemona seems evil yet is truly virtuous. Throughout the play characters refer to Iago as honest Iago and refer to Desdemona as a strumpet. Each character is perceived by others to be the exact opposite of what they actually are. It takes a character who knows both to pick up on what is going on. After being fooled by Iago once, Emilia has realized the true colors of each character and states, “If he say so, may his pernicious soul rot half a grain a day! He lies to th’ heart! She was too fond of her most filthy bargain” (5. 2. 190 – 192). Emilia speaks derogatorily of Iago and positively of Desdemona. She does so in a time period where a wife is supposed to be an obedient servant to her husband. The fact that she still speaks up under such circumstances highlights the contrast of good Desdemona versus evil Iago. The traits of each are defined through their juxtaposition.
Desdemona stands for Christian values and all that is right in the world. Desdemona represents a perfect woman from the time period as she is obedient, gorgeous, faithful, and virtuous. She is able to remain just throughout a corrupt play and never loses sight of what is right. She is terrorized by Iago’s villainous acts, abused by her husband, and referred to as a whore in more than one fashion. She stays true to herself and her husband and her final words before death are “Nobody. I myself. Farewell. Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell” (5. 2. 152 – 153). Even though it was clearly the acts of Iago and Othello that have killed her she takes the blame. Desdemona is one for whom the reader can sympathize for as she does no wrong yet is hurt most throughout the play. Desdemona had no direct relationship with Iago yet seems to be the character hurt the most by his villainous ways. Another way their juxtaposition is amplified is how Desdemona did no direct harm to Iago and that because of her link to Othello she gets brought down.
Both Iago and Desdemona have extreme personalities that get pronounced through their juxtaposition. When Iago’s evils harm the virtuous Desdemona the reader feels more of an emotion to each character. Iago is able to appear even more villainous because his evils are negatively affecting the faithful Desdemona. The reader simultaneously feels affection for Desdemona because her perfect soul is harmed by the treacherous Iago. A tragedy is a type of play where the reader must feel emotion to be interested so by creating two characters of opposite beliefs and having their personalities affect one another Shakespeare creates juxtaposition. Although the characters do not know of Desdemona’s true faithfulness and Iago’s evil plan, the reader does. When the reader sees Iago referred to as honest Iago and Desdemona referred to as a minx or strumpet they feel emotion. Each characters personalities’ are electrified through the other and because of this juxtaposition helps the reader contrast Iago and Desdemona.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. New York: Washington Square, 1993.
