A To Z Challenge 2022: Shakespeare- I Is For Iago

Iago played by Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth. Public Domain

 Iago is the villain of the play Othello. Othello is a Moorish general, working for Venice. A black man. He marries the beautiful Desdemona, though he is a lot older than her. In fact, his experience is what attracts her to him, all those exciting - and sad - stories a young man would never have up his sleeve. They get married off stage at the very beginning of the play. Nobody can do anything about it, though they don’t like it.

And who do you see telling her father about it? In horribly vulgar and racist language? Iago! 

Here is the line: “An old black ram is tupping your white ewe.” 

So we know from the very first that he is no friend of Othello, whatever the Moorish general thinks.

I’m sorry, but I just can’t feel any sympathy for Iago. None! Mind you, he certainly gulls Othello pretty easily. 

But Iago is popular. He is the sort of guy you’d share a drink and a song with at the pub - in fact, he does sing a drinking song later in the play, “Let me the canikins clink”. Everyone likes and trusts him. Well, his wife, Emilia, doesn’t quite trust him, though she doesn’t think till too late that he would do that. 

They go to Cyprus, where Othello is to be in charge, and here all the nastiness begins. 

See, Iago is expecting a promotion. He doesn’t get it; it goes, instead, to Othello’s best friend Cassio. A stupid decision on merit, really, because Cassio is not very bright. But given that Iago has already been going behind his back, maybe the idiot was a better choice.

However, it’s made pretty clear that Othello has no idea of this. It’s nothing personal, it really isn’t. He just prefers Cassio. 

But Iago decides to get revenge and succeeds, persuading Othello that Desdemona is unfaithful, so that the stage in the last scene is covered with dead bodies - Desdemona, Othello, even Iago’s wife, whom he killed in a fit of rage for speaking out. 

And what is all this about? Missing out on a job! No, really, I just can’t find any sympathy for him! He does get some of the best lines in the play, mind you. He is the one who uses the term “green-eyed monster” for jealousy - I bet you have heard that one, even if you haven’t read or seen the play. 

And then there is his speech about the importance of a name: 

Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Well, he should know about that!  

I have seen this on stage, in Tel Aviv, at the Cameri Theatre, in Hebrew. I was so familiar with the play in English that I was comfortable with it in Hebrew. 

But I mostly remember the actor who played Iago(the week before he had played Antonio in The Merchant Of Venice and the actor playing Othello was the Prince Of Morocco, very funny in the role). He was amazing. He played the good old Iago everyone likes, including Othello. He led the boys in that drinking song. 

And in the very last scene, being led away to execution, he was utterly chilling, as he turns back and - laughs. He is proud of what he has done and has no regrets. 

Here are a few actors who have played the role. One was Andy Serkis, on stage in 1992 - yes, that Andy Serkis, Gollum! 

Kenneth Branagh, who played Iago to Laurence Fishburne’s Othello in a 1995 film I haven’t seen yet.

The photo above is of Edwin Booth, back in the 19th century. He was the brother of the crazed assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and he played Iago. There is a film about him, Prince Of Players, with Richard Burton in the role.

Ian McKellen played the role in a filmed version of Trevor Nunn’s stage version in 1990. Well before Gandalf! 

I have good news for you, that one is on YouTube for free! Here is the link. https://youtu.be/oX0cbcrMAdo

It’s a plum role for a fine actor. Nice, too, that there is no more blackface for the role of Othello.