To what extent is “I am not what I am” an appropriate epithet for Iago? Is Iago simply evil or are others gullible?
...on at the expense of Roderigo, Othello, and even the audience, although we are aware of what is going on. Iago’s complete lack of emotion is a distinct advantage; he gains a reputation for being an honest man, and in fact is often referred to as “honest Iago” for the majority of the play. In fact, he changes so often the design and motive for his evil that you begin to question them and seek his real motive for the destruction he causes. The day he decides to demonstrate outwardly what he feels inwardly, Iago explains, will be the day he makes himself most vulnerable: “I will wear my heart upon my sleeve / For daws to peck at.” His implication, of course, is that such a day will never come. He has established himself to the characters as reliable and frank. They are not aware of his other side, or that he even has one, he is excessively surreptitious and elusive with his plans and elaborate lies. They are not to blame that they have in their ignorance, fallen into his trap, so carefully placed. Iago is simply evil and is not what he is. It is interesting to see that the quote “I am not what I am” carries a biblical reference supporting the belief that Iago is the devil. In Exodus God instructs Moses on his laws on Mt. Sinai, and Moses asks God his name. God replies: “I am that I am” (Exodus, iii, 14). Taking into account that “I am that I am” represents God and “I am not what I am” represents Iago and they are complete opposites, and the opposite of God is Satan, would it be completely irrational to assume that this strongly implies that Iago himself is the devil? Iago is an island of bitter irony. You think perhaps he is insecure but he doesn’t reveal his weaknesses, which makes it excessively hard to tell. He is elusive in everything he does; he is obsessive and has an irrepressible desire to have power over the people around him. It is not in his words that Iago manipulates his “friends” but rather in his silences, which can be branded his trademark to put it frankly. He slowly gains momentum in his control over Othello. This behavior leads to him abusing Othello’s weakness for seeing life as black and white, by his knowledge of everyone’s weakness through their confidence in him, he destroys them. Soon, losing power over the outrageous situation, and strug...