Explore the Character and Motivation of Iago. Iago, who is said to be William Shakespeare's most evil creation, is perhaps one of the most complex characters to understand. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said that the key to understanding Iago’s character, was “motiveless malignity”. However, this view is perhaps too simplistic. Shakespeare offers us a wide range of reasons which explains Iago’s hatred and actions. Adding to the complexity of his character, one may also …showed first 75 words of 1250 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1250 total…in a sense, Iago has past reason. His egocentrism and wittiness makes him almost a humorous character and his superior intellect serves a sharp reminder as to how his manipulative ways are not only evil, but deadly. Iago’s revenge results in the destruction of a marriage, two noble characters as well as his wife and Roderigo. However his silence leaves the eternal question : what ran through the mind of the “demi-devil”, Iago ? 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**