Othello

Othello is a really interesting play. I can definitely see how Shakespeare delves into the human psyche with this play; it deals with love, jealousy, and hate among other emotions. It's amazing to see just how manipulative Iago is. In the beginning of the play he says outright to Roderigo that he is not what he seems. You would think that Roderigo would hear that and begin to think twice about what Iago says and does later on, but he continues to take him at his word. Not only does he believe what Iago is saying, he becomes Iago's lackey. It seems that all the characters throughout the play do not suspect Iago of being anything but honest and caring. Othello himself is convinced Iago loves him and looks out for him even though Iago is secretly plotting his downfall. In this sense, even though the reader of the play can't see Iago, I would imagine it would take an incredibly good actor to be able to play a character that seems so genuine to everyone else. The play may be titled after the character Othello, but it is Iago that is the focal point to me. Even though he is the “evil” character, you must have some grudging respect for how well he manipulates everyone. I don't believe he is even truly evil, since he doesn't just cause hate and violence for the mere fun of it, he has a motive for the way he acts. Granted, he completely overreacts in this situation, but it is a good example of a specific kind of person that is found in every society.