Iago is a “moral pyromaniac.” Harold C. Goddard writes that Iago
consciously and unconsciously seeks to destroy the lives of others, especially
others with high moral standards (Goddard 76). However, Iago is more than just
a “moral pyromaniac,” he is a moral pyromaniac whose fire is fueled by pure
hatred. He is a hungry powermonger whose appetite for destruction can only be
satisfied after he has chewed up and spat out the lives of others. Iago lusts
for power, but his sense of power is attained by manipulating and annihilating
others in a cruel and unusual way. Iago prepares and ignites his victims and
then watches, with an excitable evil in his eye, as his human pyres go up in
Iago undeniably has an unquenchable thirst for power and domination.
Critics such as M. R. Ridley believe that the ability to hurt is the most
convincing display of one’s power (Ridley lxi). Iago has a deep, inbred desire
to cause and view intolerable suffering. The power of Iago is exercised when he
prepares and then implements an evil plan designed to inflict man with the most
extreme amounts of anguish possible. Iago controls the play, he brilliantly
determines how each character shall act and react. He is a pressing advocate of
evil, a pernicious escort, steering good people toward their own vulgar
Iago must first make careful preparations in order to make certain his fire
of human destruction will burn with fury and rage. He douses his victims with a
false sense of honesty and goodness. And, as do most skillful pyromaniacs, Iago
first prepares his most important target, Othello:
Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very
stuff o’th’ conscience To do no contrived murder. I lack the iniquity.
. . I had thought t’have yerked him under the ribs . . . . . .he
And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your Honor (I,
These sentences are obvious lies (to the reader), but they are crucial to the
saboteur because they present Iago to Othello as a brave, loyal, and moral
person. Iago indirectly and cleverly portrays himself as a man ready to fight
and brave enough to kill; yet, he also wants Othello to believe that he would
not kill without just reason. Iago pretends to be so loyal as to be tempted to
kill any slanderer of Othello.
It is evident that Othello has complete faith in
Iago’s claims as he states “thou’rt full of love and honesty” and “O brave Iago,
honest and just” (III, iii 136IV, i 34). Iago douses more dishonesty onto
other characters such as Cassio who trusts Iago: “You advise me well. . .
Goodnight, honest Iago,” and Desdemona who calls Iago “an honest fellow” (II,
iii 3463555). Iago’s deceitfulness is best epitomized by his ability to
continually dupe Roderigo into serving his own insidious desires. Iago, always
the careful pyromaniac, successfully pours his fuel of deceptiveness onto the
victims before he lights his match.
Once his victims are cloaked in misconception and dripping with innocence,
Iago can ignite his scrupulously prepared fire. His evil creation is ready to
burst into flames, “it is engendered. Hell and night. . .bring this monstrous
birth to the world’s light” (I, iii 446-447). Iago is the ultimate opportunist,
he knows exactly where and when to strike. He is fully aware that he can most
malignantly destroy Cassio through dishonor, Othello through jealousy, Roderigo
through naivet, and Desdemona through purity. Iago is able to intoxicate Cassio,
who has “very poor and unhappy brains for drinking,” and, thus, dishonor him
(II, iii 34). Iago pretends to be Cassio’s good-old-drinking-buddy, but
actually intends to embarrass him. Iago, the pyromaniac, proudly watches as
Cassio goes up in flames: “I have lost my reputation. . .and what remains is
bestial” (II, iii 282-283). Another log is thrust into the fire when Iago
remarks that reputation, which Cassio has devoted his whole to building up, is
“an idle and most false imposition” (II, iii 287). Iago seems to get a kick
out of the amount of suffering he is able to cause.
Iago completes his mission as a amateur pyromaniac, he has scorched his
first piece of furniture, but now he must become a professional arsonist and
burn down the entire house. Iago concentrates on destroying Othello by turning
“virtue into pitch. . .out of goodness make the net That shall enmesh them
all” (II, iii 380-383). Iago, the fire-breathing villain, continues his
“bloody business” by tormenting Othello with specific, and often times vulgar,
descriptions of Desdemona’s alleged sexual exploits with Cassio. (III, iv 532).
Iago provides everything but “ocular proof,” and eventually Othello becomes so
distraught and enraged that he falls into a seizure.
Iago continues to add
fuel to the fire until Desdemona and his own wife have been murdered, Cassio and
Roderigo seriously wounded, and Othello has killed himself. Iago lives only for
the death of others. His inner fire is fueled by hatred and blood. Othello
tries to kill Iago but he “cannot kill thee” (V, ii 337). Othello tries to
fight fire with fire when he stabs Iago. Iago is a “demi-devil,” a “pernicious
caitiff,” a human sphere of maliciousness who cannot be killed by hate, for
hate is what he lives for (V, ii 368375).
Harold Goddard believes that if Iago were of less intelligence, he would
have been a true pyromaniac (Goddard 76). A dull-witted Iago might light fires
in forests, rather than in the minds of men. A unintelligent Iago may enjoy
watching trees ablaze and seething, rather than men. Goddard insists that Iago
exhibits “dozens” of the characteristics of the typical pyromaniac (Goddard 76).
His “secret joy” of observing his inferno in progress is the most obvious
As Goddard states, the true motive of Iago is his “underlying condition.”
He is a “moral pyromaniac” and cannot help himself. On several occasions Iago
consciously realizes that what he is doing is evil and desperately searches for
motives. However the “reasons he assigns for his hatred in the course of the
play are not so much motives as symptoms of a deeply underlying condition.”
M. R. Ridley states that Iago’s actions are so vulgar and evil that only an
“incarnate fiend” could apply them (Ridley lxi). Because Iago’s actions are so
evil and his lust for power is so great, they must be innate characteristics of
a deranged man. No man could possibly learn to be as evil as Iago or to enjoy
the demise of others as Iago did. Iago was born a “moral pyromaniac” and will
enjoy suffering as long as he lives. Heaven for Iago is Hell.
Iago continually seeks power through the destruction of others. He is
inflicted with moral pyromania and is driven by an inborn urge to disgrace and
demolish mankind. The ultimate goal of Iago and of every “moral pyromaniac” is
to crush the sprits of others and to corrupt all that is virtuous. Iago
succeeds by reaping havoc upon a group of moral and kind people. He may even
enjoy his punishment: torture. Iago’s motivation is not a motivation at all, it
is a disease; a disease that can only be cured in Hell. As long as Iago exists
on earth, there will always be another house to burn, another life to inflame.
Goddard, Harold C. The Meaning of Shakespear. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, 1960. 75-76.
Ridley, M. R. Othello. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1959. lx-lxiii.
Shakespeare, William. Othello. New