Roderigo, Iago's pawn in Othello, is
clearly an outsider in the main characters' society. At the start of the play, we learn
that Desdemona and her father, Brabantio, have both decided that Roderigo would not be a
suitable match for Desdemona. For the rest of the action of the play, Roderigo tries
desperately to win Desdemona's love. But because he is such an outsider in Cyprus (that
is, no one really knows him or acknowledges his presence), he is able to carry out
Iago's dirty work. Iago views Roderigo as expendable, and since he doesn't exist in the
main characters' inner circle, he ultimately--and
unfortunately--is.
More importantly, Iago is an outsider
of sorts--even though other characters view him as a trusted friend. Iago, as evidenced
through his soliloquies, is unable to function as a member of the society in which he
lives. His hatred for Othello, his willingness to destroy the lives of other characters
to get back at Othello, and his over-inflated sense of self-importance make him the
ultimate outsider.
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