Othello: Iago Makes Othello Believe His Wife Is Having An Affair

In Shakespeare's "Othello," Iago carefully and masterfully entraps
Othello into believing that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with Cassio.
He does this through a series of suggestions and hesitations that entice and implant images into Othello's head that lead him to his own demise. More importantly, Iago gives Othello the motive to murder his own innocent wife
Desdemona, satisfying Iago's immense appetite for revenge.

The motive for Iago's devious plan is initially made clear in the first of three major soliloquies, in which he proclaims Othello has had an affair with his wife, Emilia: "And it is thought abroad that t'wixt my sheets/ He's done my
office" …show more content…

The irony of all this is throughout the open declarations of love, Iago is deceiving them . One is therefore left to question the naivety and innocent nature of each character; except Iago.

Iago's beloved wife, Emilia, is the one who eventually unravels her husband's masterful plan in the ultimate scene, but it is already too late, for
Iago has gained his revenge with the murder Of Desdemona by Othello. Another irony is when she fails to connect the persona she described; after Othello strikes Desdemona, with the persona of her husband:

I will be hanged if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander; I'll be hanged else (IV.ii.128-132).

The relationship between Iago and Emilia is very vague. She doesn't seem to know her husband very well and neither does he, she. This is due to Iago's animal like attitude to love and life. He is very individualistic, concerned with only himself and his needs. He is very self-centered, and this is made evident in the first scene when he shouts to Brabantio:

...an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe..."(I.i.87-93) ...you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh