Directions: Respond to the question below and respond in a few sentences to 2 of your classmates. Responses like "I totally agree with Suzie" are unacceptable. A response like "I totally agree with Suzie because blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah....in Act 1, blah, blah, blah...the text says, blah, blah, blah" is acceptable.!
What are your immediate impressions of Igao? Use textual evidence to support your response.
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ReplyDeleteIn othello the very first impression of Iago is that he's an okay guy sort of mad at his friend. Then you can see that he is actually the bad one. He tries to deceive Rodrigo into rating out Othello, but then when it works he runs away and acts like nothing happened.
ReplyDeleteSam Dubois
My first impression was that Iago was betraying Othello. I thought that he was supposed be really good friends with Othello but he ended up going behind his back and trying to get him in trouble. When he tells Barbantio that Othello and his daughter are together that is really mean. He also tries to trick Rodrigo into turning in Othello so he can look like the innocent one.
ReplyDeleteEmma O.
My first impression of Iago is that he is very clever and misconceiving. He tricks others into helping him like Brabantio and Roderigo. He morphs Roderigo's mind so that he is also mad at Othello. He leads Brabantio to his daughters relationship with Othello and makes him pursue her. When Iago gets what he wants, Brabantio going to find his daughter and punish her and Othello, he decides to leave and make himself look as innocent as possible. Iago makes it look like he had nothing to do with the tricks but is actually the main mastermind.
ReplyDeleteRhett Dudley
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ReplyDeleteEmma-I agree with you completely. Iago is being the masterminding of Othello's fall. At first the reader suspects that Iago likes Othello but is having a minor problem but you later read that he is trying to get Othello in trouble.
Sam- I agree and disagree. At first it may seem that Iago is kind and just having problems with Othello. Iago doesn't act like nothings happened but just tries to make it look like that to others.
I agree with Sam because at first he seemed like he was actually just a little mad, but when he ran away from Rodrigo to act like he was totally innocent that actually made me angry that he betrayed two people who trusted him at the same time!
ReplyDeleteRhett: I totally agree with you. Iago gets what he wants and then he tries to make himself look innocent. He is only thinking about himself and tries to get everything he wants. Once he gets what he wants he tries to make other people look guilty even though it is his idea.
ReplyDeleteSam: I also agree that he is an okay guy at the very beginning of the story. But then he turns his back on Othello and rats him out to Barbantio.
-Emma O.
Sam dubois:
ReplyDeletei agree with you that in the beginning, Iago comes off as a disgruntled friend who is hurt, and taking out his resentment on his friend. later however, you see that Iago is really evil and seems to want nothing but to mess with everyone for no apparent reason than to spite them. he is very manipulative and as soon as he sets the chain in motion, he just steps back to watch the drama. he's sort of creepy in a cold, unfeeling way.
My first impressions of Iago were that he was mischievous and deceiving. He is supposed to be Othello's friend but all he does it try to hurt him. The way he told on Othello to Barbantio was terrible and completely unnecessary. Also he just tried to leave and act like he was innocent. It seems to me that Iago is just another character who makes friends and then just deceives them later.
ReplyDelete-Cory A.
In the beginning of Othello my first impression of Iago is that he is a mean and horrible person. At first he seems to just be mad at Othello. He then starts to seem like he hates Othello. He then betrays Rodrigo and Othello. He and Rodrigo then go and tell Desdemona's father about her relationship with Othello so he will go and get mad at his daughter. When this works he runs away and acts like he had nothing to do with it. He is truly the bad guy.
ReplyDeleteParker
Rhett:
ReplyDeletei agree with you about the mastermind thing. iago is the sort of person who himself is safe while he tricks his friends do do the dirty work for him and makes sure that he'll never get caught. while he always gets what he wants, he makes it seem as if the world is giving him everything, while in reality he is manipulating the foils to do his bidding.
I agree with Rhett and Emma because from the start, Iago seems to be a devious, slippery character. He acts like he is not guilty of anything though, because in Act 1, he says that he is going to where Othello is so as to make him seem innocent. I agree with Sam, because he does rat out Othello and I think that you can then see that he is not as innocent as he may seem. Jaime, I thought that it was wrong for Iago to betray two people as well. My first impression was that Iago was a very angry man because he is complaining that Cassio is getting the part in the military as lieutenant. Iago says, "Forsooth a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio a Florentine." This quote shows his disdain for the fact that Othello hired someone else. This shows that he acts on jealousy and will go on to tell Brabantio of what is going on between Othello and his daughter,Desdemona, out of spite.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of Iago is that he is tricky and not a very trustworthy person. He lied to a lot of people and he is planning to betray his best friend. He is trying to seem like the innocent one when he is really the one that is going to ruin Othello.
ReplyDeleteNikki Perry
Emma: I agree with you 100%. It was terrible how Iago just gets people in trouble, and doesn't seem to stop until the job is done. Also he just leaves and tries to act like he was never apart of anything. It seems like he is great at what he does and no one has figured him out.
ReplyDeleteRhett: I also agree with you. Iago always seems to be in everyones business. When someone makes him angry, he will do anything to completely take them down. He is also very mischievous and seems to be good at getting away unnoticed. Things would be a lot more simple and people would be happier if it weren't for Iago.
-Cory A.
I also agree with Cory because he is deceiving and he only told Brabantio because he was jealous. It wasn't necessary. Dexter, I can see why you would say that he first comes off as a disgruntled friend. He just seems angry that he didn't get the post, but then some of his other intentions become clear.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of Iago is that he seems very devious and cunning. He whispers thoughts into people's minds and tries to use them for his personal gain. From the beginning, however, it is apparent that he is indeed a very Machiavellian villain who will do anything and twist anyone to get what he wants. At first, he just seems like a hurt friend, but as the scene progresses his deep anger and desire for revenge is revealed.
ReplyDeleteCory: I agree with you completely. All the things that he does are unnecessary. He for him to tell on Othello and then turn around and run away to make it look like he didn't do anything is terrible. He is truly one that deceives everyone.
ReplyDeleteDexter: I also believe that he is always up to no good. In pure hatred for Othello he turns on everyone and deceives them. He bugs everyone for no reason at all. I also agree with you how he starts something and then steps out of it and makes it look like he had nothing to do with it.
Parker
When thinking of my first impressions of Iago, the words spiteful, clever, and tricky. The first part of Act 1 Scene 1 showed Iago as a plotting mastermind. He slowly crumbles the wall of friendship he has with Othello by revealing his secret marraige with Desdemona to her father. As Scene 1 progressed Iago clearly became more and more evil as he added negative thoughts to the character's minds. What he did with Rodrigo was kind of like a hit and run situation. He told Rodrigo to say anything and everything about Othello and Desdemona and then left. He left to go stand by Othello as a loyal friend just to backstab him even more. Iago = Evil, Tricky, and a Horrible Friend.
ReplyDeleteUmaash Nallainathan
I think Iago is a bit egotistical and wants to have the last laugh. he seems to take things personal and is not afraid of anything.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nikki that he is very deceitful and cunning like when he outsmarted Roderigo into helping him and then instigated Brabantio into raising a riot to go find Othello.
I also agree with Sam, like when he seems even to the audience to be a good person but you don't see his lies and secrets.
Miles Rabun
Rhett: I, as well, agree. As I mentioned in my analysis, you described the hit and run situation with Rodrigo and Brabantio. I also agree that he's misconceiving and clever, so by having these traits he's able to plant evil seeds in people's minds. Through these actions, as you mentioned, he almost corrupts everyone around him.
ReplyDeleteSam: I agree with everything you said, except for one thing. To me Iago still seemed evil in the beginning because of the background information we were given before reading the text. I was expecting Iago to be a cruel person and even in the beginning of the story he was plotting to backstab his friend. However, I do agree that he got progressingly more evil throughout the reading.
Umaash Nallainathan
I agree with Rhett that Iago is very misconceiving. He is also very clever witch is a bad combination for a villain to be. I agree that he can change Rodrigo's idea of Othello, even though Othello did nothing to Rodrigo.
ReplyDeleteSam Dubois
I agree with Cory that it is just wrong that Iago turns on his best friend like that. I also think that telling Barbantio about Othello was unnecessary, and in a way immature.
ReplyDeleteSam Dubois
My first impression of Iago was the fact that he wasn't a good friend. He is very deceitful and only cares about himself. He makes it seem like it is perfectly okay to destroy friendships, and to send Brabantio after his daughter. Like how we learned in class today, his entire mindset is that the end justifies the means.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rhett and Umaash about how he was such a tricky character, and as how Umaash described it, he had a sort of hit and run situation with Rodrigo. I don't like how even after Iago left to continue his treachery, Rodrigo still has the evil thoughts that were planted there. Like what Jamie said, it makes me angry how he is able to maintain these people's trust, even though he is influencing these people's minds.
(The above comment was by Karyn Hladik-Brown)
ReplyDeleteIago came across as a deceptive person from the very start. Like what Rhett said, Iago is able to plant seeds, but even if he leaves, the seeds stay in place (like Karyn said). He at first seems to be upset at being let down but then turns that emotion into being pure hatred.
ReplyDelete-Reece Carter
Iago started off as a decietful character. From the start of the novel he seemed manipulative towards Rodrigo and Brabantio.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Umaash when he said Iago was spiteful. he seemed to have no regarg for the harm that would befall everyone else. It fact he enjoyed the fact that it would happen.
I also agree with Tabeen when she said Iago was a very Machiavellian character. In the text Iago only associates with people so he can use him. He also believes that the end (harming Othello) justify the means that harm everyone else.
Julia Zimmerman
I think that Iago is a deceptive character and uses other characters traits, weaknesses and foolish points to gain for his personal self. He deceives Othello when he is to appear by Othello's side, pretending not to know of the coming interruption by Brabantio.
ReplyDeleteTo Umaash: I agree completely, he is a spiteful man who has gained little on his own throughout the few years of his life, and metaphorically speaking has sucked the goods, fortunes, and happiness out of others.
To Reece: I also agree with you, because he is like a seed being planted,the roots dig down deep and can cause trouble. Not only is this true, but the damage is often there forever. I know of a little brick path, which next to it stands a large oak tree. The trees roots have grown immensely and have distorted the path in so many different places. In comparison to Othello, Iago is the tree and the path signifies the lives of others who have broken apart because of him.
-Gillian Shulman
My first impression of Iago was that he was an okay guy, like Sam said, but I could tell from the beginning that he wasn't completely honest/loyal. The play opens with Iago venting to Roderigo about how frustrated he is and how much hatred he has towards Othello, as he hired a mere mathematician with no battle experience whatsoever to become lieutenant, even though three of Venice's noblemen encouraged Othello to choose Iago as the lieutenant because he has lots of battle experience. He is disloyal from the beginning to his so-called "friend" by talking behind his back and proceeds to "backstab" Othello when he leads Brabantio to him while he acts like he has no idea what is going on. He is extremely deceitful and it is terrible that he has gone behind Othello's back and put him in an awful predicament just so that he can get revenge on his "friend". Iago only cares about himself. He is, however, very clever and cunning - just the traits that an evil mastermind needs to carry out his actions. Iago only seeks to satisfy himself, and has left all the other characters in a tizzy of anger, betrayal, and shock while he sits back and acts like nothing has happened/he has no idea what is going on.
ReplyDeleteJill Jones
I think that Iago is an ambitious, arrogant, and somewhat cowardly man. He has already failed to become lieutenant, yet he is still trying to so hard to rise to that rank. He shows his arrogance when he says, "I know my price, I am worth no worse a place." Iago does seem to be a bit afraid of being caught. "It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be producted (as, if I stay, I shall)." He is saying that it would be bad for someone in his position to be caught going behind Othello's back, so he is going to leave poor naive Roderigo behind to take care of things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Umaash, that Iago is very clever. He seems to have this all planned out. He is very good at making it sound like all he wants to do is help Brabantio, ("Because we come to do you service and you think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse,") when in reality he has very different intentions.
I also agree with Rhett. Iago is very deceitful. He is deceiving Othello, only pretending to be loyal to him so that he may turn around and stab him in the back. "I follow him to serve my turn upon him."
Cory: I agree with everything you said. Iago is definitely a backstabber and his "revenge" on Othello is completely uncalled for and utterly selfish/unbelievably mean. Iago should be ashamed of what he's done - he leads Othello into thinking that he is his friend, but then proceeds to hurt him unnecessarily.
ReplyDeleteNikki:I also agree that Iago should not be trusted. He is very tricky, sly, and cunning... and those traits unfortunately work in his favor. He shouldn't have lied to all the people that he did and should not be acting like the innocent one. He is lied too many times and has done such awful things to Othello that he doesn't deserve to be called innocent.
Jill Jones
My first impressions of Iago is a deceiving and backstabbing person. I definitely start seeing the dark side of Iago. He totally just backstabbed his friend, Othello. After he told on Othello, he just acted like he did nothing at all. Iago is not a friend I would have because he isnt trustworthy at all.
ReplyDelete~Casey Burroughs
Iago is a misleading character who has other characters mindless like pawns in a game of chess. he is using others to create distractions and take out others while he sits back as the king next to his queen and watches the entire thing unwind. Iago is a mastermind at getting what he wants and isn't worth the time as a companion
ReplyDelete- Joe Cooper
i agree with Rhett and tabeen because they both state they believe iago is a despiteful criminal and he truly is because of what he is planning to do in order to rank up in the army
ReplyDelete-joe cooper
Emily: I totally agree with you. Iago is an arrogant and cowardly man because if he wasnt he wouldnt be deceiving his friend and acting like nothing happened. He is arrogant because in the play he says "In personal suit to make me his lieutenant". He things he already has the job.
ReplyDeleteGillian: I agree with you, he is one of those people that uses other peoples' weaknesses and foolish acts to gain for himself. Personally I dont like people that do that.
~Casey Burroughs
My first impression of Iago was that he was a little more than dissapointed about not getting the job from his 'boss' and friend Othello. I thought that he was a terrible person for betraying two people in his way of getting back at Othello, like Parker said. I also think that his plan gets worse. I feel like this is just the beginning and he is distracting everyone. Once he has them all distracted and they let their guards down, I think he will jump in and his full plan will unfold.
ReplyDeleteParker (and Cory) I agree that is was wrong for Iago to betray two people and then just leave Rodrigo out for the blame while he goes and blends in to the scene with Othello and Desdemona and acts just as surprised as they are at the news. However, I do believe that Desdemona's father did need to know about her relationship because he is her father. But, Iago could have cleared the idea of discussing it with her father first or waited until she was with him to bring up the topic.
Laura, I agree. He did seem disappointed and angry about not getting his lieutenant position. It doesn't help any either that his friend gave another person his desired job or promotion and that the person it was given to did not have as much experience as Iago. I do believe it it extremely wrong to begin to destroy his life and his reputation.
Lindsay
I agree with Rhett that Iago is the mastermind; always searching for the situation that is most advantageous to him. In Act I, Scene I (which is the only one we've read so far, obviously) Iago is right off the bat starting to plot "to gain his wicked ends", which I think is another Shakespeare quote but not from Othello. It is also obvious that Iago already hates Othello as well as just about everyone else, but pretends to be everyone's friend. ~~Aubrey
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of Iago was that he was very open with his feelings and didn't mind sharing them. From the beginning though, I could tell that he never did something unless he would benefit from it. When he led Brabantio to Othello he was a very disloyal friend and made me dislike him. When he acted like he didn't know what was going on, that was worse. Finally, when Iago was going on and on about how he hated Othello to Rodriego, that made him disloyal, deceptive and mean.
ReplyDelete-becca smith
I agree with Jill Jones about Iago being a terrible friend by going behind Othello's back just to get revenge. A real friend would never do that. they would trust that their friend did what they thought was best for everybody, know that his friend was still his friend, and support their friend in their new promotion.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Umaash when he says that Iago is the mastermind. Iago prompts people to do his dirty work for him, tells the trickee that he is right behind him, then slips out at the last moment leaving his hands clean and the trickee baffeled.
-becca smith
Gillian: I agree that Iago is using others for his own personal gain. He shouldn't be trusted.
ReplyDeleteBecca: I also think that he is the mastermind and is trying to blame everything on other people.
-Nikki Perry
When we first read Act one, Scene one of Othello, my first impression of Iago was that he was an evil character. By telling Brabantio about Othello and Desdemona, he thinks that he can get revenge on Othello. He is mad because Othello gave his rightful job as lieutenant to someone else. While I think it is reasonable for Iago to be mad, the lengths he went to to get revenge on Othello were not acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tabeen that Iago starts off to be an ok guy with just the problem of not being chosen to be lieutenant. Although, as the play reveals more of the story, Iago is portrayed as evil and that he will do anything to get his way.
I agree with Karyn when she said that Iago only care about the end result. It is wrong that he felt it was ok to possibly destroy Brabantio and Desdemona's relationship, along with Othello and Desdemona's relationship. It is immoral that he does this all without feeling any guilt.
-Emma F.
I agree with Jill that Iago is very sly, and orchestrates the entire situation so that it will favor him, and he is setting up Othello and betraying him as a "good friend", and that the revealing of Othello and Desdemona's marriage to Brabantio is unneccessary and only a small piece of revenge compared to what is to come.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Emma F. when she said that Iago's anger with Othello was reasonable considering the situation, but interfering with Othello's personal life and trying to seem like he wasn't involved is going too far. Like I said previously, being a Machiavellian villain, Iago will go to any lengths to get his desired revenge, even surpassing the extent of the offense.
Also, it is apparent from the very beginning that Iago certainly has a very strong and complex personality that will branch out a lot more as we progress through Othello.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jill, Karyn, Umaash, and Cory.
ReplyDeleteMy first impression of Iago is that he's not a very good friend because the play opens with him talking about how much he hates the person who's supposted to be his best friend, and how he used Roderigo's money. Iago is a decietful friend because he betrays Othello, but acts as if he's friend even though he hates him. He's munipulating Othello and letting all the other's take the blame for his actions.
@Jill I agree with you even from the first scenes you can see the details about Iago's poor friendship abilities
@Karyn You're right, Iago is showing that the ends justify the means but what exactly is he rying to achive besides breaking up Desdemona's marriage?
@Cory and Umaash isn't Iago's whole friendship with Othello just a scam? On line 7 Roderigo talks about how much Iago hates Othello...
Linnnea