Without a doubt, the character of Iago, Othello’s
malicious, conspiring antagonist, has often been examined, analyzed,
scrutinized, and discussed to the umpteenth degree. Of course, the attention to
him is well-justified, for he is the quintessential villain in a quintessential
tragedy. Countless scholars have written dissertations and theses on the
various aspects of Iago’s character which make him the model of villainy, and
most conclude that he is the embodiment of all that is evil. Let’s face it: the
man is a scathing racist, a virulent misogynist, a master manipulator, a
calculated conspirator, and, essentially, a murderer who ruins marriages,
friendships, loyalties, and, ultimately, lives. But why? What is truly his
motive? What drives Iago to devote his every thought, word, and deed to the
destruction of happiness?
Clearly, one can answer the aforementioned questions in a myriad of ways. Based
on textual evidence alone, one may justify Iago’s motive as his jealousy of
Michael Cassio’s promotion to the rank of lieutenant by Othello, his gaining
retribution for his wife’s alleged sexual encounter with Othello, his general
envy of the upper class, or maybe, Iago has no motive but to simply wreak havoc
on everybody’s lives. (Part of Iago’s allure from a scholarly perspective is
the mystery of his true motive—his character leaves a lot for generations of
interpreters to work with.) Bearing in mind these alternatives (and several
more that I find unnecessary to list due to the vast number of them), I would
argue yet another possibility: Iago loves Othello—in that way. I’m
certainly not the first to propose this notion; in fact, according to a little
research I did on Google, there have been several productions of the play in
which Iago has been portrayed as having homosexual feelings for Othello, not to
mention scholarly writings that suggest the idea. At first, I, myself, thought
the concept of a gay Iago was a bit far-fetched, a bit too modernly
interpretative, but as the thought settled in my mind, I accepted it as a
reasonable and valid possibility.
It’s very easy to read and interpret literature through a lens to which one is
accustomed, and in our modern day, where various forms of literary criticism
open doors to examining countless possibilities, it’s essential to consider all
perspectives fairly. Needless to say, this particular take on Iago resonates
with me. Viewing Iago as almost a scorned lover paints him as somewhat of a
sympathetic character, at least from a modern reader’s eyes. I realize I am
going out on a limb by suggesting that anything to do with Iago could be considered
“sympathetic,” but when one considers the timeframe of the play, there’s a lot
of information we, the readers, don’t know concerning Othello’s and Iago’s past
together. Of course, due to circumstances, there’s not a lot we could possibly
know about their future had Iago’s plan worked out successfully. Before I look
to the text, I’m in no way suggesting that I “like” Iago or think his actions
are justifiable—he is a villain through and through—but I can certainly see why
he would feel scorned were his feelings for Othello more than the “love” a man
has for his general, and for that reason, I do feel a bit sorry for him.
In order to substantiate my seemingly-outrageous claims, I’d like to cite some
evidence from the text, particularly Act III, scene iii. Understanding that the
word “love” in this context may not mean what it means today, nor have the same
implications, from what I know, “love” in Shakespeare’s time was rather ambiguous,
as was sexuality in general; for example, Shakespeare hints at homoeroticism in
a good portion of his sonnets. I can see both sides of the coin: “love” meaning
love, and “love” meaning steadfast loyalty, platonic friendship, and dedication
between any two people. Being the devil’s advocate, however, I found several
clues in this scene alone which seem to hint at Iago’s feelings for Othello.
For one, Iago repeatedly and emphatically asserts his love for Othello: “My
lord, you know I love you” and “I humbly do beseech you of your pardon / For
too much loving you” (III.iii.121; III.iii.216–217). These lines may be
innocent enough, but they arise suspicion when comparing them to other lines in
the conversation. At one point, Iago tells Othello, “You cannot [know my
thoughts], if my heart were in your hand” (III.iii.168). This is an allusion to
marriage, in fact, one that Othello himself alludes to later in the play—”The
hearts of old gave hands”—referencing old marital customs where the ceremony of
joining hands meant the joining of hearts. The scene ends with Iago stating “I
am your own for ever,” an utterance which has often been compared to, or a
mockery of, traditional wedding vows III.iii.484). Take this passage, for
example: “...but how, how satisfied, my lord? / Would you, the supervisor,
grossly gape on, / Behold her topped?” (III.iii.399–401). Basically, Iago is
asking Othello if he would want to watch his wife have sex with Cassio to prove
her guilt—how sick of Iago to suggest that!
Another peculiar moment is when Iago reveals he has “slept” with
Cassio: “I lay with Cassio lately” (III.iii.418). This would seem innocent
enough—I’m sure it was customary for soldiers to share beds for lack of proper bedding
at times—but he goes on to say, “…then, sir, would he grip and wring my hand, /
Cry ‘O, sweet creature!’, then kiss me hard, / As if he plucked up kisses by
the roots / That grew upon my lips, lay his leg o’er my thigh, / And sigh, and
kiss…” (III.iii.425–429). Why wouldn’t Iago stop this? After all, he was
afflicted with “a raging tooth” that night, and certainly in no mood to be
kissed so passionately without stopping it (III.iii.419). I would sum up the
evidence in this scene in Iago’s own words: “This may help to thicken other
proofs / That do demonstrate thinly” (III.iii.435–436).
Again, all of this “evidence” can be interpreted in many ways
other than what I proposed, but there are several—many, rather—instances
elsewhere in the play that illustrate Iago’s “abnormal” sexual tendencies. His
marriage to Emilia is distant and cold, most likely affected by his misogyny.
His words are rife with sexual imagery and allusions to sexual behavior (at one
point, he compares the fighting group’s happiness “in
terms like bride and groom / Devesting them for bed” (II.iii.44–45).
Let’s not forget
in the very beginning of the play, Iago’s line, “an old black ram/Is
tupping your young white ewe!” (I.i.94–95). Iago also alludes to his inadequacies
in bed, accusing Othello and Cassio of being potential sexual rivals by
cheating with Emilia. These, among other reasons, are all contributing factors
to the assumption that Iago is sexually frustrated and longing for his
unrequited love between he and Othello. It’s only a possibility but one
certainly worth exploring and considering as a motive for Iago’s villainous
actions.
