In Othello, Shakespeare begins the
play with two foils, Iago and Roderigo at night: one hidden and the other in plain
sight. The former is a villain, the latter a fool, but both are be dark lords of
misrule.
Here's what they have in
common:
- Both are targeting Desdemona (Roderigo
as thwarted love; Iago as revenge bait against
Othello) - Both are jealous of
Othello - Both are expose Desdemona's secret elopement to
Brabantio (Roderigo publicly; Iago privately) - Both lose
their battle against Othello in Act I (the Duke condones the
marriage) - Both seek revenge in Cyprus (away from the
Duke's protection) - Both are id-based
characters (exhibit child-like behavior and seek immediate pleasure: Roderigo=lust;
Iago=suffering of others)
Here's how they are
different:
- Roderigo is public in Venice and
private in Cyprus; Iago is private in Venice and public and private in Cyprus: (as such,
they are two halves of the hidden, dark side). - Roderigo
is pure passion (he threatens suicide); Iago is calculated passion (he wants only to
wound others) - Roderigo pays Iago. Roderigo is the
"money" and Iago is the "purse." - Roderigo is a fool.
Iago admits, "I am not what I am" to Roderigo, and yet Roderigo continues to believe
and pay him - Roderigo thinks his using Iago for his dirty
work, but Iago is really using Roderigo to be his scapegoat. Iago uses Rogerigo to
expose Cassio.
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