Why I Teach 'Othello' – Students Should Know About People Like Iago

 

When teaching my writing about literature classes – we cover poetry, fiction, and drama units – I always choose to teach William Shakespeare's Othello for the drama unit. Arguably, Othello is one of old Will's greatest plays, and it is certainly the most modern one. 

A Very Modern Story

All the issues that are dealt with in the play – racism, friendship, misogyny, substance abuse, greed, lust, peer pressure, jealousy, infidelity – are very present in our lives today. Also, more than half of my students are not white, so a play about a powerful Black man is something that interests them more than Hamlet, which is about a rich white boy.  

A Foreign Language? 

Many of my students have had some experience with the Bard because they read Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade – just like I did and many generations before and after me. Still, students are squeamish at first because their thoughts about Shakespeare are what one feels when going to a foreign country worrying about not being able to speak the language. However, Shakespeare coined around 1,700 new English words and phrases that we currently use, so his plays don't have to be read with Google Translate open on their phones.  

White as Othello and McKellen as Iago

Some people can say that Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth are better plays – I just accept these opinions as personal preference – but I stand by Othello as the greatest one because it has the most teachable moments in it. One of the most outstanding aspects of the play is its villain Iago. In my mind Iago is Shakespeare's greatest antagonist simply because he is an anti-antagonist. None of the characters know exactly what he is doing until it is too late for them. 

Shakespeare's Best Villain

Iago's methodology is so complex and yet unravels in subtle and discreet manner, and he is obsequious to the point of not being obvious about it. This is a delicate thread that Shakespeare sews through each act that only finally finds it mark in Act V when all the feces hits the fan in such a spectacular way. No one goes to watch Othello expecting to see Othello and Desdemona holding hands and walking off into the sunset, and that's the point of tragedy – catastrophe is expected, desired, and perhaps even welcome. 

Now, getting back to my students, I find it interesting over my years of teaching the play how their reactions to Iago are very consistent. They are surprised about how a friend could be so conniving and deceitful. I point out that Iago is very blunt about his intentions in Act I Scene I when he tells the hapless Roderigo "I follow him to serve my turn upon him." Roderigo should have realized that if Iago could do this to Othello that he could become a victim too, but he is a fool, and Iago exploits that. My blunt message to my students is sometimes someone is not who you think that they are. 

A False Friend

 Imogen Stubbs as Desdemona

Of course, Iago is a smiling fiend as he feigns friendship with all those whom he will hurt – Emilia, Roderigo, Desdemona, Cassio, and Othello – the depth of his machinations and impact on their lives is devastating. For example, in Act IV Scene III, Iago even comforts Desdemona who is upset because she doesn't know why Othello is angry with her, but we know the reason for Othello's anger is holding her in his arms. 

Dramatic Irony

Some students don't understand how these people allow themselves to be duped. It seems obvious to them that Iago is a traitor, liar, and manipulator. I agree with them but then discuss the matter of dramatic irony – the audience knows what the characters do not. In real life that can mean that we can find ourselves dealing with someone like Iago. In fact, I have known someone who was like Iago in my lifetime, and I mention that in class.

Desdemona and Othello in a happy moment

In Act II when everyone in Cyprus – except obviously Iago – is worried that Othello may have been lost in the storm that swamped the Turkish fleet that was expected to attack the island. Iago watches as Cassio consoles an emotionally upset Desdemona and hatches the devious plot to make them appear to be lovers. When Othello charges into the room alive and well, he shares a blissfully loving moment with Desdemona. Iago watches them with contempt and says, "O, you are well tuned now, but I will set down the pegs that make this music."     

What Makes A Villain?

In class I discuss the matter of villainy itself. The students will identify what makes someone a villain, and I propose the question: "Does a villain see himself as the bad guy?" To get them thinking in terms that they can relate to, I ask, "Does Thanos from the Marvel movies think he is a bad guy?" They nod their heads, and I follow up by saying, "No, he thinks what he's doing is right even though it's horribly wrong. It's the same with Iago. He believes he has been wronged (Othello promoted Cassio to lieutenant instead of him) and that it's right for him to seek revenge."

In life we are probably going to meet at least one Iago – a smiling and friendly person who will wish to harm us in some way. By reading Othello and discussing what makes Iago so good at being bad, I want my students to realize the warning signs of a frenemy. Iago acts as if he cares about Othello when in Act III Scene III he says, "O, beware my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on." What he is doing is actually planting the idea of the jealousy that he is warning Othello about. It's brilliant, cunning, cruel, and very effective. 

Students' Opinions

Othello's anger gets more intense

After we finish reading the play in class – and watching some scenes from the TV movie directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Willard White as Othello and Ian McKellen as a particularly cruel Iago – I ask for students' opinions about the play. Over the years I've heard many comments about how Othello gave up too easily or that Othello made mistakes and shouldn't have believed what Iago says. Othello was a great general and should have know Iago was setting him up. Putting the blame on Othello always doesn't surprise me because that's common as victims are often blamed for what happens to them.

Yeah, sure, but this is easier said than done. I remind them that Othello is an outsider. He is counting on Iago to interpret situations and help him navigate the course to best outcomes. Othello mentions that Iago is trustworthy and calls him "Honest Iago." All the signals he has come to rely upon tell him Iago has his best interests in mind. 

No Happily Ever After

I get my students' feelings about this, but I again mention the dramatic irony part. We have all the information to recognize these things that Othello does not. If he knew what we knew, there would be no play – he would have skewered Iago like the dog that he is and gone back to Venice to live a happily married life with Desdemona.

In the end, my students do mostly get it. They also understand my point about being able to identify an Iago that may be in their lives one day. When this happens, I feel like I have accomplished my two most important goals. Number one: I have exposed them to a great Shakespearean play, Number two: I've taught them to be more cautious about choosing friends. I have to say I feel pretty good about both of these outcomes.

When and if you have the time, I suggest you take the chance to watch the Othello movie that I use in my classes for free on YouTube. There are excellent performances and White and McKellen shine brightly!