Why Does Othello Believe Iago?
Shakespeare is renowned for the raw humanity of his characters. Even if the situation the characters are in might be implausible, audience members can imagine that, if they were placed in that situation, they might act the same way. They might have the same gut feelings and make the same mistakes. Othello , however, sometimes tests audiences' willingness to suspend their disbelief. They wonder: why is Iago so convincing? Why does Othello believe him? In this post, we will explore three proposed explanations for Iago's persuasive power. Iago is a great orator. The first theory we'll explore focuses on Iago's rhetorical talent. While we could dedicate an entire post to the analysis of the rhetorical strength of Iago's comments to Othello, we will keep the discussion brief here. Throughout Act III, Scene 3, Iago employs rhetorical techniques to sow doubt in Othello's mind about Desdemona's fidelity. He intentionally refrains from making any outright negative co...
