How does Shakespeare present Iago's views of life and his motives for hating Othello, what do you think of him?

Shakespeare makes it quite clear to his audience at the beginning of the play that Iago plays the character of the common criminal, from his opening speech with Roderigo on Iago owing money to Roderigo. When Iago caries out his soliloquy we find out his philosophies on life and as an audience we become aware that he is a very clever and formulated villain this idea is not at all strange for Shakespearian play. In Othello Shakespeare presents Iago in this clever way as it would take a very scheming villain to go up against such a significant hero. We are aware of this hero being so unique as he is the title of the book, to use such an insipid villain this would create a great imbalanced.

Shakespeare shows Iago to be a great absolutist in his moral thinking, he'll have one idea, one moral in life and stick by it no one can change his view.

From the Library of Congress: TITLE: Thos. W. Keen...

English: Photographic full-length portrait of Edwi...

Illustration of Othello and Iago

Shakespeare shows Iago's philosophies in life to be; if we wish to be successful in life only within ourselves can we do so. There is this idea that men that do not love themselves love women too much and it is women that have corrupted their original way of thinking. Shakespeare shows this in the language he uses for Iago, the various derogatory metaphors for women "Ere I would change myself for the love of a guinea-hen I would change my humanity with a baboon." The word guinea-hen used is derogatory as it is another word for a prostitute. Iago uses more comparisons which adds to his powers of persuasion when you are planting a herb or a lettuce and you want it to grow stinging nettles always get in the way distract you and conduct you to "preposterous conclusions". In...