Iago and Cassio

Shakespeare develops the character of Cassio in this scene by using extravagant language, showing him to be a gallant gentleman via the way he treats women with great respect even if they are on a same or lower class. On the other hand, Iago is crafted as a man who criticizes his wife incessantly (100-1 when she lets Cassio kisses her) and makes ugly comments about women in general. Shakespeare explicitly describes Iago’s view of women through lines 108-11, in which he believes that women are play-minded creatures who appear to be all nice and quite when out in public, are just silent images, or just “pictures out of doors” but when all they do at home is whining and talking like “bells” and “wild-cats”. By having Cassio serves as a foil to Iago in terms of relationship between men and women, I think Shakespeare has built a background of the society in which the play is set in, enabling the audience to gain a better knowledge of the characteristics of the expected role of women and men – how men are able to treat women, it is their choice and that women, at the time, are considered to have high status and are respected by others. More importantly, this contrasting portrayal of men-women relationship helps to raise dramatic tension as we gain an understanding of Desdemona being an independent girl who could directly speak to men – thus maybe she will have the power to stop Othello’s blindness in being tricked into the Iago’s scheme.

Act II, Scene I

Cassio throughout this scene exerts himself to be the ideal and perfect courteous gentlemen. In this scene, his appreciation for feminine beauty is highlighted as he speaks with much enthusiasm about Desdemona’s beauty (more than what most men would speak of when talking about another man’s wife). His romantic character is developed through his description of Desdemona. In lines 62 to 64, he portrays Desdemona as a woman that “paragons description and wild fame”, “excels the quirks of blazoning pens” and is an “essential vesture of creation”. The use of extravagant courtly diction depicts Desdemona’s beauty to be overwhelming; as if it is beyond the ability of humans and their words to describe her thus suggesting that her beauty is divine. This idea is further reinforced when Cassio boldly claims that jagged rocks and sandbanks “as having sense of beauty do omit/ their moral natures, letting go safely by/ the divine Desdemona” (lines 71 – 73). This implies that Desdemona’s beauty is so overpowering that her ship manage to escape the dangers of the storm, rocks and sands because of it.

Being the gentlemen that Cassio is, upon the arrival of Desdemona on his ship he alerts the men on board the ship that “the riches of the ship is come on shore!” (line 83) and insists that the men of Cyprus greet her by “[letting] her have [their] knees” (line 84). This depicts Desdemona as something precious, like treasure and is the fact that the men are kneeling before her is akin to welcoming a goddess or an angel, which is a slightly excessive gesture as they are in the middle of a storm, where everything is wet and muddy. He also extends his welcome to Emilia, Iago’s wife by giving her a kiss to which he explains that “’tis [his] breeding/ that gives [him] this bold show of courtesy” (lines 98/99). This suggests that he was brought up in a well-mannered environment. This in turn emphasizes how charming Cassio is and at this point, the audience feels a little bit worried as they can see clearly how Cassio would fit perfectly into Iago’s evil scheme. This additionally serves as a foreshadow of the manifestation of Iago’s plan as it unfolds throughout the course of the play.

Iago’s disdain for women can be seen in this scene through the pessimistic way in which he speaks about them. This is apparent when he compares women in the quote to insignificant objects;

“you are pictures out of doors, bells
In your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchen, saints in
Your injuries, devils being offended, players in your
housewifery, and housewives in your beds.” (lines 108 – 111)

“Pictures out of doors” suggests that they only pretend to be well-behaved when they are out in public but reveal their true nature at home. “Bells in you parlours” suggests that they are as noisy and annoying as the sound of bells while “saints in your injuries, devils being offended” implies that they are religious in their dedication for revenge but are devil-like when someone faults them. “Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds” indicates that they only pretend to be housewives and that they use sexual favours to get what they want, which is further emphasized when he says that women “rise to play and go to bed to work”. What he meant by saying this is that women only really earn their living in bed. Therefore, through the horrible things that Iago says, it is not at all surprising that Iago thinks of women as low and inferior as he compares them to animals and devils.

Furthermore, Iago also describes his idea of a perfect woman in this scene.

‘She that was ever fair, and never proud,
Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud;
Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay;
Fled from her wish, and yet said "Now I may";
She that being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
Bade her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly;
She that in wisdom never was so frail
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;
She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,
See suitors following and not look behind;
She was a wight, if ever such wight were – ‘ (lines 145 – 155)

Iago’s response highlights the point that a woman should be fair, but not overly stuck up; who was well-spoken but knows when to hold back (knows what her limit is); who had gold but did not overdress just because she had the money; who had self-control; who could control her desire to seek revenge for slights; who had enough sense to distinguish head from tail; who could think without expressing her every thought and who could avoid being distracted by others’ reactions.

He then pauses significantly before concluding his speech with “to suckle fools and chronicle small beer” (line 157) with the intention of winding Desdemona up. The last sentence of his speech suggests that a woman, even if she is perfect is good for nothing more than nursing babies and to keep household accounts of insignificant items such as beer.

The contrast in how different male characters portray female characters highlights the fact that men are dominant and hold more power in a relationship as they can easily promote or demote a woman’s status in the society, especially if they are of a high position in the army (for example, Cassio). This in turn emphasizes the inferiority of women and their position in the social hierarchy during the Elizabethan era.

Iago vs. Cassio

Act 2 Scene 1

In this scene, while waiting for the arrival of Othello in Cyprus, Iago and Cassio speak to and of women in contrasting manners. Cassio clearly shows more respect and consideration for women in society, while Iago, on the other hand, exhibits a lack of respect and appreciation, especially towards the woman he married, Emilia.

When Cassio speaks of Desdemona, Othello's wife, he describes her with the utmost respect without lapsing into insincerity;

Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid

That paragons description and wild fame;

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens

And in th'essential vesture of creation

Does tire the ingener.

Cassio says that Desdemona is so much more than what people describe her as, and that her beauty transcends imagination. By speaking of her in this way, Cassio instantly elevates her status through his inflated compliments, and this is highlighted when Cassio calls to his men 'You men of Cyprus, let her have your knees'. Cassio respects and admires Desdemona, even though she is just a friend and he is not romantically involved with her, indicating that Cassio is respectful towards women in general. He continues to compliment her throughout the scene, calling her 'the divine Desdemona' and 'the riches of the ship', comparing her to something so very rare and valuable.

Cassio also shows respect for Emilia, Iago's wife, when he greets her politely and chivalrously with a kiss. Cassio says 'tis my breeding that gives me this bold show of courtesy', suggesting that Cassio has been brought up in an environment where he was taught to respect women.

Iago, on the other hand, exhibits a very different and negative attitude towards women, to the point where he criticises and disparages his own wife. After Cassio kisses Emilia, Iago says;

Sir, would she give you so much of her lips

As of her tongue she oft bestows on me

You would have enough.

Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors, bells

in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchen, saints in

your injuries, devils being offended, players in your

housewifery, and housewives in your beds.

Iago implies that women talk excessively, definitely more than they should, and of useless matters. He says that women are well behaved in public but in the home they are troublesome. In addition to this, Iago makes the vulgar statement, 'You rise to play and go to bed to work', indicating that he thinks women are good for nothing but sex.

In contrast to Cassio, who elevates the status of women, Iago greatly lowers their status, referring to them as objects and animals - pictures, bells, wild-cats, as if they are selfish creatures, and a burden to their husbands.

These contrasting ways in which women are spoken to and spoken of affects our understanding of male/female relationships in the sense that there are two different types of male/female relationships; empowered and constrained. The way that Cassio speaks to women in society is very respectful and courteous. He gives them a voice, an identity and status. However this is only outside of the home. We do not know how Cassio would treat a mistress or a wife. Iago and Emilia's relationship is constrained. Their relationship is an excellent example of power in gender roles in society, with Iago being the powerful masculine persona in the relationship, and Emilia being the weaker feminine persona. The idea that women are inferior to men is exemplified in their relationship, as Emilia is clearly of a lower status to Iago, and Iago constantly verbally abusing her.

Because of the opposing attitudes towards women, Cassio becomes the perfect scapegoat for Iago's plan. His respect for women, in particular Desdemona, makes him the perfect suspect as Iago intends to lure Othello into thinking Desdemona is having an affair with Desdemona, therefore bringing the both of them down. This could foreshadow a terrible ending later on in the play as the more we learn about Cassio and his charming characteristics, the more we realise that Iago's plan could be executed flawlessly. Iago's cruel manners towards his wife also indicates how heartless he is, emphasising his malicious characteristics.